You've just learned about the Seven Secrets of Neuron Leadership, but there are really eight. We've all heard about the eight wonders of the world: here is the eighth and most important neuron secret of the world:

Everything beautiful, glorious, and ingenious, and everything diabolical, horrific, and devastating that humankind has ever created is heavily influenced by one chemical and one neurotransmitter in our brains.

I realize that a host of brain experts and creative painters will line up at my door to cut off my fingers for making this statement, but the evidence is clear. The neurotransmitter is dopamine and the brain chemical is oxytocin (Figure 16.1).

We learned earlier that many neuroscientists believe that our personalities are related to three primary neurotransmitters that modulate brain activity in predictable patterns and influence how we humans act and react to the world around us. Again, the neurotransmitters are norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine.

Our neurotransmitter chemical levels are either high, medium, or low, and if our levels are out of balance, we can become psychologically or physically unhealthy. For example, a serotonin deficiency can cause migraine headaches, nausea, appetite issues, depression, and anxiety. Something as simple as drinking too much coffee can affect our dopamine levels and make us grumpy.

When we do something that gives us pleasure, like complete a project, create something beautiful, or show kindness and mercy, we do so because it increases our dopamine level and makes us feel good. Not being allowed to pursue our dreams deprives of us dopamine. We can become unhealthy and prone to addictions such as drugs, alcohol, control, money, power, sex, or work. We continue to feed these bad habits because doing so gives us a temporary dopamine rush.

To human beings, dopamine and oxytocin are almost as important as food and water, for without them our souls can eventually dry up and wither away. Our mental and physical health might decline, make us susceptible to disease, and rob us of the will to live.

I provided an example earlier of a friend in a sales leadership role who eventually left his job to pursue a happier, healthier lifestyle even though it came with a pay cut. He did so because he was miserable. He was not pursuing his passion and purpose in life. He no longer got a dopamine high or oxytocin rush from his profession.

How many of us have failed to pursue our dreams, our passions, our purpose in life because we felt guilty? Were we doing what we thought was best for others? Perhaps we martyred ourselves for a perceived greater good without realizing we'd made everyone else miserable because we were. Maybe we lacked enough philautia self‐love to have the courage to follow our hearts, or maybe our dopamine level was out of whack because we remained in an unhealthy environment or relationship, or we were unaware of specific healthy actions we could take to raise our dopamine and oxytocin levels. In this chapter, I outline 10 ways you can raise both.

RAISING DOPAMINE

Here are 10 ways you can raise dopamine levels in yourself and in the brains of your team members, thereby making everyone feel positively giddy:

1. L‐Tyrosine. This is an amino acid that helps raise dopamine levels in the brain. It can provide a “feel‐good” boost while helping to alleviate stress and minimize stress‐induced something…what was it again? Oh yeah, memory loss. L‐Tyrosine can be found at most vitamin stores.
2. Creativity. Spark your team's creative energies by holding brainstorming sessions, assigning them creative tasks, and praising their creative accomplishments. Inspire creativity instead of stifling it, but be sure to “pull the chain” if someone spends too much time finger‐painting and not enough time working.
3. Exercise. Goes without saying. Encourage exercise, long walks around the office, bike rides, whatever. Some companies hold periodic stretch and mini‐yoga “at your desk” sessions every day. It looks funny but it works.
4. Music. It also works, but it's temporary and may activate your brain's chemical dependencies. For addictive types, music is a two‐way street. It can boost your feel‐good dopamine level but cause withdrawal when you take off your headphones.
5. Addictions. This is a tough one because all of us are addicted to something. We get a dopamine rush when we satisfy our addictions, and hit a valley when the rush is over. If we're addicted to work or being in control, as a leader we may be inclined to push our teams too hard so we can get a rush. When they all quit, so does the rush.
6. Diet. Stop eating tons of sugar and processed foods. No more white bread or candy bars or mocha frappuccinos. They're deadly. Try whole grains (not wheat bread), Stevia sweetener, palm sugar, or agave syrup instead. You can also try curcumin, ginkgo biloba, or L‐Theanine.
7. Meditate. We mentioned this earlier. An interesting way to do this is revealed in a subsequent chapter, so keep turning those pages.
8. Streaking. I don't mean taking your clothes off and running naked around the office. Although this might raise eyebrows, it won't raise dopamine. Okay, maybe it will for you, but I mean get a streak going. For example, with a local sports team that's winning, a contest, a fundraising drive, subscriber numbers, or website visits, and so on.
9. Win. Winning is a great way to raise dopamine levels. When we accomplish something, like completing an important task or closing a deal, we get a nice dopamine boost. Having task or goal checklists for your team may help with this, provided the goals are attainable on a frequent basis.
10. Buy something. Most women are probably smiling and nodding at this one. Shopping raises dopamine? Buying a new pair of shoes gives you a rush? What a revelation. Imelda Marcos bought 3,000 pairs of shoes. I think she's in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the highest dopamine level on the planet.

