What happens when the version of success you built your life around suddenly stops working? In this episode, I sit down with Meredith Arthur to talk about ego death, anxiety, nervous system healing, and what it means to let go of the need to prove yourself. We talk about career humiliation, social media comparison, identity, chronic pain, and the process of realizing that the things that once made you feel successful or special no longer fit who you are becoming. Meredith shares how ego death is about surrendering control and accepting that your worth cannot come from achievement, productivity, attention, or external validation. Tune in to learn the healing practices to reconnect with yourself.

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In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 Why success, validation, and recognition can become your identity.

06:15 What does ego death mean to you?

10:00 Solutions for letting go of control and external validation.

16:30 Why ego death happens in layers over time.

18:30 How anxiety fuels the need to feel special or secure.

25:30 What is nervous system regulation?

29:15 How chronic pain led Meredith into mind-body healing work.

36:00 How to process emotional pain without shutting down.

41:45 Using symbols, imagery, and intuition to understand emotional healing.

45:00 Spirituality, energy, and finding support beyond achievement.

51:45 Why surrender is central to ego death.

55:45 How to think differently about work in midlife.

Resources + Links

Learn more about Meredith Arthur’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 Meredith: @bevoya

Think imposter syndrome means something is wrong with you? Think again. In this episode, Basima Tewfik shares research on anxiety, self-doubt, and the traits high achievers often try to “fix.” She breaks down how workplace imposter thoughts can actually make you more effective, especially when it comes to how you show up with others. We also talk about why people who experience imposter thoughts are often better listeners, more thoughtful collaborators, and more attuned in conversations. Remember, not everything you label as a flaw is actually holding you back.

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In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 Why the traits you think are “bad” might actually be strengths.

04:15 What are the cognitive advantages of anxiety and neuroticism?

06:15 What is imposter syndrome?

10:15 Why imposter thoughts might mean you’re doing something right.

12:00 The surprising link between self-doubt and interpersonal effectiveness.

14:30 How imposter thoughts make you a better listener and collaborator.

19:45 The “I’m a banana” technique to defuse intrusive thoughts.

24:00 How anxiety can actually fuel creativity.

28:30 Why you’re probably harder on yourself than anyone else is.

32:00 How to work with anxiety instead of fighting it.

35:00 What’s the difference between feeling like an imposter and not belonging?

41:00 Why imposter syndrome isn’t just personal.

Resources + Links

Learn more about Basima Tufek’s research at MIT Sloan 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

Feeling unsure about your role in a world where AI seems to know more than you do? In this episode, Charlene Li is back to talk about how the most effective leaders today are letting go of the need to have all the answers and instead stepping into curiosity, experimentation, and honest leadership. Charlene shares her 90-day AI framework, why so many companies are stuck in pilot mode, and how to move your team from fear into confidence faster than you think. Get ready to lead through AI change without needing all the answers.

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In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 Why does leadership today require letting go of certainty?

04:15 What can leaders realistically promise about jobs right now?

07:30 How to move forward without waiting for certainty.

12:00 Charlene’s 90-day AI sprint framework for leaders and organizations.

16:30 Why you do not need to be technical to start using AI.

20:00 Ways to use AI as a second brain to improve performance.

28:00 The generational divide in how people see AI.

34:00 What’s the gap between knowing, doing, and leading?

39:30 The shift from fear to adaptability.

42:00 Why leadership will define how AI shapes the future.

Resources + Links

Learn more about Charlene Li HERE!

Get your copy of Charlene’s book, Winning with AI, 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 Charlene: on LinkedIn @charleneli + Youtube @CharleneLi

What if burnout isn’t something you fix with better habits, but something built into the way we work? In this episode, I’m bringing back one of my favorite conversations because it gets at something I think we still don’t talk about enough. I talk with Rita McGrath, Poornima Luthra & Andrew Barnes about what actually makes work feel sustainable and human, why getting people back into the office doesn’t fix anything, how lack of control and fairness quietly drive stress, and why so many well-intentioned solutions miss the mark. Get ready to rethink burnout and see what actually needs to change at work.

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In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 What’s the problem with scaling workplaces and losing humanity?

04:45 Ways to build a stronger team connection.

07:15 What actually defines a “good job”?

09:15 Why perks don’t fix mental health at work.

13:00 What the 4-day workweek reveals about productivity.

17:45 Why time matters more than money for employees

22:30 How bias and inequity increase stress at work.

25:15 Why inclusion improves mental health and performance.

32:00 How better listening improves team culture.

37:30 How leaders can reduce uncertainty for their teams.

42:30 Why inclusive cultures create more resilient organizations.

44:15 Leadership habits that improve team wellbeing.

48:03 The leadership shift that changes how work feels.

