The Anxious Achiever

Imagine going through life without constantly worrying about things outside your control. Sounds pretty great, right? Veteran journalist and The Gist host Mike Pesca says his unusually high levels of anandamide, sometimes called the "bliss molecule," give him exactly that experience. But what happens when the same trait that makes you fearless, curious, and outspoken also makes it harder to recognize threats to your career? Mike joins me to explore the surprising downsides of not feeling much anxiety, how his professional strengths contributed to a painful career upheaval, and what it really takes to reinvent yourself as an entrepreneur in midlife. We also get candid about the pressure to become your own brand, the changing economics of podcasting, and how to protect the work you love when the rules of your industry keep changing.

Check out our sponsors:

HeyPolo - Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to heypolo.com/achiever or use code ACHIEVER and get 40% off your first year!

Life at the Speed of Play - Go to getmarksbook.com/anxious to get two copies for the price of one - one for you and one for a friend.

Monarch - Write your own money story with Monarch and save 50% off your first year at monarch.com with code ACHIEVER.

Notion - Learn more about how Notion can support your business, at notion.com/achiever

Shopify - Ready to start your business before Black Friday? Go to shopify.com/anxiousachiever to start your free trial today!

Vinted - Try Vinted and give your clothes a second life. Download the Vinted app for free and start selling with no seller fees.

In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 Meet the journalist who experiences anxiety differently.

03:00 How the "bliss molecule" affects Mike's ability to worry.

06:45 When being fearless becomes a professional liability.

08:30 How workplace disagreements led to a career-altering experience.

13:30 When your greatest strength becomes your Achilles' heel.

16:00 Reinventing your career and becoming an entrepreneur at 47.

18:15 The challenges of rebuilding a business after losing institutional support.

20:45 Why being great at your work isn't enough to succeed independently.

23:00 How video and social media changed the economics of podcasting.

26:00 The growing pressure for journalists and entrepreneurs to become content creators. 29:15 Why great creative work is becoming harder to sustain financially.

32:30 Can talent and expertise still win in a world driven by personal brands?

34:15 The struggle to build an audience without sacrificing your integrity.

39:45 What it really takes to run multiple podcasts independently.

41:45 The hidden isolation of working for yourself.

43:15 How audience expectations are changing the future of journalism.

46:15 Finding hope in an increasingly divided world.

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 can you build a mentally healthy workplace while still managing the pressure, expectations, and emotional challenges of mission-driven work? In this episode, I talk with Poppy Jaman, OBE, founding CEO of Mental Health First Aid England and CEO of the City Mental Health Alliance, now known as MindForward Alliance UK, about creating workplaces where people can bring their whole selves to work while maintaining healthy boundaries. We break down how stigma prevents people from seeking support, and the mental health challenges that come with caring and mission-driven work. Poppy also opens up about her experience with postnatal depression, how meaningful work supported her mental health, and the practices she uses to protect her mental well-being. Tune in to learn how to recognize your own stress signals, check in with yourself, and build a personal toolkit for staying mentally well.

Check out our sponsors:

HeyPolo - Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to heypolo.com/achiever or use code ACHIEVER and get 40% off your first year!

Life at the Speed of Play - Go to getmarksbook.com/anxious to get two copies for the price of one - one for you and one for a friend.

Monarch - Write your own money story with Monarch and save 50% off your first year at monarch.com with code ACHIEVER.

Notion - Learn more about how Notion can support your business, at notion.com/achiever

Shopify - Ready to start your business before Black Friday? Go to shopify.com/anxiousachiever to start your free trial today!

In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 What does a mentally healthy workplace look like?

03:45 Creating a culture where people can bring their whole selves to work.

05:15 Balancing authenticity with healthy boundaries at work.

07:45 Why compassion can be more helpful than empathy in leadership.

10:00 What happened to inspire your journey into workplace mental health?

15:45 How meaningful work can provide purpose, identity, and support during difficult times.

18:45 The stigma that makes mental health and leadership difficult to talk about.

21:00 Why mission-driven and caring professions can create unique pressures.

23:30 Protecting relationships and personal time when your work is your mission.

26:00 What’s the cost of giving your whole self to your work?

27:30 How to check in with yourself and name what you’re feeling.

29:15 Building a personal well-being toolkit around the things that make you feel good.

30:30 How to use your stress signature to recognize when you need extra support.

Resources + Links

Learn more about MindForward Alliance UK (formerly City Mental Health Alliance) HERE

Learn more about Mental Health First Aid England 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 Poppy Jaman on LinkedIn: @poppyjaman

Do you ever feel exhausted at the end of the workday without being able to point to what you actually accomplished? In this episode, I talk with Dr. Liane Davey, an organizational psychologist, about the invisible cognitive and emotional load that keeps you distracted, anxious, and stuck in the swirl. We break down the connection between thoughtload and conflict, why modern workplaces create so much mental noise, and what happens when you outsource too much of your thinking and feedback to AI. We also share the difference between useful stress and generalized anxiety, the power of “doing more nothing,” and how taking one small action can help you get unstuck. Tune in to learn how to create more space in your brain and get back to doing meaningful work.