RAISING OXYTOCIN

Could it be that virtually all wars, books, songs, paintings, inventions, medical breakthroughs, and financial epiphanies were created due to this brain chemical? We want more of it, so we do what it takes to increase it. When we lack enough of it, a nasty hormone takes control and turns us into a diabolical maniac.

Aside from having sex or delivering a baby, how can we increase our own—or someone else's—oxytocin levels? There are many ways and we'll explore 10 right now.

Before we do, I need to invoke a reminder that it is morally wrong to manipulate or coerce anyone to do anything. The following suggestions are offered as ways to improve relationships and help people feel happy and fulfilled, not as ways to trick them into doing your bidding. Please use these with respect, caution, and discretion.

1. Giving. This is why the principle about generosity is so important. Giving something to someone increases your oxytocin level, but only if it is from your heart and carries no expectation of reciprocity. When we give, we receive happiness and health in return because our oxytocin level increases. From now on, don't pass by that Salvation Army guy out in front of Walmart, but instead dig into your pocket and put a few bucks into the bucket. Volunteer your time for a worthy cause. In doing so, you'll feel better and live longer. Giving does not need to be in a monetary or hourly form. Give a compliment, a courteous gesture, a pat on the back for a job well done, or just a smile. You'll pump up your oxytocin level and that of the person you interact with. At work, sponsor charitable drives, visits to homeless centers as a team‐building exercise, or outings to charitable events. Encourage your team to be generous. They will feel better and respect you as a leader for helping them help others.
2. Hugging. Along with touching, this releases oxytocin. Hugging is a tough thing to do in office environments where men and women interact, but if done in a proper setting with more than two people in the room and in a genuine and respectful way, it can be quite powerful for increasing the oxytocin hormone and helping you and your team feel happier. By showing even a small modicum of platonic affection, others will feel appreciated and their oxytocin levels will soar. This does not mean you need to have hug fests every five minutes, or sponsor campfires where everyone sings kumbaya, but hugging occasionally in appropriate settings can have immediate and long‐lasting positive effects.
3. Petting. When we pet an animal, like a cat or a dog, our brain releases oxytocin. That's why we feel better when Charlie the cat sits on our lap and rubs his furry head into our hand. Interestingly, oxytocin is also released in the pet. That's why they love us so much. Our magical hands increase their oxytocin level. While we may not be able to bring a pet into the office, we can emulate this effect via mirror neurons by having a few pictures of pets here and there. These may remind people of their own pets and how they feel during a petting session. In my workshop sessions, I teach marketers how to use this secret to get customers to love your brand almost as much as their dog.
4. Exercising. Jogging, walking, biking, or other outdoor activities have been scientifically linked to increasing oxytocin levels. Walking while talking with someone else is one of the best ways to accomplish this as it raises the levels in both of you. Try this on for size: instead of a one‐on‐one meeting in your office, go for a walk with the other person. You'll bond better and feel better while raising oxytocin levels in both of you. Embarking on an adventure with someone also boosts your respective levels. That's why an adventurous vacation can help strengthen a relationship. That's also why some companies invest in adventurous team‐building exercises. They work because everyone's oxytocin levels are energized along with their batteries.
5. Shooting. Pacifists may reject this one, but it does work. Maybe because it's an adventure, who knows. There's something about slamming a magazine into a Glock 17, chambering a round, aiming the gun at the target, and blasting that paper full of loud holes. It's exhilarating. It's primal. It's fun. It can also be expensive, but a lot less costly than a heart attack.
6. Laughing. When we laugh, oxytocin rushes through us and the evil lord cortisol is vanquished. If your stress levels are soaring, or you're feeling depressed, watch a funny movie or YouTube video, go to a comedy club, listen to a fun‐filled recording (there are plenty on the web), or crack open a book of jokes. Likewise, for your team, encourage them to tell a good joke (a clean one, of course) prior to the start of a meeting. This will help crack the ice, set the tone for a more harmonious meeting, and raise everyone's oxytocin levels so they are more receptive to the information being delivered. The best orators know this intuitively, which is why they usually open their presentations with a funny story.
7. Chatting. Preferably on the phone rather than in a chat room. Talking while walking is better, but when you can't walk together then at least talk together. Pull your head out of your text app and use your phone in a primal, unconventional way. Dial a number and start talking. Better yet, do it in person by forming or joining a support group that meets frequently and allows everyone to chat for at least an hour.
8. Meditating. Try interacting with your mobile phone without using your thumb even once. Challenging, isn't it? Use your forefinger to tap on a music app, fire up something soft and soothing (not Led Zeppelin or Kiss), close your eyes, and meditate. Your nasty cortisol level will melt away, replaced by a warm and fuzzy wave of oxytocin. If we could only bottle this stuff and sell it. There's a ton of scientific research that shows how meditation lowers stress, increases memory and cognitive abilities, and makes us happier. The latter is because it increases our oxytocin levels. Just set aside at least 10 minutes each day to clear your head, with or without the music. Then give something away, hug someone, pet a pet, shoot a gun, jog a few miles, and call up a friend and tell them all about your oxytocin‐enriched day.
9. Eating. Not just eating, but eating right. Yeah, I know, our doctors always admonish us to do this, and we always ignore them and then we feel bad while we're slowly killing ourselves. It's a thing. Here are a few simple tricks that will help us do a better job of following our doctor's orders. Try this recipe: boil some eggs, or if you're lazy, pick up a few preboiled ones from the store. Smash them up, yolks and all (I won't go into all the new evidence that yolks got a bum cholesterol wrap, you can research this yourself). Next, smash in a banana and sprinkle in some black or cayenne pepper. This tasty combo is easy to make, easy to eat, and it's a proven oxytocin booster. When you're done with that little snack, open your refrigerator and say cheese, please…
10. Cheesing. Is that even a word? More importantly, are there miracle foods that can instantly make us feel happy and improve our relationships by raising our oxytocin and dopamine levels? Yes, there are, and this powerful final secret can save a relationship, a customer, and your job all in the same week. We talked about eggs, bananas, and pepper, but chocolate and mayonnaise also help boost oxytocin, as do certain cheeses. Here's why…

