Passion Struck with John R. Miles

Today, John sits down with legendary running coach Sean Brosnan, author of Beyond Fast. Sean built one of the greatest high school distance running programs in history, producing Olympians, national champions, and American record holders—not by finding extraordinary athletes, but by helping ordinary people discover what they were truly capable of.

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 shaped by the emotional climate you create.

Technology isn't just changing how we communicate—it's changing how we see ourselves. In this conversation, Guy Kawasaki explains why protecting your privacy is ultimately about protecting your identity, your relationships, and your freedom to live intentionally.

Success isn't supposed to leave you feeling empty. In this conversation, Jess Ekstrom explains why ambitious people often fall into the "Arrival Trap" and how to build a meaningful life without postponing happiness until the next achievement.

What if the reason change feels so difficult has less to do with willpower than you think? In this episode, John reveals how your home, workplace, phone, and daily routines are quietly influencing your behavior—and how small changes to your environment can create lasting transformation.

Leidy Klotz joins John R. Miles to reveal how the places we live, work, and spend time in quietly shape our happiness, relationships, creativity, and sense of belonging. Discover simple, research-backed ways to design environments that help you flourish instead of merely function.

What does it mean to raise children who will thrive in a world transformed by artificial intelligence? Dr. Dana Suskind reveals how early relationships, emotional resilience, and meaningful human connection build the foundation for lifelong flourishing.

If you've ever caught yourself saying, "Why do I keep doing this?" this episode will help you understand why—and show you how to finally break the patterns keeping you stuck.

Bestselling author Jon Gordon joins John R. Miles to share the proven habits that build resilience, strengthen leadership, and help you overcome negative thinking. Discover practical strategies to create a more positive mindset and a life of greater purpose and impact.

What if you didn't have to remain who you've always been? In this conversation, Nick Ortner explains how tapping and the latest science on the brain can help you break free from anxiety, self-doubt, and the emotional patterns keeping you stuck.

What if flourishing isn't something you achieve someday, but something you practice in the life you're already living? John revisits three transformative conversations that changed how he thinks about presence, purpose, and becoming fully alive.

Today’s episode with Suzanne Giesemann 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.

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 body image often becomes a container for overwhelming emotions, how shame thrives in secrecy, and why curiosity may be a more powerful path to healing than self-improvement.John and Whitney discuss the hidden costs of being at war with ourselves, the role of relational mirrors in shaping identity, and why many high performers continue to struggle with feeling comfortable in their own skin despite outward success. Through personal stories, practical exercises, and compassionate insights, they offer a new framework for understanding body image—not as an enemy to conquer, but as a relationship that can be nurtured, understood, and transformed.In this episode, you'll learn:Why body image is shaped by relationships, culture, health experiences, and belonging—not simply physical appearanceThe hidden emotional and psychological costs of being at war with your bodyHow negative body image often becomes a way of managing overwhelming feelings such as sadness, anxiety, fear, and lonelinessWhy curiosity and self-compassion are more effective than self-criticism when creating lasting changeWhat "relational mirrors" reveal about the people who help us feel seen—and those who diminish our sense of selfHow jealousy can become a teacher that points us toward deeper desires rather than a source of shame or comparisonThe Body Image Rotary framework and how to interrupt cycles of self-criticism before they become habitual patternsWhy the process of getting dressed can become a daily practice of self-awareness and sensory compassion rather than judgmentHow early experiences with caregivers influence our relationship with our bodies throughout adulthoodThe simple but profound question Whitney believes every person should ask themselves: "What are you feeling?" instead of "What do I need to fix?"This conversation offers a compassionate roadmap for moving from self-judgment to self-understanding, showing that flourishing begins not by changing our bodies, but by changing the relationship we have with them. As Whitney reminds us, our bodies are often carrying stories that our minds have not yet found the words to tell.Passion Struck is the #1 Health and Wellness Podcast and personal growth podcast dedicated to helping people live intentionally, unlock human potential, and create lives filled with meaning, purpose, and mattering.Limited Time Offers:Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at SHOPIFY.COM/PASSIONSTRUCKFunction Health: functionhealth.com/PASSION or use gift code PASSION25 for a $25 credit toward your membership.FODZYME: Get 30% off your first order at ICanEatAgain.com/PASSIONSTRUCKFull Show NotesDownload the Digital WorkbookLearn more about Whitney Otto:Website: https://www.bodyimageinsideout.com/LinkedIn:

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.

In this episode, John R. Miles sits down with bestselling author and workplace culture expert Adrian Gostick to explore why feeling valued is one of the most powerful drivers of engagement, resilience, innovation, and performance.

In this episode, John R. Miles sits down with bestselling author, activist, and internationally acclaimed speaker Spencer West to explore why so many people lose themselves without ever realizing it—and how to reclaim the life that's authentically yours.

Why do you keep repeating the same patterns—even when you know they're holding you back? In this solo episode, John explores the hidden emotional attachments and survival strategies that quietly shape your relationships, decisions, and sense of identity—and how to finally begin letting them go.

Why do the same relationship patterns keep showing up in your life? In this episode, attachment expert Adam Lane Smith explains how childhood experiences shape the way you love, trust, and connect—and how you can begin building healthier relationships starting today.

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.

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, significance, and genuine human connection.From middle school cafeterias to corporate boardrooms, many of us spend years trying to earn belonging through performance, achievement, and success. We convince ourselves that if we accomplish enough, we'll finally feel secure, valued, and accepted. Instead, many high achievers find themselves trapped in what John calls the Admission Ticket Problem—using success to purchase significance, only to discover that visibility is not the same as being known.Through powerful stories, historical insights, and practical reflection, John explores why performance can never satisfy our deepest need for belonging, how old stories about acceptance continue shaping our adult lives, and why feeling truly seen remains one of the most transformative experiences a human being can have.In this episode, you'll learn:• Why the modern world makes it easier than ever to be noticed but harder than ever to be genuinely known.• How the search for belonging shapes far more of our lives than we realize.• Why many adults are still navigating the same social dynamics they first experienced in middle school.• The hidden cost of turning achievement into an admission ticket for acceptance.• Why success can increase visibility without increasing significance.• How old stories about belonging continue influencing adult relationships and decisions.• What Acts 10 teaches us about expanding the circle of who belongs.If you've ever felt lonely despite your accomplishments, invisible inside the rooms you fought so hard to enter, or disconnected despite being constantly connected, this episode offers a powerful framework for understanding why feeling seen changes everything—and a roadmap for finding your way back to what matters most.Passion Struck is the award-winning podcast hosted by John R. Miles, helping millions of people live intentionally, unlock human potential, and create lives filled with meaning, purpose, and mattering.Limited Time OffersFODZYME: Get 30% off your first order at ICanEatAgain.com/PASSIONSTRUCKShopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial at SHOPIFY.COM/PASSIONSTRUCKResources:Get the Companion WorkbookFull Show NotesConnect with John Pre-Order The Mattering Effect: https://matteringeffect.com/Book John to Speak: https://johnrmiles.com/speaking/Keynotes, books, podcast, and resources: https://linktr.ee/John_R_MilesChildren’s Book — You Matter, Luma: https://youmatterluma.com/Substack: