Passion Struck with John R. Miles

In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles pulls back the curtain on the final phase of personal transformation, drawing on the timeless narrative of The Shawshank Redemption, behavioral coach Eric Zimmer, and Say It Now founder Walter Green to confront a challenging human truth: why your greatest struggles are never meant to be private secrets. We live in a hyper-optimized culture that treats growth like a localized fortress—focusing heavily on our own routines, boundaries, and self-preservation. This intense focus on individual performance often leaves us isolated, trapped on an endles

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 hesitation forces millions of people to walk through life feeling completely invisible, only for their loved ones to finally articulate their value during a funeral when it is too late for them to hear it

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 radical life overhauls and hyper-optimization, yet this big-bang approach to personal growth often triggers burnout, friction, and an endless cycle of starting over. Through his extensive work in beha

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 rewires who you are at the core—doesn’t work through simple addition. It demands dissolution. In part three of our solo series, Forged in Adversity, John explores the hidden architecture of profound hum

In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles sits down with Blake Mycoskie, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and founder of TOMS, to discuss the hidden emotional cost of success, the mental health crisis affecting high-achievers, and the powerful message behind the We Are Enough movement. After building one of the world’s most iconic purpose-driven brands and donating over 100 million shoes, Blake had everything society tells us should create happiness—wealth, recognition, impact, and success. Yet beneath it all, he was privately battling depression, burnout, feelings of inadequacy, and suici

In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles sits down with Paralympic medalist and bestselling author Amy Purdy to discuss resilience, adversity, gratitude, and reinvention. Amy shares the story of surviving meningococcal meningitis at age 19, losing both legs below the knee, rebuilding her life through adaptive snowboarding, and later facing another devastating health crisis that inspired her new book Bounce Forward. The conversation explores how to transform grief into hope, navigate uncertainty, build emotional resilience, and create meaning through hardship. In this episode, you’ll le

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 perfectionist, the achiever, and the intellectual. Drawing on the cinematic archetypes of Iron Man and Will Hunting, John breaks down the distinction between Armor (protection) and Strength (capacity). He challenges the l

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 performers feel emotionally numb, disconnected, and trapped in survival mode despite outward success. He reveals how work stress quietly spreads into every area of life—impacting relationships, identity

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 Right, Dr. Conti challenges the traditional way we think about mental health. Instead of reducing people to diagnoses or dysfunction, he explains how unresolved emotional pain, shame, trauma, and c

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 the character already within us. John leverages the cinematic metaphors of the Island from Cast Away and the Pit from The Dark Knight Rises to explain the two distinct phases of human endurance: Accepting th

What if protecting your brain isn’t about fighting time, but about learning how to partner with it? In this episode of Passion Struck, I sit down with Dr. Majid Fotuhi, world-renowned neurologist, adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins, and author of The Invincible Brain, to explore the revolutionary science of neuroplasticity. For over three decades, Dr. Fotuhi has challenged the narrative that cognitive decline is an irreversible one-way street, proving instead that the brain is a highly adaptive muscle capable of remarkable growth at any age. Drawing from his extensive clinical research, Dr. Fo

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 a few years to live, Kathy did more than fight for her life. She helped transform an entire field of medicine. Drawing from her book From Fatal to Fearless, Kathy challenges one of the most dangerou

What if the life you’ve spent years building is actually a masterpiece you’re just a guest in? In 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, John challenges us to stop performing and start reclaiming our authorship. John dives into the spotlight moments," that force us to look up, the hidden 'performance contracts' we sign every day, and the three architectu

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 book The Power of Real Optimism, Deepika challenges one of the biggest myths in modern self-help: that optimism means ignoring hardship or forcing good vibes. We explore why positivity can sometimes un

What if some of the happiness, belonging, and meaning you’re looking for is hiding in conversations you never start? In this episode of Passion Struck, I sit down with social psychologist Nicholas Epley to explore the surprising science of human connection and why we consistently underestimate how much a little more social interaction can improve our lives. Drawing from his new book A Little More Social: How Small Choices Create Big Happiness, Nick reveals a profound paradox: We are wired for connection, yet every day we choose to be less social than we could be. And it may be costing us far m

