• 54 minutes 8 seconds
    Can Love Be a Fierce Business Force? | Marcus Buckingham - EP 779
    In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles sits down with Marcus Buckingham, who is a global researcher, pioneer of the strengths movement, and bestselling author of First Break All the Rules, to explore one of the most provocative ideas in modern leadership: love as a fierce business force.

    Marcus reveals why extreme positive experiences, which people spontaneously describe using the word “love,” are the only true drivers of lasting customer loyalty, employee engagement, resilience, and performance. Drawing on extensive research, he introduces the five sequential feelings (control, harmony, significance, warmth, and growth) that leaders must intentionally design into every experience to help people flourish.

     In this episode, you'll learn:
    • Why love is the most powerful predictor of productive human behavior in business
    • The J-curve effect and why average experiences create zero behavioral change
    • The five sequential feelings required to design love into customer and employee experiences
    • How to become an “experience maker” who treats every interaction as a cohesive stage play
    • Why the founder’s flame matters and what happens when organizations drift into loveless machines
    • The difference between fleeting moments and transformative experiences that shape long-term loyalty and growth
    • Practical ways to design more loving experiences in meetings, customer interactions, and team leadership
    This conversation reframes leadership as the art of designing human experiences that allow people to shed their armor and become more fully themselves — turning love from a soft concept into a measurable, strategic force for human flourishing and business vitality.

    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:
    • FODZYME: Get 30% off your first order when you go to: ICanEatAgain.com/PASSIONSTRUCK
    • Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at SHOPIFY.COM/PASSIONSTRUCK
    Full Show Notes Here
    Download the Digital Workbook

    Read the Companion Substack Article

    Learn more about Marcus Buckingham:
    Website: https://marcusbuckingham.com/
    Book: Design Love In

    Connect with John

    Support the Movement: https://startmattering.com/. Every human deserves to feel seen, valued, and like they matter. Wear it. Live it. Show it.

    Disclaimer

    The 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.

    11 June 2026, 4:05 am
  • 1 hour 11 minutes
    Why People Hear Something Different Than What You Said | Greg McKeown - EP 778
    In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles sits down with Greg McKeown — bestselling author of Essentialism and Effortless, host of the What’s Essential podcast, and doctoral researcher at the University of Cambridge — to explore the hidden barrier holding back relationships, teams, and personal growth: confident misunderstanding.

    Greg reveals why most of us dramatically overestimate how well we understand others and how well we are understood. This gap, fueled by emotional noise, creates disconnection in marriages, parenting, workplaces, and society at large. Together, John and Greg examine how reducing emotional noise can dramatically improve clarity, rebuild mattering, and unlock better communication in every area of life.

    In this episode, you'll learn:
    • Why confident misunderstanding is the primary bottleneck to living an essential and effortless life
    • How clarity equals signal divided by noise — and why lowering noise matters more than raising your voice
    • The powerful 4-step Listening Loop (Listen → Reflect → Speak → Confirm) that creates safety and real understanding
    • How Satya Nadella transformed Microsoft’s culture using nonviolent communication and deep listening
    • The remarkable story of how interrogator Eric Maddox located Saddam Hussein by “erasing his mind” and truly listening
    • Why the deepest insights about ourselves come through interpersonal dialogue, not solitary overthinking
    • Practical ways to reduce emotional noise and rebuild mattering in relationships, leadership, and polarized conversations
    This conversation is ultimately about the foundation of human flourishing: the ability to truly see, hear, and understand one another. In a world of increasing disorientation and division, Greg McKeown offers a practical path to close the understanding gap and create deeper connection.

    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:
    • FODZYME: Get 30% off your first order when you go to: ICanEatAgain.com/PASSIONSTRUCK
    • Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at SHOPIFY.COM/PASSIONSTRUCK
    Full Show Notes Here: https://passionstruck.com/greg-mckeown-confident-misunderstanding/
    Download the Companion Workbook and Substack Article

    Learn more about Greg McKeown:
    Website: https://gregmckeown.com/
    Podcast: What’s Essential Books: Essentialism and Effortless Free Course: Less But Better (gregmckeown.com)

    Connect with John

    Support the Movement: https://startmattering.com/. Every human deserves to feel seen, valued, and like they matter. Wear it. Live it. Show it.

    Disclaimer

    The 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.

    9 June 2026, 4:05 am
  • 26 minutes 46 seconds
    Why You Feel Invisible in a Connected World | John R. Miles - EP 777
    In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles explores one of the defining challenges of modern life: why so many people feel invisible in a world that has never been more connected. Drawing on the Civil War phenomenon of acoustic shadows, insights from Eric Ries and Dr. John La Puma, and themes from his forthcoming book The Mattering Effect, John reveals how millions of people are living in a state of quiet disconnection—surrounded by information, productivity tools, and digital networks, yet increasingly cut off from belonging, significance, and genuine human connection.

