Passion Struck with John R. Miles

Why What Matters Most Is Rarely the Loudest What if the things getting the most attention in your life aren't actually the things that matter most? We live in a world that rewards visibility. The viral headline. The impressive title. The dramatic turnaround. The big announcement. The person who creates the most noise in the room. But some of the most valuable things in life work differently. They compound quietly. In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles explores why human beings are so easily drawn toward what is visible, dramatic, and immediate—and why that can cause us to overlook t

What if the question you’re avoiding is the one you most need to answer? We often think courage means doing something difficult or frightening. But Scott Simon says the place people struggle most isn't physical courage—it’s having the courage to ask and answer hard questions. In this episode, Scott Simon and Gregory Stock bring together two decades-long bodies of work: Scott’s exploration of courage and Gregory’s groundbreaking Book of Questions, which became a New York Times bestseller and sold millions of copies. Their new book, The Book of Questions: Courage, is built around a simple idea:

You're smart. You're informed. So why do you still make terrible decisions? We like to believe that intelligence and information protect us from bad decisions. They don't. Professor Alex Edmans, Professor of Finance at London Business School and Fellow of the British Academy, returns to Passion Struck to reveal the psychological forces that can distort our judgment—from confirmation bias and anchoring to herd behavior, emotional decision-making, and our tendency to follow whatever information is most visible. His new book, The Madness of Markets, uses financial markets to expose a much bigger

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 she was too small to survive the Southern Ocean. A year later, she sailed solo, nonstop, and unassisted around the world—without ever receiving the apology or reversal she had been waiting for. Mar

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 deeper science behind self-worth in her new book, Worth: The New Science of Self-Esteem and Secure Attachment. Her argument challenges one of the most common ideas about self-esteem: you don't become

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 pursue the dream. A year later, she was sailing solo around the world. But what makes Cole's story so compelling isn't simply the achievement. It's everything she had to become along the way. Cole grew up

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 greatest breakthroughs happen not when we escape our constraints, but when we learn how to work intelligently within them. That's the paradox at the heart of this episode. David Epstein's Inside the Box sh

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 book, "Inside the Box," challenges one of our most deeply held assumptions: that more freedom is always better. Sometimes, having too many possibilities makes it harder to decide what matters, where

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 positive psychology. For more than six decades, Seligman has studied learned helplessness, optimism, resilience, and human flourishing. His new book, Agency: The Psychological History of Human Progress, b

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 individual leaders actually make a difference. John also puts both ideas to the test in his own life after spending two weeks in Blue Ridge, Georgia, where he discovered that he felt calmer, clearer,

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 spending decades studying civilizations, geography, human societies, and why nations succeed or collapse, Diamond has turned his attention to leadership. And his answer challenges the way we usually think a

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 powerful idea that changes the way we think about personal growth. We tend to believe that change comes from within. We tell ourselves to be more disciplined. Try harder. Find more motivation. Have more

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 dreamed about, he discovered something many high achievers eventually learn: You can get what you wanted and still feel like you're not enough. Today, Caleb is sharing a different way to think about ambiti

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 Midlife, who has spent more than 30 years studying what actually happens to us during the middle years of life. Margie reveals why the idea of a “midlife crisis” is largely a myth—and why midlife can

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 look back over our lives, we often regret the risks we didn't take. The conversation goes far beyond risk. John and Dan explore why vulnerability is one of the biggest areas where people play it safe, h

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 this deeply personal conversation, John R. Miles sits down with the actor, entrepreneur, and father to talk about identity, success, fatherhood, presence, and what it means to build a life that actually

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 explains how specialized immune cells called microglia can either support the brain or become destructive when challenged by inflammation, metabolic dysfunction, poor sleep, and other environmental factors

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, learning another framework, or becoming more self-aware can make you feel like you're changing without actually changing your behavior. Real transformation requires something much harder: doing things diffe

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. Research involving 105 different social groups found an astonishing .95 correlation between what people believed their own communities thought and the prejudices they were willing to express. In othe

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 Passion Struck, John R. Miles sits down with Neal Schore, cofounder and CEO of The 25th Hour Group and author of The 25th Hour, to explore why managing yourself may be more important than managing your

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, co-author of The Power of Us, to explore the hidden psychology behind polarization, tribalism, and human connection. Drawing on decades of research in social identity, neuroscience, and behavioral sci

Why do we care so much about what other people think? Most of us like to believe our opinions, decisions, and beliefs are entirely our own. But neuroscience tells a different story. Long before your brain was wired for achievement, productivity, or even happiness, it was wired for one thing: belonging. In this solo episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles explores the hidden influence of the social brain and why our need to belong shapes far more of our lives than we realize. Drawing on groundbreaking research from social psychologist Dr. Jay Van Bavel, psychiatrist Dr. Neal Schore, and behavi

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 neuroscientist Dr. Richard Davidson and contemplative scholar Court Dahl to explore the groundbreaking science behind their new book, Born to Flourish. Drawing on decades of neuroscience research, contempl

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 building a healthier brain or slowly damaging it. In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles sits down with Dr. Amen to explore the science of brain health, neuroplasticity, and why you're neve

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 future version of you is created through the ordinary practices you repeat every single day. Drawing on the timeless Zen teaching of Chop Wood, Carry Water, legendary coach John Wooden's relentless f

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 your relationships, why high achievers often stay trapped in survival mode, and how changing the way you speak to yourself can transform the way you live. Joining John R. Miles is Dr. D. Ivan Young, exe

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 through belief, culture, intentional habits, and a willingness to challenge the limits you've accepted for yourself. Today, John sits down with legendary running coach Sean Brosnan, author of Beyond Fas

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, interviews, and personal reflection: every human being is an environment. The people you love don't just hear your words—they experience your presence. Your family, your friends, and your team are all

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 bestselling author Guy Kawasaki to explore why protecting your privacy is about far more than securing your personal information. It's about protecting your identity, your relationships, and your ability to

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 achievers unknowingly postpone their happiness. Jess calls it the Arrival Trap—the belief that the life we want always exists somewhere in the future. Drawing on her own entrepreneurial journey and the ideas

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 episode will completely change how you think about personal growth. Drawing on powerful conversations with neuroscientist Dr. Dana Suskind and behavioral scientist Leidy Klotz, John explains why the env

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 make you feel calm, creative, or like your best self, this conversation will help you see your surroundings in a completely different way. Joining me is Leidy Klotz, engineer, award-winning researcher

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, educator, leader, or simply someone who cares about the future of the next generation, this conversation will completely change how you think about raising children and preparing them for the world ahead.