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 "Architecture of the Interior" and the psychological forces that pull us back into old orbits. Drawing on the external market systems discussed with Nobel Laureate Alvin Roth, the psychological flexibility frameworks

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 Most, Diana shares a transformative idea: Burnout often stems from directing your energy in ways misaligned with your values. We explore why high achievers often feel drained despite being productive,

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 truth: markets aren’t just about money—they are systems that decide who gets what, who gets access, and what society considers acceptable. We explore why banning certain behaviors often pushes them unde

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 explores the psychology of resistance and the difficult move from utility to aliveness. He identifies why we choose the "known hell" of burnout over the "unknown heaven" of presence. Drawing on recent conversation

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 concept—meaning is something you design. We delve into why high-achievers often feel "fine but empty," why success doesn’t guarantee fulfillment, and how our transactional world traps us in outcome

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 equation. Keila explains why true healing requires shifting from reflection to action—what she calls light work. We explore her newest book, The Light Work Journal, and how it helps people move out of th

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 explains why focusing only on your "output" leaves you feeling disconnected and replaceable. He shares a practical way to look at the "math" of your life—balancing the time you spend on chores with the

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 people stop feeling like they matter, everything else begins to break down. We talk about how this starts earlier than most people think, why so many adults tie their worth to performance, and how that

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 in high-stakes situations when we worry about how we might be judged based on our identity. Whether in classrooms, workplaces, medical settings, or everyday interactions, churn silently shapes how

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 chasing productivity and responsiveness to optimizing for external validation, many high performers are unknowingly winning the wrong game—building lives that look successful on paper but feel misal

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 called “the squeeze”—a period where demands on your time, energy, and identity all peak at once, while your resources lag behind. Careers demand more. Parenting expectations intensify. Household respo

What if the real crisis of our time isn’t stress, burnout, or even anxiety—but a loss of meaning? In this powerful episode of the Passion Struck podcast, I sit down with Arthur Brooks—for the third time—to explore his most urgent work yet: The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness. Arthur reveals a striking trend: since 2008, rates of depression and anxiety—especially among young, high-achieving individuals—have surged dramatically. But beneath the surface, he argues, this isn’t just a mental health crisis. It’s a meaning crisis. We’ve built a world optimized for achieve

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 urgent episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles unpacks the "Big Tobacco moment" for the digital age. We dive into the unsealed blueprints from the recent Los Angeles and New Mexico trials that found tech giants n

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 structural. Nir explains how beliefs influence everything from our physical pain tolerance and resilience to how long we persist when things get hard. We move from the surprising science of the place

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 for Love. In this conversation, we challenge the idea that love is purely cultural or emotional. Justin explains that romantic love is deeply biological — driven by neural systems that resemble addicti

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 of yourself that no longer exists. Drawing on the practical philosophy of Henry David Thoreau and a deep-dive conversation with Ken Lizotte (Episode 735), John deconstructs the "high-definition, high-functioning" quiet

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 convicted of financial fraud. Overnight, her family lost stability, reputation, and the identity they had built their lives around. She found herself navigating public scrutiny, private trauma, and the

Is technology making healthcare faster and more efficient, or is it making it more brittle, bureaucratic, and less human? Today, we zoom out to explore the systemic forces reshaping our lives with one of the most influential voices in modern medicine. Joining me is Dr. Robert “Bob” Wachter, chair of the Department of Medicine at UCSF and the "father of the hospitalist field," to discuss his landmark new book, "A Giant Leap." In this conversation, we challenge the notion that AI is merely another digital tool, such as the electronic health record (EHR). Bob explains why medicine has resisted di

There is a moment most people never name. It’s not a dramatic collapse or a sudden crisis. From the outside, your life looks flawless—the routine is steady, the success is visible, and the applause is frequent. But inside, a silent shift has occurred. The wins that used to ignite you now feel borrowed, and the applause begins to echo in a hollow room. You’ve realized the old script of your life hasn’t broken; it has simply finished serving the person you used to be. In this profound solo deep dive, John R. Miles kicks off the Life Beyond the Script series by deconstructing the "identity gap"—t