    As artificial intelligence reshapes careers, institutions become more impersonal, and digital life pulls us further indoors, many people find themselves trapped in what John calls the "pinball life"—a reactive existence spent bouncing between demands, notifications, metrics, and expectations. The result is a growing mattering gap: the painful feeling that your output is valued while your humanity is overlooked.

    Through powerful examples from WALL-E, modern workplace culture, parenting, environmental psychology, and behavioral science, John explains why optimization alone cannot solve our loneliness, why survival mode often disguises itself as ambition, and how reclaiming presence is the first step toward rebuilding a life rooted in significance rather than performance.

    In this episode, you'll learn:
    • The Civil War phenomenon of acoustic shadows offers a powerful metaphor for modern loneliness and disconnection.
    • How AI-driven uncertainty is reshaping careers and contributing to a growing crisis of visibility and relevance.
    • The hidden psychological cost of treating yourself like a machine in a performance-driven culture.
    • Why many high achievers are trapped in survival mode while mistaking it for ambition.
    • How the Indoor Epidemic is shrinking our world and weakening the everyday interactions that build belonging.
    • Why digital proximity often creates the illusion of connection without delivering genuine human significance.
    • The concept of the "pinball life" and how reactive living erodes agency, presence, and self-worth.
    • What WALL-E teaches us about optimization, awareness, and reclaiming our humanity.
    • Three practical ways to step out of survival mode and reconnect with yourself and the people around you.
    • Why mattering is not something you achieve through proof, but something you experience through presence.
    If you've ever felt exhausted despite your accomplishments, invisible despite your efforts, or disconnected despite being constantly connected, this episode offers a powerful framework for understanding the forces shaping modern life—and a roadmap for finding your way back to what matters most.

    Passion Struck is the #1 alternative health 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
    FODZYME: Get 30% off your first order at ICanEatAgain.com/PASSIONSTRUCK
    Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial at SHOPIFY.COM/PASSIONSTRUCK

    Resources: 


    Connect with John

    Support the Movement: https://startmattering.com/. Every human deserves to feel seen, valued, and like they matter. Wear it. Live it. Show it.

    Disclaimer

    The 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.

    5 June 2026, 4:05 am
  • 1 hour 4 minutes
    Why Living Indoors Is Making You Sick, Tired, and Burned Out | Dr. John La Puma - EP 776
    In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles sits down with physician, bestselling author, and lifestyle medicine pioneer Dr. John La Puma to explore what he calls the Indoor Epidemic—the growing disconnect between the environments humans evolved to live in and the environments where we now spend nearly 93% of our lives.

    From artificial light and screen saturation to poor indoor air quality and the loss of daily contact with nature, Dr. La Puma explains how modern indoor living may be quietly contributing to fatigue, burnout, brain fog, poor sleep, chronic stress, and declining well-being. He argues that many of the symptoms we blame on mindset, aging, or productivity pressures may actually stem from environmental dysregulation.
    Together, John and Dr. La Puma explore the science behind morning sunlight, outdoor exercise, forest bathing, healthy soil, immune function, cognitive performance, and why nature may be one of the most overlooked forms of medicine available today.

    In this episode, you'll learn:
    • Why burnout may be an environmental problem—not just a psychological one
    • How indoor living disrupts sleep, energy, focus, and recovery
    • The surprising cognitive costs of poor air quality and excessive screen time
    • Why morning sunlight is critical for deep sleep and long-term health
    • How forest bathing strengthens immunity and reduces stress
    • Simple ways to turn everyday outdoor moments into powerful health interventions 

    This conversation is ultimately about alignment—whether the environments we've created are supporting the biology we've inherited, and what happens when we reconnect with the natural rhythms 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:
    • FODZYME: Get 30% off your first order when you go to: ICanEatAgain.com/PASSIONSTRUCK
    • Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at SHOPIFY.COM/PASSIONSTRUCK
    Full Show Notes Here

    Download the companion Substack Article and Workbook

    Learn more about  Dr. John La Puma:
    Website: https://www.drjohnlapuma.com/
    Get the book: Indoor Epidemic 

    Connect with John

    Support the Movement: https://startmattering.com/. Every human deserves to feel seen, valued, and like they matter. Wear it. Live it. Show it.

    Disclaimer

    The 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.

    4 June 2026, 4:05 am
  • 53 minutes 41 seconds
    Why Good Companies Lose Their Humanity | Eric Ries - EP 775
    Why do good companies lose their humanity? In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles sits down with entrepreneur, author, and Lean Startup creator Eric Ries to explore a growing crisis hiding in plain sight: why so many people no longer trust the institutions that shape their lives. From global corporations and banks to everyday organizations, many entities begin with a clear mission to serve but gradually drift away from the core values that made them meaningful in the first place.

