PODCAST · health
Passion Struck with John R. Miles
by Passion Struck with John R. Miles
You built the life you were supposed to want. So why doesn't it feel like enough? Passion Struck is the #1 Health and Fitness podcast — and it exists to answer exactly that question. I'm John R. Miles — Navy veteran, former Fortune 50 executive, bestselling author — and I built this show because I lived the "successful but empty" version of life myself, and I wanted to find a better way. Each week, I sit down with the world's top voices in neuroscience, psychology, medicine, and elite performance — including Angela Duckworth, Susan Cain, Robert Waldinger, Daniel Amen, and Ryan Holiday — to unpack what the research tells us about purpose, connection, and resilience, and how to apply it to your own life. Fridays, I share what I'm learning directly, in solo episodes built around the same ideas. New interviews every Tuesday and Thursday. Solo episodes every Friday.
Episodes
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Why Success Can Leave You Feeling Like You Don't Matter | John R. Miles & Linda Hurtado – EP 834
What happens when you achieve the life you thought you wanted, only to realize you no longer feel connected to it? For John R. Miles, that question became impossible to ignore. After years of executive success, demanding workweeks, and responsibilities that kept growing, a simple question from…
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Stop Being So Hard on Yourself. It’s Not Helping You | Dr. Kristin Neff - EP 833
What if the voice you use to motivate yourself is the very voice keeping you stuck? You push harder after a mistake. You judge yourself for falling short. You tell yourself that if you were more disciplined, more successful, or simply better, you would finally feel worthy. But what if being hard…
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Why You Keep Repeating the Same Patterns | Terri Cole – EP 832
What if the behaviors that made you successful are the same ones keeping you from feeling fulfilled? You learned to be dependable. You became the overachiever, the caretaker, the person who never asks for help. People praised your strength, relied on your generosity, and rewarded your ability to...
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How Your Beliefs Shape Your Happiness, Success, and Future | Shawn Achor – EP 831
What if the beliefs you hold about yourself, your future, and the world around you are shaping what happens next more than you realize? Shawn Achor, bestselling author and one of the leading voices in positive psychology, joins John R. Miles to explore the science behind The Power of Beliefs....
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You Can Be Successful and Still Feel Like You Don't Matter | Mick Hunt & John R. Miles – EP 830
What if you can be successful, needed, productive, and admired, and still feel like you don't matter? That's the paradox at the heart of John R. Miles' new book, The Mattering Effect. In this special conversation, originally recorded for Mick Hunt's Mick Unplugged, Mick sits down with John to...
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Do You Matter? The Question Behind Burnout, Loneliness, and Disconnection | John R. Miles - EP 829
What if the biggest problem in your life isn't what's wrong with you—but what's happening to you? Burnout. Loneliness. Disconnection. Exhaustion. The feeling that you're constantly working, producing, improving, and performing, yet somehow becoming less visible to yourself. What if these aren't...
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You’re Not Failing to Adapt. You’re Being Erased. | John R. Miles - EP 828
What if the way you’ve been taught to adapt is actually making you lose yourself? For weeks, The Adaptive Human has explored what it takes to navigate a world that keeps changing. Angela Duckworth showed us that our environments shape who we become. Martin Seligman showed us the power of agency....
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You’re Not Stuck. You’re Swimming in the Wrong Direction | Alec Litowitz - EP 827
What if you're working harder and harder—but you're still moving in the wrong direction? Alec Litowitz learned this lesson during a mountain bike race in the Pyrenees, when hesitating before a blind downhill jump nearly sent him over the handlebars. Years later, that same lesson became a…
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Your Kids Don’t Need More Achievement. They Need More Freedom | Dr. Peter Gray - EP 826
What if the things we think are helping our children succeed are actually making it harder for them to become independent? Dr. Peter Gray has spent decades studying childhood, play, education, and human development. In his new book, Restoring Childhood, he argues that childhood has a fundamental...
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Why What Matters Most Is Almost Never the Loudest | John R. Miles - EP 825
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...
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The One Question You’re Avoiding Could Change Your Life | Scott Simon & Gregory Stock – EP 824
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…
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The Psychology Behind Why Smart People Make Terrible Decisions | Alex Edmans – EP 823
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...
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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...
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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,...
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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...
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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…
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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...
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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…
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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...
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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...
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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…
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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…
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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…
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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...
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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,...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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#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...
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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…
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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…
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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...
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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...
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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…
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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…
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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...
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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...
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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…
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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...
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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,...
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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,...
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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…
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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...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
You built the life you were supposed to want. So why doesn't it feel like enough? Passion Struck is the #1 Health and Fitness podcast — and it exists to answer exactly that question. I'm John R. Miles — Navy veteran, former Fortune 50 executive, bestselling author — and I built this show because I lived the "successful but empty" version of life myself, and I wanted to find a better way. Each week, I sit down with the world's top voices in neuroscience, psychology, medicine, and elite performance — including Angela Duckworth, Susan Cain, Robert Waldinger, Daniel Amen, and Ryan Holiday — to unpack what the research tells us about purpose, connection, and resilience, and how to apply it to your own life. Fridays, I share what I'm learning directly, in solo episodes built around the same ideas. New interviews every Tuesday and Thursday. Solo episodes every Friday.
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Passion Struck with John R. Miles
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Passion Struck with John R. Miles have?
Passion Struck with John R. Miles currently has 830 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Passion Struck with John R. Miles about?
You built the life you were supposed to want. So why doesn't it feel like enough? Passion Struck is the #1 Health and Fitness podcast — and it exists to answer exactly that question. I'm John R. Miles — Navy veteran, former Fortune 50 executive, bestselling author — and I built this show because I...
How often does Passion Struck with John R. Miles release new episodes?
Passion Struck with John R. Miles releases new episodes frequently with a large back catalog of 830 episodes. Check the episode list for recent publication dates.
Where can I listen to Passion Struck with John R. Miles?
You can listen to Passion Struck with John R. Miles on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Passion Struck with John R. Miles?
Passion Struck with John R. Miles is created and hosted by Passion Struck with John R. Miles.
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