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Passion Struck with John R. Miles

Passion Struck with John R. Miles

By: Passion Struck with John R. Miles
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You built the life you were supposed to want. So why doesn't it feel like enough?

Passion Struck with John R. Miles is the #1 alternative health podcast exploring the deepest questions of human well-being — how we think, how we feel, how we connect, and how we build lives that don't quietly hollow us out from the inside. Hosted by bestselling author, Navy veteran, and former Fortune 50 executive John R. Miles, this is the show for anyone who wants to understand themselves more deeply and live more fully.

Every week, John sits down with the world's leading voices across neuroscience, psychology, medicine, philosophy, sports, business, and the arts — guests like Seth Godin, Ryan Holiday, Susan Cain, Mark Hyman, Angela Duckworth, and Arthur Brooks. Together, they explore what it actually takes to build a life that feels like yours—how to strengthen your mind and body, build relationships that sustain you, find purpose before you’ve lost it or reclaim it after you have, and break free from stress, numbness, and the quiet drift of going through the motions.

Whether you're 26 and trying to build your life the right way from the start, or 43 and wondering why the life you built doesn't feel like yours, this show meets you exactly where you are. Because the questions you're carrying deserve real answers.

New episodes every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.

85 Million Downloads | Gold Stevie Award | Davey Gold for Social ImpactCopyright John Miles Alternative & Complementary Medicine Hygiene & Healthy Living Personal Development Personal Success Psychology Psychology & Mental Health
Episodes
  • What Are The Hidden Attachments Running Your Life | John R. Miles - EP 783

    What Are The Hidden Attachments Running Your Life | John R. Miles - EP 783
    Jun 19 2026
    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 Chose—a metaphor for the emotional survival strategies, protective identities, and hidden attachments we carry long after they have outlived their purpose. Drawing on attachment psychology, neuroscience, William James' concept of the "I" and the "Me," and his own journey through burnout and corporate leadership, John reveals why so many of us confuse our coping strategies with who we really are.You'll discover why perfectionism, hyper-independence, people-pleasing, and the relentless pursuit of achievement often begin as adaptive responses to early life experiences—and how those same strategies can quietly become barriers to authentic connection, belonging, and mattering.In this episode, you'll learn:Why hidden attachments are often more powerful than attachment styles aloneHow childhood survival strategies become adult identitiesWhy perfectionism, people-pleasing, hyper-independence, and overachievement are forms of emotional self-protectionThe surprising reason your brain prefers familiar pain over unfamiliar freedomHow your nervous system influences your relationships, choices, and emotional reactionsWilliam James' powerful distinction between the "Me" and the "I"—and how it can transform the way you see yourselfWhy identities often feel safer than intimacyA practical framework for recognizing the emotional "backpack" you've been carrying throughout your lifeHow to begin releasing outdated survival strategies through intentional micro-choices and self-compassionThe one question that can change everything: "Does this still belong to me?"This episode is an invitation to stop mistaking your protective patterns for your identity. Because the version of you that learned how to survive your past isn't necessarily the version that's meant to lead your future. Healing doesn't begin by becoming someone new—it begins by choosing what you're finally ready to set down.Passion Struck is the #1 Health and Wellness Podcast and personal growth podcast dedicated to helping people live intentionally, unlock human potential, and build lives rooted in meaning, purpose, belonging, and mattering.Limited-Time OffersShopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at SHOPIFY.COM/PASSIONSTRUCKFunction Health: Visit functionhealth.com/PASSION or use code PASSION25 for a $25 credit toward your membership.FODZYME: Get 30% off your first order at ICanEatAgain.com/PASSIONSTRUCK.Full Show NotesDownload the Digital WorkbookIf this episode resonated with you, please follow the show, leave a review, and share it with someone who may be carrying an invisible backpack of their own. Together, we can create a world where more people feel seen, valued, and deeply connected.Connect 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: https://www.theignitedlife.net/Support the Movement: https://startmattering.com/. Every human deserves to feel seen, valued, and like they matter. Wear it. Live it. Show it.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.
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    20 mins
  • How to Rewire Your Attachment Style | Adam Lane Smith - EP 782

