The Anxious Achiever Podcast By Morra Aarons-Mele cover art

The Anxious Achiever

The Anxious Achiever

By: Morra Aarons-Mele
Listen for free

Host Morra Aarons-Mele is on a mission to reframe how we think about anxiety and mental health in the workplace. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S. We desperately need better models for leadership and a more holistic view of mental health. Our culture tells those of us who suffer from anxiety and depression that we can’t succeed, but we tell a different story — without sugarcoating the tough stuff. We feature stories from people who’ve been there and experts who can help you thrive. Listen in your favorite podcast app: https://pod.link/1480904163 For ad inquiries, please reach out to: Network+TAA@yapmedia.comCopyright 2021 Morra Aarons-Mele Career Success Economics Hygiene & Healthy Living Management Management & Leadership Psychology Psychology & Mental Health
Episodes
  • Depression Can Be So Funny, With John Moe

    Depression Can Be So Funny, With John Moe
    Sep 10 2026
    Can depression make success feel like something you have to keep earning? In this episode, I sit down with John Moe, host of The Hilarious World of Depression, to talk about depression, anxiety, and the ways mental health shapes how you work and see yourself. John shares how he learned to recognize “magical thinking” and the unreliable narrator of depression, why achievement can’t fill the gap between success and self-worth, and how therapy helped him challenge distorted thinking. We also talk about getting laid off, separating your identity from your work, performing normalcy, and knowing when it’s time to ask for help. Tune in to separate your worth from your achievements. Check out our sponsors: ElevenLabs - If you run a business or handle customer operations across support, sales, or marketing, you can start with a demo at elevenlabs.io/achiever. Granola - If meetings are eating up your day, Granola is a no-brainer. You can try it totally free - just head to granola.ai/ACHIEVER. IM8 - Go to IM8HEALTH.com/achiever RIGHT NOW or click on the link in the description and use code achiever for a Free Welcome Kit, five free travel sachets, plus ten percent off your order Monarch - Write your own money story with Monarch. Use code ACHIEVER at Monarch.com to get your first year of Monarch Core half off at just $50. Shopify - Head over to SHOPIFY.COM/anxiousachiever to start your free trial today. Upwork - Visit upwork.com right now and post your job for free. Brevo - Get started for free today—or use code ACHIEVER50 to save 50% on Starter and Standard Plans for the first three months of an annual subscription. In this Episode, You Will Learn 00:00 Why depression and anxiety affect work in very different ways. 03:15 What humor shows about depression and mental health. 05:00 What’s the difference between anxiety and an anxiety disorder? 07:30 What depression can teach you about perspective, creativity, and warning signs. 10:15 Can achievement actually make you feel better? 13:00 What does the “unreliable narrator” of depression sound like? 15:00 How therapy helps identify and challenge distorted thinking. 17:15 What remains when you separate depression from your sense of self. 18:45 How getting laid off challenged John’s relationship with work and achievement. 21:15 When your identity becomes too closely tied to your work. 24:00 Do you still have to perform normalcy when you’re depressed? 27:15 How to show up at work when depression makes everything harder. 29:45 What creative professionals teach us about working with mental illness. 32:30 Why creative work can accompany mental health struggles without replacing treatment. 34:00 How does depression show up across different professions? Resources + Links Get a copy of John Moe’s book, The Hilarious World of Depression HERE! Find more resources on John’s website https://www.johnmoe.website/ 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 John on LinkedIn: @johnemoe
    Show more Show less
    39 mins
  • How To Lead 106,000 People Without Losing Yourself with Dr. John D'Angelo