Check out our sponsors:

HeyPolo - Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to heypolo.com/achiever or use code ACHIEVER and get 40% off your first year!

Life at the Speed of Play - Go to getmarksbook.com/anxious to get two copies for the price of one - one for you and one for a friend.

Monarch - Write your own money story with Monarch and save 50% off your first year at monarch.com with code ACHIEVER.

Notion - Learn more about how Notion can support your business, at notion.com/achiever

Shopify - Ready to start your business before Black Friday? Go to shopify.com/anxiousachiever to start your free trial today!

In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 What is thoughtload, and how does it affect your work?

03:45 How thoughtload affects your ability to have a good fight.

06:00 The invisible tax that drains your attention, emotions, and energy.

09:30 Why modern workplaces create so much mental noise.

13:00 What happens when feedback becomes constant and impersonal?

15:30 Can AI actually help us become better at giving and receiving feedback?

19:15 What’s the difference between using AI to think and using it to avoid thinking?

22:30 What does deeper processing have to do with better work?

25:15 Why high thought load makes creativity and presence harder.

27:15 Is all stress and anxiety actually harmful?

30:00 What your emotional reactions can reveal about what matters to you.

33:45 The first step to getting off the hamster wheel.

36:00 Could doing less actually help you access more insight and creativity?

42:45 Ways to create more space for your brain.

45:45 What is conflict debt, and what happens when you avoid difficult conversations?

48:00 How a triggered state can change the way you interpret an email.

52:15 What conflict patterns did you learn from your family?

Resources + Links

Get your copy of Thoughtload by Liane Davey HERE

Get your copy of The Good Fight by Liane Davey HERE

Learn more about Liane Davey 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 Liane on LinkedIn: @lianedavey

Do you avoid difficult conversations because you don't want to make things worse? You're not alone. Many of us avoid conflict because it feels uncomfortable, but avoiding it often creates even more stress, uncertainty, and anxiety. In this episode, I sit down with workplace conflict expert Amy Gallo to talk about why healthy conflict is an essential leadership skill and how you can approach difficult conversations with more confidence. We talk about how emotional flooding affects difficult conversations, why shame often keeps us from speaking up, and Amy's 4-step framework for handling difficult conversations with more clarity and confidence. Tune in to discover a healthier way to approach difficult conversations.

Check out our sponsors:

HeyPolo - Protect your loved ones without spying on them. Go to heypolo.com/achiever or use code ACHIEVER and get 40% off your first year!

Life at the Speed of Play - Go to getmarksbook.com/anxious to get two copies for the price of one - one for you and one for a friend.

Monarch - Write your own money story with Monarch and save 50% off your first year at monarch.com with code ACHIEVER.

Notion - Learn more about how Notion can support your business, at notion.com/achiever

Shopify - Ready to start your business before Black Friday? Go to shopify.com/anxiousachiever to start your free trial today!

In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 Why does avoiding conflict make you even more anxious?

03:15 How Amy Gallo became fascinated by workplace conflict.

06:00 Can healthy conflict actually strengthen your relationships?

07:30 How emotional flooding can derail difficult conversations.

10:15 Why avoiding conflict creates long-term stress and anxiety.

12:00 What's stopping you from speaking up?

14:15 Shift from winning the argument to solving the problem together.

18:15 Ways to practice conflict in everyday situations.

23:30 Amy Gallo's 4-step framework for difficult conversations.

27:15 How to identify what really matters before the conversation begins.

30:00 When should you compromise, let it go, or walk away?

33:00 What to do after a difficult conversation doesn't go as planned.

Resources + Links

Get a copy of Amy Gallo's book, Getting Along: How to Work with Anyone (Even Difficult People) 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 Amy: on LinkedIn @amyegallo + Instagram @amyegallo

Do you feel like you're constantly choosing between your career, your children, and yourself? In this episode, I talk with Dr. Ann Welsh, a therapist and psychologist, about why women are taught to see motherhood and ambition as opposing forces. We dive into the ambition paradox and how motherhood challenges you to rethink what success really means. We also discuss the power of small changes, reconnecting with joy and hobbies, the difference between healthy and unhealthy striving, and how to separate your worth from achievement, money, and status. Tune in to learn how to pursue what you want while creating a version of ambition that feels sustainable and true to you.

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.

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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 The expectations women carry into motherhood and their careers.

03:45 Rethinking ambition as motherhood changes your identity and priorities.

06:00 The motherhood advantage and how becoming a mother can strengthen your career.

11:00 What is an ambition paradox?

16:00 How perfectionism, people pleasing, and pretending fuel the ambition paradox.

20:00 Why achievement-driven habits can stop working in motherhood.

23:45 When feeling unhappy doesn't mean you need to blow up your life.

27:30 How small shifts can create sustainable change.

33:30 What are the different kinds of ambition?

38:00 Separating money, achievement, and success from your sense of worth.

42:00 What is healthy versus unhealthy striving?

46:15 What it takes to pursue ambition in a sustainable way.

52:45 An exercise for letting go of expectations that no longer fit.

Resources + Links

Get a copy of Ambitious Mother HERE

Learn more about Dr. Anne Welsh 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 Anne: on LinkedIn @drannewelsh + Instagram @drannewelsh