SAY CHEESE, PLEASE

Have you savored a genuine Parmigiano‐Reggiano or Dutch farmhouse Gouda and marveled at the crunchy bits that taste like salt? Those are actually small crystals of tyrosine inside long casein molecule amino acid chains.

Certain quality cheeses, like a mouth‐watering manchego or tongue‐tingling cheddar, are filled with tyrosine. Since our bodies are incapable of manufacturing this amino acid, most of us have low levels and need frequent “boosts.” A section of our brain called the olfactory bulb contains an enzyme that reacts with tyrosine to form neurotransmitters, including norepinephrine and dopamine.

Our sense of smell is also located in the olfactory bulb, which is related to our limbic system. Cheese presses our emotional “happy button” by stimulating our oxytocin and dopamine levels, which makes us smile.

Cheese makes everyone smile, you might say, but it also makes everyone fat. Sure, if you eat a whole pound of Brie or Havarti with every meal you'll soon look like the cow from whence the cheese came, but moderate amounts can be healthy.

Cheese is made from milk, which is almost 90 percent water, and contains significant amounts of minerals and proteins. Aged cheese has very little lactose and is essentially concentrated milk, but delivered in a healthy “predigested” form. Most importantly, cheese contains tyrosine.

When eaten in moderation, tyrosine‐filled cheese is the ultimate feel‐good food that can stimulate your oxytocin and dopamine levels and make you feel happy. When you're happier, your relationships improve and your leadership style is easier for the troops to digest. Things might also go a bit smoother with your boss or board. So, cheese is not only healthy, but might also help you get a raise … or at least keep you from getting fired.

You can determine your Neuron Personality Profile type and download a detailed description of your traits along with specific leadership suggestions and exercises by visiting www.neuronleaders.com. There you can also find a detailed chart that will help you determine your personal optimal neurotransmitter levels and review specific diet and health recommendations to improve your balances, and therefore your ability to lead.

NEURON EXERCISE

In our leadership roles, our heads fill up daily with millions of impressions, facts, figures, data points, names, tasks, and more. Our world is a cornucopia of nonstop stuff. Our email inboxes are overflowing, our phones are constantly buzzing, and our calendars are completely full. We're in overload mode, and the tsunami never stops. How do we deal with these constant storms?

We can find an “eye” and hang out for a while.

We must find a quiet time and place to meditate and clear our minds daily. If you're like me and find this difficult, here's a way to simplify the practice of meditation: Do you remember the acronym you learned in high school physics class when studying the colors of the spectrum? If not, it's ROY G. BIV, and it stands for Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, and Violet. These are the colors of the spectrum.

Light vibrates at various wavelengths, which is what creates different colors. Likewise, research validates that colors can have a profound effect on our brains.¹ We can learn to gradually lower our mental wavelength by closing our eyes and first visualizing the color red. Once we clearly see that color in our mind's eye, we can lower our wavelength one step further by visualizing the color orange and so on until we reach the color violet. At that point, we are vibrating at the lowest wavelength and will find it easier to clear our minds of all thought. With the color violet floating across our mind's eye, we will feel the weight of the universe lift from our shoulders. We will feel peace and serenity sweep over us like a warm ray of sun. We will find the practice of meditation to be easier and far more effective.

You should meditate for at least ten minutes each day. If you can't find at least ten minutes, then you are obviously far too busy riding your high horse while swinging a lasso and trying to yodel. Meditating and praying daily will help you become more in tune with yourself. It will help clear your mind of all that built‐up clutter and allow you to focus on the leadership tasks of the day. You'll feel better, think better, act better, and lead better.