Passion Struck with John R. Miles
Passion Struck with John R. Miles is a podcast that explores deep questions about human well-being, including how we think, feel, connect, and build meaningful lives. Hosted by John R. Miles, a bestselling author, Navy veteran, and former Fortune 50 executive, the show features conversations with leading voices in neuroscience, psychology, medicine, philosophy, sports, business, and the arts. Guests include Seth Godin, Ryan Holiday, Susan Cain, Mark Hyman, Angela Duckworth, and Arthur Brooks. The podcast aims to help listeners strengthen their minds and bodies, build sustaining relationships, find purpose, and break free from stress and numbness.
Episodes
What If the Proof You're Waiting For Never Comes? | John R. Miles - EP 822
What if the proof you're waiting for never comes?The apology. The promotion. The recognition.Someone finally admitting they were wrong about you. Someone finally telling you that you belong.What if you're waiting for proof that you don't actually need?After conversations with Cole Brauer and psychologist Marisa Franco, John R. Miles noticed a powerful connection between their work.Cole was told sh
Why Nothing You Achieve Will Ever Make You Feel Worthy | Marisa G. Franco – EP 821
Why do you still feel like you're not enough—even when your life looks successful from the outside?You can have a successful career, loving relationships, and people who genuinely care about you—and still struggle to believe you're worthy of love, connection, or belonging.Marisa G. Franco, psychologist and author of the New York Times bestseller Platonic, returns to Passion Struck to explore the d
How to Believe in Yourself When Everyone Tells You “You Can’t” | Cole Brauer - EP 820
What happens when someone tells you that you're too small to do the thing you've been working toward your entire life?For Cole Brauer, that moment could have been the end of the story. Instead, it became part of the beginning. Cole was told she was too short to compete in the Southern Ocean. She was cut from a major team after traveling across the Atlantic and giving up paid opportunities to pursu
The Agency Paradox: Why Real Adaptability Starts Inside the Box | John R. Miles - EP 819
What if having more freedom doesn't always make you more free?We tend to believe that adaptability means having more options, more resources, more independence, and more control. But after conversations with Martin Seligman and David Epstein, I began to see a different pattern.Sometimes unlimited freedom creates paralysis. Sometimes individual willpower becomes isolation. And sometimes our greates
You Don't Need More Freedom. You Need Better Constraints | David Epstein - EP 818
Have you ever felt like you need more options, more time, more freedom, or a bigger opportunity before you can finally make progress?What if the opposite is true?Today, John R. Miles sits down with New York Times bestselling author David Epstein, author of Range and The Sports Gene, to explore why constraints can sometimes unlock the creativity and focus that unlimited freedom cannot.David's new b
World’s Most Influential Psychologist: The Hidden Force That Drives Human Progress | Dr. Martin Seligman – EP 817
Have you ever reached a point where you stopped believing that what you do could actually make a difference?Maybe you tried harder. Maybe you kept showing up. But after enough setbacks, rejection, or disappointment, something inside you started asking, "Why bother?"Today, John R. Miles sits down with Dr. Martin Seligman, one of the most influential psychologists of our time and a pioneer of positi
You Are Not the Only Variable: When to Change Yourself and When to Change Your Environment | John R. Miles - EP 816
Have you ever worked harder and harder at something, only to wonder why nothing seems to change?You may assume the answer is that you need more discipline, more motivation, or more grit. But what if the problem isn't you?Today, John R. Miles explores that question through two very different lenses: Angela Duckworth's research on how situations shape our behavior and Jared Diamond's work on when in
World-Renowned Historian: When Leaders Actually Change History | Jared Diamond - EP 815
What makes someone a great leader?
Is it talent? Timing? Character? Circumstance? Or simply being the right person in the right place at the right moment?
Today, John R. Miles sits down with Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and bestselling author Jared Diamond to explore one of the biggest questions in his new book, Profits, Profits, Profits, Coaches and Kings: When Do Leaders Matter?
After spendi
World-Leading Psychologist: How to Change Your Life by Changing What’s Around You | Angela Duckworth - EP 814
If you’ve been trying to change your life but keep falling back into the same habits, this episode is for you.