    Drawing from his groundbreaking new book, Incorruptible: Why Good Companies Go Bad and How Great Companies Stay Great, Eric explains how mission-driven organizations become vulnerable to "financial gravity"—the powerful systemic force that slowly pulls leaders away from long-term value creation and toward short-term extraction. Together, John and Eric examine why trust is the most valuable asset an organization can possess, how successful companies lose their soul, and what leaders can do to build institutions that remain aligned with their purpose for generations.

    Through the lens of real-world stories involving Costco, HEB, FedMart, Silicon Valley Bank, Walmart, Microsoft, and Amazon, this conversation reveals why organizational trust is eroding across society and what it takes to create companies that people genuinely believe in.

    In this episode, you will learn:
    • The hidden force of financial gravity and how it quietly reshapes organizational behavior.
    • Why organizations routinely lose their humanity as they become more successful.
    • The tragic story of Sol Price, FedMart, and the governance secrets that protect Costco today.
    • The critical operational difference between shareholder primacy and mission primacy.
    • Why Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse offers vital lessons about corporate purpose and integrity.
    • The concept of the invisible leader and why shared purpose shapes behavior more powerfully than hierarchy. Practical blueprints for founders, executives, entrepreneurs, and leaders who want to build organizations that endure without losing their soul.

    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:
    • FODZYME: Get 30% off your first order when you go to ICanEatAgain.com/PASSIONSTRUCK
    • Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at SHOPIFY.COM/PASSIONSTRUCK
    Full Show Notes

    Download the companion Substack Article and Workbook

    Learn More About Eric Ries: https://www.ericries.com

    Get Eric's New Book: Incorruptible: Why Good Companies Go Bad and How Great Companies Stay Great

    Connect with John

    Support the Movement: https://startmattering.com/. Every human deserves to feel seen, valued, and like they matter. Wear it. Live it. Show it.

    Disclaimer

    The 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.

    2 June 2026, 4:05 am
  • 17 minutes 32 seconds
    How to Make Your Struggles Meaningful | John R. Miles - EP 774
    In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles pulls back the curtain on the final phase of personal transformation, drawing on the timeless narrative of The Shawshank Redemption, behavioral coach Eric Zimmer, and Say It Now founder Walter Green to confront a challenging human truth: why your greatest struggles are never meant to be private secrets. We live in a hyper-optimized culture that treats growth like a localized fortress—focusing heavily on our own routines, boundaries, and self-preservation. This intense focus on individual performance often leaves us isolated, trapped on an endless corporate scoreboard while forgetting that true human flourishing requires an outward pivot toward generative contribution.

    Through a profound exploration of Andy Dufresne’s quiet prison library campaign and the three major chapters of human development, John reveals how turning adversity into contribution can permanently break through the isolation that lines our daily lives. This episode explores why massive lifestyle overhauls fail due to biological friction, how a series of small, low-resistance actions build invisible momentum until a little becomes a lot, and how to practice the art of specific, living gratitude before it is too late. John models this vulnerability through his own story of unexpressed appreciation for a high school teammate, offering a gentle roadmap to put a clear flashlight on our closest relationships today.

    In this episode, you’ll learn:
    • Why massive life overhauls trigger biological friction and cause an endless cycle of starting over.
    • How Andy Dufresne used low-resistance actions to turn a brutal prison environment into a generative space.
    • The three life chapters—knowing yourself, making yourself, and becoming yourself—and how to navigate them.
    • The hidden trap of the making chapter and why elite success often leaves high performers feeling isolated and lonely.
    • Why our culture routinely postpones deep validation for the funeral and how to permanently break that custom.
    • The profound psychological difference between generic compliments and radical, explicit relational specificity.
    • How to tell someone they matter using a simple, three-step practice for turning outward.
    • Why the human mind craves outcome-independent giving and how to let go of needing a specific response.
    • How to use your scars as a clear mirror to ignite a compounding ripple effect of hope across your community.
    If you’ve ever struggled with optimization fatigue, the isolating weight of professional achievement, or a nagging feeling that you are hoarding your hard-won wisdom inside a quiet fortress of self-preservation, this episode offers an honest, deeply human roadmap to turn your suffering into a living legacy.

    Passion Struck is the #1 alternative health and personal growth podcast dedicated to helping people live intentionally, unlock human potential, and create lives filled with meaning, purpose, and mattering.

