How High Achievers Overcome Their Anxiety

Strategies for escaping the most common “thought traps.” by Morra Aarons-Mele

HERE’S A LITTLE SECRET: Some very successful people are wracked by anxiety. They worry about worst-case scenarios and every little thing that could go wrong. They stew over mistakes and unfavorably compare themselves with others. They focus on negative feedback while dismissing praise.

In many ways their anxiety is a benefit: After all, it fuels their drive, hard work, and achievement. They’re prized employees precisely because they go the extra mile and are satisfied with nothing less than the best.

But if left unchecked, what may seem beneficial can make someone miserable, diminishing performance and career progress.

Consider ...

Get HBR's 10 Must Reads for Business Students (with bonus article "The Authenticity Paradox" by Herminia Ibarra) now with the O’Reilly learning platform.

O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.