Akifa Khattak was not just one of the Miss Universe Pakistan finalists - she’s also a healthcare attorney, biotech entrepreneur, and women’s health advocate on a mission to change how we diagnose and treat endometriosis.

In this powerful conversation, Akifa shares how a rare, life-altering health journey led her to co-found Her Health AI, a FemTech company pioneering non-invasive endometriosis diagnostics and surgical lesion mapping. She opens up about cultural taboos around pelvic health, the unseen financial and family costs of chronic illness, and why pageantry became an unexpected but transformative platform to bridge East and West.

This episode is about turning pain into purpose, breaking silence around women’s health, and redefining success as “contentment of the soul.”

Episode Takeaways:

• Why endometriosis remains one of the most painful yet underdiagnosed diseases worldwide
• How Akifa turned her personal health battle into Her Health AI
• The role of family, male allyship, and cultural attitudes in women’s health journeys
• Why pelvic health conversations matter — intimacy, identity, and everyday life
• How pageantry became a global platform for advocacy, representation, and bridging cultures
• Perfectionism, resilience, and Akifa’s take on failing forward
• What it means to reimagine success through legacy, balance, and contentment

About Our Guest — Akifa Khattak, JD, MHA, MS Biotech
Akifa Khattak is a healthcare attorney and biotech entrepreneur. With advanced degrees from Cornell, Johns Hopkins, and Harvard, she has worked at the intersection of law, biotech, and health policy — including women’s health reimbursement initiatives with the White House. After being diagnosed with endometriosis and undergoing multiple surgeries, she co-founded Her Health AI to create a non-invasive diagnostic and lesion-mapping tool for the millions of women worldwide affected by this disease. Akifa is also the founder of Codiva, a holistic women’s health supplement brand, and an advocate for bridging East and West through pageantry, creativity, and global representation.

Connect with Akifa:
🌐 Website: https://herhealthai.com/
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/akifa-khattak-jd-mha-ms-biotech-558a041b/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/akifakhattak/

About the Host

Dr. Amna Shabbir, MD, NBC-HWC, CPC is a Dual Board-Certified Physician and TEDx Speaker with advanced training in Integrative Well-being, Performance, and Leadership Development. She speaks, coaches, and consults on Perfectionism, Sustainable Success, and the well-being of High Achievers.

Connect with Dr. Shabbir
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.amnashabbir/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amna-shabbir-md/
🌍 Book Her to Speak: https://www.dramnashabbir.com/Speaking
🌐 No-Cost Application to Join The Unmasking Perfectionism Community: https://unmaskingperfectionism.com/
📹 Watch Dr. Shabbir's TEDx Talk
Perfectionism Has A Solution - It is Not What You Think: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNIzzM4Vg3s&t=3s

❌ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical or therapeutic advice. The views expressed are personal and do not reflect those of any employer or institution.

❤️ Enjoyed This Episode?

• Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.
• Share it with a colleague, peer, or friend who needs this message.

Content Note
This episode includes discussion of chronic pain, fertility, surgeries, and women’s reproductive health challenges.

In this Bonus Solo Episode, Dr. Amna Shabbir has a special announcement!

Finally Live - TEDx talk: Perfectionism has a solution. It's not what you think.

Please watch the 10:31-minute TEDx talk - intended for everyone, perfectionist or not.
It will help you understand so much of what you or your loved ones might be experiencing.
Please like the TEDx Talk, and in the comments section, please share what came up for you as you listened.
Send this Dr. Shabbir's TEDx talk to your friends, family, peer and beyond. This is intended for everyone

About the Host
Dr. Amna Shabbir, MD, NBC-HWC, CPC is a Dual Board-Certified Physician and TEDx Speaker with advanced training in Integrative Well-being, Performance, and Leadership Development. She speaks, coaches, and consults on Perfectionism, Sustainable Success, and the well-being of High Achievers.

