The Anxious Achiever

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 

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 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

Are you actually more productive when you work longer hours or just more exhausted? In this episode, I talk with Christopher Barnes, Professor of Management and the Michael G. Foster Endowed Professor at the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington, about the ingrained belief that sacrificing sleep is the price of success and why that belief is costing you more than you think. Chris shares how leaders create “sleep-deprived cultures” through their behavior, from late-night emails to rewarding constant responsiveness. We break down what really happens to your brain when you’re sleep-deprived, the vicious cycle between anxiety and insomnia, and why being tired makes everything feel bigger, harder, and more urgent than it actually is. Tune in to learn how better sleep can make you sharper, calmer, and more effective.

Check out our sponsors:

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

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

In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 Why working more hours doesn’t mean better performance.

02:15 Are leaders unintentionally rewarding sleep deprivation?

08:00 The tradeoff between working more hours vs. doing better work.

11:00 Why anxiety and insomnia reinforce each other.

12:30 Why everything feels more stressful when you’re sleep-deprived.

14:00 The cycle that keeps high achievers stuck in poor sleep habits.

17:00 What can you do when your boss expects you to overwork?

22:00 Ways leaders can encourage healthier sleep habits.

25:30 The long-term performance cost of sleep deprivation.

26:30 How circadian rhythms affect when you do your best work.

27:30 How flexible schedules improve performance.

28:30 The bias against people who don’t start early.

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 problem isn’t your focus, your discipline, or your productivity, but the way you’ve been taught to work? In this episode, I talk with Ennis Olson, Global Innovation Lead at Google, about what changes when you truly understand how your brain operates. Ennis shares how his late diagnosis of ADHD and autism helped him make sense of a career built on creativity, curiosity, and constant reinvention and why those same traits can create friction in traditional work environments. We break down how to navigate days when your brain won’t cooperate, how to design your work around your energy, and why self-awareness is one of the most powerful tools you can build. Tune in to learn how to reduce anxiety, work more effectively, and lead in a way that honors how you’re wired.

Check out our sponsors:

Northwest Registered Agent - Protect your privacy, build your brand and get your complete business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes! Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/achieverfree

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

Talkiatry - Head to http://talkiatry.com/achiever and complete the short assessment to get matched with an in network psychiatrist in just a few minutes.

Working Genius - Take the working genius assessment today and get 20% off with code ACHIEVER at working http://workinggenius.com

Brevo - Meet brevo, the all in one marketing and CRM platform built to help you connect with 

customers, boost engagement and grow your business smarter. Go to brevo.com/achiever and use code ACHIEVER50 for 50% off. 

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

In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 Why understanding your brain changes how you work.

05:15 How “seeing what others don’t” can drive success and anxiety.

12:00 Why great ideas aren’t enough without follow-through.

17:15 Tools for shifting focus when your brain won’t cooperate.

20:00 Why does your brain just not work some days?

28:45 How to advocate for what you need without overexplaining.

31:30 Tips to manage your energy when your schedule isn’t flexible.

34:15 How self-awareness and feedback build emotional flexibility.

37:30 Ways anxiety can become a tool for reflection.

45:45 The impact of a late diagnosis on self-understanding.

52:00 What does “neuroconvergence” mean?

58:45 What happens when you let go of what you’re bad at.

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 Ennis on LinkedIn: @ennisolson

Is entrepreneurship making your anxiety worse, or is it actually revealing something deeper about how you work and cope? In this episode, I talk with entrepreneur Chris Brogan and writer Ada Calhoun about the complicated relationship between freelancing, mental health, and the illusion of stability. Chris shares what it’s really like to build a career while living with depression, why success and struggle can coexist, and how he’s learned to “negotiate” with his mental health instead of letting it define him. Ada also breaks down the emotional and financial realities of freelance life, and the fears many of us carry about money and security. Tune in to rethink stability, understand your patterns, and build a way of working that supports your life.

Check out our sponsors:

Northwest Registered Agent - Protect your privacy, build your brand and get your complete business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes! Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/achieverfree

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

Talkiatry - Head to http://talkiatry.com/achiever and complete the short assessment to get matched with an in network psychiatrist in just a few minutes.

Working Genius - Take the working genius assessment today and get 20% off with code ACHIEVER at working http://workinggenius.com

Brevo - Meet brevo, the all in one marketing and CRM platform built to help you connect with customers, boost engagement and grow your business smarter. Go to brevo.com/achiever and use code ACHIEVER50 for 50% off. 

In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 Can you be successful while living with depression?

05:00 What it really feels like to work through depression day-to-day.

08:00 Why performance can feel easier than personal connection.

12:00 How to “negotiate” with your inner critic instead of fighting it.

16:45 How depression shows up in everyday work tasks.

18:45 What radical transparency about mental health looks like at work.

23:45 Is freelancing really riskier than having one employer?

26:15 What to do when your income drops or disappears.

30:15 Why freelance success doesn’t eliminate financial anxiety.

34:00 How freelancers manage mental health care.

38:00 How childhood experiences shape your fear around money.

42:45 Why does “enough” never feel like enough?

Resources + Links

Get a copy of Ada Calhoun’s book, Why We Can’t Sleep HERE!

Learn more about Chris Brogan’s work HERE!

Learn more about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) 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 Chris on LinkedIn: @cbrogan

Follow Ada on Instagram: @adacalhoun