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September 30, 2025 53 mins

In this episode, you'll discover:


  • Why your brain rewards comparison and what to do about it
  • How ancient mammal wiring drives modern addiction patterns and self-sabotage
  • The real reason happiness chemicals fade and how to retrain your response


Ever notice how you can't stop comparing yourself to other people, even when you know it makes you miserable?

There's a reason for that. And it has nothing to do with social media, your childhood trauma, or some defect in your personality.

It's because your brain works exactly like a goat’s.  

I know that sounds strange. But stay with me. Because understanding this one piece of mammal brain science explains why you scroll Instagram feeling inadequate, why you can't stop reaching for that thing you swore you'd quit, why happiness never seems to stick around as long as you want it to.

We spend so much energy trying to fix ourselves. Trying to stop comparing. Trying to feel content. Trying to be happy all the damn time. But what if the problem isn't you? What if your brain is just doing exactly what it evolved to do?


Today our guest is Loretta Breuning, founder of the Inner Mammal Institute and author who spent decades studying how mammal brain chemistry shapes human behavior. After observing goat social dynamics at a farm, she uncovered patterns that completely changed how she understood human conflict, competition, and happiness.


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