Today, John R. Miles sits down with Angela Duckworth, one of the world’s leading psychologists and the bestselling author of Grit. Angela has spent her career studying why some people are able to achieve their goals and reach their potential. But in her new book, Situated, she shares a po
How to Stop Feeling Like You’re Never Doing Enough | Caleb Campbell - EP 813
If you constantly feel like you should be doing more, achieving more, or becoming more, this episode is for you.
Today, John R. Miles sits down with Caleb Campbell, a former NFL player and author of the new book Unstriving. For much of his life, Caleb believed that success would finally make him feel like he was enough. But after spending years pursuing achievement and reaching goals he once dream
30 Years of Research Reveals Why Midlife Isn’t a Crisis | Margie Lachman - EP 812
What if everything you’ve been told about midlife is wrong?
If you’ve ever worried that your best years are behind you, that it’s too late to change, or that getting older automatically means losing your energy, purpose, or sense of possibility, this episode is for you. Today, John R. Miles sits down with Dr. Margie Lachman, a leading lifespan psychologist and author of Primetime: A New Vision for
Duke Behavioral Economist: Why You’ll Regret the Risks You Don’t Take | Dan Ariely - EP 811
What if the thing you regret most someday isn't what you did—but what you never tried?
In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles sits down with behavioral economist and bestselling author Dan Ariely to explore why we make decisions that don't always serve our long-term well-being.
Dan's research reveals a surprising pattern: in the moment, we tend to regret the risks we take. But when we lo
How to Stop Caring What Everyone Thinks of You & Find Yourself Again | Josh Duhamel - EP 810
What would change if you stopped worrying so much about what everyone else thinks of you?
Actor, entrepreneur, and father Josh Duhamel has spent decades in the spotlight, but he says one of the biggest things he has learned with age is that he no longer needs to pretend for anyone—and that caring too much about other people's opinions once kept him from living his “full version” of himself.
In thi
How to Change Your Brain's Destiny Before It's Too Late | Dr. David Perlmutter – EP 809
What if protecting your brain from cognitive decline starts decades before you ever notice a problem?
In this powerful conversation, John R. Miles sits down with neurologist and bestselling author Dr. David Perlmutter to explore the emerging science behind his new book, Brain Defenders, and why the brain’s immune system may hold one of the most important keys to long-term brain health.
David expla
Why You’re Not Changing Even Though You Know What to Do | Mark Manson - EP 808
Have you ever had a breakthrough that felt like it was going to change your life, only to find yourself back in the same patterns a week later?
In this powerful conversation, John R. Miles sits down with three-time New York Times bestselling author Mark Manson to unpack one of the biggest traps in personal growth: confusing insight with actual change.
Mark explains why reading another book, learni
Why Other People Have So Much Power Over You | John R. Miles - EP 807
Why do other people's opinions have so much power over you?
You may think your beliefs, opinions, and reactions are entirely your own. But your brain has been quietly keeping score of something much older and more powerful: whether you belong.
In this solo episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles explores the social brain and the survival instinct that shape far more of your life than you realize.
You're Not Losing Time. You're Giving It Away. | Neal Schore – EP 806
Why do you never have enough time?
Most of us assume that feeling overwhelmed is a problem with our calendars. But executive coach and leadership advisor Neal Schore offers a different perspective: much of the time we lose isn't consumed by the tasks themselves. It disappears into our reactions, assumptions, rumination, and the emotional “swirl” that follows difficult moments.
In this episode of P
Why Don’t Facts Change People’s Minds? | Dr. Jay Van Bavel - EP 805
Why do good people become so divided?
Most of us assume that if people simply had the right facts, they would change their minds. But research tells a different story. More often than not, what shapes our beliefs isn't evidence—it's the groups we belong to and the identities we protect.
In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles sits down with renowned social psychologist Dr. Jay Van Bavel,
Why You're Not Stuck the Way You Think You Are | John R. Miles - EP 804
What if the biggest lie you've ever believed is that this is just who you are?
Most of us think our personality, habits, fears, and limitations are fixed. We tell ourselves, "I've always been this way," or "I guess this is just who I am." But modern neuroscience tells a very different story.
