The Anxious Achiever

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.

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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

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

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

Have you started expecting therapy to do too much? In this episode, I sit down with therapist and writer Megan Cornish to talk about the pressure we place on therapy to solve problems that may actually stem from isolation, lack of community, and modern life itself. Megan shares that many of the struggles we now label as “mental health problems” were once held by friends, neighbors, faith communities, and everyday human relationships. She also breaks down ACT therapy exercises that can help you hold painful thoughts more lightly and reconnect to your values instead of chasing constant happiness. Get ready to rethink therapy, connection, and what makes a meaningful life.

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

In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 How capitalism and work culture affect mental health.

04:15 Megan’s viral experiment with AI, LinkedIn, and gender bias.

10:00 Can therapy really work in the workplace?

14:30 How therapists became substitutes for friendship and community.

21:00 How therapy evolved beyond treating severe mental illness.

25:00 Did people cope better emotionally before therapy existed?

29:15 How AI relationships remove friction from connection.

33:30 The ACT therapy exercise that changed how Megan approaches friendship.

36:30 Why discomfort doesn’t always mean something is wrong.

45:30 Why non-attachment to suffering exists across many traditions.

47:45 Do we actually need life to make perfect sense?

49:00 The “80-year-old self” exercise for perspective and gratitude.

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 Megan Cornish on LinkedIn: @megan-cornish

This week we’re sharing a special episode from our friends at How To!, the 2026 Ambie Award-nominated “Best Personal Growth Podcast” that’s back with a new host and new topics to fuel your curiosity. 

Each week on How To!, award-winning journalist Mike Pesca tackles a listener’s question – on topics ranging from travel and finance to health and relationships – with help from world-class experts who actually know what they're talking about. Think of it as eavesdropping on someone else's therapy session, without the co-pay or awkward silence. 

And today, we’re sharing their recent episode “How To Take Psychedelics for Your Mental Health” where Mike interviews psychiatrist Will Van der Veer, a psychedelic researcher, and Myq Kaplan who has taken psychedelics for his mental health and other reasons. I love this episode because you get to hear a bunch of personal experiences of medical psychedelics and learn more about this emerging treatment for mental health conditions. 

And for more interviews like this, make sure to follow How To! on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. And tell them we sent you.