Dopamine.

Dopamine rush it its finest.

The rush of a possible pleasure mixed with the release of the angst of getting caught. The thrill of potentially, "getting away with it," combined with the pleasure received from the act itself. We are not creatures of satiation, we are creatures of pleasure. Our body wants to survive and does this in the most manipulative ways, or at least we manipulate ourselves to justify behaviors otherwise would have never been. We see this when we defend our side in an argument, when we lash out due to hurt, when we fail to see another's point of view. The weaker the person, the more the argument, the more the person has to prove themselves and lack willingness or the ability to be vulnerable to admit self was wrong.

What is it about the drive to do something that gets us in trouble? After all, isn't our motive pure at some point? Aren't we just creatures, living and trying to stay that way? Why would doing wrong to another be taken so personal? Our intent behind the drive, the actual fuel to an action is what separates us from dogs. Dogs fight, scrap, but do not hold animosity, they lack that human quality of intent, awareness of themselves and their "ego." Humans don't though, we get in fights and hold grudges. We wrong someone for the intent to get something. We gossip to break those around us down so we can feel better. The worst part is, our "intelligence," has us justifying the behaviors as, "well, I'm just saying." Dopamine drives us to the next thing and keeps us acting in a manner of "faith," where we will get what we think we wanted.

I guarantee one bear won't leave to tell the other
bears about how Jerry's been acting. 

Some people think that 10 pounds is what they want. They become driven to accomplish this, at all costs. They will go out, buy a product, retailers love these clients. These people are determined to do what they think is the best method, despite logic, despite research, despite the failures in the past they are inevitably repeating. The drive for 10 more pounds with the belief that, "Then I will be happy." This drive, sparked by dopamine and a poor motive, drives people into destructive thinking.

What happens when the dopamine wears off, the goal takes too long, or that initial thought of,"This is the best idea ever, everybody needs to hear it," starts to dissipate and we leave a project half-completed, never revisited? What happens to us when our drive falls short when at one time our motives were "all-in?"

A deeper understanding of self is required, our true motive behind the act. To lose 10 pounds, say, for a motive of being healthier, for you, honestly this time, would be a motive of endurance. The motive to look better to impress others, now that is a problem. Looks are in the eye of the beholder and when that 10 pounds, of whatever, comes off, the number reflected back from the ground-floor of a scale, will not satisfy. I guarantee it. You might revel in the number, but know, on the inside, this failed to meet expectation. Instead, now you are left to admit the purpose behind the goal of 10 pounds was to impress, validate, improve the self. You wanted to see something that would impress, like a magic trick was going to happen. This drive, motive, isn't lasting, and these results show it.

Dopamine drives the ship through the toughest, adverse waters to get what the mind determined will improve quality of life, even if it is for a short while, i.e. drugs. The brain is not initially concerned with long-term commitments, but that something will be effective. Drugs, alcohol, sex, success, attention, significance, these things are sought after negating what it takes to get there. This might be loss of healthy relationships, burning people in the process, getting "laid." All things we can be impulsively driven to, with no real value to ourselves, inevitably falling flat. Some people are able to realize this and change, noting the consequences and wanting to avoid them the next time, some however, continue to engage thinking the next time, this repeat will solve me.

A picture may intend to display contentment, yet with the wrong motive, the same situation may be full of angst. 

Dopamine is not the pleasure, but it is what keeps you coming back for more. Our minds justify something as necessary and we are off to the races, fueled by this potent neurotransmitter and awaiting the finish line of pleasure. Depending on the motive will determine if that finish line is peace and contentment, or another hollow victory where the winner gets no crowd, no reward, and nobody cares. The sought-after pleasure has to be noted for its purpose and if this is for selfish reasons, it will fail you. True satisfaction and contentment comes from the purest motive. A motive of others, spirituality, a motive to truly help, these things will not spark the rush of dopamine or the opiate receptors in the brain, but long-term, the satisfaction that comes about is worth more than any of it.

God Bless.

If you want more of a scientific definition.