Why do some people recover from illness, trauma, or adversity stronger than before, while others struggle to regain their footing? Today’s episode explores one of the most overlooked drivers of health and healing: resilience. Joining me is board-certified cardiologist, ABC News Chief Medical Correspondent, and author Dr. Tara Narula to discuss her powerful new book, The Healing Power of Resilience. In this conversation, we challenge the traditional model of healthcare that treats symptoms but overlooks the whole person. Dr. Narula explains why resilience is not a personality trait you either h

Why do we find ourselves repeating the same emotional patterns, reacting to the same triggers, and feeling stuck in a loop of stress even when we know better? Today, we are diving into the intersection of biological optimization and psychological freedom with the founder of the biohacking movement. Joining me is the legendary father of biohacking, Dave Asprey, to discuss the groundbreaking insights in his new book, "Heavily Meditated." In this conversation, we challenge the idea that your personality is fixed. Dave argues that most of our emotional triggers are actually "hardware" issues roote

There is a moment most people never name. Nothing dramatic happens—no big collapse, no urgent crisis. From the outside, the routine looks fine, the success is visible, and the applause is steady. But inside, something shifts: the wins that used to light you up start to feel borrowed, and the applause begins to echo hollow. In this profound solo deep dive, John R. Miles kicks off the Life Beyond the Script series by naming the quiet "off" feeling that high achievers often ignore. Drawing on his own "defining win" in the boardroom at Dell, which left him feeling nothing, John explores why the sc

Why do we feel a "disclosure hangover" the moment we reveal something real, yet feel a persistent sense of loneliness when we stay silent? Today, we are diving into the complex psychology of human connection with one of the world's leading experts on the science of secrets and sharing. Joining me is Harvard Business School professor and author Dr. Leslie John to discuss her groundbreaking new book, "Revealing." In this conversation, we challenge the conventional wisdom that "less is more." Leslie argues that while we are hyper-aware of the risks of oversharing (TMI), we are almost entirely bli

What happens when the script you’ve lived for decades suddenly ends, and you’re forced to write a new one? Today, I am joined by a true pioneer of broadcast journalism and a household name for nearly two decades as the co-host of Good Morning America, Joan Lunden. We are discussing her deeply personal new memoir, JOAN: Life Beyond the Script. In this conversation, Joan pulls back the curtain on the transitions that defined her—from the high-pressure world of morning television and being a trailblazer for working mothers to her public battle with breast cancer and her current mission as a power

What if Henry David Thoreau wasn’t escaping work but redesigning it? In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles sits down with author and thought leadership expert Ken Lizotte to explore his transformative new book, Walden for Hire: Business Lessons from Henry David Thoreau. Together, they dismantle the myth of Thoreau as a solitary hermit removed from society. Instead, they reveal a disciplined builder, an innovative entrepreneur, and a master architect of intentional living. Lizotte reveals that Thoreau’s time at Walden wasn't a withdrawal; it was an act of radical design. By simplifyi

Why does modern life feel so "thin and frantic," even when we are more connected than ever? Today, we are venturing into the "Celtic fringe" to sit with the man widely considered the preeminent mythologist of our time. Joining me is New York Times bestselling author Dr. Martin Shaw to discuss his profound new masterwork, Liturgies of the Wild. In this conversation, we move beyond the clinical and the therapeutic to explore the mythic imagination. Martin argues that we are currently suffering from a profound spiritual exhaustion—not because we lack information, but because we have traded devoti

What if the most painful feeling a person can experience isn’t loneliness, but the belief that they don’t matter? In this profound and timely episode of the Passion Struck podcast, world-renowned psychologist Dr. Gordon Flett re-joins John R. Miles to explore the science of mattering and what happens when it’s absent. Drawing on decades of research, Flett introduces the concept of anti-mattering: the deeply felt sense of being invisible, insignificant, or expendable. He explains why loneliness and not mattering often form a “double jeopardy,” how early childhood experiences shape our lifelong