    How To Lead 106,000 People Without Losing Yourself with Dr. John D'Angelo
    Sep 8 2026
    How do you lead at the highest level while still taking care of yourself? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. John D’Angelo, CEO of Northwell Health, to talk about what it means to lead through uncertainty, pressure, and enormous responsibility without losing sight of your own wellbeing. John shares how his emergency medicine background shaped his approach to leadership, how anxiety has fueled his drive to succeed, and why purpose, healthy boundaries, and taking care of yourself can make you a stronger leader. We also talk about burnout, psychological safety, navigating mistakes, protecting time to think, and building a trusted inner circle you can be vulnerable with. Tune in to discover how to lead through pressure and uncertainty while protecting your energy, wellbeing, and sense of self. Check out our sponsors: ElevenLabs - If you run a business or handle customer operations across support, sales, or marketing, you can start with a demo at elevenlabs.io/achiever. Granola - If meetings are eating up your day, Granola is a no-brainer. You can try it totally free - just head to granola.ai/ACHIEVER. IM8 - Go to IM8HEALTH.com/achiever RIGHT NOW or click on the link in the description and use code achiever for a Free Welcome Kit, five free travel sachets, plus ten percent off your order Monarch - Write your own money story with Monarch. Use code ACHIEVER at Monarch.com to get your first year of Monarch Core half off at just $50. Shopify - Head over to SHOPIFY.COM/anxiousachiever to start your free trial today. Upwork - Visit upwork.com right now and post your job for free. Brevo - Get started for free today—or use code ACHIEVER50 to save 50% on Starter and Standard Plans for the first three months of an annual subscription. In this Episode, You Will Learn 00:00 What does leadership mean to you? 03:45 How an emergency medicine mindset helps leaders navigate uncertainty. 06:30 How do you manage worry and stay composed under pressure? 10:30 Do leaders need to make space for emotion after high-stakes moments? 16:00 How to create more effective meetings and protect time to think. 19:30 Why taking care of yourself can make you a better leader. 23:00 How to handle imposter feelings during major career transitions. 30:00 What’s putting the most pressure on healthcare today? 32:00 What does mentally healthy leadership look like? 34:15 How do you protect your energy, family time, and well-being? 38:30 How to create psychological safety in high-stakes environments. 43:45 Who do you need to surround yourself with? 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 John on LinkedIn @john-dangelo-md
    Show more Show less
    53 mins
  • Understand Your Family Ghosts At Work with Deborah Ancona

    Understand Your Family Ghosts At Work with Deborah Ancona
    Sep 3 2026
    What if the patterns that helped you succeed are also holding you back at work? In this episode, I sit down with MIT professor Dr. Deborah Ancona to talk about how the “family ghosts” you carry from childhood can shape the way you handle authority, conflict, responsibility, perfectionism, and asking for help. We dive into how recognizing these patterns helps you understand your triggers, change behaviors that keep you stuck, and lead with greater intention. Tune in to discover how your past may be influencing the way you work, lead, and relate to others. Check out our sponsors: ElevenLabs - If you run a business or handle customer operations across support, sales, or marketing, you can start with a demo at elevenlabs.io/achiever. Granola - If meetings are eating up your day, Granola is a no-brainer. You can try it totally free - just head to granola.ai/ACHIEVER. IM8 - Go to IM8HEALTH.com/achiever RIGHT NOW or click on the link in the description and use code achiever for a Free Welcome Kit, five free travel sachets, plus ten percent off your order Monarch - Write your own money story with Monarch. Use code ACHIEVER at Monarch.com to get your first year of Monarch Core half off at just $50. Shopify - Head over to SHOPIFY.COM/anxiousachiever to start your free trial today. Upwork - Visit upwork.com right now and post your job for free. Brevo - Get started for free today—or use code ACHIEVER50 to save 50% on Starter and Standard Plans for the first three months of an annual subscription. In this Episode, You Will Learn 00:00 What are “family ghosts,” and how do they follow us into adulthood? 04:45 Can the patterns from your childhood become your greatest strengths? 09:30 Why some behaviors are easier to change than others. 14:45 How familiar family roles can shape the way you lead. 18:15 How reconnecting with forgotten parts of yourself can strengthen your leadership. 23:45 Which “good ghosts” help ambitious people succeed? 28:00 How avoiding conflict and refusing to ask for help can create anxiety. 30:30 How do you identify the ghosts you want to change? 32:45 How feedback can reveal patterns you may not see in yourself. 37:00 How role models can help you try on new ways of leading. 40:15 Are your workplace relationships repeating old family patterns? 42:00 How thinking in “triangles” can change difficult workplace dynamics. 43:30 When is it time to step away from a relationship or workplace? 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 Deborah on LinkedIn: @deborahancona123
    Show more Show less
    49 mins
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1
All stars
Most relevant
Morra does us all a service and pushes the conversation on Mental Health in the absence of fostered conversations and professional work spaces. it is absolute nourishment to listen to these podcasts and read her book as it gives a basis for bringing these conversations into the workplace and if not at least what it would be like to work in such an environment. in my opinion this book is a classic as great as the many other cliches throughout time but this one has a modern conversation that just isn't being had amongst other authors and leaders.

Courage

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Think it again! This 30 minutes will bring any interpersonal struggles at work into glaring focus! I found this so impactful and resonant, I had to listen to it twice.

Don't think "codependency" applies to you?

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.