You know that rush you get when you hit a goal—the quick dopamine spike that makes you feel unstoppable… until it fades, and you’re already chasing the next thing?

In this episode of The Happy Stack Podcast, I dig into what I call achievement addiction—the hidden dependency high performers develop when their self-worth gets tied to results instead of identity.

I break down the neuroscience behind why achievements stop feeling fulfilling, the real cost of living in constant overdrive, and how to build what I call identity wholeness—so you can strive from a place of peace, not pressure.

If success feels good for only a moment, this one’s for you.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode: 

Achievement addiction is a dopamine loop that keeps high performers chasing temporary highs

It’s not a productivity issue—it’s an identity issue

Rest can feel uncomfortable because your nervous system links safety to achievement

Seven signs you may be in the loop: overworking, avoiding rest, downplaying wins, and tying your mood to output

Five steps to break the pattern:

Name your narrative – Identify the beliefs driving your worth

Celebrate with a pause – Let your nervous system feel the win

Create non-productive joy – Practice doing things without outcomes

Detach self-worth from numbers – Track integrity, kindness, and presence

Anchor in wholeness – Use mantras like “I am not what I do. I am who I am becoming.”

Links and Resources:

Follow Terri-Ann Richards: https://terriannrichards.com/

The Happy Stack Newsletter: https://happystack.substack.com/

Success Takes Courage Book: https://www.amazon.com.au/Success-Takes-Courage-Inside-Out-Achievement-ebook/dp/B0BKWNT142

If this episode hit home, share it with a fellow high achiever who’s stuck in the chase.

Subscribe, leave a review, and remember: your worth isn’t measured in metrics—it’s rooted in who you are, not what you do.

Let’s keep stacking wins that actually mean something.

Have you ever caught yourself saying “I’m fine” when you’re anything but?

In this episode of The Happy Stack Podcast, I dig into the trap of toxic positivity—the pressure to plaster on a smile, power through, and dismiss your real emotions.

I’ll share how this habit shows up for high performers, why it sabotages both mental health and leadership, and what to practice instead: grounded optimism.

We’ll unpack the brain science, the cost of suppressing emotions, and practical strategies to build resilience through truth, not denial.

If you’re tired of pretending everything is “all good,” this one’s for you.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode: 

Links and Resources:

Follow Terri-Ann Richards: https://terriannrichards.com/

The Happy Stack Newsletter: https://happystack.substack.com/

Success Takes Courage Book: https://www.amazon.com.au/Success-Takes-Courage-Inside-Out-Achievement-ebook/dp/B0BKWNT142

If this episode struck a chord, share it with someone who’s been powering through behind a smile.

Subscribe, leave a review, and try one of the practices this week.

Remember—happiness isn’t about ignoring hard things. It’s about meeting the truth and moving forward anyway.

Ever end a busy day feeling exhausted but realize you didn’t actually accomplish anything meaningful?

In this episode of The Happy Stack Podcast, I unpack “focus fatigue”—the quiet drain on your brainpower that leaves you overwhelmed, distracted, and under-inspired.

Backed by science and real-life coaching insights, I’ll show you how task switching, constant notifications, and reactive work sabotage your performance—and give you five practical strategies to reclaim your mental bandwidth.

Your brain isn’t broken—the system is. Let’s fix it together.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode: 

Links and Resources:

Follow Terri-Ann Richards: https://terriannrichards.com/

The Happy Stack Newsletter: https://happystack.substack.com/

Success Takes Courage Book: https://www.amazon.com.au/Success-Takes-Courage-Inside-Out-Achievement-ebook/dp/B0BKWNT142

If this episode hit home, share it with someone stuck in the distraction loop.

Subscribe, leave a review, and start tracking your own focus leaks this week.

Small shifts in your attention can create massive wins—let’s keep stacking them together.

I know what it’s like to look “successful” on the outside while feeling completely flat on the inside—because I’ve been there.

In this episode of The Happy Stack Podcast, I’m breaking down the reality of high-functioning burnout: the kind that doesn’t leave you curled up in bed but keeps you in overdrive while your joy quietly disappears.

We’ll unpack the biological toll of pushing through chronic stress, the warning signs you might be ignoring, and the small, powerful shifts that will help you reclaim energy, connection, and meaning—without burning it all down.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode: 

Burnout doesn’t always look like collapse—it can look like constant overdrive

Chronic stress without recovery floods your body with cortisol and dulls joy

High-functioning burnout often costs you relationships, creativity, and fulfillment

Redefining success can mean prioritizing rest and nervous system safety

Practical steps to shift: Name what’s real, redefine success, focus on output not hours, add joy reps, strengthen boundaries, and seek support early

Links and Resources:

Follow Terri-Ann Richards: https://terriannrichards.com/

The Happy Stack Newsletter: https://happystack.substack.com/

Success Takes Courage Book: https://www.amazon.com.au/Success-Takes-Courage-Inside-Out-Achievement-ebook/dp/B0BKWNT142

If this episode hit a little too close to home, don’t wait for the crash—share this with someone else in high gear, subscribe to the pod, and take one small step today to protect your energy and joy.

You don’t need to abandon your goals to take care of yourself—you just need to start from where you are.

Leadership can look impressive on the outside—and feel incredibly isolating on the inside.

In this episode of The Happy Stack Podcast, I pull back the curtain on something most leaders feel but rarely say out loud: the loneliness that comes with carrying the weight, setting the pace, and always being “the strong one.”