In this solo episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles explores one of the most hopeful discoveries in brain
You Were Born to Flourish. Here's the Science That Proves It. | Dr. Richard Davidson & Dr. Cortland Dahl – EP 803
What if you've spent your whole life believing you needed to become someone different—when the qualities you need have been inside you all along?
Most of us think flourishing is something we earn after we've accomplished enough, healed enough, or finally have everything figured out.
But what if science says otherwise?
In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles sits down with pioneering neuro
How to Protect Your Brain Before It's Too Late | Dr. Daniel Amen – EP 802
Your brain is changing every single day. The question is: Is it changing for the better or for the worse?
Most people don't think about protecting their brain until something goes wrong. But according to renowned psychiatrist and brain health expert Dr. Daniel Amen, the decisions you make every day—from how you sleep and eat to how you manage stress, relationships, and negative thoughts—are either
The Person You Become Is the Person You Practice | John R. Miles - EP 801
Most of us are waiting for the moment everything changes.
The breakthrough. The perfect habit. The morning you finally wake up feeling motivated enough to become the person you've always wanted to be.
But what if that moment never comes?
In this solo episode, John R. Miles challenges one of the biggest myths in personal growth: that transformation happens in an instant. Instead, he reveals why the
How to Stop Being So Hard on Yourself | Dr. D. Ivan Young - EP 800
Are you your own harshest critic? If you constantly second-guess yourself, replay mistakes, or feel like you're never doing enough, this episode is for you.
Today, you'll discover why self-compassion isn't about lowering your standards—it's about giving yourself the emotional foundation to become more resilient, more confident, and more fully present. You'll learn how your inner dialogue shapes yo
#1 Running Coach on the Daily Habits That Create Elite Performers | Sean Brosnan - EP 799
Today's episode is your ultimate guide to unlocking more potential than you ever thought possible.
If you've ever wondered whether you're capable of more—but aren't sure how to break through self-doubt, build real confidence, or reach the next level in your life or career—this episode is a must-listen.
Today, you'll learn why extraordinary performance isn't reserved for a gifted few. It's built th
How to Become the Person the People You Love Need Most | John R. Miles - EP 798
If you've been feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or like you're carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders, today's episode is for you.
What if the most important thing you bring into every room isn't your talent, your success, or even your intentions—but your emotional state?
In this episode, John R. Miles explores one of the most powerful shifts he's experienced through years of research, i
How to Protect Your Identity in a World Trying to Change You | Guy Kawasaki - EP 797
Do you ever feel like technology knows you better than you know yourself?
Every day, algorithms influence what you see, what you buy, what you believe, and even how you measure your worth. Most of us think the biggest risk is losing our privacy. But what if the real danger is slowly losing sight of who we are?
In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles sits down with entrepreneur and bestsel
Stop Waiting to Feel Happy: The Mindset Shift Every Ambitious Person Needs | Jess Ekstrom - EP 796
Have you ever reached a goal you worked incredibly hard for, only to find yourself asking, What's next? If you've ever believed that happiness, fulfillment, or peace would finally arrive after the next promotion, milestone, or accomplishment, this episode is for you.
John R. Miles sits down with bestselling author, entrepreneur, and keynote speaker Jess Ekstrom to explore why so many high achiever
Why You Keep Falling Back Into Old Habits (It's Not About Willpower) | John R. Miles - EP 795
Today, you'll discover why some changes feel effortless while others seem impossible to stick with. In this solo episode, John R. Miles reveals one of the biggest reasons we struggle to change—and it has less to do with willpower than you think.
If you've ever wondered why you keep checking your phone, overworking, getting distracted, or falling back into habits you wanted to leave behind, this ep
How Your Environment Shapes Your Life (And What to Change Today) | Leidy Klotz - EP 794
Today's episode will change how you think about the places you spend your life.
Most of us believe that if we want to feel happier, more productive, or more connected, we need to change ourselves.
But what if one of the biggest influences on your well-being isn't your mindset—it's your environment?
If you've ever felt drained at work, disconnected at home, or wondered why certain places instantly
How to Raise Resilient Kids in the Age of AI: The Parenting Skills AI Can Never Replace | Dr. Dana Suskind - EP 793
Today's episode will change how you think about parenting, childhood, and what it really means to be human in the age of AI.
