The Four Factors Every Neurodistinct Leader Needs To Understand

More from The Anxious Achiever All episodes →

1. 

   E353 · 3 Sep 2026 · 49 min

   Understand Your Family Ghosts At Work with Deborah Ancona

   What if the patterns that helped you succeed are also holding you back at work? In this episode, I sit down with MIT professor Dr. Deborah Ancona to talk about how the “family ghosts” you carry from childhood can shape the way you handle authority, conflict, responsibility, perfectionism, and asking for help. We dive into how recognizing these patterns helps you understand your triggers, change behaviors that keep you stuck, and lead with greater intention. Tune in to discover how your past may be influencing the way you work, lead, and relate to others. Check out our sponsors: ElevenLabs -…

2. 

   E352 · 1 Sep 2026 · 53 min

   Rebranding the Brain With Neurodiversity Expert Dave Thompson

   Could your workplace be making it harder for you to do your best work? In this episode, I sit down with author and neurodiversity advocate Dave Thompson to talk about designing work around how people actually function best. Dave shares what he learned from helping build a successful social enterprise with a majority-autistic workforce. We dive into neuroinclusive work, masking, and how understanding your own needs helps you do better work without constantly forcing yourself to fit in. Tune in to discover how to create more room for the way you actually work, think, and thrive. Check out our…

3. 

   E351 · 27 Aug 2026 · 39 min

   Penn and Kim Holderness on Neurodivergence And The Creative Journey

   Do you ever feel like you're forcing yourself to work in ways that just don't fit how your brain works? In this episode, I sit down with Penn and Kim Holderness to talk about how understanding ADHD transforms the way you lead, create, and work together. Penn and Kim share how understanding emotional dysregulation transformed their marriage, why shame can hold people with ADHD back, and the systems they use to reduce overwhelm, unlock creativity, and work more effectively as a team. Tune in to discover how embracing the way your brain works can lead to stronger relationships, better…

4. 

   E350 · 25 Aug 2026 · 55 min

   Learn How To Handle Uncertainty With Simone Stolzoff

   What if your biggest advantage isn't knowing what's coming next, but trusting yourself to handle whatever comes? In this episode, I sit down with author Simone Stolzoff to talk about why your need for certainty keeps you stuck and how tying your identity too closely to work leaves you vulnerable when life changes. Simone shares why uncertainty isn't something to eliminate, but a part of being human, how values and relationships provide stability when the future feels unclear, and why adapting matters more than predicting what comes next. Tune in to discover how uncertainty can become a…

5. 

   E348 · 20 Aug 2026 · 50 min

   How To Make Space For Your Soul In Midlife with Olivia F. Scott

   Does starting over in midlife feel exciting or terrifying? In this special crossover episode, I joined Olivia F. Scott from Freedom at the Mat to talk about career pivots, identity, ambition, and what it means to rebuild in midlife. We share our own experiences with burnout, rebuilding our careers, redefining what success means, letting go of external validation, and why sometimes the bravest thing you can do is admit you don't have all the answers. Tune in to discover how to navigate midlife with more courage, purpose, and self-trust. Check out our sponsors: Shopify - Sign up for a $1 per…

6. 

   E346 · 13 Aug 2026 · 39 min

   NBA Great Kevin Love on Trying to Achieve His Way Out of Depression

   Have you ever tried to achieve your way out of anxiety or depression? What happens when reaching your biggest goals still doesn't make you feel like you're enough? In this episode, I sit down with NBA champion and mental health advocate Kevin Love to talk about the anxiety, depression, and constant sense of dread that existed alongside his extraordinary success. Kevin opens up about the panic attack that changed his relationship with mental health, the pressure to prove himself, and why achievement, fame, and money could never fill the void. We also break down perfectionism, overwork, social…

7. 

   E345 · 11 Aug 2026 · 47 min

   HeartMath: The Science of HRV with Dr. Deborah Rozman

   Do you know how to bring yourself back to balance when stress and anxiety take over? In this episode, I sit down with HeartMath president and co-CEO Dr. Deborah Rozman to talk about how stress, anxiety, and emotions affect your heart, brain, and nervous system. Deborah breaks down what heart rate variability measures, what it means to move into a state of coherence, and why staying activated by stress for too long can drain your energy and performance. We also did the Quick Coherence Practice to reset when you're triggered or regain clarity during a stressful day. Tune in to learn how to…

8. 

   E344 · 6 Aug 2026 · 50 min

   Toxic Bosses, Perfectionism, And Healing At Work with Susan Schmitt Winchester

   Does perfectionism feel like the reason you're successful and the thing that's exhausting you at the same time? In this episode, I sit down with author and workplace expert Susan Schmitt Winchester to talk about the roots of perfectionism, people-pleasing, and the constant need for external validation. Susan shares how childhood experiences follow you into the workplace, why everyday triggers send you into old patterns of fear and self-doubt, and ways to regulate your response. Tune in to learn how to loosen perfectionism's grip without giving up your ability to do great work. Check out our…

9. 

   E343 · 4 Aug 2026 · 47 min

   The Hard Work of "Daughtering" With Dr. Allison Alford

   Do you ever wonder if you're doing enough for your parents? In this episode, I sit down with Baylor University professor Dr. Allison Alford to talk about the emotional, mental, logistical, and identity work women take on to keep their families connected. Allison shares how to recognize the daughtering you're already doing, why so many women struggle to feel like a “good enough” daughter, and how family expectations shape the way you show up in other areas of your life. We also break down the difference between daughtering and caregiving, how to set healthier boundaries, and why doing more…

10. 

    E342 · 30 Jul 2026 · 55 min

    Anxiety and Trust In The New Media Economy With CEO Dan Granger

    Are you worried about what AI means for your job and the future of work? How do you stay grounded when technology is changing faster than you can keep up? In this episode, I sit down with Oxford Road CEO and founder Dan Granger to talk about AI anxiety, uncertainty, and what it takes to keep moving forward when the future feels impossible to predict. We dive into how to recognize when anxiety is useful, why focusing on the process can pull you out of the “what if” spiral, and how curiosity and adaptability can help you navigate rapid change. Tune in to learn how to work with uncertainty,…