From neuroscience to real coaching stories, I unpack how disconnection hides behind over-functioning and why emotional honesty—not more performance—is the way forward. This isn’t about weakness. It’s about being human.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode: 

Links and Resources:

Follow Terri-Ann Richards: https://terriannrichards.com/

The Happy Stack Newsletter: https://happystack.substack.com/

Success Takes Courage Book: https://www.amazon.com.au/Success-Takes-Courage-Inside-Out-Achievement-ebook/dp/B0BKWNT142

If this episode cracked something open for you, share it with someone carrying their own quiet weight. Tag them, text them, or simply let them know they’re not alone.

Then take one step toward reconnection—starting with yourself. Let’s keep stacking truth, not just trophies.

Worry feels like it should help—but it rarely does. In this episode of The Happy Stack Podcast, I unpack the real cost of rumination and why high performers like us often confuse it with responsibility or care.

Drawing from research, client conversations, and my own inner critic, I introduce the “Check 3” framework—Control, Capacity, and Compassion—to help you break the worry loop and redirect your energy into something that actually serves you.

If your brain replays every meeting, message, and misstep before bed, this one’s for you.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode: 

Links and Resources:

Follow Terri-Ann Richards: https://terriannrichards.com/

The Happy Stack Newsletter: https://happystack.substack.com/

Success Takes Courage Book: https://www.amazon.com.au/Success-Takes-Courage-Inside-Out-Achievement-ebook/dp/B0BKWNT142

If this episode gave you the reminder you didn’t know you needed, pass it on.

Share with someone stuck in a cycle of overthinking, subscribe to the pod, leave a review, and give yourself permission to put the day to rest. You’ve done enough. Let’s stack peace—on purpose.

Let’s talk about fear—the kind that quietly keeps us stuck, second-guessing, and playing small.

In this episode of The Happy Stack Podcast, I dig into why your next breakthrough probably isn’t on the other side of more planning or more prep—it’s on the other side of that thing you’ve been avoiding.

I’ll walk you through the neuroscience of fear, what it means for leadership, and how micro actions can rewire your brain for courage.

If you’ve been waiting to feel ready, this is your reminder: brave isn’t a feeling. It’s a decision.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode: 

Links and Resources:

Follow Terri-Ann Richards: https://terriannrichards.com/

The Happy Stack Newsletter: https://happystack.substack.com/

Success Takes Courage Book: https://www.amazon.com.au/Success-Takes-Courage-Inside-Out-Achievement-ebook/dp/B0BKWNT142

If this episode gave you the nudge you needed, don’t keep it to yourself—share it with someone sitting on their own “nail.”

Subscribe, leave a review, and take that small, brave step this week.

Your next breakthrough might just be hiding behind that fear.

It’s time we stop equating leadership with perfection. In this episode of The Happy Stack Podcast, I’m pulling back the curtain on the quiet burnout that comes from performative leadership—and offering a more sustainable, human way forward.

We explore what it truly means to lead with presence, not pressure; with curiosity, not control. I’ll walk you through the shifts I’ve made in my own leadership (and with my clients) to create trust, connection, and psychological safety—because leadership isn’t about being flawless. It’s about being real.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Links and Resources:

Follow Terri-Ann Richards: https://terriannrichards.com/

The Happy Stack Newsletter: https://happystack.substack.com/

Success Takes Courage Book: https://www.amazon.com.au/Success-Takes-Courage-Inside-Out-Achievement-ebook/dp/B0BKWNT142

If this episode made you exhale and say, “Yes, finally,” share it with someone else who’s tired of leading like a robot.

Subscribe, leave a review, and let’s keep rewriting the rules of leadership—one honest conversation at a time.

What are you really measuring in your life—and who gave you that ruler?

In this episode of The Happy Stack Podcast, I dig into the powerful mindset shift of defining success on your own terms.

If you’ve ever hit a big goal and still felt empty, this is your sign that you might be tracking the wrong things.

I share the four dimensions I now use with my coaching clients (and myself!) to assess real, whole-life success—because growing without grounding isn’t success, it’s survival.

Let’s stop chasing someone else’s idea of enough and start building a life that actually feels good to live.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Links and Resources:

Follow Terri-Ann Richards: https://terriannrichards.com/

The Happy Stack Newsletter: https://happystack.substack.com/

Success Takes Courage Book: https://www.amazon.com.au/Success-Takes-Courage-Inside-Out-Achievement-ebook/dp/B0BKWNT142

If this episode made you rethink how you’re measuring success, share it with someone who's been stuck in the hustle.

Subscribe, leave a review, and let’s start building success that aligns with your values—not someone else’s expectations.

Keep stacking what truly matters.

Let’s get honest: burnout isn’t just about long hours or overflowing to-do lists. It often begins in the quiet moments when we care so deeply for everyone else that we forget to care for ourselves.

In this episode of The Happy Stack Podcast, I unpack the truth about emotional labor—what it is, how it drains us, and what we can actually do about it.

If you're the strong one, the fixer, the go-to for everyone else, this one’s for you. You’ll walk away with real tools to protect your energy while still leading with heart.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Links and Resources:

Follow Terri-Ann Richards: https://terriannrichards.com/

The Happy Stack Newsletter: https://happystack.substack.com/

Success Takes Courage Book: https://www.amazon.com.au/Success-Takes-Courage-Inside-Out-Achievement-ebook/dp/B0BKWNT142

If this episode spoke to you, please share it with someone who’s been carrying too much for too long.

Subscribe, leave a review, and remember—you deserve the same care and compassion you give to everyone else.

Let’s keep stacking that happiness, one boundary at a time.