If you were to look into a mirror right now that didn't show your face, but showed your true value, what would you see? In this high-stakes solo episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles confronts the "Big Tobacco" moment of the tech industry: the landmark trial revealing how algorithms are engineered to replace our children’s self-worth with digital scorecards. Building on his deep-dive conversations with Yale’s Dr. Laurie Santos on "Duck Syndrome" and Harvard’s Dr. Alison Wood Brooks on the "TALK" framework, John introduces The Mattering Mirror. As we reach the final countdown to the February

What if the stories we've been told about love are not just incomplete, but actively making dating and relationships harder and more painful? In this eye-opening episode of the Passion Struck podcast, renowned relationship scientist Dr. Paul Eastwick joins John R. Miles to unpack his groundbreaking new book, Bonded by Evolution: The New Science of Love and Connection (Crown, February 10, 2026). Drawing from two decades of research, Eastwick reveals that humans evolved not to rank desirability or maximize status, but to form deep, idiosyncratic bonds through repeated, mundane interactions. Init

What if the key to true happiness isn’t more achievements, more connections, or even more love poured your way, but actually feeling loved in the moments that matter? In this powerful episode of the Passion Struck podcast, world-renowned happiness expert Sonja Lyubomirsky and the preminent relationship researcher Harry Reis join John R. Miles to discuss their groundbreaking new book, How to Feel Loved: The Five Mindsets That Get You More of What Matters Most (Harper, February 10, 2026). Their radical insight: Feeling loved isn’t about becoming more lovable or chasing extrinsic rewards. It’s ab

If you could go back to the exact moment your "Performance Folder" was created—the instant you decided you had to be perfect, useful, or invisible to be seen—what would you say to that younger you? In this pivotal solo episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles introduces The Luma Effect: the lifelong cascade that begins when a child internalizes the truth of their intrinsic worth before the world hands them a conditional script. Building on his powerhouse conversations with Rebecca Goldstein on the mattering instinct and Daniel Coyle on the art of flourishing, John explores how we can decommiss

What if the secret to a meaningful life isn’t "high performance" but a state of being unusually alive? In this essential installment of the Passion Struck podcast, New York Times bestselling author Daniel Coyle joins John R. Miles to discuss his transformative new book, Flourish: The Art of Building Meaning, Joy, and Fulfillment (Feb 2026). The author of The Culture Code and The Talent Code, Coyle has spent decades decoding the secrets of the world’s most effective groups. In Flourish, he pivots from how we perform to how we feel, exploring why some environments—from a bustling Cleveland deli

What if the most human thing about us isn’t happiness, survival, or even love but the relentless need to feel we matter? In this profound installment of the You Matter series on Passion Struck, MacArthur Fellow and National Humanities Medalist Rebecca Newberger Goldstein joins the show to unpack her groundbreaking book The Mattering Instinct: How Our Deepest Longing Drives Us and Divides Us (Liveright, January 13, 2026). A philosopher and novelist celebrated for Plato at the Googleplex and The Mind-Body Problem, Goldstein argues that this primal instinct is uniquely human. Rooted in self-refle

We are taught from the schoolyard to the boardroom that our value is a variable, something that fluctuates based on our last win, our latest promotion, or our ability to remain relentlessly productive. But what happens when the "doing" stops? In this deeply personal solo episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles pulls back the curtain on a phenomenon he calls the "speech impediment of the soul." Drawing from a life-altering traumatic brain injury at age five and his subsequent climb through the ranks of the Navy and Fortune 50 leadership, John explores the quiet disorientation that follows when

What happens when strength is defined as self-sufficiency, emotional restraint, and constant proof? In this episode of Passion Struck, licensed psychologist and leadership coach Daniel Ellenberg, PhD, joins Passion Struck to explore how traditional masculine scripts shape identity, relationships, and the lived experience of mattering often at a hidden cost. Ellenberg has spent more than four decades facilitating men’s groups and workshops, guiding thousands of men through questions of emotional intelligence, vulnerability, and relational presence. As the founder of Strength with Heart, co-foun