The Anxious Achiever

Would you take four months away from work? Have you ever wondered who you'd be without your job for a while? In this episode, I sit down with Harvard Business School lecturer and The Sabbatical Project founder Dennis “DJ” DiDonna to talk about why many of us keep pushing until burnout forces us to stop, how intentional time away creates space to reflect on what really matters, and why rest isn't about doing nothing. DJ also shares ways to plan a sabbatical, navigate the uncertainty that comes with slowing down, and return with a stronger sense of purpose. Get ready to rethink time off as an investment in the life and career you want to build.

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 A new way to think about time away from work.

05:30 How sabbaticals create space for renewal instead of escape.

07:15 What is a sabbatical?

10:00 How burnout led DJ to rethink the life he was building.

15:00 Why achievement often comes at the expense of the people who matter most.

21:45 What are the benefits of stepping away from work?

26:45 When is the perfect time for a sabbatical?

32:15 What are the 3 types of sabbatical takers?

36:00 Why reconnecting with your craft can restore creativity.

41:00 How do you give yourself permission?

46:00 Are sabbaticals always relaxing?

49:00 How stepping away from work can make you a better leader.

53:00 Why taking time off is an investment, not an escape.

57:30 DJ's advice for planning your first sabbatical.

Resources + Links

Learn more about DJ DiDonna HERE

Pre-order a copy of DJ DiDonna’s book Big Time Off HERE

Learn more about The Sabbatical Project 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 DJ DiDonna on LinkedIn: @djdidonna

Could the way you think about money have more to do with your childhood than your bank account? In this episode, I sit down with personal finance expert Shannah Game to talk about why your relationship with money is often shaped long before you earn your first paycheck. We dive deep into money trauma, the stories we attach to spending and saving, and how those patterns influence our careers, relationships, and sense of self. Shannah also shares ways to respond differently to financial triggers and build healthier habits that align with the life you want. Get ready to rethink your relationship with money.

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 How childhood experiences shape your money habits and beliefs.

05:00 Why money is about so much more than dollars and cents.

07:15 How your money story influences your work and relationships.

12:00 A question that helps uncover your beliefs about money.

16:15 What is money trauma?

19:15 How to recognize your financial triggers before they take over.

22:00 How to interrupt unhealthy money habits with healthier thought patterns.

24:45 An exercise for changing your emotional response to money.

26:15 How do you build systems that reduce financial anxiety?

28:30 Why creating a regular "money date" builds confidence instead of fear.

30:00 What is financial self-actualization?

33:00 The 100-day challenge that helps you rethink every financial decision.

Resources + Links

Learn more about Shannah Game HERE

Get a copy of Shannah’s book Unraveling Your Relationship with Money 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 Shannah on Instagram: @shannahgame

How do you lead when the future refuses to give you certainty? In this episode, I sit down with leadership experts Scott D. Anthony, Lisa Kay Solomon, and Chris Shipley to talk about what leadership looks like when uncertainty becomes the norm. We dive into making decisions without having all the answers, why leaders need to let go of the illusion of certainty, and how curiosity, agency, and even play can help teams adapt to change. We also share ways to navigate uncertainty, manage anxiety, and create workplaces where people feel empowered to do their best work. Tune in to discover why the future belongs to leaders who are willing to learn, adapt, and grow.

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 today's leaders need clarity instead of certainty.

03:15 What effective leadership looks like in an era of constant disruption.

08:15 Why clarity matters more than having all the answers.

11:00 Why learning often requires unlearning first.

12:45 How can you become more comfortable with uncertainty?

20:00 How mindfulness helps leaders stay grounded under pressure.

22:00 Why is agency one of the most important leadership skills today?

30:00 Why anxiety often leads people to avoid the work that matters most.

32:30 How to build psychological safety when everything feels uncertain.

39:00 How to create more joy, connection, and creativity at work.

44:45 Why appreciation and gratitude are essential for a thriving team.

53:45 Who are you when you take your job title away?

Resources + Links

Get your copy of Leading for Tomorrow 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 Scott on LinkedIn: @scottdanthony

Follow Lisa on LinkedIn: @lisakaysolomon

Follow Chris on LinkedIn: @cshipley9

Can loving your work make burnout more likely? In this episode, I sit down with Harvard Business School professor Jon Jachimowicz to talk about the downside of passion at work. Jon shares why passion isn't something you either have or don't have, but something that rises and falls over time. We also talk about why passionate employees often overwork, skip recovery, and become vulnerable to burnout, how organizations unintentionally exploit passion, and why leaders need a better strategy for helping people sustain meaningful work over the long term. Tune in to rethink what it really means to follow your passion without sacrificing your well-being.

Check out our sponsors:

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

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 following your passion isn't always the path to sustainable success.

04:00 How Jon's own loss of passion inspired his research.

09:00 Why passion can become one of the biggest drivers of burnout.

12:15 How passionate employees unknowingly skip recovery and overextend themselves.

15:00 Why do client and societal expectations trap high achievers into overperforming?

17:00 How do workplaces systematically confuse extroversion with passion?

23:15 Why performing passion can become emotionally exhausting.

27:15 How managers should lead passionate employees differently.

31:00 Why organizations often exploit passionate workers without realizing it.

35:15 Why current promotional career paths are broken for passionate workers.

39:15 How can companies help employees sustain passion?

43:45 The 3 different types of burnout and why they need different solutions.

45:30 Ways to recover when burnout comes from a loss of self-efficacy or cynicism.

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

How do you ask for what you need at work when the system still makes disability feel risky to name? In this episode, I sit down with attorney, author, and neurodiversity advocate Haley Moss to talk about the reality of being neurodivergent at work. Haley breaks down what the ADA actually protects, how reasonable accommodations work in practice, and why disclosure is still such a fraught decision for so many people. We also talk about masking, internalized ableism, the pressure to frame neurodivergence as a “superpower,” and MORE. Get ready to rethink disclosure, disability, and what real inclusion at work should actually look like.

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 talking about neurodivergence at work is still so loaded.

03:00 How Haley’s career shifted after becoming known as Florida’s first openly autistic attorney.

08:00 Why telling your own story matters more than letting other people simplify it for you.

11:30 What the ADA protects for neurodivergent employees at work.

13:30 How to understand reasonable accommodations and what counts as “essential functions” of a job.

16:30 What are the myths people still believe about workplace accommodations?

22:15 Why neurodivergent workers are often expected to do the emotional labor of culture change.

25:45 What happens when an accommodation exists on paper but not in practice?

29:30 What the “double empathy problem” shows about communication between neurotypical and neurodivergent coworkers.

35:00 What to do if you’re neurodivergent but don’t identify as disabled or don’t want to disclose formally?

39:15 What do you think about disclosing to get legal protection versus advocating informally?

41:45 How framing neurodivergence as a strength can be both empowering and strategic.

49:30 How meeting other neurodivergent people can shift your sense of identity and belonging.

50:45 Why Haley is intentionally expanding beyond autism as the center of her public identity.

53:45 How to make work feel safer for different brains and bodies.

Resources + Links

Get a copy of Haley Moss’s book, The Young Autistic Adult's Independence Handbook HERE

Learn more about Haley Moss 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 Haley: on LinkedIn @haleylmoss + Instagram @haley.moss