Artificial intelligence is changing education, work, relationships, and nearly every aspect of modern life. But according to today's guest, the greatest challenge isn't what AI is becoming—it's whether we will forget what makes us human.
If you're a parent, grandparent, educ
Why You Keep Repeating the Same Patterns (And How Real Change Finally Happens) | John R. Miles - EP 792
Today's episode will change the way you think about personal transformation.
Have you ever caught yourself doing something you promised yourself you wouldn't do again?
Maybe it's overworking when you said you'd slow down.
Maybe it's checking your phone instead of being present.
Maybe it's saying yes when you desperately wanted to say no.
Or maybe you keep returning to the same habits, relatio
The Power of Positive Habits: Simple Changes That Transform Your Life | Jon Gordon - EP 791
In today's episode, you'll learn why the habits that shape your life aren't the obvious ones—they're the small, daily choices that quietly determine how you think, lead, and respond when life doesn't go according to plan.
If you've ever found yourself battling negative thoughts, comparing your success to everyone else's, or wondering how to stay motivated when the excitement fades, this conversati
How to Rewire Your Brain, Let Go of Old Wounds, and Become Who You Were Meant to Be | Nick Ortner - EP 790
Today's episode will change how you think about anxiety, fear, and the stories you've been telling yourself about who you are.
Have you ever thought:
Why do I keep repeating the same patterns?
Why do certain memories still have power over me years later?
Or maybe you've convinced yourself that this is just who you are.
According to today's guest, that's not true.
You can change your brain. Yo
Three Conversations That Changed How I Think About Being Alive | John R. Miles EP 789
What if flourishing isn't something you achieve someday—but something you practice in the life you're already living?
In this episode, John R. Miles explores the first step toward becoming fully alive: presence. Drawing from three unforgettable conversations with Navy SEAL and Paralympian Dan Cnossen, entrepreneur Blake Mycoskie, and spiritual teacher Gabby Bernstein, he examines the questions tha
How to Stay Always Connected to Spirit – Even When Life Feels Hard or Overwhelming | Suzanne Giesemann - EP 788
What if the guidance you’ve been searching for has been with you all along?
In today’s episode, you’ll learn how to stay connected to something greater than yourself—even during grief, uncertainty, illness, or life's most overwhelming moments.
If you've ever wondered whether you're truly alone, struggled to find peace in difficult seasons, or sensed that there is a deeper wisdom available to you,
Healing Your Body Image From the Inside Out | Whitney Otto - EP 787
In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles sits down with executive coach, former therapist, and former U.S. National Team rower Whitney Otto to explore one of the most personal struggles people carry: their relationship with their bodies.Drawing from her new book, Body Image Inside Out, co-authored with Deb Schachter, Whitney challenges the belief that body image is merely about appearance.
The Courage to Become Yourself: Remembering Who You Are | John R. Miles - EP 786
What if the person you've been trying to become is actually pulling you farther away from who you really are?
In today's episode, you'll discover why so many of us spend our lives performing, achieving, and adapting—only to wake up feeling disconnected from ourselves.
Have you ever felt like you're living the life everyone expected you to build, but still wonder if something is missing?
Do you fin
Why Great Leaders Make People Feel Like They Matter | Adrian Gostick - EP 785
Do you ever feel like your hard work goes unnoticed? Or maybe you're a leader doing everything you can to build a great team—but people still seem disengaged, disconnected, or ready to leave. Here's what most leaders miss: People don't just want recognition. They want to know they matter.
In this episode, John R. Miles sits down with bestselling author and workplace culture expert Adrian Gostick t
How to Stop Living for Everyone Else and Finally Become Yourself | Spencer West - EP 784
Have you ever felt like you're living the life everyone expected you to build—but not the one you truly want?
Maybe you've spent years chasing success, checking all the right boxes, or trying to fit into someone else's definition of who you should be. Yet deep down, something still feels missing. In today's episode, you'll discover why so many of us unknowingly build our lives around external expe
What Are The Hidden Attachments Running Your Life | John R. Miles - EP 783
Have you ever wondered why you keep falling into the same patterns, even when you know they're hurting you?
