What happens when stress, uncertainty, and lack of control start to take over your brain? In this episode, I sit down with renowned behavioral economist Dan Ariely to talk about resilience, learned helplessness, anxiety, and why so many people feel overwhelmed right now. Dan shares how surviving severe burns, years in the hospital, and later facing conspiracy theories and death threats shaped his understanding of stress, resilience, and human behavior. We also dive into why uncertainty at work feels so psychologically destabilizing, how scarcity and anxiety reduce our mental capacity, why humans look for villains during stressful times, and what actually helps us build resilience. Tune in to learn ways to regain agency when life feels chaotic.

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In this Episode, You Will Learn

00:00 Why starting something new can help you feel unstuck.

03:45 The mental health benefits of walking with friends.

08:35 Why invisible mental health struggles feel more isolating.

11:00 What workplaces still misunderstand about neurodiversity.

16:15 How physical limitations forced Dan to think more creatively.

19:15 Why uncertainty and unpredictability increase anxiety at work.

22:30 Why does modern life making you less resilient?

24:15 How layoffs and workplace uncertainty create learned helplessness.

29:15 The strategy performers use to stay engaged and motivated.

33:30 Why anxiety consumes your brain’s “CPU.”

36:45 Why humans look for villains during stressful times.

38:15 How negative narratives reshape the way you see people.

Resources + Links

Get a copy of my book - The Anxious Achiever

Watch the podcast on YouTube 

Find more resources on our website morraam.com

Follow

Follow me: on LinkedIn @morraaronsmele + Instagram @morraam