Write that desire down—then cross it out. “You might get it or you might not,” Brooks adds. “The point is that you do not want your limbic system to be governing your ambitions.” See, pleasure comes from the limbic system in your brain. It works fast, as it’s where you experience dopamine surges, though it doesn’t lead to long-lasting enjoyment. Your prefrontal cortex, however, operates much slower and more logically—so that’s where you want sources of pleasure to remain, says Brooks.