Connect with Dr. Shabbir
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.amnashabbir/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amna-shabbir-md/
🌍 Book Her to Speak: https://www.dramnashabbir.com/Speaking
🌐 No-Cost Application to Join The Unmasking Perfectionism Community: https://unmaskingperfectionism.com/
📹 Watch Dr. Shabbir's TEDx Talk
Perfectionism Has A Solution - It is Not What You Think: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNIzzM4Vg3s&t=3s

Friendship Is Medicine
In this solo episode of Success Reimagined with Amna Shabbir MD, I open up about the friends who carried me through the hardest chapters—burnout, moral injury, postpartum depression, and even the days leading up to my TEDx talk when I felt overwhelmed and full of doubt.

We live in what the U.S. Surgeon General has called a loneliness epidemic, and research confirms that loneliness is more than emotional pain—it’s a public health issue. But friendships aren’t just a comfort. They are biological, emotional, and performance enhancers that literally rewire our brains and bodies.

This episode is dedicated to the power of friendship: why it’s essential, what it does to our nervous systems, and how you can start treating it as non-negotiable in your well-being and success strategy.

Episode Takeaways

By the end of this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why the loneliness epidemic is one of today’s biggest health threats.
• How friendship reduces stress, lowers inflammation, and boosts happiness.
• The neuroscience of connection: oxytocin, dopamine, mirror neurons, and cortisol.
• Why friendships fuel performance by unlocking focus, creativity, and resilience.
• Three steps to making friendships an intentional practice: prioritize, be intentional, go deep.

About the Host

Amna Shabbir, MD, NBC-HWC, CPC is a Dual Board-Certified Physician, TEDx Speaker, and Master Certified Professional Coach with advanced training in Integrative Well-being, Performance, Behavior Change, and Leadership Development. She speaks, coaches, and consults on Perfectionism, Sustainable Success, and the well-being of high achievers.

Dr. Shabbir is the Founder & CEO of Success Curated and host of Success Reimagined, a top global podcast exploring the crossroads of ambition and wellness.

Connect with Dr. Shabbir:
📸 Instagram
💼 LinkedIn
🌍 Book Her to Speak
🌐 No Cost Application to Join The Unmasking Perfectionism Community: https://unmaskingperfectionism.com/

❌ Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical or therapeutic advice. The views expressed are personal and do not reflect those of any employer or institution.

❤️ Enjoyed This Episode?
Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.
Before you close this app, text a friend you’ve been meaning to reach out to.

Living Adventurously: Courage, Awe, and the Pilot Mindset

In this powerful episode of Success Reimagined with Amna Shabbir MD, I sit down with Shiraz Dalal, a commercial airline pilot, TEDx speaker, and global explorer whose adventures span all seven continents and all 50 U.S. states.

From flying Boeing 767s to climbing Kilimanjaro, wing walking, free diving, and even swimming with great white sharks without a cage—Shiraz’s life is more than adrenaline. It’s about choosing courage, embracing the unknown, and finding humility in awe-filled moments.

We explore what fear really means, how to rewire our relationship with discomfort, and why a simple aviation mantra—Aviate. Navigate. Communicate.—can help high achievers silence the noise and move with clarity.

By the end of this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why fear often equals lack of knowledge—and how to replace fear with skill-building.
• How “Aviate, Navigate, Communicate” applies to life, not just flying.
• The surprising peace behind shark dives, skydiving, and climbing Kilimanjaro.
• How Shiraz redefined purpose after military service, airline transitions, and the pandemic.
• A fresh lens on perfectionism: chasing improvement without clinging to the label of “perfectionist.”

About the Guest

Shiraz Dalal is a seasoned commercial pilot, instructor, and evaluator with a 20-year military career, including numerous deployments, bringing disciplined leadership and resilience to his work. With a Master’s in Strategic Leadership, he offers insights from the cockpit and battlefield. As an adventurer, world traveler, TEDx speaker and coach, and Board Member at Carolina Tiger Rescue, Shiraz inspires audiences with compelling stories and practical strategies for personal and professional growth.

💼 Connect with Shiraz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shirazdalal/
📸Watch his TEDx Talk: The View From 30,000 Feet-3 rules pilots use to survive https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dB1jSlAQzhY

About the Host

Dr. Amna Shabbir, MD, NBC-HWC, CPC is a Dual Board-Certified Physician, TEDx Speaker, with advanced training in Integrative Well-being, Performance, and Leadership Development. She speaks, coaches, and consults on Perfectionism, Sustainable Success, and the well-being of High Achievers.

