Success. Like champagne, it hits the head. A person who was scraping the bottom yesterday feels like a ruler of the world today. Why does this happen? It seems like there is a reason to be happy and happy. But success is not just pleasant bonuses, but also a powerful neurochemical hit that changes the personality. In this article, we will discuss how victory turns a modest man into a self-love narcissist and how not to lose yourself at the top.Hormonal storm: a dopamine hitWhen you achieve success (victory in a competition, promotion, a major deal), the brain releases dopamine — a hormone of pleasure and reward. This is pleasant. But the problem is that dopamine causes addiction. The brain requires repetition. People start chasing new achievements not for the meaning, but for the next "dose". Moreover, success often goes hand in hand with an increase in testosterone (in men), which enhances confidence, sometimes to the level of arrogance. Biochemistry temporarily turns off critical thinking. You start to believe that you are unique, infallible, chosen. This is what we call "a dizzy head".Dunning-Kruger effect in reverseA well-known cognitive effect: incompetent people overestimate themselves, while professionals tend to underestimate. With success, the opposite happens: a person who has reached one peak extrapolates this success to all other areas. "If I'm great in business, then I know about politics and childrearing." This is a cognitive distortion called "false uniqueness". Success convinces you that you are exceptional, and your opinion on any issue is more important than others. You stop listening to advice, even if you are a novice in the topic.Social environment: the trap of flatterersSuccess attracts people who want to be around a "star". Sycophants, flatterers, those who need something from you. They rarely tell the truth. The circle of communication narrows to "advisors" who agree with everything. This creates an information bubble. You stop getting feedba ... Read more