Q&A with Shawn Johnson: Attacking Anxiety in Leadership

So many leaders are afraid to show weakness to their teams. Today, Shawn Johnson walks us through his own raw battle with anxiety, how to lead while attacking anxiety, and how showing your struggles can strengthen, not weaken, your leadership.
Learn even more about how the brain works and tools for winning the war in your mind with Craig’s book, Winning the War in Your Mind: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life. And, you can apply what you read with the new companion workbook.
Book: www.craiggroeschel.com/books/...
Workbook: go2.lc/WTWYMWorkbook
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Craig Groeschel is the senior pastor of Life.Church, recognized as one of the largest and most innovative churches in the United States. Craig started the Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast in 2016 as a way to bring empowering insights and easy-to-understand takeaways you can use to grow as a leader-whenever, wherever.
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Craig hand-picked three episodes designed to help you build a strong leadership foundation. You'll learn practical ways to influence your leaders, manage your time wisely, and improve how you communicate. Head to www.go2.lc/threekeys to get the episodes and leader guides sent right to your inbox.
About Craig Groeschel
Craig and his wife Amy live in Edmond, Oklahoma, where they started Life.Church in 1996. A New York Times bestselling author, Craig has spoken to millions of people at events and conferences in countries all over the world. Learn more about Craig: www.craiggroeschel.com/about
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Chapters:
0:00 - An introduction to Shawn Johnson
5:41 - Why leaders are so afraid to show weakness
10:13 - Why some anxiety has a helpful purpose
13:05 - Why attacking anxiety is a better strategy than reacting to anxiety
15:27 - Shawn’s breaking point in his battle with anxiety in leadership
18:47 - What is Shawn doing today to attack anxiety in leadership
26:10 - What part did Shawn’s family play in his recovering
29:40 - What would Shawn say to his younger self?
32:35 - A closing lightning round of questions
#craiggroeschel​ #shawnjohnson #anxiety

[@craiggroeschel]

What do you do to combat anxiety and stress in leadership?

[@LifeChurchOpenNetwork]

Label it, and open up to those around us about it!

[@mistysar1051]

always pray through it and give it to God and ask for his help .

[@bobymathew4266]

1. Talk about it to someone you trust. 2. Take steps to be aware of what causes my anxiety or stress. 3. Reset, rest, and rely on God's strength. Great encouraging podcast!

[@ReneeBoehm]

Being self aware is huge. As I feel it coming on, I take needed steps, of course I pray for strength, wisdom and guidance. 1. In that moment, I take a walk. 2. Then I get with a trusted friend to discuss how to work through it. 3. If left unchecked or alone, I can wallow in it, so I need accountability to keep me non check :-)

[@vs8525]

I have a routine of good diet, exercise, prayer and the word, and definitely staying in community🙏

[@rochellecaffee1417]

Really good interview…love you guy’s honesty…been there, too. Change happens, thank God!!

[@ezrakaruppan7696]

Thank you for this podcast.

[@luvparislondon]

Pastors Craig and Shawn, thank you so much. Am blessed by your frameworks, learnings, wealth of wisdom, as well as compassion for people. May you pursue this call to leadership~

[@hatemorina4049]

Ju falemderit shum Respekt 🤩🇦🇺

[@angelacunningham8153]

I love his reasons for being confident. I have the same reasons but I didn’t have the words until he shared. As a fellow church leader I appreciate the transparency of this video. This video helped me feel not so alone. Thank you both!

[@adamjoseph6122]

When he started describing his tightness in his chest, I immediately knew God led me to this Podcast! All of that anxiety and fear is what I've been dealing with the last year in leadership, (and really every area of my life) and I couldn't figure out what it was because I'd never dealt with anything like this before! Thank you so much for this!

[@MajorPaneIntl]

Same here too. I find this episode as something God needed me to see, as I thought I was the only one who was going through this.

[@impactbar7305]

Thank you so much blessing

[@jamilacharles5485]

Ihave prayers for you God healing power of blood healling stemp on the Head and blessed you Amen Hallelujah 🙏🙏💯

[@cameronparry5044]

Incredible!!

[@Getwelllivehealthy]

What a amazing talk. Wow I am so grateful for the both of you to speak openly. This is a very important topic and thank you to be so open and transparent. 🙏🏻

[@kimscatton882]

Healthy distractions- love the boxing example, I do the same with dynamic and complex hot yoga vinyasa flows and puzzles too!

[@valeriehernandez5150]

Thank you Pastor Shawn for sharing your story and being transparent. Blessings to you.

