I'm Maura Aronsmaley, and this is The Anxious Achiever.

We look at stories from business leaders who have dealt with anxiety, depression, or other mental health challenges,

how they fell down, how they pick themselves up, and how they hope workplaces can change in the future.

One thing I've been noticing since the pandemic began in media, news, social media, and the public discourse, is really an increasing awareness of mental health, an increasing conversation

volume about mental health and how it affects us.

And that is great.

And it's a huge purpose of this show.

Another purpose of this show is to talk about the unique ways mental health issues,

neurodiversity, can actually help people succeed

and thrive in their careers. But as much as anxiety or other struggles might drive someone to succeed,

there are many mental health issues that can arise because of a life that you feel like you didn't

quite get. Opportunities missed out on.

Anxiety that comes from feeling stuck in your life and your career and wanting things to be different.

The big what ifs.

That's a bit of the storyline behind a show that I became obsessed with recently, Mr. Corman, on Apple TV

Plus. It's a story about a fifth grade teacher, Mr. Corman, as he deals with loneliness,

depression, and dreams unfilled. As channeled by Joseph Gordon Levitt, who plays him, Corman experiences

anxiety on screen in such a real and touching way.

I really felt so seen.

He goes, it just makes me feel small.

Oh, my God.

I know. I just love him.

...