Connect with Dr. Shabbir:

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.amnashabbir/

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amna-shabbir-md/

🌍 Book Her to Speak: https://www.dramnashabbir.com/Speaking
🌐 No Cost Application - Join the Perfectionism Project Collective: http://perfectionism-project.com/

❌ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical or therapeutic advice. The views expressed are personal and do not reflect those of any employer or institution.

❤️ Enjoyed This Episode?
Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.
Share it with a colleague, peer, or friend who needs this message.

Storytelling secrets—fails, lessons, and how to truly connect.

In this powerful episode of Success Reimagined with Amna Shabbir, MD, I sit down with Jeff Polish—founder and executive director of The Monti, a live no-notes storytelling series that has lit up stages across North Carolina since 2008.

We explore how storytelling transforms vulnerability into connection, why personal narratives carry the power to heal and unite communities, and what it takes to step on stage with nothing but your truth. Along the way, Jeff shares the tips, the fails, and the lessons learned from curating thousands of stories.

By the end of this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why storytelling is one of the most powerful tools for connection and meaning-making
• How vulnerability on stage can dissolve shame and inspire courage in others
• The evolution of The Monti from a small community event to a statewide movement
• Practical tips for shaping and delivering a powerful story without notes
• The biggest mistakes storytellers make—and how to recover when things go wrong
• How storytelling can reshape identity, belonging, and leadership in every profession

About Today’s Guest

Jeff Polish is the founder and executive director of The Monti, a live, no-notes, true personal storytelling series based in North Carolina. Since 2008, Jeff has built one of the country’s most impactful storytelling movements, where people from all walks of life share stories that are raw, real, and unforgettable. Named a Hero of the New South by Southern Living and recipient of the Indies Arts Award, Jeff is widely known for helping people transform vulnerability into connection. He holds a PhD in molecular cell biology and has devoted his career to teaching, curating, and celebrating the art of live storytelling.

🌐 Learn more about The Monti: https://themonti.org/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.monti/
💼 Connect with Jeff: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-polish-11902b10/

About the Host

Dr. Amna Shabbir, MD, NBC-HWC, CPC is a Dual Board-Certified Physician, TEDx Speaker, with advanced training in Integrative Well-being, Performance, and Leadership Development. She speaks, coaches, and consults on Perfectionism, Sustainable Success, and the well-being of High Achievers.

Connect with Dr. Shabbir:
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.amnashabbir/

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amna-shabbir-md/

🌍 Book Her to Speak: https://www.dramnashabbir.com/Speaking
🌐 No Cost Application - Join the Perfectionism Project Collective: http://perfectionism-project.com/

❌ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical or therapeutic advice. The views expressed are personal and do not reflect those of any employer or institution.

❤️ Enjoyed This Episode?
Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.
Share it with a colleague, peer, or friend who needs this message.

In a world full of distractions and endless demands, how do we decide what truly matters?

In this solo episode of Success Reimagined with Amna Shabbir, MD, I explore the concept of Essentialism—a philosophy of living by design, not by default. Essentialism is not about doing more; it’s about doing less but better. It’s about reclaiming your power of choice, recognizing life’s inevitable trade-offs, and focusing on what matters most.

I share how essentialism contrasts with perfectionism, and why perfectionism often keeps us stuck chasing non-essential goals. Along the way, I’ll provide practical steps to help you let go of distractions, say no with confidence, and simplify your decision-making so you can create a life anchored in clarity and purpose.