[@shefu2642]

What a perfect example of how grief and trauma can be used as tool to help change the world. In this conversation, I can see my higher power at work.

[@Pyroverbs205]

God bless you and your family, Pastor Craig.

[@snhunhuhlongwane6826]

Thanks PASTOR Shawn for being vulnerable, you make it easy for me to do the same❤

[@DaveShuker86]

This is one of the most helpful episodes in this podcast. Thank you Craig for this episode

[@mistysar1051]

this was so good Pastor Craig, thank yall for being so open with your struggles so others can learn from you. I know I did!

[@christycraigmusic]

Endless gratitude for the transparency and sharing your journey. It is lighting the way to a difficult path to follow … keep going .. God bless

[@amberphillips9059]

I so appreciate y'all both being candid and open with your HUMAN struggles. I've been there and know the struggle but it's definitely worth the fight

[@nancyzaki6650]

Very inspiring and so real!! Thank you pastor Sean for being so authentic. You taught me how to be courageous in admitting ....facing...and attacking my fears and flaws. Blessings to you in abundance.

[@RickeyPetersonTV]

I have been blessed by so many of your shows but this has been the best one for me and it was right on time.

[@nombongondlovu1423]

Absolutely loved this! Thank you for your vulnerability! So freeing!

[@impactbar7305]

I didn't know what to do but now I am leaning that I must talk about it and that I must find some kind of activity to do so that I can keep my mine active and cream Thank you

[@Melissa-pj4jk]

This! I have been feeling this same way for over a month! Thank God I'm not alone. Thank you for sharing! I'm not better yet but with this encouraging word, I know I'll get better.

[@GabyRBlake]

Wow!! Sooooo good!! Thank you to the two of three pastors I admire the most!!… GOD BLEES YOU!! 🙌🏼🙏🏼😊💝

[@mananachotetsi9430]

This was amazing and I got so many nuggets. Thank you for an honest conversation. Thank you for being vulnerable, I’ve learned so much from this.

[@DonSalmonMusic]

Very enlightening & inspiring! God bless!🙏

[@khinopetgrave2846]

Thank you for sharing

[@minimolkamson6565]

Amazing content, we don't need to hide but be open , share and ask for help. we think we are doing good by hiding but actually it's not. Thank you, God bless 🙏🏻 Thank you.

[@tonygarcia1284]

Powerful. My daughter absolutely loves it and strongly insists I read it I think because she knows how much I struggle with the same stuff and she'll read it several times over because she likes it that much. Pastor Shawn is real and like Pastor Craig says is raw and its evident.

[@gabrieladavis8738]

Thank you so much for being so real about who you really are behind the scenes. May the Kingdom of God continues to get bigger because of your leadership skills!🙏💙🦋

[@lewisomilo668]

Wow! This was such an insightful, authentic and practical interview. I've been really blessed. A big takeaway - authenticity!

[@ella_encantada]

Wow, thank you for this.

[@jean-paulramjattan1920]

Thanks for this conversation. Very informative and encouraging.

[@kaliehuggins6622]

you both have helped me so much thank you so much!

[@LoraRobinson]

So good. I don't know that I would have picked this book up just by the title alone, but after listening to the podcast, I can't wait to read it. Thank you to both of you for your vulnerability, and for being such great leaders.

[@LifeChurchOpenNetwork]

So great!

[@stewardchingosho8639]

this is really awesome!!

[@ruthhill74]

Beyond amazing podcast episode

[@Christine-si8nc]

👏🏽🫶🏽🙏🏼 Craig has the best people on his podcasts! Go Shawn!

[@totodomination6809]

Great session, thanks for sharing Shawn.

[@rogerlotz19]

Great interview, great material Thanks guys

[@adriancousins9241]

Graig 2019 Brisbane backstage GLS PLUS I was at the edge of what became a “compassion burn out” your words and video message to my wife have been such a blessing, along with the podcasts. Thanks for helping remove the stigma of burnout.

[@marco.rychlik]

Thanks for this Talk! Perfect for my life, i did run on treadmill 🤪 will be more transparent and will go for coaching!

[@eaf888]

I relate!

[@agdOU]

🙏🏻💪🏻

[@chstn892]

My disconnects are cooking, gardening or walking around yard/neighborhood

[@yourbestlifewitheziaha7493]

Plus the book cover looks a bit like Winning the war in your mind Plus looking forward to Craig's new book

[@jamilacharles5485]

You looking Samrat and all is well don't loose will power.

