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Have you ever noticed how the excitement of something new—like a pay rise, a relationship, or even a holiday—fades faster than expected? That’s not just your imagination. It’s something called the hedonic treadmill, and it affects us all more than we realise.
In this blog, we’ll break down how this psychological pattern keeps you chasing happiness that never lasts, how it can spiral into addiction, and how to step off the treadmill and into a more grounded, meaningful life.
Watch the full video here:
The hedonic treadmill—also known as hedonic adaptation—is the idea that no matter how much external pleasure we seek, our happiness eventually returns to a baseline. It’s like running on a treadmill that never stops. No matter how far you go or what you achieve, you always end up where you started emotionally.
Whether it’s food, shopping, sex, or social validation, the initial high wears off. Over time, you become less sensitive to the stimulus and need more of it to feel anything at all. That’s where the addiction cycle begins.
This is the same neurological mechanism that makes sugar or alcohol feel good at first, but less rewarding over time. You might increase the dose to chase the original high, which leads to diminishing returns and eventually, burnout or dependence.
Ramin explains that the very act of chasing pleasure often brings pain along with it. Take a night of partying: in the moment, it feels euphoric. But the next day, the hangover hits hard. The same applies to binge-watching TV, scrolling for hours, or even seeking sunlight after months of grey weather.
He shares a personal story about moving from Germany to Los Angeles. At first, the sun felt incredible. But over time, even that pleasure wore off. Eventually, it led to sunburn, fatigue, and discomfort—an example of how too much of a good thing creates imbalance.
If you’re curious about how these highs and lows affect your behaviour, you might also like this post about how voids and values drive your behaviour.
The lower mind craves instant gratification and avoids discomfort at all costs. It wants sugar instead of vegetables, likes instead of deep conversation, and ease over effort.
But the higher self understands duality. It knows that pleasure and pain are two sides of the same coin. The more you chase one, the more you invite the other.
Instead of avoiding pain, growth happens when you face it and stay committed to what matters. This ties in with Ramin’s view on how short-term thinking undermines long-term goals.
If you want to break free from this loop, here’s where to start:
Start by identifying what gives you a sense of meaning rather than just momentary pleasure. That could be relationships, work, creativity, health, or personal growth. Ramin often talks about this in his videos on long-term vision and values.
Every pleasurable moment has a price. When you can see both sides—the pleasure and the pain—it’s easier to let go of the addiction cycle. That doesn't mean avoiding pleasure altogether. It means choosing it more wisely and intentionally.
The more you tune into what you already have, the less you feel the need to chase highs. Over time, this helps reset your baseline for happiness.
If you struggle with self-discipline or chasing highs, try this article on overcoming the licensing effect for practical strategies.
Instead of chasing happiness through more—more success, more stuff, more validation—focus on alignment. What’s meaningful to you? What gives your life depth?
The more you follow that path, the less you’ll be distracted by cravings and short-term hits. You’ll still experience pleasure, but it will come as a byproduct of a meaningful life—not as something you constantly have to chase.