The Kevin Miller Podcast

Sometimes an analogy comes along that just clicks. It takes information you may have heard before and helps drive it home. That is what happened with my guest in this show regarding the brain chemicals that fuel our drive and motive. TJ POWER is a neuroscientist and innovator in the area of mental health. His work focuses on providing easy-to-adopt, scientifically backed teachings that empower people to take action towards healthier lifestyles. He has a really big following and when I got his book, I understood why. The book is, The DOSE Effect: Optimize Your Brain & Body By Boosting Your Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin, and Endorphins, and in it, TJs explanations helped me see how I am increasing or depleting the brain chemicals I rely on to do the important work in my life. Most of us have heard much about dopamine, but do we really understand how we increase and decrease it? Then also, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins. Now the point isn’t to understand each one fluently, but to understand how they help us and what we are doing in our everyday lives that help or hurt them. I was most interested in what I learned about how I’m depleting some of these chemicals early in the day, and then later it feels like I’m lacking drive and motivation. I trust in listening to this conversation, you will be able to understand what these chemicals do for us and like me, now understand how to far better leverage them to do the things you truly want to do. You can find TJ Powers on Instagram @tjpower.Sign up for your $1/month trial period at shopify.com/kevinGo to shipstation.com and use code KEVIN to start your free trial.Use my promo code WHATDRIVESYOU for 10% off on any CleanMyMac's subscription plans Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the world of personal development you hear a lot of stories of people making huge changes. Rags to riches, zero to hero, and massive life turn-arounds. It makes for a great story, but is it relevant for us? In 2003 I was at a critical juncture in my life where I'd bit off more than I could chew. I abruptly quit my cycling career and business, moved my wife and three kids cross country and started a new life. It was needed. Since then, most changes have not been quite so massive. We tend to look at the circumstances to guide, if not force us to action. But now I pay attention to where my heart is. With that in mind, I bring you a story that I feel will help you consider where you are. Rich Roll. The guys is famous for his story, and today, his gigantic podcast, the Rich Roll show. Years back I sat down with Rich to dig into his story. Here are the highlights; Rich was 39 years old with degrees from Stanford and Cornell. He was a corporate lawyer, married with three kids living in a dream house he'd built. Then one evening he finds himself at home, it's 2am and he's spent hours watching TV and eating junk food and he's winded after walking up eight steps in his home. An image of his wife and daughter at her wedding in the future, and he wasn't there. He'd died from ill health. He looked in the mirror and saw a fat, out of shape, very unhealthy man, depressed, self-destructive and utterly disconnected from who he was and what he wanted to be. He said, “In that precise moment, I was overcome with the profound knowledge, not that I needed to change, but that I was WILLING to change. And I understood that any true or lasting lifestyle change would require rigor, specificity, and accountability. Vague notions of “eating better” or maybe “going to the gym more often” just weren’t going to work.” And, the rest you're about to hear more about. He became an ultra endurance athlete and now is a brand, in and of himself, of healthy living and life transformation. Find him on your podcast player, just search for Rich Roll.Sign up for your $1/month trial period at shopify.com/kevinGo to shipstation.com and use code KEVIN to start your free trial.Use my promo code WHATDRIVESYOU for 10% off on any CleanMyMac's subscription plans Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anytime a question like this is posed, you really expect that it’s bait to pull you in and emphasize in this case, how we really, massively need community. I’m not going to do that. I’m quite an introvert and I don’t often enjoy groups of people. I want to look at what community can look like for different people. My muse continues to be Ian Morgan Cron from his new book, The Fix: How the Twelve Steps Offer a Surprising Path of Transformation for the Well-Adjusted, the Down-and-Out, and Everyone In Between. The 12 Steps came from AA, Alcoholics Anonymous, which I view as one of the most powerful and valuable communities ever. But I don’t see many communities that function as it does. I will cite some others however. The point though is, asking what the value really is, or isn’t, for each of us to consider.Sign up for your $1/month trial period at shopify.com/kevinGo to shipstation.com and use code KEVIN to start your free trial.Use my promo code WHATDRIVESYOU for 10% off on any CleanMyMac's subscription plans Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A couple episodes ago in my conversation with Ian Morgan Cron on addiction and the benefits of 12 steps, he started off talking about the “great human ache” we all feel and are trying to address. Ian is a man of faith, actually an Episcopal priest along with all his other roles. For him the ache is an aspect of separation from God. That is his faith. It may not be yours. It may not be mine. But in my own experience as a human, and in walking with so many, the concept of an underlying ache, interests me. It resonates some, but I also question it. So that’s this short episode…some thoughts and questions about the great human ache or what else may be troubling us beneath the surface. Ian’s new book again is The Fix: How the Twelve Steps Offer a Surprising Path of Transformation for the Well-Adjusted, the Down-and-Out, and Everyone In Between. Also find him at his popular podcast, Typology.Sign up for your $1/month trial period at shopify.com/kevinGo to shipstation.com and use code KEVIN to start your free trial.Use my promo code WHATDRIVESYOU for 10% off on any CleanMyMac's subscription plans Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I’ve often heard addiction debated, as to what really defines it. I typed into a search engine, “How do you define addiction” and this is what it showed; Addiction is when you have a strong physical or psychological need or urge to do something or use something. It is a dependence on a substance or activity even if you know that it causes you harm. It can impact your daily life. I don’t want to be flippant, but from that definition I’d say every one of us is on a spectrum of addiction. I don’t look at it as addicted or not, but how addicted to our vices are we. I think about this often, as I really, really like liking what I like. I love loving my pleasures. But I also concern myself with going too far. I’ll get candid with you here and follow in the footsteps of my guest in the previous episode, Ian Morgan Cron, as he shared about his ongoing struggles in his new book, The Fix: How the Twelve Steps Offer a Surprising Path of Transformation for the Well-Adjusted, the Down-and-Out, and Everyone In Between. Also find him at his popular podcast, Typology.Sign up for your $1/month trial period at shopify.com/kevinGo to shipstation.com and use code KEVIN to start your free trial.Use my promo code WHATDRIVESYOU for 10% off on any CleanMyMac's subscription plans Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ian Morgan Cron, a bestselling author and psychotherapist, shares his insightful journey through addiction and recovery. He emphasizes the broad relevance of the 12 steps, highlighting the importance of community and personal growth. Ian candidly discusses his struggles with substances and how vulnerability can foster connection and transformation. He explores the human experience of existential emptiness and the healing power of acceptance and forgiveness, ultimately illustrating how the 12 steps can guide anyone toward well-being.

