Dopamine

The neurotransmitter that makes us desire things.

There’s a big difference between wanting something, & liking it.

There is far bigger parts in the brain for actually wanting to do something; the brain stem, nucleus secumban, the dorsal striatum, ventral tegmental area (VTA), amigdula & bits of the PFC (prefrontal cortex).

The desiring parts, in comparison, are much smaller: the same parts but in much smaller areas. For example 10% of the nucleus secumban is aroused when your desiring something, but 100% when you actually like it or doing it.

Amongst desiring , it controls, learning, memory, punishment and aversion, and much more. In my brain injury, i lost my memory. The parts of the brain seem to be a network of small parts of pieces everywhere in the brain.

Now in terms of habits, this chemical is present when you do something you like, hence actually doing a task vs enjoying doing it. It is combined with the pleasure of the anticipation of it. Sometimes looking forward to doing something is more pleasing than actually doing it. Biologically says so, it seems.