Maybe you overthink every decision. Maybe you struggle to ask for help, chase perfection, or constantly put other people's needs ahead of your own. You know these habits aren't serving you anymore—but letting them go feels almost impossible.
In this solo episode of Passion Struck, John R. Mi
Why You Keep Repeating the Same Relationship Patterns | Adam Lane Smith - EP 782
Do you find yourself repeating the same relationship patterns over and over again?
Maybe you pull away when people get too close. Maybe you constantly worry about being abandoned. Or perhaps you feel more comfortable succeeding at work than allowing yourself to be truly known by the people you love. The problem isn't that you're broken. It may be that your nervous system is still responding to the
Why You Keep Repeating the Same Patterns (And How to Finally Break Free) | Kati Morton - EP 781
Today's episode will change the way you think about the habits, behaviors, and patterns that keep showing up in your life—even when you know they're holding you back.
Do you ever wonder:
Why do I keep people-pleasing even when it leaves me exhausted?
Why do I overwork, overthink, or strive for perfection but still never feel like I'm enough?
Why do I keep finding myself in the same relationships,
Why We Feel So Disconnected (And How to Find Our Way Back) | John R. Miles - EP 780
In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles explores one of the defining challenges of modern life: why so many people feel disconnected despite living in the most interconnected era in human history.Drawing on insights from Greg McKeown and Marcus Buckingham, the historical lessons of Acts 10, behavioral science, and themes from his forthcoming book The Mattering Effect, John reveals how mil
Why Great Leaders Make People Love Their Work | Marcus Buckingham - EP 779
Why do some workplaces bring out the best in people while others slowly drain their energy?
Most leaders believe engagement comes from better strategies, stronger incentives, or higher compensation. But according to leadership researcher Marcus Buckingham, the biggest driver of performance is something far more human: the way people feel every time they come to work.
In this episode of Passion Str
The Communication Mistake Almost Everyone Makes (And How to Fix It) | Greg McKeown - EP 778
Have you ever walked away from a conversation thinking, "That's not what I meant at all"?
Whether it's with your partner, your child, a coworker, or a friend, being misunderstood can leave you feeling frustrated, disconnected, and unseen. The surprising truth is that most communication problems aren't caused by what we say—they're caused by the emotional noise that gets in the way of what others h
Why You Feel Invisible in a Connected World | John R. Miles - EP 777
In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles explores one of the defining challenges of modern life: why so many people feel invisible in a world that has never been more connected. Drawing on the Civil War phenomenon of acoustic shadows, insights from Eric Ries and Dr. John La Puma, and themes from his forthcoming book The Mattering Effect, John reveals how millions of people are living in a
Why Living Indoors Is Making You Sick, Tired, and Burned Out | Dr. John La Puma - EP 776
In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles sits down with physician, bestselling author, and lifestyle medicine pioneer Dr. John La Puma to explore what he calls the Indoor Epidemic—the growing disconnect between the environments humans evolved to live in and the environments where we now spend nearly 93% of our lives.From artificial light and screen saturation to poor indoor air quality and
How to Build a Company That Never Loses Its Soul | Eric Ries - EP 775
How does a company that starts with a meaningful mission slowly become a place people no longer trust?
It happens more often than most leaders realize. Organizations begin with a desire to serve customers, employees, and communities, but over time, pressure for short-term results can quietly pull them away from the values that once defined them. The result isn't just declining performance—it's the
How to Find Meaning When Life Doesn't Go as Planned | John R. Miles - EP 774
Have you ever wondered if everything you've been through has a purpose?
