The Anxious Achiever

7 Unhelpful Reactions and Bad Habits

Jason Kander, a veteran of the war in Afghanistan, became a rising star in the Democratic Party. He was a state senator in Missouri by his mid-twenties and its secretary of state at thirty-one. Later he ran for the US Senate, launched a campaign to become mayor of Kansas City, and was forthright about his ambitions to one day become president. Because of his charisma, connections, and media appeal, politicians constantly asked him to host fundraisers and make introductions. He said yes to every request and flew all over the country to deliver keynotes and raise money, even though behind the scenes he was suffering excruciating nightmares, terrible guilt and shame, and panic anxiety.

It was only when he ...