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... more

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How many episodes does Passion Struck with John R. Miles have?

The podcast currently has 825 episodes available.

Best of Passion Struck with John R. Miles

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Number 1: 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 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, how bureaucracy can drain passion from work, why companies struggle to measure the things that matter most, and what we may lose when we optimize everything for efficiency. They also discuss: Why we often choose short-term safety over long-term fulfillment The difference between regretting action and regretting inaction Why romantic relationships are one of the biggest areas where people avoid risk How bureaucracy can quietly kill motivation and passion Why companies measure productivity but struggle to measure care, connection, and meaning What happens when organizations treat people like functions instead of human beings Why AI's pursuit of efficiency could come at the expense of meaning and human development How feeling appreciated can influence motivation and performance Why investing in human capital should be treated differently than simply treating people as a cost The question you should ask yourself: Where in your life are you playing it safer than you really want to? Dan's larger message is difficult to ignore: the life we build isn't shaped only by the choices we make. It's also shaped by the chances we decide not to take. Full shownotes here Download the FREE Companion Digital Workbook Pre-Order The Mattering Effect: https://matteringeffect.com/. Take the 90-second diagnostic to see if you're disappearing. Explore the Show: https://passionstruck.com/starter-packs/. New to Passion Struck? Start with the best episodes curated for you. Connect with JohnWebsite: https://johnrmiles.comBook John to Speak: https://johnrmiles.com/speaking/Substack: https://www.theignitedlife.net/Children’s Book — You Matter, Luma: https://youmatterluma.com/Support the Movement: https://startmattering.com/. Every human deserves to feel seen, valued, and like they matter. Wear it. Live it. Show it. Passion Struck — #1 Alternative Health Podcast. 85M+ downloads.DisclaimerThe Passion Struck podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of Passion Struck or its affiliates. This podcast is not a substitute for professional medical or psychological advice. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
August 25, 202654min
Number 2: 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 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 shows how constraints can focus creativity and turn seemingly small problems into breakthroughs. Martin Seligman's Agency asks a deeper question: What happens when human beings believe their actions can actually change the future? Put those ideas together, and a new definition of adaptability emerges. Real adaptability isn't about controlling everything. It's about knowing where you have agency—and using it well. In this episode, I explore:Why General Magic's enormous freedom became one of its greatest weaknesses—and how smaller, more focused ideas became eBay and the PalmPilot. Why Mendeleev's breakthrough began with a textbook deadline rather than a magical dream. The first question of the Agency Check: What constraint are you running away from that might actually contain your focus? What my experience at Lowe's taught me about the danger of trying to solve enormous problems all at once. Why UPS discovered that its routing challenge was ultimately a human learning and change-management problem, not simply a technology problem. Martin Seligman's distinction between "I can" and "we can"—and why sustainable progress requires both individual and collective agency. Why unlimited information can create a poverty of attention, and what Gloria Mark's research reveals about the cost of constant task switching. David Epstein's Hemingway Principle for protecting tomorrow's most important work from today's urgent distractions. How to conduct your own Constraint Check and Agency Check when you're feeling stuck or helpless. The question isn't whether you can control everything. You can't. The question is whether you can identify what is actually within your agency, stop wasting energy fighting what isn't, and then act with intention inside the reality you've been given. Because adaptability isn't unlimited freedom. It's agency within reality. Click for the full shownotes Pre-Order The Mattering Effect: https://matteringeffect.com/. Take the 90-second diagnostic to see if you're disappearing. Explore the Show: https://passionstruck.com/starter-packs/. New to Passion Struck? Start with the best episodes curated for you. Connect with JohnWebsite: https://johnrmiles.comBook John to Speak: https://johnrmiles.com/speaking/Substack: https://www.theignitedlife.net/Children’s Book — You Matter, Luma: https://youmatterluma.com/Support the Movement: https://startmattering.com/. Every human deserves to feel seen, valued, and like they matter. Wear it. Live it. Show it. Passion Struck — #1 Alternative Health Podcast. 85M+ downloads.DisclaimerThe Passion Struck podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of Passion Struck or its affiliates. This podcast is not a substitute for professional medical or psychological advice. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
September 11, 202623min
Number 3: 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 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 to focus, and what to do next. David explains how constraints can channel us into productive experimentation—and why some of the biggest breakthroughs begin with a much smaller problem than we expect. He shares the surprising reality behind the Mendeleev story, revealing how a simple textbook problem helped lead to the periodic table. He also explains what the failure of General Magic can teach us about innovation, why UPS discovered that its routing problem was really a change-management problem, and how Pixar uses constraints and small experiments to improve its biggest creative projects. John and David also dive into one of the biggest challenges of modern life: protecting our attention. David shares how research by Gloria Mark changed the way he works, why constant task switching can increase stress, and how he now structures his day around monotasking, batching, and deliberately protecting his attention. In this episode, you'll learn:Why more freedom and more options aren't always betterHow constraints can actually increase creativity and innovationThe surprising truth behind the Mendeleev and periodic table storyWhy many breakthroughs begin with a much smaller problemWhat the failure of General Magic teaches us about innovationWhy defining the right problem may matter more than finding the perfect