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

What if the difference between reacting and responding was just a few seconds? In this episode, I sit down with executive coach Dina Denham Smith to talk about what really happens when you get triggered at work and how to handle it. Dina breaks down a framework to help you understand what emotions actually are, how they show up in your body, and how to interrupt the automatic reaction cycle. Tune in to learn how to pause in the moment, regulate your nervous system, and respond with clarity instead of stress, anxiety, or overwhelm.

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In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 Why mastering your emotional reactions is the ultimate leadership skill.

03:45 The cost of masking emotions on your performance and energy.

06:30 The 3 parts of every emotion and why this changes how you manage them.

10:45 How to reframe stress into something useful.

13:30 Why do emotions feel unsafe for some people?

18:45 What’s the impact of emotions on team performance?

22:00 What to do when someone gets emotional in a meeting.

23:45 The grounding technique every leader should know.

28:15 The “Notice, Name, Need” framework for emotional regulation.

33:00 A breathing technique to calm your nervous system fast.

39:00 What’s the difference between coaching and therapy?

48:15 Why is leadership today emotionally exhausting?

54:00 How to disconnect from work and reset your brain.

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 Dina on LinkedIn @dinadenhamsmith

What if the habits you rely on to cope with anxiety are keeping you stuck? In this episode, we explore what it really means to be “mentally healthy” and why most of us were never given the language or tools to get there. Kent Coules shares his story of high-functioning alcoholism and what happened when he stopped drinking after decades of using it to manage anxiety. We talk about why so many high achievers rely on coping mechanisms like alcohol, overwork, or constant problem-solving, and more. I also speak with educator Donna Volpitta about mental health literacy and why understanding your brain is one of the most important skills you can build. Get ready to start responding to challenges in a healthier, more intentional way.

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In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 What does it mean to “speak” mental health?

05:00 How coping habits can mask anxiety.

08:30 Why addiction and anxiety are often connected.

12:30 How habit loops keep you stuck in the same patterns.

15:00 Why success doesn’t eliminate underlying anxiety.

18:00 What it feels like to face anxiety without a coping crutch.

20:00 Why recovery and regulation both happen one moment at a time.

24:00 Why are challenges essential for building resilience?

27:30 The difference between pressure and true support at work.

30:30 What mental health literacy actually includes.

33:00 Why most people misunderstand mental health and how that increases stigma.

36:00 How your brain reacts to perceived threats in the workplace.

39:00 Why fear-based environments lead to poor decisions.

42:00 How achievement culture can increase anxiety in young people.

48:00 How to start replacing unhealthy coping strategies.

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

What if better performance at work didn’t come from pushing harder, but from being more honest? In this episode, Dan Simons shares how he built a $100M+ restaurant group by doing something most leaders still resist. Dan explains how honesty at work actually helps people show up more present, make better decisions, and perform at a higher level. We also talk about how you can get better results, stronger retention, and more focused teams by creating a workplace where people don’t have to hide what’s going on with them. Tune in to discover how to turn radical honesty into a competitive advantage.

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In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 Why honesty matters more than “vulnerability” in leadership.

02:20 How did you build a $100M business?

06:00 Why leaders must learn to lead themselves before leading others.

12:00 Why every team member is operating below their full capacity.

17:00 How to introduce psychological safety without forcing people to open up.

20:00 What does a trauma-informed workplace actually look like?

23:00 Why mental health conversations require skill and training.

26:00 How Dan operationalizes mental health through training and systems.

34:00 What's the difference between intention and reality inside companies?

42:00 How honesty reduces defensiveness and improves performance.

47:00 How investing in people improves profit and reduces turnover.

51:00 The #1 metric that convinces CEOs this approach works.

Resources + Links

Learn more about Dan Simons 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 Dan on Instagram: @dansimonssays

Is your overthinking actually helping you or draining your energy? In this episode, I talk with Meredith Arthur, Chief of Staff of the Pinterest Innovation Lab, about what it means to live with anxiety you don’t even recognize. Meredith shares how anxiety shows up in unexpected ways, from physical symptoms like migraines to subtle patterns like overworking and lack of boundaries. We talk about what happens when you push through without understanding your internal signals, how overthinking can disguise itself as productivity, and MORE. Tune in to learn how to step out of overthinking loops and build a healthier relationship with your mind.

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In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 What does a “recovering overthinker” mean?

03:30 The gap between anxiety that signals something vs. anxiety that doesn’t.

06:40 How communicating about anxiety builds a deeper connection.

10:30 Why saying what people want to hear can pull you away from who you are.

12:30 What rapid career feedback can teach you about your strengths.

16:00 How medication and environment can shape your sense of identity.

20:00 How anxiety showed up as “problem solving” instead of worry.

22:30 What does “energy debt” look like in high achievers?

24:45 Why language around anxiety can make it harder to recognize.

29:00 What would it look like to design better systems for mental health?

30:30 Why your body often knows before your mind does.

