Passion Struck with John R. Miles

In this engaging discussion, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Charles Duhigg, known for his bestselling works on habits and communication, reveals the art of extraordinary conversations. He explains how to mend connections through specific strategies, like initiating repair conversations with empathy and mutual goals. Duhigg emphasizes the importance of listening to demonstrate mattering while addressing the nuances of conflict and emotional responses. He also shares techniques for reconnecting with estranged loved ones, enhancing relationships through intentional dialogue and daily practices.

In this episode of Passion Struck, host John R. Miles sits down with Dr. Sunita Sah—physician, behavioral scientist, and author of Defy: The Power of No in a World That Demands Yes—to explore one of the most overlooked yet essential human forces: defiance.Part of our ongoing series The Forces That Shape Us, this conversation dives into why we struggle to say no, even when our inner voice knows we should. Dr. Sah reveals how subtle social pressures—from authority, hierarchy, and culture—can override our values and decisions without us realizing it. She explains the neuroscience behind compliance, why defying those pressures feels so uncomfortable, and how to develop the moral courage to stand firm when it matters most.Catch more of Dr. Sunita Sah: https://www.sunitasah.com/Click here for the full shownotes!🎧 Listen + Watch + Go DeeperAll episode resources—including guest links, my books You Matter, Luma and Passion Struck, The Ignited Life Substack, and Start Mattering store—are gathered here: 👉 linktr.ee/John_R_MilesTo learn more about Charles Duhigg, visit charlesduhigg.com.🎯 Fuel your body with purpose.  Get 20% OFF BUBS Naturals Collagen — clean, NSF Certified, and veteran-founded.  Use code **PASSIONSTRUCK** at [bubsnaturals.com]  After checkout, tell them our show sent you!⚡️ Feel younger, sharper, and stronger — from the inside out.  Get 20% OFF Mitopure Gummies from Timeline, powered by clinically-proven Urolithin A.  Head to [timeline.com/passionstruck]Your cells will thank you.✨ Join The Ignited Life CommunityIf this episode stirred something in you, The Ignited Life is where the transformation continues. Each week, I share behind-the-scenes insights, science-backed tools, and reflections to help you turn intention into action.🔗 Subscribe free at TheIgnitedLife.net💡 Support the Movement: Everyone deserves to feel valued and important. Show it. Wear it. Live it.Visit StartMattering.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Luck isn't just random chance—it's a hidden design that can be navigated. Discover how intuition acts as a biological radar, helping you spot opportunities others miss. Learn about the concept of 'settling for silver' as a strategic move rather than a compromise. The discussion explores the invisible structures shaping luck, like college admissions and equity. John shares his personal journey of overcoming adversity to design his own luck, providing listeners with practical steps to intentionally map their paths to success.

John brings on Wharton economist Judd B. Kessler to unpack why outcomes that look like luck are usually the product of hidden market designs. Kessler explains the three E’s—equity, efficiency, and ease—and why designers must make those tradeoffs explicit. He shows how to win in choose-me markets (jobs, dating, college admissions) by signaling clearly and sometimes prioritizing early commitment (e.g., early decision). In high-scarcity races (restaurant reservations, tickets), he argues for “settling for silver”—acting on a strong second choice first—to beat the crowd.The conversation gets tactical: how to stand out when AI drafts cover letters, why human connection cuts through noise, how public-school lotteries and clearinghouses really work, and how to make household labor fair using envy-freeness and full-stack task ownership (Conception-Planning-Execution). Listeners leave with a repeatable loop: see the market, learn the rules, choose the strategy—and start designing luck on purpose. Catch more of Judd Kessler: https://bepp.wharton.upenn.edu/profile/juddk/Click here for the full shownotes!Go Deeper: The Ignited Life SubstackIf this episode stirred something in you, The Ignited Life is where the transformation continues. Each week, I share behind-the-scenes insights, science-backed tools, and personal reflections to help you turn intention into action.Subscribe🔗  and get the companion resources delivered straight to your inbox.If you liked the show, please leave us a review—it only takes a moment and helps us reach more people! Don’t forget to include your Twitter or Instagram handle so we can thank you personally.Get the full companion workbook at TheIgnitedLife.netFull episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JohnRMilesListen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcastsEveryone deserves to feel valued and important. Show it by wearing it: https://startmattering.