Why Your Brain Thrives on Uncertainty

I get it—you hate uncertainty. But here’s the twist: your brain thrives on it.

Just imagine trying to explain to someone from 1974 how we book an airline ticket, select our seat, pass through TSA and board a commercial aircraft all without touching a single piece of paper or speaking to another human.

You can replace air travel with booking a doctor’s appointment, hailing an Uber car, getting directions, ordering takeout, placing a stock trade…..okay, you get the point.

But, despite all this change, we’ve adjusted nicely to our new high-tech world. Why? Because we thrive on a challenge. We thrive on the uncertainty that comes with learning new things.

Danger, Will Robinson…

Back when our ancestors were living in caves and hunting for food, day-to-day survival was difficult. Life was dangerous. Life was uncertain. 

Our brains adopted certain physiological responses to protect us from danger and uncertainty. Today, our brains are still triggered in the same way by episodes of danger or uncertainty.

Let’s agree on this: our brains are high-powered prediction machines that hate being wrong.

I know, sounds contradictory to loving uncertainty, right? But, our brains can appreciate two things at once. Think: ice cream and chocolate sauce; green eggs & ham, etc.

The “Maybe” of Winning

A groundbreaking study found that the uncertainty of gambling triggers more dopamine than actually winning. (dopamine, aka the “feel-good” hormone, fuels that addictive thrill.)

The uncertainty of gambling actually releases more dopamine than actually winning. Which is good cause I’m really bad at gambling.

Yeah, you read that right. The maybe of winning feels better than actually winning. It’s the reason why some people love to gamble. They know the odds are stacked against them. But, they love the dopamine rush, And, to them, the juice is worth the squeeze.

Scientists hooked people up to brain scanners and gave them the two options presented in the poll below. You can participate and see the overall results of my readers.

Guess what? Everybody chooses number two. When they do, their pleasure centers light up like a Christmas tree on ‘roids.

But why would our brains evolve to thrive on uncertainty? Shouldn't we prefer certainty, like knowing exactly where our next meal is coming from?

As I mentioned earlier, uncertainty was critical for our survival. Think about our ancestors who conquered new lands. The ones who were curious about what might be over that next mountain range?

They found new food, better shelter, and—who knows—maybe even some hot Neanderthal ladies in loincloths.

But, what about their friends who stayed behind in the old camp, unwilling to venture out? Those friends were certain about their current situation. Well, they're not anybody's ancestors today are they?

Let's break down what uncertainty does to your brain:

1. Dopamine spikes higher with uncertainty than with certainty. It’s the reason why we love cliff-hanger shows like Game of Thrones, The Sopranos, Breaking Bad, etc.

2. Memory formation gets enhanced (ever notice how you remember those cliff-hanger shows better?)

3. Learning accelerates (because your brain hates not knowing things)

The Productive Struggle

A recent study suggests that students learn better when teachers added elements of uncertainty to their lessons. It’s the “productive struggle” that enhances the challenge and the reward of learning.

We're not talking about pop quizzes.

We’re talking about engaging students with complex problems—ones just beyond their current understanding. The struggle to figure it out, that moment of “aha,” is where real learning happens.

But here's the kicker - not all uncertainty is created equal.

Your brain loves the kind of uncertainty that might lead to something good. It should be challenging, but not insurmountable. Think: New York Times (Monday) crossword puzzle.

Our brains detest the kind of uncertainty that is insurmountable. Think: New York Times (Friday) crossword puzzle. That kind of uncertainty triggers stress responses instead of dopamine hits. Instead of a jolt of feel-good dopamine, you'll get a dose of feel-bad cortisol. Your brain's not stupid, after all.

Social media platforms have figured this out. That's why you can’t stop scrolling through Instagram Reels or Tik-Tok videos. Sometimes you find something amazing, sometimes it's just another cat video. But maybe the next scroll will be life-changing, or the next. And boom - there goes another hour of your life. Cmon, don’t act like you’ve never been there.

Same logic applies to dating apps. I wrote about them in an article entitled Is Everyone Having More Sex Than You? but the short version: swiping is more addictive than dating.

The uncertainty of who you'll match with next is more addictive than actually going on dates (which explains a lot about modern dating, doesn't it?).

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Some researchers think our love of uncertainty might be why we enjoy music. We anticipate patterns in the melody, and when the song does something slightly unexpected - boom, dopamine city.

So what can we do with this knowledge? Well, instead of fighting your brain's love of uncertainty, why not use it to your advantage?

• Want to learn something new? Frame it as a mystery to be solved.

• Need to exercise more? Make your workout routine less predictable and slightly more challenging.

• Trying to stay motivated at work? Gamify projects with elements of discovery and reward.

Like anything pleasurable, too much of a good thing can ruin it. Like too much candy for a nickel. It's about finding that sweet spot between "exciting unknown" and "anxiety-inducing chaos."

So, is your brain doing backflips right now wondering what other crazy things it does without your knowledge? Because here's the real mind-bender - the more you learn about how your brain works, the more questions you have.

And guess what? Your brain loves that too.

Want to test your brain’s obsession with uncertainty? Stop reading. Don’t peek at the next line. See how long you last…

I bet you couldn't help yourself, could you? And now you're smiling because I proved my point. Your brain just got a little dopamine hit from that “productive struggle”. You're welcome.

So the next time you find yourself scrolling TikTok, watching just one more episode, or chasing that elusive win—remember, it’s not just a lack of self-control. It’s your brain doing what it was built to do: crave the thrill of “maybe.”

Learn to work with that impulse instead of against it, and suddenly, uncertainty becomes your ally—not your enemy.

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