The Anxious Achiever

A Unicorn Tech Exec's Complicated Legacy of Childhood Trauma with Andy Johns

Can achievement become a coping mechanism? In this classic episode, I sit down with entrepreneur, investor, and former Facebook and Twitter growth leader Andy Johns to talk about the connection between childhood trauma, anxiety, achievement, and self-worth. Andy shares how growing up with instability, loss, and trauma shaped his relentless drive to succeed, why panic attacks eventually forced him to confront his mental health, and how years of healing helped him realize that achievement and self-love are not the same thing. We also dive into PTSD, entrepreneurship, intrusive thoughts, overwork, and why so many successful people struggle to slow down even after they've reached their goals. Tune in to learn why healing is the most important achievement of all. Check out our sponsors: Shopify - Sign up for a $1 per month trial, just go to shopify.com/anxiousachiever Chime - Head to chime.com/achiever to sign up Monarch - Use code ACHIEVER at monarch.com to get 50% off your first year Physician’s Choice - Use code PCPODCAST10 at physicianschoice.com to get 10% off your entire order Whatnot - Get free shipping on your first order. Just search W-H-A-T-N-O-T in the app store and start scoring amazing deals Pebl - Take advantage of Pebl’s limited-time offer before it’s gone. Visit hipebl.ai today. In this Episode, You Will Learn 00:00 What’s the connection between achievement and self-worth? 05:00 What "growth" really means in the startup world. 07:15 Why entrepreneurs are more likely to struggle with mental health conditions. 08:45 How anxiety can fuel exceptional performance and success. 15:00 Why speaking publicly about mental health felt so risky. 18:30 What are intrusive thoughts? 20:30 How childhood trauma can shape adult anxiety and depression. 25:15 The childhood experiences that contributed to Andy's PTSD. 30:15 When does achievement become an addiction? 34:15 How to recognize when overachievement is masking emotional pain. 35:45 Why mental health is about more than brain chemistry. 36:45 What is the biopsychosocial model of mental health? 38:15 How your experiences shape the way you think, feel, and live. Resources + Links Read Andy's writing at https://andyjohns.substack.com Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever Watch the podcast on YouTube  Find more resources on our website morraam.com Follow Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam Follow Andy: on LinkedIn @andrewjohns + Substack @cluesdotlife

"It's Just So Enjoyable." Jodi Kantor On The Power Of Craft In A Digitized World

How do you build a meaningful career when AI is rewriting the future of work? In this episode, I sit down with New York Times investigative reporter Jodi Kantor to talk about why so many young professionals feel discouraged about the future, and how digital shifts are reshaping our modern workplaces. Jodi shares how she survived getting fired from her college paper and dropping out of law school, and how those setbacks paved her way back to journalism. We also dive deep into the realities of AI-driven hiring, the loss of workplace autonomy, and the formula for reclaiming your agency. Get ready to rethink what it truly takes to protect your career in a rapidly changing world. Check out our sponsors: Shopify - Sign up for a $1 per month trial, just go to shopify.com/anxiousachiever Chime - Head to chime.com/achiever to sign up Monarch - Use code ACHIEVER at monarch.com to get 50% off your first year Physician’s Choice - Use code PCPODCAST10 at physicianschoice.com to get 10% off your entire order Whatnot - Get free shipping on your first order. Just search W-H-A-T-N-O-T in the app store and start scoring amazing deals Pebl - Take advantage of Pebl’s limited-time offer before it’s gone. Visit hipebl.ai today. In this Episode, You Will Learn 00:00 What Jodi Kantor believes is one of the most important ingredients for a meaningful career. 04:15 How do you think about hope? 05:45 The question that Columbia students wanted answered during a year of campus turmoil. 09:45 How technology has reduced worker autonomy over the last decade. 14:45 Why AI is making the hiring process feel increasingly impersonal. 17:00 How do you define craft? 19:45 What's the relationship between strengths, interests, and building expertise over time? 24:00 Why career setbacks are often essential parts of growth. 27:00 How to stay focused on the work instead of public praise or criticism. 30:00 How to identify the problems, opportunities, or needs you want your work to serve. 31:45 Why AI won't eliminate the need for fresh talent and new ideas. 33:00 What colleges can do to better prepare students for today's workforce. 35:15 How universities can better help students find their life's work. 38:00 Jodi's advice for anyone starting their career today. Resources + Links Get a copy of Jodi’s book, How to Start: Discovering Your Life’s Work HERE Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever Watch the podcast on YouTube  Find more resources on our website morraam.com Follow Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam Follow Jodi: on LinkedIn @jodikantor + Instagram @jodikantor

