ANXIOUS ACHIEVER: How You Can Turn Anxiety Into a Superpower
Aug 22, 2024
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Morra Aarons-Mele, a writer and podcaster who identifies as an anxious achiever, explores the complex relationship between anxiety and success. She challenges the stigma around anxiety, arguing it can be a powerful asset for leaders. Morra shares practical strategies to turn anxiety into focus and resilience. She emphasizes self-compassion and understanding neurodiversity in the workplace while encouraging listeners to embrace their inner child. With humor and innovative techniques, she reveals how to navigate anxiety and cultivate joy in everyday life.
Anxiety can be transformed into a motivational force, driving high achievers towards productivity and personal growth when embraced positively.
Recognizing and discussing neurodiversity in the workplace fosters an inclusive environment that leverages individual strengths for collective team success.
Deep dives
Understanding the Relationship Between Anxiety and Achievement
Anxiety is often seen as a source of distress, but it can also serve as a driving force behind achievement. Many individuals, especially high achievers, experience anxiety as a motivating factor that propels them forward rather than holding them back. This dual nature of anxiety highlights that it can become an integral part of a person’s success narrative, fostering resilience, focus, and self-awareness when wielded correctly. Embracing anxiety as a 'loyal partner' rather than an enemy allows individuals to channel their anxiety towards productivity and personal growth.
The Prevalence of Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety disorders affect a significant portion of the population, with estimates suggesting that up to one-third of Americans may experience these conditions daily. This statistic underscores the commonality of anxiety as a human experience, with over 80% of individuals encountering anxiety or depression at some point in their lives. Acknowledging the prevalence of these mental health challenges normalizes them and encourages dialogue about mental well-being. This perspective shifts the narrative from viewing anxiety as an isolated struggle to recognizing it as a shared experience among many.
Tools and Techniques to Manage Anxiety
Effective strategies for managing anxiety involve proactive techniques that redirect anxious energy into purposeful actions. One simple yet powerful method is to assign tasks to one's anxiety, transforming worrying into productive planning or problem-solving. Techniques such as writing lists or creative visualization, where individuals draw from joyful past experiences, can help divert focus from rumination to action. Additionally, establishing a 'window of tolerance' can assist individuals in identifying and maintaining an optimal stress level that enhances performance without leading to overwhelm.
Exploring Neurodiversity in the Workplace
Recognizing neurodiversity in the workplace is crucial for fostering effective team dynamics and enhancing overall performance. Individuals with different mental and cognitive profiles often bring unique strengths and insights that can lead to innovative solutions. Encouraging open discussions about personal triggers and preferred communication styles can help create an inclusive work environment. The idea of defining roles and expectations clearly can alleviate anxiety while allowing individuals to thrive collectively, leading to greater team success.
What are some words you would use to describe a leader? Bold, driven, steadfast. How about … anxious? You may not equate leadership with anxiety, but Morra Aarons-Mele — a writer, podcaster, and self-proclaimed anxious achiever — says that’s a mistake. Because anxiety is not a professional defect or character flaw. It’s not something to be ashamed of or something you have to hide. Instead, in Morra’s view, it’s an asset, a resource, a motivator that can bring out your best work. The hard part is figuring out how to master it so that it helps rather than hinders. If you’ve ever struggled with anxiety, that may sound like a tall order, maybe even impossible, but in this episode, Morra, with help from a pen, a banana, and reams of cutting-edge research, will teach you how to do it.