Dopamine acts like a magnet that pulls your focus harder as you get closer to a goal.

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter primarily produced in the substantia nigra and the ventral tegmental area of the brain. While often called the 'pleasure chemical' it is actually responsible for 'wanting' rather than 'liking.' Research by neuroscientist Wolfram Schultz in the 1990s demonstrated that dopamine neurons fire in response to the prediction of a reward.When you identify a goal, your brain creates a dopamine gradient. As the distance between you and your reward decreases, the frequency of dopamine release increases. This biological mechanism ensures that your effort and focus intensify exactly when they are needed most to finish a task. This is known as the 'Goal-Gradient Effect' which was first proposed by psychologist Clark Hull in 1932.A 2013 study published in the journal Nature by researchers at the University of Washington found that dopamine levels in rats rose steadily as they navigated a maze toward a reward. This suggests that the brain tracks progress and ramps up chemical motivation as the finish line nears. This explains why the final steps of a marathon or the last few pages of a book often feel like the most energized moments of the experience.