Episode Takeaways

By the end of this episode, you’ll learn:

• Essentialism is about living by design, not by default
• The power of choice is crucial for personal empowerment
• Information and opinion overload can lead to stress and confusion
• Trade-offs are a natural part of life—focus on what matters most
• How to rediscover true priorities for clarity and focus
• Why perfectionism can distract us from our essential path
• The importance of saying no to non-essential commitments
• How identifying one true priority can simplify decisions
• Why releasing non-essential tasks leads to greater productivity
• How Essentialism is a powerful antidote to perfectionism

Resource Mentioned:
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown - https://gregmckeown.com/books/essentialism/

About the Host

Dr. Amna Shabbir, MD, NBC-HWC, CPC is a Dual Board-Certified Physician, TEDx Speaker, with advanced training in Integrative Well-being, Performance, and Leadership Development. She speaks, coaches, and consults on Perfectionism, Sustainable Success, and the well-being of High Achievers.

Connect with Dr. Shabbir:

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.amnashabbir/

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amna-shabbir-md/

🌍 Book Her to Speak: https://www.dramnashabbir.com/Speaking

❌ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical or therapeutic advice. The views expressed are personal and do not reflect those of any employer or institution.

❤️ Enjoyed This Episode?
Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.
Share it with a colleague, peer, or friend who needs this message.

Finding your voice requires courage, persistence, and a willingness to step into the unknown.

In this powerful episode of Success Reimagined with Amna Shabbir, MD, I sit down with Tara LaFon Gooch—international TEDx speaker, bestselling author, confidence expert, and the creator of the GRASP Method—to uncover what it really takes to move from self-doubt to the TEDx red dot.

We dive deep into Tara’s personal journey from being terrified of public speaking to becoming a global thought leader, and how she now empowers others to transform fear into confidence, comparison into courage, and ideas into impact.

By the end of this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to get started on your own TEDx journey with clarity and intention
• The biggest mistakes people make when pursuing a TEDx talk—and how to avoid them
• Why “if nothing changes, nothing changes” became Tara’s guiding mantra
• How to transform your biggest fear into your greatest breakthrough
• Why comparison is the thief of confidence—and how to break free from it
• Dr. Amna Shabbir’s reflections and insights from her own TEDx experience on perfectionism and self-doubt

About Today’s Guest:

Tara LaFon Gooch is an international TEDx speaker, bestselling author of GRASP Confidence, and confidence expert who has coached countless leaders to bring their ideas to life on the TEDx stage. She is the creator of the GRASP Method (Gratitude, Responsibility, Action, Sight, Purpose) and is passionate about helping people transform fear into fuel, amplify their voices, and embrace their unique stories.

Connect with Tara:
🌐 Website: https://taralafongooch.com/
📚 Book: GRASP Confidence https://a.co/d/bkztokw
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tara-lafon-gooch/

About the Host

Dr. Amna Shabbir, MD, NBC-HWC, CPC is a Dual Board-Certified Physician and TEDx Speaker with advanced training in Integrative Well-being, Performance, and Leadership Development. She speaks, coaches, and consults on Perfectionism, Sustainable Success, and the well-being of High Achievers.

Connect with Dr. Shabbir:
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.amnashabbir/

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amna-shabbir-md/

🌍 Book Her to Speak: https://www.dramnashabbir.com/Speaking

❌ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical or therapeutic advice. The views expressed are personal and do not reflect those of any employer or institution.

❤️ Enjoyed This Episode?

• Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.
• Share it with a colleague, peer, or friend who needs this message.

A quick update on the upcoming episodes of Success Reimagined with Amna Shabbir MD.

Thank you to all our incredible guests for sharing their invaluable insights, research, and very personal stories with us as we unpacked the various facets of perfectionism.

If you have not yet had a chance, please tune in to Episodes 6 - 30 that have explored Perfectionism in great depth.

About the Host

Dr. Amna Shabbir, MD, NBC-HWC, CPC is a Dual Board-Certified Physician, TEDx Speaker, with advanced training in Integrative Well-being, Performance, and Leadership Development. She speaks, coaches, and consults on Perfectionism, Sustainable Success, and the well-being of High Achievers.

Connect with Dr. Shabbir:

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.amnashabbir/

💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amna-shabbir-md/

🌍 Book Her to Speak: https://www.dramnashabbir.com/Speaking

❌ Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical or therapeutic advice. The views expressed are personal and do not reflect those of any employer or institution.

❤️ Enjoyed This Episode?
Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast.
Share it with a colleague, peer, or friend who needs this message.