The Anxious Achiever

Are today’s college students really in a mental health crisis, or are you misunderstanding what it’s always been like to grow up? In this episode, I talk with Dr. Alexis Redding, a Harvard developmental psychologist and editor of Mental Health in College. Dr. Redding shares that feelings like anxiety, loneliness, and uncertainty are often normal parts of growing up, especially during major transitions like starting college or entering the workforce. We also talk about what has actually changed for young people, from rising college costs and financial stress to the complexity of modern career paths and what hasn’t changed at all. Tune in to discover how you can better support young people today.

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://talkiaitry.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://genius.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 The normal developmental experiences during young adulthood.

05:00 What motivated you to research the transition from high school to college?

08:30 Why normalizing struggles can help parents support their children.

13:30 Are rising mental health diagnoses actually a positive sign?

20:15 College isn’t always the “best 4 years of your life.”

23:00 Why the idea of the “typical college student” is outdated.

27:00 What’s the difference between “warm” and “cold” policies?

30:30 How does financial support improve student well-being?

41:00 Why students often believe they are the only ones feeling lonely.

46:00 The “tangle of pressures” shaping student life today.

52:00 The 3 types of mentors young people need.

55:30 Why young employees may feel pressure to succeed quickly.

01:00:00 How to respond when a young person says, “I feel lonely”.

Resources + Links

Get a copy of the book Mental Health in College: What Research Tells Us About Supporting Students by Alexis Redding HERE

Learn more about Dr. Alexis Redding and her 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 Alexis: on LinkedIn @alexisredding + Instagram @dralexisredding

What if the anxiety you feel walking into a meeting, networking event, or conference isn’t a personal flaw, but social anxiety? In this episode, clinical psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen talks about the psychology behind social anxiety and why avoidance keeps it alive. She breaks down the belief at the core of social anxiety and tools to challenge anxious thoughts, manage shame, and build confidence even when anxiety is still present. Then, entrepreneur and former LinkedIn executive Arvind Rajan shares what it’s like to build a successful career while living with social anxiety. Tune in to learn how to manage social anxiety, build confidence, and show up fully.

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://talkiaitry.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://genius.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 Why social anxiety is the most common type of anxiety.

02:00 The 2 types of avoidance that keep social anxiety alive.

05:00 What’s the difference between generalized anxiety and social anxiety?

07:45 How social anxiety shows up in the workplace.

09:45 The strengths that often come with social anxiety.

14:00 How shame and fear of judgment affect leadership.

18:00 A framework for managing social anxiety.

22:45 When did you realize that you have social anxiety?

24:30 Why forcing yourself through anxiety doesn’t always work.

28:30 Why authenticity makes leaders more effective.

31:45 How leaders can build teams that support different personalities.

Resources + Links

Get Dr. Ellen Hendriksen’s book How to Be Yourself 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 Ellen on LinkedIn @ellenhendriksen

Follow Arvind on LinkedIn @arvindrajan

What if the skill that makes you a stronger leader is the same skill that protects free speech? In this episode, I’m joined by Greg Lukianoff, First Amendment attorney, to talk about emotional reasoning, why discomfort isn’t the same as danger, and what happens when we start treating speech as violence. Greg shares how his own battle with depression and suicidal thoughts led him to CBT and how learning to question his thoughts transformed both his mental health and his leadership. Get ready to rethink what makes us mentally strong and why protecting speech may also mean protecting our resilience.

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://talkiaitry.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://genius.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 How cognitive distortions shape modern mental health.

07:30 Why Gen X values free speech differently.

13:15 Why words can hurt and still must be protected.

17:45 When does harmful speech cross the line?

21:00 What we lose when speech is treated as violence.

27:00 What does the First Amendment actually protect?

32:00 The emotional cost of defending unpopular speech.

37:00 How depression reshaped Greg’s life and leadership.

41:30 Why CBT works for anxious achievers.

44:30 What is the connection between CBT and the mental health crisis among young people?

48:30 The 3 “great untruths” shaping modern anxiety.

51:45 Why great leaders stay intellectually humble.

55:00 Why meaningful work can stabilize mental health.

59:00 How to protect yourself from social media manipulation.

01:01:30 A CBT technique to challenge negative thoughts.

Resources + Links

Learn more about the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) HERE

Get your copy of The Coddling of the American Mind by Greg Lukianoff & Jonathan Haidt

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 Greg: on LinkedIn @greglukianoff + Instagram @glukianoff

What if the stress you feel at work isn’t just about deadlines or difficult bosses, but about your attachment style? In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Jack Hinman, founder and executive director of Engage Young Adult Transitions, to talk about how the patterns you develop in early childhood show up in your leadership, ambition, anxiety, and burnout. We break down secure, preoccupied, and avoidant attachment styles, how they influence the way you handle feedback and uncertainty, and why your “relationship operating system” doesn’t stop at home. Tune in to understand your patterns and learn how to lead from connection instead of fear.

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://talkiaitry.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://genius.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 The heartbreaking monkey experiment that shaped attachment theory.

06:30 What's the difference among secure, preoccupied, avoidant, and disorganized styles?

10:00 What happens when a preoccupied employee has an avoidant boss.

11:15 How does avoidant attachment show up in leadership?

15:45 What “secure” actually looks like at work.

18:45 How to “own the dynamic” in difficult workplace relationships.

20:30 Self-awareness is the foundation of good leadership.

23:00 Why uncertainty and change activate attachment patterns.

25:15 Why connection is both the outcome and the intervention.

28:45 What happens when two anxious leaders feed each other’s stress.

31:15 Why “anchors” are essential for healing attachment patterns.

34:45 Tools to regulate attachment triggers.

Resources + Links

Learn more about Dr. Jack Hinman and Engage Young Adult Transitions HERE!

Learn more about Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills and resources 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 biggest obstacle to your performance isn’t your workload or your leadership challenges, but your own mind? In this episode, I sit down with Shirzad Chamine, founder and CEO of Positive Intelligence, to talk about the habits many anxious achievers rely on to succeed (i.e. hypervigilance, perfectionism, control, and constant striving), but that can drain energy, clarity, and confidence over time. Shirzad breaks down how overused strengths turn into self-sabotage, and the 10-second practice that helps you shift from stress and reactivity into calm, focused leadership. Get ready to learn how to work with your mind instead of against it.

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://talkiaitry.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://genius.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 Why your mind can feel like your greatest ally and your biggest obstacle.

06:15 The 3 ways you judge yourself, others, and circumstances.

12:00 What's the difference between helpful emotions and self-sabotage?

14:15 Can anger and stress ever be productive?

18:00 The biological reason stress creates tunnel vision in high-stakes decisions.

20:00 What’s the real cost of overusing your strengths as a leader?

26:15 The shift that turns a leader’s vigilance from a strength into a liability.

31:15 The 5 Sage powers that improve wellbeing and results.

38:30 A 10-second PQ rep to calm anxiety fast.

41:00 Active grounding practices for restless or anxious minds.

48:00 How the Sage perspective turns any circumstance into a gift or opportunity.

56:45 Why hyper-achievement disconnects self-worth from success.

1:00:30 The shift from conditional to unconditional self-acceptance.

Resources + Links

Take the FREE Positive Intelligence assessment HERE

Get your copy of Shirzad Chamine’s book Positive Intelligence: Why Only 20% of Teams and Individuals Achieve Their True Potential and How You Can Achieve Yours HERE

Learn more about Positive Intelligence programs 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 Shirzad on LinkedIn @shirzadchamine