Maybe you've worked hard to overcome disappointment, failure, loss, or burnout, only to find yourself asking, What was it all for? It's easy to believe that healing is something we do alone. But what if the final step in your own growth isn't about becoming a better version of yourself—it's about helping someone else because o
Why You Need to Say It Now Rather Than Regret It Later | Walter Green - EP 773
In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles sits down with Walter Green, author, mentor, and former corporate CEO, to confront a universal human truth: why you need to say it now rather than regret it later. We live in a fast-paced, performance-driven culture where we routinely postpone deep expressions of gratitude, leaving a profound emotional deficit in our closest relationships. This hesi
Why Lasting Change Happens One Small Choice at a Time | Eric Zimmer - EP 772
In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles sits down with Eric Zimmer, behavioral coach, author, and host of the award-winning podcast The One You Feed, to discuss why so many people struggle to maintain consistent habits, the hidden psychological exhaustion of constant self-reinvention, and the science behind his upcoming book, How a Little Becomes a Lot. We live in a culture obsessed with
Why Success Won’t Save You: The Alchemy of Real Change | John R. Miles - EP 771
In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles reveals why achieving everything you ever wanted can still leave you feeling profoundly empty—and what real, radical transformation actually requires.Most of us treat personal growth like a home renovation project: we try to stack better habits, tighter routines, and sharper skills on top of the same old foundation. But true change—the kind that rew
The Truth About Success (And Why It Still Doesn't Feel Like Enough) | Blake Mycoskie - EP 770
Have you ever felt like no matter how much you accomplish, it still doesn't feel like enough?
You hit the goal. You earn the promotion. You build the business. From the outside, your life looks successful. Yet somehow the finish line keeps moving, and the voice telling you that you should be doing more never gets quieter.
In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles sits down with entrepreneur
How to Move Forward When Life Doesn't Go as Planned | Amy Purdy - EP 769
What do you do when the life you planned suddenly disappears?
Whether you're facing loss, a health crisis, burnout, or an unexpected setback, it's easy to believe your best days are behind you. But what if your greatest challenge could become the beginning of a life you never imagined?
In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles sits down with Paralympic medalist, bestselling author, and resi
The Prison of Protection: Why Your Armor is Blocking Your Life | John R. Miles - EP 768
What if the armor that once saved your life is now the very thing keeping you from living it?In this second solo installment of the Forged in Adversity series, John R. Miles explores the Recovery phase of the human journey. He dives into the "Birth of Survival Identities," explaining how the nervous system prioritizes safety over authenticity, creating protectors such as the perfectionis
What to Do When Work Hijacks Your Life | Dr. Guy Winch - EP 767
In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles sits down with clinical psychologist, TED speaker, and bestselling author Dr. Guy Winch to explore the hidden psychological effects of burnout, chronic work stress, emotional exhaustion, and the modern culture of overwork.Drawing from his new book Mind Over Grind: How to Break Free When Work Hijacks Your Life, Dr. Winch explains why so many high per
How to Rebuild Mental Health and Heal Emotional Wounds | Dr. Paul Conti - EP 766
What if healing isn’t about asking, “What’s wrong with me?”—but understanding what’s happening inside of me?In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles sits down with psychiatrist and trauma expert Dr. Paul Conti to explore how adversity reshapes our emotional lives, identity, and sense of self—and what it truly means to heal what hardship leaves behind. Drawing from his new book What’s Going
Why Does Adversity Reveal Character Instead of Building It? | John R. Miles - EP 765
What if the struggle currently breaking you is actually the diagnostic tool required to reveal who you truly are?In this kickoff to the Forged in Adversity series, John R. Miles challenges the conventional wisdom that struggle "builds" character. Instead, he presents a compelling case—backed by neurobiology and psychology—that adversity serves as a diagnostic tool, revealing and refining
Regrow Your Hippocampus: The Science of an Invincible Brain | Dr. Majid Fotuhi – EP 764
What if protecting your brain is not about fighting time, but about learning how to partner with it?In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles sits down with Dr. Majid Fotuhi, world-renowned neurologist and adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University, to explore the revolutionary science of neuroplasticity. Dr. Fotuhi, author of The Invincible Brain, challenges the conventional narrative t
From Passenger to CEO: The Mindset That Can Save Your Life | Kathy Giusti - EP 763
What if beating cancer isn’t just about survival, but about transforming your life in the face of it?In this episode of Passion Struck, I sit down with Kathy Giusti, two-time cancer survivor, healthcare innovator, and founder of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, to explore what it truly means to turn crisis into calling. After being diagnosed with multiple myeloma at just 37 and given only
How to Design a Life You Don’t Need to Escape From | John R. Miles - EP 762
What if the life you’ve spent years building is actually a masterpiece you’re just a guest in?In this installment of the Purpose by Design series, John R. Miles explores why so many people optimize their lives for everyone else’s convenience while leaving no room for their own aliveness. Drawing from the cinematic realization of The Truman Show and the real-world social exile of Truman Capote, Joh
How Real Optimism Helps You Thrive in Uncertainty | Deepika Chopra - EP 761
What if optimism isn’t about staying positive but about facing uncertainty with courage?In this episode of Passion Struck, I sit down with clinical psychologist and optimism expert Deepika Chopra to explore what she calls real optimism—a science-backed approach to resilience that has far less to do with positive thinking and far more to do with how we relate to possibility. Drawing from her new bo
If You Feel Lonely, Listen to This: How One Conversation Can Change Your Day | Nicholas Epley - EP 760
What if one simple conversation could make you happier?
