Science of Having Things to Look Forward To

Read time: 6 minutes

Hey there, welcome back.

Last week, we explored the power of changing your life with my 10-year bucket list.

​You can read that (and all past issues, here).

Today, I want to double down on something deceptively simple — but neurologically profound.

But first:

My good friend Timothy Armoo just dropped a free resource that breaks down:
​7 Books That Took Him From Broke to 8-Figure Exit by 27.

It’s not just a list.

He explains exactly:

• Why each book mattered
• What action he took after reading
• What result it helped create in his business

It didn’t make me millions, but it gave me extreme clarity.
This is the kind of resource I’d recommend to anyone building something — especially if you want to think and operate like a founder, not just a freelancer.

Grab the guide here: https://sellable-business.com/7-books-that-made-me-7figures-dan-murray​

​
Huge thanks to Timo for putting this together.

Having something to look forward to.

Not in a vague, wishful thinking kind of way.
But in a real, on-the-calendar, dopamine-on-standby kind of way.

Because if you’re feeling stuck, unmotivated, or emotionally flatlined — this might be the simplest way to rewire your mood, energy, and even your productivity. Right now I'm looking forward to having a baby like... today or tomorrow or failing that - definitely Saturday because if she doesn't arrive by then, its C Section time. Either way - the anticipation is exciting - and this time next week, I'll be writing as a double girl dad...

Your Brain Was Built for Anticipation

We think happiness comes in the moment.
But most of it is actually before the moment (holding new baby may indeed be the exception to the rule here, before you say it 😜)

Psychologists call this “anticipatory reward.”

Here’s how it works:
When your brain knows something good is coming — even something small — it releases dopamine in advance.

A date.
A dinner.
A weekend trip.
Even a damn coffee you’ve been craving.

These micro-boosts activate motivation, attention, and even better decision-making in the days leading up to the event.

In other words:
​Looking forward to something isn’t a luxury. It’s a performance enhancer.

The Science Is Clear

One study from the University of Pennsylvania tracked 200 people for 14 days.

Those who had one thing planned each week — something personally meaningful — reported:

• 22% higher overall happiness
• 43% more motivation for routine tasks
• Lower anxiety and reduced negative self-talk

But here’s what’s wild:
​The happiness spike wasn’t on the event day. It was in the lead-up.​
The simple act of knowing something good was coming changed how they handled everything else.

Why This Hits Hard as Adults

When you’re a kid, life is full of “things to look forward to” — holidays, birthdays, school trips, summer breaks.

But as adults?
We outsource joy.
We schedule obligations.
And we tell ourselves we’ll feel better “once I finish this project,” or “after I hit this goal.”

Spoiler: You won’t.

If your life has no emotional highlights on the calendar, your nervous system will treat every day like survival.

Build a Future You’re Excited to Enter

This doesn’t mean booking 5-star trips every weekend.

It means being intentional with your joy.

Ask yourself:

• What’s one thing I’m genuinely looking forward to this week?
• If the answer is nothing… what could I add that would change that?

Examples:

• A mid-week lunch with a friend
• A hike or walk with no phone
• Friday night movie and no Slack
• Blocking a Saturday to write, build, or create
• A short staycation, even one night

You don’t need extravagance. You need contrast.

Make It a Practice

Start here:

1. Every Sunday, schedule one thing to look forward to. Big or small.
2. Savour it in advance. Talk about it. Visualise it. Anticipation is the drug.
3. Stack habits around it. Use it to drive momentum throughout the week.

And when you're feeling low?
Double-check your calendar.
You might not need to “fix your mindset” — you might just need something to get excited about.

To joy you can schedule,
Dan

P.S. If you’re feeling like the days are blurring together, this is your reminder: the future doesn’t magically feel better. You build it — one thing to look forward to at a time.

SOS (Science of Success) Curated:

LinkedIn of the week: Work with someone who deserves you.​

Podcast of the week: The Scientifically PERFECT Routine Every Man NEEDS!​

My Tweet of the week: How to bounce back from burnout​

Here’s your Science of Success Curated section—sharp, science-backed, and ready to drop into your newsletter:

Research Worth Reading: The Power of Anticipation

A 2018 fMRI study published in Frontiers in Psychology found that simply anticipating positive events—like an upcoming trip or family dinner—activates the brain's medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC), a region closely linked to well-being. More activation in the MPFC during anticipation correlated with higher levels of subjective well-being in participants

What this means for you:​
You don’t have to wait for “the event” to feel better. Planning and looking forward to something enjoyable—big or small—triggers a real, measurable emotional boost.

Try This:​
Schedule something to look forward to this week—whether it’s a coffee date, a weekend hike, or a catch-up call. Notice how your mood lifts before it happens.

Quick Takeaway:

​→ Link to stud​y​

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1-1 Coaching with Dan

In my goal to help more entrepreneurs/people who are looking to level up their careers, I've just started taking 1-1 consulting calls (only 1 a week)

Why book a call? Some of my expertise/success:

I've built 5 startups. 1 win, 1 fail, and 3 still going.

E-Commerce: Heights — with revenue over $15M a year.

Community: Foundrs, one of the UK's top founder communities

Podcasting: Leaders Media - bootstrapped media company that makes the UK's top business podcasts, Secret Leaders, with over 50M downloads.

Health/Mental Health: Managed to overcome burnout, insomnia, depression & anxiety in pursuit of success as I talk about in my interview with Steven Bartlett on Diary of a CEO​

Angel Investing: I've invested in over 90 startups

Coached & Mentored: Certified coach & done lots of mentoring

Personal Brand: Have grown to 178k on LinkedIn and X (Twitter) in the past 12 months

So if you're interested in booking a session with me to talk all things business or building a personal brand, book for 30-minutes or 45-minutes. (limited spots).

Science of Success Vault

I'm building a vault of valuable tools, resources, and one sheets that I hope help you succeed.

These will be stored in the ever-growing 'Science of Success' vault — you can always access that here

Want to take your success (even more) seriously? 👇​
🧠 Fuel your brain and feed your gut, try Heights here (use code 'SOSDMS' for 15% off your first month of any subscription

🎧 Check out my podcast Secret Leaders here​

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