Work becomes the place where we pour everything we can’t face elsewhere. In this episode, I’m joined by Jane Chen, founder of Embrace, to talk about burnout, identity, and what happens when your worth becomes tied to what you produce. Jane shares how building a world-changing company nearly broke her, why healing can become another form of overachievement, and how childhood trauma shapes your drive to succeed. Tune in to rethink ambition, resilience, and what it really means to choose yourself.

Check out our sponsors:

Northwest Registered Agent - Protect your privacy, build your brand and get your complete business identity in just 10 clicks and 10 minutes! Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/achieverfree

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

Cozy Earth - Give your home the luxury it deserves. Head to http://cozyearth.com and use code ACHIEVER for up to 20% off.

Express VPN - Secure your online data today. Visit http://expressvpn.com/achiever and find out how you can get up to four extra months.

Talkiatry - Head to http://talkiaitry.com/achiever and complete the short assessment to get matched with an in network psychiatrist in just a few minutes.

Working Genius - Take the working genius assessment today and get 20% off with code ACHIEVER at working http://genius.com

In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 What happens when your dream company starts destroying you?

03:00 Why “self-work” can become a form of escapism.

06:15 How childhood trauma fuels the need to succeed.

10:45 Why so many changemakers are driven by unresolved pain.

14:30 Why you never give yourself credit for your own resilience.

20:15 How Embrace was born in a Stanford classroom.

27:00 The country where 40% of the world’s premature babies are born.

34:30 When identity collapses with your company.

38:00 Hitting rock bottom after 10 years of overwork.

49:00 How does trauma live in your body?

52:00 How achievement becomes a way to earn love.

56:30 Why you can’t think your way out of pain.

1:00:45 What Internal Family Systems teaches about your “parts.”

1:05:00 Why achievement becomes a survival strategy.

1:13:45 Why your worth can’t live outside you.

Resources + Links

Get your copy of Jane’s book, Like a Wave We Break 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 Jane on Instagram @janemarie.chen

The year America changed - 2025 in review

TRUMP100

K for Caroline Leavitt as press enforcer

The AI-powered Podcast Player