Most of us walk past strangers, hesitate to text an old friend, or avoid starting conversations because we assume the other person isn't interested. We worry we'll be awkward, intrusive, or rejected. But what if those assumptions are wrong?
In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles sits down with renowned social psychologist Nicholas E
The Identity Gravity Trap: Why We Snap Back to Old Habits | John R. Miles - EP 759
Does the silence of a new life feel like a threat to your safety?You’ve finally walked through the threshold, but the "silence" starts to itch. Suddenly, you feel a physical, vibrating urge to go back to being the "Fixer"—the version of you that is useful, busy, and predictable. That urge has a name: Identity Gravity.In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles explores the
How to Manage Energy Not Time: Dr. Diana Hill on Wise Effort | EP 758
What if the problem isn’t time management, but how you manage your energy?In this episode of Passion Struck, I sit down with psychologist Diana Hill to explore why energy management often matters more than time management—and how psychological flexibility can help you focus your effort on what truly matters.Drawing from her new book, Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Mos
Nobel Laureate Alvin Roth: How Incentives Shape Your Life | EP 757
What if the choices you make every day aren’t entirely your own?In this episode of Passion Struck, I sit down with Nobel Prize-winning economist Alvin Roth to explore how incentives, systems, and hidden structures shape human behavior—often in ways we don’t even realize.Drawing from his new book, Moral Economics: Why Good Incentives Are No Substitute for Good Citizens, Roth reveals a powerful trut
Why We Circle Change (And How to Finally Step Through) | John R. Miles - EP 756
Does it ever feel like you’re waiting for your own life to start?You’re sitting in your car at the end of the day, staring at the front door, realizing you have to "gear up" just to walk inside. You’ve become a world-class manager of a life you’ve stopped inhabiting. You’re winning the efficiency game, but you’re losing the human one.In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles explo
How Do You Design a Meaningful Life | Bill Burnett & Dave Evans - EP 755
What if the reason you feel unfulfilled is that you’ve been approaching it all wrong?In this episode of Passion Struck, I sit down with Bill Burnett and Dave Evans, the visionary minds behind Stanford's Life Design Lab and co-authors of How to Live a Meaningful Life. We tackle one of personal growth’s biggest myths: that meaning is something you find.Instead, Bill and Dave present a groundbreaking
From Shadow Work to Light Work: How to Actually Heal | Keila Shaheen - EP 754
Shadow work helps you uncover the hidden parts of yourself, but what happens after that?In this episode of Passion Struck, I sit down with Keila Shaheen, the million-copy bestselling author of The Shadow Work Journal, to explore the step most people miss: integration.While shadow work helps us confront the “invisible bag” of childhood wounds and hidden traits we carry, it is only part of the equat
ROI of Aliveness: How to Craft the Math of a Meaningful Life | John R. Miles - EP 753
Does your life look successful on the outside but feel empty on the inside?In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles introduces a simple way to measure what truly matters: the ROI of Aliveness. Most of us spend our lives trying to be as productive as possible. We focus on checking off to-do lists and meeting everyone else's expectations, but we often forget to check in on ourselves.John exp
Why You Feel Like You Don’t Matter (And How to Fix It) | Angela Maiers - EP 752
What if the question underneath everything in your life is this: Do I matter?In this episode of Passion Struck, I sit down with Angela Maiers to explore one of the most fundamental human needs—the need to feel seen, valued, and needed.For decades, Angela has studied what makes people feel seen, valued, and needed—and what happens when they don’t. What she’s found is simple, but powerful: when peop
Churn: The Hidden Force Shaping How We See Each Other | Claude Steele - EP 751