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this live episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles sits down with bestselling author and medical intuitive Amy Leigh Mercree to explore the profound connection between energy, awareness, and intentional living. They discuss how tuning into your personal energy field can enhance emotional regulation, deepen intuition, and improve how you show up in the world. Amy shares practical techniques for sensing and aligning energy, blending spiritual insight with grounded, actionable tools. Amy a bestselling author of more than fifteen books, including Aura Alchemy, A Little Bit of Chakras, and A Little Bit of MindfulnessAmy discusses how to turn your passion for healing into a thriving career of impact, purpose, and abundance, as a Certified Atomic Healing™ Method Medical Intuitive. Learn more: https://amyleighmercree.com/atomic-healing-method-certification/.Click here for the full shownotes!Go Deeper: The Ignited Life SubstackIf this episode stirred something in you, The Ignited Life is where the transformation continues. Each week, I share behind-the-scenes insights, science-backed tools, and personal reflections to help you turn intention into action.Subscribe🔗  and get the companion resources delivered straight to your inbox.If you liked the show, please leave us a review—it only takes a moment and helps us reach more people! Don’t forget to include your Twitter or Instagram handle so we can thank you personally.Get the full companion workbook at TheIgnitedLife.netFull episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JohnRMilesListen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcastsEveryone deserves to feel valued and important. Show it by wearing it: https://startmattering.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if doubt isn’t a weakness to overcome, but a gravitational force that pulls us toward meaning?In this powerful solo episode, John R. Miles kicks off the new Forces That Pull Us series by exploring doubt—an invisible psychological and cultural force that shapes our choices, our growth, and our sense of self. Drawing on insights from performance psychologist Michael Gervais, physician-researcher Brennan Spiegel, and business ethicist Bobby Parmar, John examines doubt from three angles:The Psychological Gravity — How doubt shows up internally, why FOPO (Fear of People’s Opinions) can paralyze us, and how elite performers learn to work with uncertainty rather than against it.The External Pull — How unseen technological and cultural forces shape what we notice and believe, based on Brennan Spiegel’s groundbreaking book Pull.Radical Doubt as a Skill — How Bobby Parmar’s framework transforms doubt from a source of anxiety into a disciplined tool for better decision-making.This episode offers practical tools for identifying, interrogating, and harnessing doubt in your own life—whether you’re making a major decision, leading a team, or confronting internal narratives that hold you back.Full shownotes HEREGo Deeper: The Ignited Life SubstackIf this episode stirred something in you, The Ignited Life is where the transformation continues. Each week, John shares behind-the-scenes insights, deeper dives into the episodes, workbooks, science-backed tools, and personal reflections to help you turn intention into action.Get the full companion workbook at TheIgnitedLife.netFull episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JohnRMilesListen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcastsEveryone deserves to feel valued and important. Show it by wearing it: https://startmattering.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles sits down with Dr. Bidhan “Bobby” Parmar, Shannon G. Smith Bicentennial Professor of Business Administration at UVA’s Darden School and author of Radical Doubt: Turning Uncertainty into Surefire Success. Together, they unpack why doubt isn’t a weakness to overcome but a force to harness.Bobby explains how our brains rely on three systems—pursue, protect, and pause—and why learning to strengthen the “pause” system can transform how we make decisions in moments of uncertainty. They explore why information alone doesn’t change behavior, the dangers of being a “right-answer getter,” and how to become a “better-answer maker.” Through real-world examples ranging from career paralysis to leadership dilemmas, Bobby offers tools for using doubt as a catalyst for clarity, resilience, and smarter choices.Whether you’re leading a team, making big life decisions, or simply navigating the unknown, this conversation reframes doubt as the superpower you’ve been overlooking.To learn more about Dr. Bobby Parmar: https://www.darden.virginia.edu/faculty-research/directory/bidhan-l-parmarClick here for the full shownotes!Go Deeper: The Ignited Life SubstackIf this episode stirred something in you, The Ignited Life is where the transformation continues. Each week, I share behind-the-scenes insights, science-backed tools, and personal reflections to help you turn intention into action.Subscribe🔗  and get the companion resources delivered straight to your inbox.If you liked the show, please leave us a review—it only takes a moment and helps us reach more people! Don’t forget to include your Twitter or Instagram handle so we can thank you personally.Get the full companion workbook at TheIgnitedLife.netFull episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JohnRMilesListen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcastsEveryone deserves to feel valued and important. Show it by wearing it: https://startmattering.