The Anxious Achiever Great Leaders Have Anxiety– And They Know How To Manage It
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Oct 2, 2025 Morra Aarons-Mele, author and mental health advocate, shares insights from her extensive research on leadership and anxiety. She emphasizes that anxiety is valuable data rather than a flaw, arguing that leaders often experience higher levels of mental health challenges. Morra discusses the importance of self-compassion, grounding techniques for anxiety management, and practical tools to combat procrastination. She also highlights how organizations can better support neurodiverse employees and the necessity of 'banking joy' to draw on during tough times.
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Anxiety Is Data Not An Excuse
- Morra reframes anxiety as data rather than an excuse to avoid action.
- Treat anxiety as a signal you can co-pilot with to act courageously.
Mental Health Is Extremely Common
- Anxiety and depression affect the majority of people across a lifespan.
- Up to a third of Americans may have an anxiety disorder on any given day and 80% experience anxiety or depression in life.
Struggle And Achievement Often Coexist
- Leaders and entrepreneurs over-index for anxiety, depression, and neurodivergence.
- These brain differences often fuel creativity, risk-taking, and high achievement but come with serious costs.
