Will Your Goals Destroy You? The Hidden Cost of Ambition

Ambition can drive your greatest success—but it can also quietly burn you out.

In this episode, Kory explores the complex relationship between ambition and self-worth, and what happens when your goals start working against you instead of for you.

Through personal stories and grounded insight, you’ll learn how to pursue success without sacrificing your mental health or sense of self.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How ambition fuels growth—and where it turns into self-criticism
• The hidden signs your goals are creating stress, burnout, or dissatisfaction
• How to define success based on your values (not external pressure)
• Practical strategies to set sustainable, realistic goals
• How to stay motivated without losing your wellbeing

If you’ve ever felt driven but exhausted, motivated but never satisfied, this episode will help you reset your relationship with ambition—and build a path that actually supports your life.

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Have a question? Ask Kory! Email kory@awellcaredforhuman.com with any question or concern you have and the answer could be featured in an upcoming episode.

Show Description

After completing her show Who Killed My Mother? a true crime podcast, Kory received countless emails from all over the world asking: "How did you heal from everything that happened? How did you move away from all of the abuse, trauma, and mental illness to become the (mostly) happy, (mostly) healthy, and (mostly) successful person you are today? How can I be happier, healthier, and more at peace with myself and my life?" This wellness podcast will explore the answers to those questions.

Disclaimer: Kory M. Shrum is not a healthcare professional. This podcast is not a replacement for professional treatment or medication. The show and its episodes were created for the purposes of relaxation, inspiration, and entertainment only. If you have any health conditions please consult a healthcare provider.

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https://www.awellcaredforhuman.com

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https://www.korymshrum.com/free-starter-library

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Thank you for listening ! 💚

What happens when a warrior comes home—but no longer knows who they are?

In this powerful and heartfelt conversation, Kory sits down with award-winning fantasy author Zac Diamanti to talk about storytelling, trauma, and the long journey of healing after service.

Zac shares how his time in the military—and the difficult transition out of it—shaped his writing, especially in his cozy fantasy novel Guard in the Garden. We explore what it means to lose your sense of purpose, how creativity becomes a lifeline, and why the smallest moments—gratitude, connection, quiet joy—are often the ones that save us.

We also talk about:

• PTSD, isolation, and the search for identity after the military
• Why cozy fantasy is a powerful tool for healing
• The role of creativity in processing trauma
• Building a meaningful life after everything changes
• How storytelling helps others feel seen and understood

This is a conversation about becoming human again—after everything that tried to take that away.

If you’ve ever struggled with purpose, burnout, or finding your place in the world, this episode is for you. Learn more about Zac at https://zsdiamanti.com/

Many of us were never taught how to work with our thoughts and emotions. Instead, we were taught to fear the control they had over us.

In this episode of A Well Cared For Human, Kory shares an audiobook excerpt exploring the Mind and Emotions Pillar, one of the Four Pillars of Wellbeing.

Growing up in an environment where her thoughts and feelings were constantly dismissed, criticized, and invalidated, Kory learned to distrust her own mind. Like many people who experienced emotional neglect or trauma, she came to believe that her inner world was something dangerous that needed to be controlled or suppressed. But healing requires something very different.

In this episode, she explores how learning to befriend your thoughts and emotions can transform your relationship with yourself.

You’ll learn:

• Why many people grow up distrusting their thoughts and emotions • How trauma can create chaos in our inner world • The difference between accepting feelings and being controlled by them • Why your thoughts and emotions contain valuable information • Practical tools for building self-awareness and emotional balance

If your mind sometimes feels chaotic, overwhelming, or impossible to understand, this conversation offers a compassionate path toward clarity.

Your thoughts and emotions are not enemies. And learning to work with them can change everything. If you want more tools like these, visit www.awellcaredforhuman.com