[@boxcarairwaves182]

Ahhhh the gym was mine to... but I listen to leadership podcasts and sermons as well... I guess I'll have to re evaluate now. Prayer, quiet time, 12 step meetings and playing guitar! Also i love nature. I relate alot to this tho

[@jamilacharles5485]

No Anxiety and depressed beacuse Gód always blessing in Christ power me

[@vincentsoutania274]

Wow , same the bigger the organization got the more pressure he felt to keep up the act, same here I felt like the more I rose in leadership the more pressure I felt to keep up the act 😭, I don’t act nomore but this is just how I felt its like there so much expectations.

[@jamilacharles5485]

So Addict person thought and feeling badly next person killed me .

[@user-su3jg3qy3s]

❤

[@lukeharris6138]

🙏

[@jamilacharles5485]

But you give Serman please church fellowship strong beacuse I have give you Serman powerful briefing blessed you I have strength my Lord

[@rochellecaffee1417]

Big personal expectations = destructive expectation to achieve “super-self”. Where did your need for approval start? How old were you when you first felt THAT way?? Someone in your past showed you or told you that you would be abandoned or unacceptable, if you didn’t “man up” or BE something beyond what you felt capable of. A MAN would be urged THIS Way normally, but “nothing to excess”. When we are too young to be capable of some expectation, fear continues to build up in your mind and emotions, every time you feel challenged, and the body finally says, “No more”. Panic symptoms are uncontrollable. The Body is saying “i want to live, so STOP doing what you are doing to me”. Trying to “force it to leave” does NOT work. In this case, “mind over matter” is not a solution. Yes. Don’t let yourself GET TO THAT POINT. “One day at a time”. There are early signs you can look for as you begin to know your emotional needs, and mental needs, and physical needs, and learn to honor them. If you ignore your needs, you will suffer again, and again, and again. You have to be a “student of your own needs”. There are degrees of anxiety, and you can grow in learning what you need to know, in this crazy speeding culture. God never expected people to live at the pace they are living at, at this time in history. There is also “shame” and “guilt” attached to NOT BEING A “SUPERMAN”. Americans need to “back up” from the technological advances, and set boundaries so that they may survive as a “human race”. Men have been expected to “match” each other in strength and endurance. COMPETITION is a killer, when it is taken to its extreme. And you will get no “pats on the back” from the media, the commercials, the NFL, NBA, MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL, or climbing the ladder to be on the “Forbes list of wealthiest men”, or just the WORLD. Power, fame, money…always the challenge to deal with as “temptations”. Suggestion: REST whenever you can, and learn to know “who” you are, “why” you are, and what you need to learn to keep doing, or stop doing. REALITY is the BEST TEACHER. It’s my favorite “language”. Most people are NOT facing REALITY, unfortunately. BUT THEY COULD IF THEY WANT TO. God BLESS YOU!!

[@theJules08]

What shoes is Pastor Johnson rocking? They’re 🔥

[@jamilacharles5485]

Beacuse Read book of Anixty and feeling not well beacuse your mind every time Yes ihave this problem Tru and patient go to stressed but not realize stressed go to patient go to depressions then mind out of orders so must all discuss about pastor Craig groishil Gód Bless you and healing in the name of Jesus Christ King of King Hallelujah 🙏💯

[@jamilacharles5485]

I have Happy Beaçús I have able to be stop me beacuse this Man afraid for me Hallelujah Amén

[@princenot7]

I loved this, but what if you have a spouse who is unwilling to show grace when that anxiety comes? who because they've never experienced it, are not willing to empathize or show support? I have suffered depression for many years, but anxiety came a little over a year through a trial in my marriage. I am getting professional help, but at home I don't feel the support

[@jamilacharles5485]

Jeremiah chapter no 9 verse 1-9

[@osu9400]

This is true 👉 "If you feel like a victim, you're always going to be a victim."

[@joem3556]

@craig groeschel, curious is the therapy / therapist - is it faith based? What are you looking for in a therapist when seeking professional help?

[@miller8084]

@@Moebz818 yea, who needs faith when you have medical professionals. You people are such pragmatists that who really needs God anymore anyhow. We have such great leaders who model how to get professional help, why even consider God-centered thinking/living? We got this, eh?

[@trumancollie9]

It was Blair!!

[@impactbar7305]

I don't have any one in my family that will believe me if I tell them that

[@jamilacharles5485]

Today your Read bible psalm chapter 51 and thanks for Jesus Christ your life Saviour always blessing in Christ power and the strength of God faith No lemits

[@stephaniewalker8377]

I guess this question and video did not apply to most as people are not in the leadership roles. Most people are the normal person and have extreme anxiety and there is no one to help.