    How to Rewire Your Attachment Style | Adam Lane Smith - EP 782
    Jun 18 2026
    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, burnout, and even our physical health. Together, John and Adam examine why relationship chaos isn't random, how early family systems program our nervous system for survival instead of connection, and why so many high achievers unknowingly sacrifice belonging in pursuit of performance.Their conversation explores the biology of attachment, the role of oxytocin, cortisol, serotonin, and dopamine in shaping behavior, why modern work environments often reinforce insecure attachment, and how secure relationships become the foundation for resilience, purpose, and flourishing. Adam also introduces practical frameworks for regulating the nervous system, rebuilding trust, creating healthier relationships, and breaking generational cycles that keep families stuck.In this episode, you'll learn:Why attachment styles are formed in childhood—and continue shaping adult relationshipsHow anxious and avoidant attachment quietly influence leadership, work, and family lifeThe biological connection between loneliness, anxiety, depression, and human connectionWhy so many high achievers succeed professionally while struggling emotionallyHow insecure attachment contributes to burnout, workaholism, and relationship breakdownThe hidden reason Gen Z is delaying marriage, relationships, and family formationAdam's framework: Ownership + Skills + New Experiences = Lasting ChangePractical techniques to regulate your nervous system before trying to change your behaviorHow secure attachment transforms parenting, leadership, communication, and long-term fulfillmentWhy meaningful relationships—not achievement alone—are the foundation of a flourishing lifeThis conversation offers a science-backed roadmap for understanding why we become who we are, how our earliest relationships continue influencing us decades later, and what it takes to intentionally build the secure connections that help us thrive.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 Adam Lane Smith:Website: https://adamlanesmith.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AttachmentAdamInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/attachmentadamConnect 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: https://www.theignitedlife.net/Support the Movement: https://startmattering.com/. Every human deserves to feel seen, valued, and like they matter. Wear it. Live it. Show it.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.
    Show More Show Less
    59 mins
  • Why Do We Keep Repeating the Same Mistakes? | Kati Morton - EP 781

    Why Do We Keep Repeating the Same Mistakes? | Kati Morton - EP 781
    Jun 16 2026
    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 relationships, careers, self-worth, and sense of identity.Their conversation explores why achievement can become a substitute for belonging, how fear quietly drives many of our decisions, and why lasting change begins not with self-judgment but with curiosity. Along the way, they discuss anti-mattering, burnout, fawning, autonomy, self-discrepancy, and the power of micro-choices to reshape our lives.In this episode, you'll learn:Why perfectionism, overworking, and burnout are often fear-based protective behaviorsHow childhood experiences create the relationship blueprints that shape adult lifeThe hidden connection between people-pleasing, fawning, and self-abandonmentWhy so many high achievers struggle with feeling unseen despite their successHow anti-mattering contributes to loneliness, disengagement, depression, and burnoutThe difference between living intentionally and living on autopilotWhy small, consistent micro-choices often create more lasting change than dramatic life overhaulsHow journaling and self-reflection help uncover the beliefs driving repeated patternsPractical ways to reconnect with yourself and build a life that aligns with your valuesThis conversation offers a compassionate roadmap for understanding the habits that once protected us, while learning how to move forward with greater self-awareness, authenticity, and intention.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 dot com slash PASSION or use gift code PASSION25 for a $25 credit toward your membership.FODZYME: Get 30% off your first order when you go to: ICanEatAgain.com/PASSIONSTRUCKFull Show Notes Here: https://passionstruck.com/why-do-i-keep-doing-this-kati-morton/Download the Digital Workbook: https://www.theignitedlife.net/p/high-achievers-repeat-safe-patternsLearn more about Kati Morton:Website: https://katimorton.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KatimortonPodcast: Ask Kati AnythingConnect 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: https://www.theignitedlife.net/Support the Movement: https://startmattering.com/. Every human deserves to feel seen, valued, and like they matter. Wear it. Live it. Show it.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.
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    1 hr and 1 min
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