What if one of the biggest barriers to connection, performance, and trust isn’t prejudice—but something more subtle, more pervasive, and harder to detect?In this powerful episode of the Passion Struck podcast, I sit down with renowned social psychologist Claude Steele to explore his groundbreaking new book, Churn.Claude introduces the concept of churn—the internal psychological state we experience
Winning the Wrong Game: Take Back Your Invisible Scoreboard | John R. Miles - EP 750
You’re doing everything right—so why does it still feel wrong?In this powerful solo episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles launches the new April series Purpose by Design by exposing a hidden force shaping modern life: the Invisible Scoreboard. It’s the system of metrics you didn’t consciously choose—but that quietly defines how you measure success, spend your time, and evaluate your worth.From
The Hidden System Keeping You Burned Out (It’s Not You) | Corinne Low - EP 749
What if your exhaustion isn’t a personal failure, but the result of invisible systems shaping your life?In this episode of the Passion Struck podcast, I sit down with Wharton economist Corinne Low, author of Having It All, to unpack one of the most misunderstood challenges of modern life: why so many of us feel depleted even when we’re doing everything “right.”Corinne introduces a powerful idea ca
How to Build a Life That Actually Feels Meaningful | Arthur Brooks - EP 748
What if the reason you feel stuck, empty, or disconnected isn't that you're failing—but because you're searching for meaning in the wrong places?
Success, achievement, and productivity are supposed to make us happier. So why are so many people—especially high achievers—feeling more anxious, isolated, and unfulfilled than ever before?
In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles sits down with
Social Media Addiction: Why You Feel You Don’t Matter | John R. Miles - EP 747
Your phone isn't just an app—it’s an architect of your self-worth.We’ve all been there: you sit down for "just five minutes" to check a notification, only to look up an hour later feeling anxious, drained, and empty. For years, we’ve blamed our own lack of willpower. But on March 25, 2026, a landmark legal verdict officially changed the story: It’s not you. It’s the machine.In this urgen
How Beliefs Shape Behavior, Motivation, and Resilience | Nir Eyal — EP 746
Your beliefs don’t just reflect reality—they shape it.Today, we explore a powerful and often uncomfortable truth: the script you live by is often written by assumptions you never chose. Joining me is behavioral expert and bestselling author of Hooked and Indistractable, Nir Eyal, to discuss his groundbreaking new book, Beyond Belief.In this conversation, we challenge the idea that our limits are s
Why Humans Are Wired for Love but Struggling to Connect | Dr. Justin Garcia — EP 745
If humans evolved for love, connection, and pair bonding, why does modern life feel so lonely?Today, we explore one of the most overlooked forces shaping human flourishing: intimacy. Joining me is evolutionary biologist and Executive Director of the Kinsey Institute, Dr. Justin Garcia, to discuss his groundbreaking book, The Intimate Animal: The Science of Sex, Fidelity, and Why We Live and Die fo
The Cost of Stagnation: Is Your Safe Bet Killing Your Future? | John R. Miles EP 744
The biggest risk isn’t change, it’s staying exactly where you are.Most people treat life transitions as a gamble, clinging to the "Safe Bet" of a familiar routine even when that routine has begun to feel confining. We think we’re being responsible by sticking to the script, but in this episode, John R. Miles reveals the hidden "Soul Tax" that accrues when you perform a version
How to Rebuild Your Identity When Everything Falls Apart | Bianca D’Alessio — EP 743
What do you do when your life looks successful on the outside… but everything underneath it collapses overnight?Today’s conversation explores identity, resilience, and intentional reinvention with Bianca D’Alessio, a powerhouse real estate broker, entrepreneur, TV personality, and author of Mastering Intentions.In her late twenties, just as her career was gaining momentum, Bianca’s father was conv
