A new book discusses how commonly held anxieties can be a powerful tool for self-improvement and leadership growth.
The Problem
Anxiety is one of the most pressing issues facing the mental health of Americans today, with a third of U.S. adults experiencing an anxiety disorder at some point in their life. With the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic still looming, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has even recommended regular anxiety screenings from primary care physicians for Americans under the age of 65.
Morra Aarons-Mele is the podcast host of The Anxious Achiever and a leading voice in addressing issues of mental health. She notes that anxiety is very common in the business world, with leaders often struggling with serious mental health disorders without seeking help or knowing how to address them.
Possible Solutions
She discusses this in her new book The Anxious Achiever: Turn Your Biggest Fears Into Your Leadership Superpower, and even argues that anxiety can be a superpower for leaders. It can fuel hard work and achievement while also leading to negative thoughts, catastrophizing, and emotional traps.
The book explores how leaders can recognize their personal anxieties, avoid common triggers, address negative habits and coping mechanisms, manage stress and feedback, and model healthy leadership.
A Short Excerpt
“I know there are so many people out there just like me—ambitious, career-focused professionals who succeed while struggling with mental illness. If you’re reading this book, you probably identify with the group, and the term “anxious achieve” probably resonates with you. Anxious achievers are rarely still, in body or in mind. We are goal-oriented, future-oriented, and take our work extremely seriously. We are prized team members because we go the extra mile as a matter of course, and nothing less than the best will do. We create extraordinary outcomes because we are driven to always excel and succeed at any challenge we set for ourselves,” says Aarons-Mele.
What The Critics Are Saying
“In her new book, she shows you how to turn stress and worries into a source of strength. Drawing from her successful podcast of the same name, the Anxious Achiever is packed with quotes from psychologists and with practical advice helping female leaders figure out their own anxiety profile, confront bad habits and unhealthy coping mechanisms, set boundaries to prevent burnout, deal with impostor syndrome, and ultimately model and communicate healthy behavior,” says The Business Chief