Ambition and mental health: high achievers, your operating system is not a defect

I used to think there was something wrong with me because my brain doesn’t work like most people’s. It only has two settings when it comes to time: “I have all the time in the world” and “Oh damn, I’m late”. I studied physics at college yet if I must fill in any kind of form, my brain seizes up. I have realised over the last few years that these troublesome ’glitches’ are the price I pay for the things that I am exceptionally good at, like creativity and original thinking. Every upside has a downside. 

Research shows our pockets of genius, those parts of us that are unusually brilliant at something, are mixed right in there with those exact same traits that we find difficult to admit to. And if you’re a high-achiever like me, that intense, laser-like state of concentration that drives incredible productivity can lead to goal-smashing excellence in your work. But it often comes with anxiety, perfectionism and risk of burnout. 

This is not ideal in the high-stress PR industry - CIPR figures from 2024 showed that 91% of PR professionals experienced poor mental health at some point in the previous year, with 58% citing workload stress as a significant contributing factor. In meeting client demands on high-pressure campaigns, it can be hard to disconnect and recover psychologically, especially if that’s not your natural inclination. But that doesn’t mean your high-achieving operating system is a defect - it just needs to be understood and managed. 

The need for a reframe

The traits that fuel ambition, such as hyperfocus, restlessness and a mind that won't switch off, are the same ones that show up as anxiety and burnout. Many ambitious people are cut off from their feelings, so stress shows up first as irritability, overwork or that illness you get on the first day of your holiday. But hyperfocus also means you can go deeper than anyone on something that grabs you, which can result in incredible achievements. So, reframe it and learn how to manage it for the maximum benefit of both your clients and your mental health.

Work out your chronotype 

Everybody has a natural biological inclination to being either an early starter or late worker. Work out your chronotype – ie when your energy naturally peaks during a 24-hour day. Your creative mind might find the normal pace of work in an office a poor fit and better suit very intense sprints followed by rest periods. If you’re working on a major campaign or live event that involves intense focus and long hours, build in a proper break afterwards. This is why high achievers often struggle in employment but thrive when they work for themselves.

Better sleep hygiene

Always awake at 2am? According to the research, while you may get your best creative ideas in the small hours, from an evolutionary standpoint our attention to negative stimuli is unusually heightened at night, which can be dangerous for mental health. Sufficient sleep with minimal interruption during the circadian/biological night is essential for emotional regulation, so beware taking your night owl habit too far. For better sleep and mental health, the next time you lie awake in the small hours for 20 minutes or more, get up and do some quiet activity without screens until you feel drowsy.

Overthinking and anxiety

Recognize that ambition is a two-edged sword. Yes, it can drive you to do great things, but it does often come from unhealthy places. The creative brain is an anxious one and the imagination that dreams up big ideas can also picture worst-case scenarios in vivid detail. This is where self-knowledge and selfcare come into play, with CBT an effective therapy for chronic anxious overthinking, while yoga, mindfulness and meditation can help calm your over-active brain.

Lose the shame 

Understand how you're wired and build workarounds that suit you rather than someone else's template. Shame does the most damage, because it stops people asking for help and seeing the upside of the way their brain works. I recently discovered I have inattentive ADHD, and it helps me enormously to understand my wiring. Studies show that driven and creative people have far higher rates of neurodivergence and are more likely to have had a difficult childhood. While these things present challenges, they are also part of what drives us. You can take the personality test developed by my company at crazyadvantage.com to better understand your unique strengths. And if you suspect you’re neurodivergent, consider a formal assessment. Knowledge is power.

World Mental Health Day is on Saturday 10 October.

John Spencer Williams’ latest book, Crazy Successful, published by Singular Press, explores how to harness your unique creative traits while managing the negative ones. John is founder of the Ideas Lab and author of three previous best-sellers including WH Smith book of the month, F**k Work Let’s Play.