[@jamilacharles5485]

You know Read it book and shere about you

[@ew5601]

Was anyone else expecting Shawn Johnson the gymnast? 😂

[@thewind67910]

Mendengarkan motivasi mu memang menyenangkan.loh kok jd malah membanyak 😅😅😅😅

[@carlosg3799]

WAIT WAIT!!! READ THIS John 14:27 Psalm 34: 4-5 I had a very and i mean very traumatic childhood. These versus were showntoo me by our mighty G O D add this with a giant cup of faith and Youll be healed. If Your wise You won't ignore this.

[@gunsalez119]

Instructions guys its not that complicated. You deny anxiousness and you thank the lord for things even if you feel it and you submit to God and seek his face and Holy spirit becuase there is no anxiety in the holy spirit but peace and freedom and desire to be in his spirit all the time no matter what it takes and no matter what God has to change in you you have to be willing and go through the growing pains of denying yourself and what you want for what Jesus wants for you and how he wants uou to br like him in his nature. No matter how bad the attacks get you keep going and seeking more of him and his spirituntil you are completly filled with his power and spirit where there is no anxiety present whatsoever

[@gunsalez119]

This is every day btw and even if it takes 4 years you need to understand your always growing you'll never reach the point where you stop learning and growing in the lord but to be filling with his presence means giving up the world and and seeking after the things of God. If your still having these things its because your not fully surrendered and your allowing the enemy to trick you. The only way to stay encouraged and clear is through a consistent relation mship with God that cuts out the worldly things and lives complelty for christ

[@hatemorina4049]

Ju falemderit shumcRespekr

[@miller8084]

Why is it that “God” is not mentioned until 17:08 into the video (and that was in passing)? More time was given to an article from Harvard than how to look at this through the eyes of faith, seeing Christ in Scripture and applying truth to anxiety? No mention of Christ, the Holy Spirit, the providence or sovereignty of God or His abiding presence, our identity as children of a good God, or the amazing freedom we have in the Gospel in any form..? Is Jesus even needed anymore? The comfort of the Holy Spirit? Based on this video from these pastors, nope. I can see why both of these guys battle anxiety. I am not saying faith eliminates any chance but Gods Word and Spirit is desiring to help us walk in peace.

[@yourbestlifewitheziaha7493]

Lol. On a lighter note, they did mention God and His gift around the 11.00mark. Lol. Seriously though, everything about this interview drips God and He isnt only found when we mention His name

[@elizabethbelcher494]

This is a leadership podcast. He is grounded in the word and will reference His foundation, but the “talk” is leadership based on purpose, emphasis on leading leaders, not just Christians. If this was a Podcast *about* Christianity, then we can expect more God talk and scripture.

[@karajohnston1036]

Good insight. I would think a Christian pastor would be compelled to share the gospel in any setting. He talks too much about people following him, rather than people following Christ.

[@miller8084]

@@Moebz818 I thought this was about anxiety… so leaders use techniques other that faith in God and reliance on him? There is another way? A new way? Friend, you have sold out and bought a lie.

[@miller8084]

@@elizabethbelcher494 so there are leaders who suffer with anxiety and there are answers other than God? There are leaders who don’t need God to lead well in this area? Got it.

[@Pyroverbs205]

Will you go to Heaven? Here’s a quick test: Have you ever lied, stolen, or used God’s name in vain? Jesus said, “Whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” If you have done these things, God sees you as a lying, thieving, blasphemous, adulterer at heart, and the Bible warns that one day God will punish you in a terrible place called H_ll. But God is not willing that any should perish. Sinners broke God’s Law and *Jesus paid their fine. This means that God can legally dismiss their case:* *"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have you life.”* Then Jesus rose from the grave, defeating it. Today, repent and trust Jesus, and God will give you eternal life as free gift. Then read the Bible daily and obey it. God will never fail you. (living waters/ray comfort) God bless you .

[@jamilacharles5485]

My passion and powerful Christ curixifid on the cross ❌ Jesus Christ and powerful blood healling powers in the name of Jesus Christ Received all world 🌎 my gole Evechment 100 💯 Achement thanks for Jesus Christ ,

[@jamilacharles5485]

Don't werried about Read Anixty beacuse so depressing Read all only for given you books for Craig groishil give you and Read all Gód helping hands on the Head and change your mind and heart and all Addcaction leave it in the name of Jesus Christ King of King Hallelujah Amén

[@jamilacharles5485]

But I have nothing beacuse Jesus Christ only for 3year 4th month give a good News but I have 3yeàrs,