The Anxious Achiever
Blog & Newsletter Archive
Editors, journalists, and podcasters: connect with Morra here.
Boston Globe Today
Morra joined host Segun Oduolowu on Boston Globe Today to discuss the Anxious Achiever. Watch here.
How U.S Rep Becca Balint Uses Curiosity And Her "Why" to Manage Anxiety And Depression
U.S Congressperson Becca Balint is remarkably open- about her mental health, what she needs to do her best work, and how she finds energy when things get tough. Balint's "why" serves as her guiding light and motivator for both her political career and her openness about mental health struggles.
Four Skills More Important Than An MBA
Graduation is a time of joy but also of anxiety. It’s filled with uncertainty and change. Grads need a skill set to manage the inevitable anxiety all this change and uncertainty creates! I’ve decided to offer some skills graduates really need, and that I wish for you if you are graduating.
Rethinking Anxiety for Leaders
Morra speaks with Alexis & Sally on the We Are Human Leaders podcast.
On Air with Public Radio Tulsa!
On air with Public Radio Tulsa speaking about my new book The Anxious Achiever: Turn Your Biggest Fears Into Your Leadership Superpower.
Opening up about his anxiety and depression helped this former Google executive be a better leader
Morra speaks with Daryll Henrich on Fortune.com
When leaders of public companies and other high-profile institutions start speaking openly about their experiences with depression, anxiety, and other mental health challenges, the veil of shame that conceals many of these conversations at work starts to lift.
If you’re an anxious achiever, view it as a curse and a blessing
Most of us assume that anxiety and strong leadership are incompatible. But entrepreneur and former mental health advisor Morra Aarons-Mele says that’s a misconception. “I am convinced that anxiety is baked into effective leadership,” she writes in The Anxious Achiever. “It doesn’t matter if you have a fancy title and are managing thousands of people or you’re launching a tiny startup on a shoestring – leadership comes with a heightened set of pressures and responsibilities … If you’re invested in the work, you’re going to experience some anxiety.”
Feeling Joy Is A Skill. Here's How To Do It.
On our latest podcast episode, I had a fantastic conversation with Jessica Grose, an opinion writer for The New York Times.
Are You An Anxious Leader?
Pursuing new opportunities can be exciting and daunting, especially in our careers. It’s normal to feel anxious about the unknown and the pressure to succeed but how do we make sure this doesn’t stop us from achieving all that we’ve set out to?
You Don’t Have to Be the Best at Everything
In the most recent article in Harvard Business Review I talk about how many anxious achievers push themselves to the point of overwork in an effort to achieve impossible standards.
How To Keep Your Confidence Up When The Stakes Are High
Morra on Investors Business Daily speaking about keeping your confidence high!
It's easier to feel confident when little is on the line. But confidence is critical when stakes are high — so it's worth knowing how to silence self-doubt before you're put to the test.
Where's My Ritalin? What The Stimulant Shortage Tells Us About Mental Health Care
Why is there a shortage of stimulant medication in the U.S, and what does this tell us about our broken mental health care system?
This is a fascinating topic -- and one that has huge implications for people who take medications like Ritalin and Adderall to treat ADHD or other conditions. My guest Lindsay Scola offers her perspective; she needs Adderall to treat narcolepsy, and finding it has been a nightmare.
Struggling With Your Boss?
Today Chip Conley, entrepreneur and NYT bestselling author, and me offer tips on how to manage a manager who makes you anxious.
Wall St. Journal: When Bringing Your ‘Whole Self’ to Work Is Too Much.
Morra is featured on The Wall Street Journal! She speaks about how to set boundaries on what you share with your co-workers.
The pandemic made many of us more comfortable talking about our mental health at work, surveys show. Feeling less pressure to act like we’ve got it all together, some people now swap struggles with burnout and impostor syndrome almost as freely as they talk about sore joints after a weekend 5k.
‘It doesn’t have to be this hard.’ A former Harvard VP talks about her struggle with anxiety to help others who suffer
Morra on Fortune.com recently spoke with Diane Patrick about mental health in the workplace.
TED: Perfectionism holding you back? 3 ways to shift the habit
So what’s driving your perfectionism? Is it about proving your worth to others? Is it about avoiding feelings of shame or judgment?
Morra on the Read to Lead Podcast with Jeff Brown
Turns out anxiety disorders are the most common mental illnesses in the world. But in our workplaces, anxiety has been a hidden problem—there in plain sight but ignored. Until now.
How to Release Some Control.
The state of our mental health has a profound impact on how we work and manage others.
What's the Difference Between Good Stress and Bad Stress?
Stress is an inevitable part of life, but it’s not always negative.