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, relationships, or patterns—even though you know they're no longer serving you. If you've ever wondered, "Why do I keep becoming the same person?" this episode is for you. Drawing on two powerful conversations wit

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 conversation will give you a practical framework for building habits that create lasting growth. Joining me is bestselling author and leadership expert Jon Gordon. For more than two decades, Jon has helped Fort

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. You can change your emotional patterns. And you can become someone new without rejecting who you've been.Joining John today is Nick Ortner, New York Times bestselling author of The Tapping Solution and his new

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. You can change your emotional patterns. And you can become someone new without rejecting who you've been. Joining John today is Nick Ortner, New York Times bestselling author of The Tapping Solution and his

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 that emerge when our old ways of living no longer work.If you've been waiting for life to settle down before you fully show up, chasing achievement in hopes that it will finally make you feel enough, or c

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 that emerge when our old ways of living no longer work. If you've been waiting for life to settle down before you fully show up, chasing achievement in hopes that it will finally make you feel enough, or

Today’s episode will change how you think about your connection to something greater — and give you simple tools you can use the next time life feels uncertain, painful, or overwhelming. Do you ever feel disconnected from guidance when you need it most? Do you struggle with grief, disappointment, health challenges, or despair and wonder if anyone is listening? Or maybe you’ve always sensed there’s more support available but don’t know how to access it. According to today’s guest, you are never alone. You are always connected. In this powerful conversation, John R. Miles welcomes Suzanne Giesem

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, this conversation will give you practical tools to access it. John welcomes Suzanne Giesemann back to Passion Struck. A former Navy Commander and aide to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff turn

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. Instead, she reveals how our feelings about our bodies are deeply intertwined with our experiences of belonging, family, achievement, health, and self-worth. Their conversation explores why negative

In this solo episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles explores perhaps the deepest form of disconnection we experience—not from other people, but from ourselves. Every stage of life quietly asks us to become someone. Families, schools, workplaces, and culture reward certain behaviors and identities while discouraging others. Over time, the adaptations that once helped us survive can harden into identities we mistake for who we truly are. The result isn't failure. It's forgetting. Drawing on the enduring story of Hook, John examines why Peter Pan's greatest tragedy wasn't growing up—it was forg

In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles sits down with bestselling author, workplace culture expert, and leadership researcher Adrian Gostick to explore one of the most overlooked forces shaping organizations today: the gratitude gap—the disconnect between how appreciated leaders believe their people feel and how valued employees actually experience their work. Drawing from decades of research involving hundreds of thousands of employees and leaders, Adrian reveals why recognition is far more than a leadership skill—it is a fundamental human need. Together, John and Adrian examine why

In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles sits down with internationally acclaimed speaker, activist, and best-selling author Spencer West to explore the journey of breaking free from external expectations and overcoming identity distortion. Drawing from his remarkable life—including climbing Mount Kilimanjaro on his hands—Spencer shares why so many of us unknowingly build lives around inherited definitions of success and why safety often becomes the greatest obstacle to authenticity. Together, John and Spencer examine why belonging without authenticity ultimately leaves us feeling empt

In this solo episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles continues the Connection Crisis series by exploring one of the most overlooked reasons we feel disconnected—not from other people, but from ourselves. Many of us believe our struggles stem from the people in our lives or the circumstances around us. But what if the real barrier to connection isn't external at all? What if the invisible identities we developed to survive childhood are still quietly shaping our relationships, careers, and sense of self today? In this episode, John introduces a powerful new framework: The Backpack We Never Cho

In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles sits down with attachment expert, former licensed marriage and family therapist, and relationship coach Adam Lane Smith to explore why so many people struggle with relationships—not because they're broken, but because they're living out unconscious attachment patterns formed in childhood. Drawing from more than two decades of research into attachment science, neurobiology, and human behavior, Adam explains how insecure attachment shapes everything from our romantic relationships and family dynamics to leadership, workplace culture, anxiety, burn

In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles sits down with licensed therapist, bestselling author, and mental health educator Kati Morton to explore why so many of us continue repeating behaviors we know no longer serve us—from perfectionism and overworking to people-pleasing, burnout, and self-abandonment. Drawing from her new book, Why Do I Keep Doing This?, Kati explains how the habits that keep us stuck often began as protective adaptations developed in childhood. Together, John and Kati unpack how our early experiences shape the "blueprints" we carry into adulthood, influencing our r

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 millions of people are living in a state of what he calls The Great Disconnection—surrounded by digital networks, professional titles, and constant communication, yet increasingly cut off from belonging

In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles sits down with Marcus Buckingham, who is a global researcher, pioneer of the strengths movement, and bestselling author of First Break All the Rules, to explore one of the most provocative ideas in modern leadership: love as a fierce business force. Marcus reveals why extreme positive experiences, which people spontaneously describe using the word “love,” are the only true drivers of lasting customer loyalty, employee engagement, resilience, and performance. Drawing on extensive research, he introduces the five sequential feelings (control, harm