Lewis Howes, host of "The School of Greatness" and a former pro athlete, dives deep into the masks we all wear to fit societal expectations. He discusses the liberation that comes from shedding these facades and embracing authenticity. Challenging the notions of masculinity, he highlights the emotional struggles men face and the essential role of vulnerability and connection. Howes emphasizes that true self-worth stems from within, not external validation, urging listeners to reflect on their journeys toward emotional freedom.

What drives our pursuit of success? It often boils down to a quest for well-being. The speaker dives deep into the motivations behind our goals, suggesting that many of our desires are simply efforts to feel a certain way. With inspiring anecdotes, they emphasize the importance of internal happiness over external achievements. Excitement builds as they discuss launching a new business and the joy of entrepreneurship, alongside must-have tools like Shopify and ShipStation for aspiring business owners.

The discussion begins by contrasting beloved books with those that truly inspire change. Insights gained from self-help literature often don’t translate into action. A lively interaction on social media reveals a gap between knowledge acquisition and practical application in life. The hosts challenge listeners to reflect on how their reading habits can foster personal growth. They also touch on using books as workbooks for deeper reflection and share entrepreneurial tips for enhancing online business practices.

The discussion kicks off by examining how life's obstacles often cloud our true desires. Listeners are prompted to visualize a life free from constraints and consider what passions would fill their time. The conversation then delves into the difference between genuine goals and mere conveniences, urging a focus on meaningful pursuits in areas like health and relationships. Finally, the speaker emphasizes the significance of personal hobbies for self-care and growth, while also touching on tools that enhance e-commerce for modern convenience.