A couple of years ago, a friend of mine got rich in crypto.
He started with a small investment. And in the space of a couple of months, he turned it into a small fortune. Then, slowly and painfully, he lost most of it as the crypto tide turned.
These days, even though the moment has passed, he can’t let crypto go.
“It’s rewired my reward circuitry,” he says.
So he obsessively continues to listen to crypto podcasts. He keeps checking the news. And he hopes against hope that he will be able to regain that rush he got when he made his fast crypto money.
Reward circuitry.
It’s a messed up thing.
In my personal case, the issue is that I’ve spent much too much time in school. And in school, there’s really only one reward system. Either you get the right answer (pat on the head), or you don’t (disappointed look).
The thing is, that’s not how the world works. It’s certainly not how copywriting works. And yet, because my reward circuitry has been wired up during my decades of formal education, that’s how I think.
So for example, I am writing a new lead for a VSL right now. And I submitted my ideas so far to the copywriting coach I’m working with.
He came back with various bits of feedback. Insightful stuff. Completely fair. And likely to help me write a much better finished product.
But that’s not what my initial reaction was.
My initial reaction was, “Oh no. It wasn’t the right answer. I didn’t get a pat on the head.”
The only way out I can think of is to consciously fight against this, and to try to rewire my reward circuitry by hand.
It’s kind of like that rejection therapy that was popular a few years back. Each day, you try to get somebody to tell you no.
“No, I can’t give you a ride home right now.”
“No, you can’t sit in my lap.”
“No, I won’t pay for your burrito.”
When somebody tells you no, that’s when you win. You’ve just accomplished your goal for the day.
What I have in mind is similar. Except the goal is to find a new takeaway that will help you make your copy better.
“Pat on the head? Thanks, but what I could really use is a pointer on how to tighten up this headline.”
When you do this, you win the game for that day. And over time, maybe even your reward circuitry will adapt. At least that’s what I’m hoping.