solutionHow UPS turned a technology problem into a learning and change-management problemWhy people need to understand change before they will trust itHow to protect your attention in a world designed to fragment itWhy multitasking may be damaging your ability to think deeplyHow to identify the bottleneck that's actually slowing your progressThe bigger lesson is one David returns to throughout the conversation: Sometimes the answer isn't to escape the box. It's to look more closely at what's inside it. Because the problem right in front of you may not be the obstacle to your next chapter. It may be the doorway. Click for the full shownotes Download the FREE Companion Digital Workbook. Pre-Order The Mattering Effect: https://matteringeffect.com/. Take the 90-second diagnostic to see if you're disappearing. Explore the Show: https://passionstruck.com/starter-packs/. New to Passion Struck? Start with the best episodes curated for you. Connect with JohnWebsite: https://johnrmiles.comBook John to Speak: https://johnrmiles.com/speaking/Substack: https://www.theignitedlife.net/Children’s Book — You Matter, Luma: https://youmatterluma.com/Support the Movement: https://startmattering.com/. Every human deserves to feel seen, valued, and like they matter. Wear it. Live it. Show it. Passion Struck — #1 Alternative Health Podcast. 85M+ downloads.DisclaimerThe Passion Struck podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of Passion Struck or its affiliates. This podcast is not a substitute for professional medical or psychological advice. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
September 10, 20261h 1min
Number 4: 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 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 about great leaders. Some leaders genuinely change history. Others recognize an opportunity that history has already created. And some may be talented, successful, and famous—but would not have made much difference if someone else had been in their place. In this conversation, Jared explains how he uses history as a series of “natural experiments” to separate the impact of a leader from the circumstances surrounding them. You’ll learn: When leaders actually matter Why some leaders are uniquely qualified to change history—and most aren't How timing and circumstance can determine whether a leader succeeds The difference between creating an opportunity and recognizing one Why Churchill was a great wartime leader but far less effective in peacetime What Harry Truman can teach us about leadership and courage Why founders can have an outsized impact on the institutions they leave behind How the “Hamlet test” reveals whether someone was truly indispensable What Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos, and John Wooden reveal about distinctive leadership Why leaders should be judged partly by what happens after they leave Why leadership is about more than techniques—and why philosophy matters And Jared shares one of his most important lessons for leaders: Stop looking for the one most important thing. Great leadership, he argues, is about getting the many important things right. This is a conversation about leadership, history, circumstance, and legacy—but ultimately, it raises a question every leader should ask: If you disappeared tomorrow, what would actually be different because you were here? Click for the Full Shownotes Download the FREE Reflection Guide here. Pre-Order The Mattering Effect: https://matteringeffect.com/. Take the 90-second diagnostic to see if you're disappearing. Explore the Show: https://passionstruck.com/starter-packs/. New to Passion Struck? Start with the best episodes curated for you. Connect with JohnWebsite: https://johnrmiles.comBook John to Speak: https://johnrmiles.com/speaking/Substack: https://www.theignitedlife.net/Children’s Book — You Matter, Luma: https://youmatterluma.com/Support the Movement: https://startmattering.com/. Every human deserves to feel seen, valued, and like they matter. Wear it. Live it. Show it. Passion Struck — #1 Alternative Health Podcast. 85M+ downloads.DisclaimerThe Passion Struck podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of Passion Struck or its affiliates. This podcast is not a substitute for professional medical or psychological advice. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
September 03, 20261h 12min
Number 5: 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 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 willpower. But Angela explains that we often overlook something incredibly important: what’s around us. The people we spend time with. The spaces where we live and work. The mentors we learn from. And the culture that surrounds us. All of these things are shaping our behavior more than we realize. The good news is that you don't always have to force yourself to change through sheer willpower. Sometimes, changing your situation can make it easier to become the person you want to be. Angela shares her research-backed framework for understanding the four parts of your environment that can shape your life: your space, your peers, your mentors, and your culture. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why changing what’s around you can help you change your life Why grit and willpower alone are not enough How the people around you shape your behavior and goals How to create an environment that makes better choices easier Why the right peers and mentors can change what you believe is possible How workplace and social culture influence who you become The four parts of your situation you can intentionally change How to make your environment an ally instead of an obstacle This episode is about taking a different approach to change. Because sometimes the answer isn’t to ask yourself to try harder. Sometimes, you need to look around and ask: What in my life is making it harder to become who I want to be? Click for the full Shownotes Download the FREE Companion Reflection Guide for The Adaptive Human series here. Pre-Order The Mattering Effect: https://matteringeffect.com/. Take the 90-second diagnostic to see if you're disappearing. Explore the Show: https://passionstruck.com/starter-packs/. New to Passion Struck? Start with the best episodes curated for you. Connect with JohnWebsite: https://johnrmiles.comBook John to Speak: https://johnrmiles.com/speaking/Substack: https://www.theignitedlife.net/Children’s Book — You Matter, Luma: https://youmatterluma.com/Support the Movement: https://startmattering.com/. Every human deserves to feel seen, valued, and like they matter. Wear it. Live it. Show it. Passion Struck — #1 Alternative Health Podcast. 85M+ downloads.DisclaimerThe Passion Struck podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of Passion Struck or its affiliates. This podcast is not a substitute for professional medical or psychological advice. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
September 01, 202655min