This U.S. Congressman Gives His Anxiety A Job To Do with Adam Smith

What if achievement doesn't have to come from suffering? I sit down with Congressman Adam Smith to talk about the complicated relationship between anxiety, achievement, and self-worth. Adam shares his journey through panic attacks, psychotherapy, chronic pain recovery, and the difficult work of building self-worth that isn't tied to performance. We also dive into why so many high achievers believe anxiety is the price of success, how trauma and stress shape the way we lead, and what happens when you stop using fear and self-criticism as your primary source of motivation. Get ready to discover a healthier path to high achievement. Check out our sponsors: Shopify - Sign up for a $1 per month trial, just go to shopify.com/anxiousachiever Chime - Head to chime.com/achiever to sign up Monarch - Use code ACHIEVER at monarch.com to get 50% off your first year Physician’s Choice - Use code PCPODCAST10 at physicianschoice.com to get 10% off your entire order Whatnot - Get free shipping on your first order. Just search W-H-A-T-N-O-T in the app store and start scoring amazing deals Pebl - Take advantage of Pebl’s limited-time offer before it’s gone. Visit hipebl.ai today In this Episode, You Will Learn 00:00 Can anxiety make you a better leader? 04:30 Why ambitious people often struggle with fear and insecurity. 06:15 How can you give your anxiety a productive job to do? 08:45 What's the difference between feeling anxious and having clinical anxiety? 10:45 How Adam navigated years of panic attacks, chronic pain, and mental health challenges. 12:15 Why a lack of self-worth can fuel anxiety and achievement. 16:30 How ambition can remain strong even after anxiety is no longer the primary motivator. 28:45 Meditation techniques that help stop the cycle of chasing anxious thoughts. 31:15 What does it mean to demystify trauma? 33:30 New approaches that help people reprocess and heal from trauma. 35:30 The leadership skills that create healthier teams and workplaces. 37:15 How mental health struggles can become a source of empathy, patience, and stronger leadership. Resources + Links Get a copy of Adam Smith's book, Lost and Broken: My Journey Back from Chronic Pain and Crippling Anxiety HERE Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever Watch the podcast on YouTube  Find more resources on our website morraam.com Follow Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam Follow Adam on LinkedIn @​​adamsmith

Exploring Gender At Work And "Work Life Conflict" With Dr. David Smith

Why does modern work feel impossible for so many families? In this episode, I talk with sociologist, former Navy pilot, and workplace researcher Dr. David Smith about why so many modern couples feel trapped in work-life conflict, how to navigate the structural stress of dual-career life, and the realities of modern caregiving. David breaks down the "Lead-Follow" relationship strategy used by highly successful couples. We also dive into the anxieties men face surrounding workplace allyship, why traditional mentorship scripts are broken, and how organizations must design work for a cross-generational workforce. Tune in to learn about the pressures modern families face and what needs to change. Check out our sponsors: Shopify - Sign up for a $1 per month trial, just go to shopify.com/anxiousachiever Chime - Head to chime.com/achiever to sign up Monarch - Use code ACHIEVER at monarch.com to get 50% off your first year Physician’s Choice - Use code PCPODCAST10 at physicianschoice.com to get 10% off your entire order Whatnot - Get free shipping on your first order. Just search W-H-A-T-N-O-T in the app store and start scoring amazing deals Pebl - Take advantage of Pebl’s limited-time offer before it’s gone. Visit hipebl.ai today In this Episode, You Will Learn 00:00 Why the traditional "breadwinner" corporate model is completely broken. 03:15 How repetition and exposure help build confidence under pressure. 06:15 What can military families teach us about work-life conflict? 08:45 Why women were leaving the military at much higher rates than men. 11:15 The 4 strategies dual-career couples use to navigate work and family stress. 16:45 Why constant renegotiation is essential in long-term partnerships. 22:00 What does work-life conflict mean? 25:00 How outdated workplace structures create burnout for both women and men. 27:30 Why millennial fathers are demanding flexibility and shifts in family culture. 35:00 Why many men now feel anxious about mentoring women at work. 37:15 How avoidance and fear damage workplace culture. 41:45 Can workplaces support women without men feeling left behind? 44:15 How device reliance and isolation are reshaping the incoming Gen Z workforce. 51:15 What can leaders do to better support modern families? 54:45 How organizations can better support career breaks and re-entry. Resources + Links Get a copy of David Smith’s new book, Fair Share HERE Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever Watch the podcast on YouTube  Find more resources on our website morraam.com Follow Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam Follow Dr. David on LinkedIn: @davidgsmithphd

The Freedom Of Not Knowing with HBS's Martin Sinozich

How much of your life is being driven by fear without you even realizing it? In this episode, I sit down with Harvard Business School lecturer, entrepreneur, and former executive Martin Sinozich to talk about the pressure high achievers carry to prove themselves, stay successful, and never disappoint anyone. Martin shares about divorce, identity, workplace culture, and the freedom that comes from letting go of perfection and learning to trust yourself instead. We also break down the imposter feelings in elite environments, the anxiety of always needing to be “right,” and why so many ambitious people feel like they don’t belong. Get ready to rethink achievement and self-worth. Check out our sponsors: Shopify - Sign up for a $1 per month trial, just go to shopify.com/anxiousachiever Chime - Head to chime.com/achiever to sign up Quince - Head to quince.com/ACHIEVER for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns Monarch - Use code ACHIEVER at monarch.com to get 50% off your first year Physician’s Choice - Use code PCPODCAST10 at physicianschoice.com to get 10% off your entire order In this Episode, You Will Learn 00:00 Martin Sinozich on achievement pressure and mental health. 03:00 What happens when high achievers lose their identity at work? 06:30 What do psychologically healthy workplaces look like? 09:30 Why asking better questions matters more than having answers. 11:45 How achievement culture affects relationships at home. 17:30 How divorce forced Martin to confront the fear driving his life. 20:00 What changed after you stopped living for other people’s approval? 24:15 Living with imposter feelings at Harvard Business School. 27:30 How fear and achievement pressure affect marriage, parenting, and identity. Resources + Links Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever Watch the podcast on YouTube  Find more resources on our website morraam.com Follow Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam Follow Martin on LinkedIn: @sinozich