#136 The Voice in My Head Nearly Killed Me | A Conversation About Self-Worth

What happens when you’ve done everything “right”… but still feel worthless, lost, and exhausted by your own mind?

In this deeply honest and moving episode of the Different Hats Podcast, Sam sits down with Matt Cheney, creative producer, storyteller, and someone who has quietly fought one of the hardest battles of all: the one inside his own head.

Matt opens up about late ADHD diagnosis, imposter syndrome, self-worth, burnout, grief, suicide attempts, and the masks many men wear just to survive. He shares how losing his father, his relationship, his career structure, his identity, and his sense of belonging brought him to rock bottom, and how a single moment, a run, and one unexpected email helped him choose to keep going.

This is not a story about “fixing yourself.”

It’s about learning how to live with yourself.

If you’ve ever:

• Felt like you weren’t enough

• Lived with a relentless inner critic

• Been successful on the outside but empty inside

• Struggled to accept love, compliments, or rest

• Wondered if it’s possible to keep going

This conversation will stay with you.

⏱️ Episode Chapters

00:00 – Introduction

01:21 – “You Alright Mate?” check-in

02:54 – Shiny objects vs investing in yourself

07:35 – Redefining success beyond money

12:30 – Loving your work… but hating yourself

16:13 – Creativity, kids & permission to try

22:14 – Childhood, belonging & emotional safety

28:51 – Rugby, leadership & fear of failure

32:58 – ADHD, masking & self-worth

40:20 – Parents, caregiving & inherited patterns

49:05 – Imposter syndrome & burnout

56:00 – Relationships, vulnerability & being seen

1:06:51 – Injury, grief & losing everything

1:18:42 – Suicide attempts & the pain beneath them

1:19:34 – The email that changed everything

1:28:56 – “You are the sky, everything else is weather”

1:35:50 – Learning to live with the inner critic

1:46:29 – Giving without needing anything back

1:53:29 – Silence, endurance & the meaning of “keep going”

2:08:20 – Advice for anyone feeling lost

2:12:27 – A life well lived

💬 Key Themes Explored

• ADHD & late diagnosis

• Imposter syndrome

• Masculinity & emotional literacy

• Suicide, grief & recovery

• Self-worth vs external success

• Receiving love & compliments

• Identity beyond achievement

• Why “keeping going” matters

🎧 LISTEN TO MORE DIFFERENT HATS EPISODES:

👉 https://www.different-hats.co.uk/podcast

🔗 Connect with Matt Cheney

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattcheney1/

💡 If this episode resonated with you, please like, share, and comment. Your support helps us change the narrative around success and mental health.

SPONSORED BY

Rivervale – https://www.rivervale.co.uk

Brown Bear Studios – https://www.brownbearstudio.co.uk

Carpenter Box – https://www.carpenterbox.com

🎙️ PRODUCED BY:

H2 Productions – https://h2productions.co.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.