I am sitting in a café, studying on my next Marketing Performance. Next to me, a woman speaks with a friend. She confesses that she compares herself on Instagram, disappointed that she has “only” 300 followers while others have so many more. A few minutes later she admits something seemingly unrelated: that she does her best thinking while driving her car.
Her words stay with me. They capture the paradox of our age: we crave more — more recognition, more speed, more proof of worth — and yet our best thoughts arise when we detach from that craving, when our minds are carried into flow by something as simple as the rhythm of the road.
What Happens in the Brain When We Think
Modern neuroscience shows that thinking is not a single process, but a symphony of brain regions:
- The prefrontal cortex directs focus, planning, and self-reflection.
- The default mode network activates when we daydream, reflect, or let the mind wander.
- The limbic system, especially the amygdala, colors our thoughts with emotion, from fear to desire.
When we feel lack — the sense that others have more, or that we are “not enough” — the brain’s reward circuitry (dopamine pathways in the ventral striatum) is triggered. It urges us to chase validation, likes, or achievements, but never lets us rest in satisfaction.
The Psychology of “Never Enough”
This feeling of deficiency has deep evolutionary roots. For millennia, humans needed to want more — more food, more safety, more social belonging — to survive. But in a world of abundance, this ancient program drives endless comparison. Social media amplifies it: every scroll presents new evidence that we fall short.
Transformation Through Spiritual Practices
Spiritual traditions, from Buddhist meditation to Stoic philosophy, have long recognized this restless hunger. Their wisdom aligns with modern psychology:
- Meditation calms the amygdala and strengthens the prefrontal cortex, allowing distance from craving.
- Mindfulness shifts awareness from “what I lack” to “what I have,” rewiring the brain toward gratitude.
- Ancient practices — breathwork, chanting, prayer — all create rituals of slowing down, countering the nervous system’s fixation on urgency.
Through these practices, the energy of lack can be transformed into presence. The woman in the café who thinks best while driving is unconsciously tapping into this: repetitive, embodied actions free the mind from striving and allow insight to emerge.
The Modern Paradox: AI and Acceleration
Today, artificial intelligence and digital speed amplify both our potential and our suffering. Algorithms offer shortcuts and acceleration, but they also heighten the pressure to keep up. The more tools we have to think and create, the less time we give ourselves to truly reflect.
Yet paradoxically, the way to accelerate is to slow down. Just as muscles grow during rest, creativity and clarity arise not from constant input, but from intentional pause.
A Call to Reflection
The café conversation reminds me that transformation begins in awareness: recognizing that the hunger for “more” is not personal weakness, but a universal mechanism of the mind. By integrating science, spirituality, and practice, we can reshape this mechanism.
To think deeply, to live fully, and to accelerate wisely — we must learn to stop, breathe, and reflect. Only then can we create from abundance rather than from lack.
In essence: The brain’s craving for “more” drives comparison and dissatisfaction, but ancient wisdom and modern mindfulness teach us to transform this energy. In a world of acceleration, the real art is slowing down — because reflection, not speed, is the true catalyst of growth.