Resources + Links

Learn more about Meredith Arthur 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

What if the qualities that make you successful are the ones keeping you from getting the help you need? In this episode, I talk with General Gregg Martin, a retired U.S. Army two-star general, about what it’s like to lead at the highest levels while living with bipolar disorder. Greg shares how the same energy, drive, and creativity that propelled his career were also symptoms of a condition that went undiagnosed for decades. We also dive into the cost of high performance, why success can mask serious mental health struggles, and how bipolar disorder often shows up in ways people don’t recognize. Tune in to better understand the complexity of mental health in high performance, work, and leadership.

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In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 What does leadership mean to you?

06:30 How gratitude shifts your mindset in high-stress environments.

09:00 Why bipolar traits can be rewarded in leadership roles.

12:30 How the bipolar spectrum shows up over time.

16:30 How structure and routine can stabilize mental health.

19:30 How pressure and responsibility can intensify mental health struggles.

23:00 Why high achievers often go undiagnosed.

26:00 What it feels like to experience rapid emotional shifts in a single day.

30:00 Why success can hide serious internal struggle.

34:00 How performance can stay high even during mental health decline.

41:30 Why mental health diagnoses are often missed.

43:30 How loved ones can help identify what you can’t see in yourself.

46:30 Why do leaders struggle to speak up about mental health?

50:30 Why your mental health challenges don’t define your potential.

Resources + Links

Learn more about Gregg Martin 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

What if your anxiety isn’t just something you feel, but something you’ve been practicing? In this episode, I talk with psychiatrist Dr. Jud Brewer and Charles Duhigg about the science behind why anxiety sticks, how your brain confuses worrying with problem-solving, and why willpower alone isn’t enough to change your patterns. We break down how anxiety can become a habit loop and why so many high achievers unknowingly reinforce it through overwork, worry, and constant mental effort. Tune in to learn how to replace unhelpful patterns with ones that actually support your focus, energy, and mental health. 

Check out our sponsors:

Shopify - Sign up for a $1 per month trial, just go to shopify.com/anxiousachiever 

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In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 Is anxiety something you experience or something you practice?

02:00 Why overworking can become your default response to anxiety.

04:00 How the habit loop explains worry, distraction, and anxiety patterns.

08:00 What’s the difference between planning and worrying?

10:00 How perfectionism and overpreparing become reinforcing habits.

13:30 3-step method to interrupt anxious habit loops.

18:00 How to give your brain a more rewarding alternative to anxiety.

22:00 Why rumination keeps you stuck and how it mirrors worry.

25:00 Why meditation makes some people anxious.

29:30 How habits shape productivity, focus, and mental health at work.

33:30 Why your brain prioritizes short-term relief over long-term goals.

36:30 How anxiety, burnout, and distraction all come from the same loop.

40:00 Why you can’t eliminate habits but you can replace them.

46:30 What to do when you feel stuck, overwhelmed, and unable to focus.

51:00 How tracking what you’ve done builds motivation and momentum.

53:00 How to design your day to reduce decision fatigue and overwhelm.

Resources + Links

Get a copy of Dr. Jud Brewer’s book Unwinding Anxiety HERE!

Get a copy of Charles Duhigg’s book The Power of Habit 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 Charles Duhigg on LinkedIn @​​charlesduhigg + Instagram @charlesduhigg

Follow Dr. Jud Brewer on Instagram @​​dr.jud

What if success isn’t about fitting in, but about creating something that fits you? In this episode, I talk with astrophysicist Dr. Jessica Schonhut Stasik about what it takes to succeed when your brain doesn’t match the systems around you. Jessica shares her experience of being late-diagnosed with autism and ADHD, the burnout and rejection that nearly ended her path in science, and the moment someone recognized her potential when she couldn’t see it herself. We also talk about what it looks like to design your work around how you think, not how you’re expected to think, and why many high achievers feel like they are constantly managing different versions of themselves. Tune in to understand your brain more deeply, and start building a path that actually works for you.

Check out our sponsors:

Shopify - Sign up for a $1 per month trial, just go to shopify.com/anxiousachiever

Notion - Notion is an AI powered, connected workspace for teams. Try custom agents now at notion.com/achiever

In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 Why you don’t have to fit into a box to succeed.

05:30 Why neurodivergent people often feel pulled between multiple identities.

12:30 How Jessica combined science, communication, and service into one role.

16:30 The stress of feeling forced to choose between different paths.

21:00 Why being seen by the right people changes everything.

24:45 How a diagnosis can change how you see yourself.

28:30 What masking looks like and how it affects your energy.

33:00 The hidden cost of constantly trying to “fit in”.

40:00 Why are support systems essential?

45:30 Advice for building a life that works with your brain.

50:00 How to advocate for your needs more effectively.

55:00 Why a holistic approach to mental health matters.

Resources + Links

Learn more about the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation HERE!

Learn more about The Neuroverse Initiative HERE!

Learn more about Jessica Schonhut Stasik 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 Jessica on LinkedIn @jessica-schonhut-stasik