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Gravity is everywhere—yet we rarely think about its impact on our health. In this episode, Dr. Brennan Spiegel, UCLA Professor and author of the groundbreaking new book Pull: How Gravity Shapes Your Body, Steadies the Mind, and Guides Our Health, joins John R. Miles to reframe gravity not just as a force of physics, but as a hidden variable in human health and resilience.They explore how posture, balance, grip strength, and heart rate variability reveal your “gravity relationship,” why serotonin is really a “gravity management substance,” and how gut health, mood, and even mental states like anxiety and depression are shaped by gravitational forces. Spiegel introduces concepts like “gravity intolerance,” “graviception,” and “gravi types,” showing how simple practices, from standing desks and rucking to inverted yoga, can help you find your personal Goldilocks zone for optimal health.This conversation will change how you think about your body, your mind, and the invisible forces pulling on both.Click here for the full shownotes!Go Deeper: The Ignited Life SubstackIf this episode stirred something in you, The Ignited Life is where the transformation continues. Each week, I share behind-the-scenes insights, science-backed tools, and personal reflections to help you turn intention into action.Subscribe🔗  and get the companion resources delivered straight to your inbox.If you liked the show, please leave us a review—it only takes a moment and helps us reach more people! Don’t forget to include your Twitter or Instagram handle so we can thank you personally.Get the full companion workbook at TheIgnitedLife.netFull episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JohnRMilesListen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcastsEveryone deserves to feel valued and important. Show it by wearing it: https://startmattering.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What is the story you’re telling yourself right now?It may not feel like it, but every single one of us is living inside a story. Psychologists call it a self-narrative — the ongoing script that explains who we are, how we got here, and where we’re headed next. These stories shape what we notice, what we ignore, and what we believe is possible.If your inner story says, “I’m not enough,” then every critique, silence, or setback feels like proof of inadequacy. But if your story says, “I am resilient, I am growing,” those same experiences become evidence of strength. The circumstances don’t change. The story does.In this final episode of my Decoding Humanity series, we’re looking at the power of story: why it matters, how it’s formed, and how you can begin to rewrite it using the S.T.O.R.Y. framework.Full shownotes HEREGo Deeper: The Ignited Life SubstackIf this episode stirred something in you, The Ignited Life is where the transformation continues. Each week, John shares behind-the-scenes insights, deeper dives into the episodes, workbooks, science-backed tools, and personal reflections to help you turn intention into action.Get the full companion workbook at TheIgnitedLife.netFull episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JohnRMilesListen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcastsEveryone deserves to feel valued and important. Show it by wearing it: https://startmattering.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Life has a way of testing us in ways we never imagined. For some, those tests are inconveniences or temporary setbacks. For others, like Sandy Yozipovic, there are battles that most of us could not even fathom. Imagine one day waking up paralyzed from Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare autoimmune disease that attacks the nervous system. And then, years later, you are told you have Stage 4 cancer, and the prognosis is grim.Most people would crumble under the weight of such a diagnosis. Sandy faced both. Yet, instead of surrendering, she chose to stack the odds in her favor and build a life of faith, resilience, and healing.Her story, which she shared with me on the Passion Struck podcast, isn’t just about survival. It’s about how to live intentionally when life delivers its harshest blows. It’s about finding strength in the unseen, turning fear into faith, and proving what it looks like to truly overcome impossible odds.Sandy is co-founder and President of Fullness of Life Foundation –a nonprofit that provides public information, education, and awareness regarding the use of advanced, integrative medicine in the prevention and treatment of cancer and other chronic diseases. Their “Give Them Wings” program helps with the financial barriers that families face by sponsoring the treatment for children with life-threatening cancer or other diseases. Her healing journey led her to the Envita Medical Center in Scottsdale, Arizona, where she experienced firsthand the power of integrative and personalized medicine. Click here for the full shownotes!Go Deeper: The Ignited Life SubstackIf this episode stirred something in you, The Ignited Life is where the transformation continues. Each week, I share behind-the-scenes insights, science-backed tools, and personal reflections to help you turn intention into action.Subscribe🔗  and get the companion resources delivered straight to your inbox.If you liked the show, please leave us a review—it only takes a moment and helps us reach more people! Don’t forget to include your Twitter or Instagram handle so we can thank you personally.Get the full companion workbook at TheIgnitedLife.netFull episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@JohnRMilesListen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcastsEveryone deserves to feel valued and important. Show it by wearing it: https://startmattering.com/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.