    Limited Time Offer
    • FODZYME: 30% off your first order when you go to I Can Eat Again dot com slash PASSIONSTRUCK.
    • Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at SHOPIFY DOT COM SLASH passionstruck.
    Full Show Notes HERE

    Get the Companion Workbook:

    Connect with John

    Support the Movement: https://startmattering.com/. Every human deserves to feel seen, valued, and like they matter. Wear it. Live it. Show it.

    Disclaimer

    The 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.

    29 May 2026, 4:05 am
  • 1 hour 12 minutes
    Why You Need to Say It Now Rather Than Regret It Later | Walter Green - EP 773
    In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles sits down with Walter Green, author, mentor, and former corporate CEO, to confront a universal human truth: why you need to say it now rather than regret it later. We live in a fast-paced, performance-driven culture where we routinely postpone deep expressions of gratitude, leaving a profound emotional deficit in our closest relationships. This hesitation forces millions of people to walk through life feeling completely invisible, only for their loved ones to finally articulate their value during a funeral when it is too late for them to hear it.

    Through his global initiative, the Say It Now movement, and his foundational book, This Is the Moment, Walter reveals how replacing traditional, posthumous eulogies with living tributes can fundamentally heal our relationships. This conversation explores the hidden grief of unspoken gratitude, the vital difference between being loved for what you do versus being valued for who you are, and how to move past social awkwardness to communicate specific appreciation while the people we care about are still here to hear it.In this episode, you’ll learn:
    • Why we routinely postpone our deepest expressions of appreciation and how to break that loop.
    • The profound psychological difference between being loved for a role and feeling like your existence truly matters.
    • How Walter Green transitioned from a 25-year corporate career to launching a global movement of human connection.
    • The anatomy of a living tribute and how to celebrate the people you love while they are still alive.
    • Why the human brain craves relational safety and how unspoken gratitude creates a hidden, long-term grief.
    • Practical ways to move past social awkwardness and articulate specific, unconditional appreciation.
    • Lessons on performance, leadership, and authentic validation from Walter’s time lecturing at Wharton.
    • How a single, intentional cross-country journey to visit 44 life mentors sparked a global ripple effect.
    • How to step off the daily performance scoreboard and find true significance beyond what you produce.
    • Actionable steps to cultivate deeply meaningful relationships and permanently eliminate the prospect of deathbed regrets.
    If you’ve ever struggled with unspoken regrets, the weight of a busy schedule pulling you away from loved ones, or a nagging feeling that your worth is tied only to your daily utility, this episode offers an honest, deeply human roadmap toward authentic connection and mutual validation.

    Passion Struck is the #1 alternative health and personal growth podcast dedicated to helping people live intentionally, unlock human potential, and create lives filled with meaning, purpose, and mattering.

    Limited Time Offer

    Full Show Notes: https://passionstruck.com/feel-like-they-matter-walter-green/

    Get the Companion Workbook

    Learn More About Walter and the Movement: https://www.sayitnow.org

    Connect with John

    Support the Movement: https://startmattering.com/. Every human deserves to feel seen, valued, and like they matter. Wear it. Live it. Show it.

    Disclaimer

    The 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.

    28 May 2026, 4:05 am
  • 1 hour 2 minutes
    Why Lasting Change Happens One Small Choice at a Time | Eric Zimmer - EP 772
    In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles sits down with Eric Zimmer, behavioral coach, author, and host of the award-winning podcast The One You Feed, to discuss why so many people struggle to maintain consistent habits, the hidden psychological exhaustion of constant self-reinvention, and the science behind his upcoming book, How a Little Becomes a Lot. We live in a culture obsessed with radical life overhauls and hyper-optimization, yet this big-bang approach to personal growth often triggers burnout, friction, and an endless cycle of starting over.

    Through his extensive work in behavioral psychology, Eric reveals a truth that changes how we approach self-improvement: lasting transformation occurs through low-resistance actions consistently taken in the same direction over time. This conversation explores how to navigate the dry stretch of the long middle, neutralize the emotional drama of a setback using the renew framework, and shift away from a harsh internal critic toward a neuroscience-backed habit of self-compassion.

    In this episode, you’ll learn:
    • Why massive self-improvement overhauls often lead to burnout and failure
    • How to design low-resistance actions that bypass your brain's natural friction
    • The psychology of the long middle and how to maintain momentum when progress feels invisible
    • How to distinguish between habits of behavior and automated habits of thought
    • The five steps of the renew framework to recover quickly from any routine disruption
    • Why neutralizing emotional drama after a setback is the key to rebuilding self-trust
    • The biological reason why self-criticism paralyzes growth while self-compassion accelerates it
    • How to cultivate still points throughout your day to manage modern anxiety and uncertainty
    • The danger of weaponizing your suffering and confusing control with true emotional freedom
    • Practical ways to stop treating your worth like a daily performance scoreboard
    If you’ve ever struggled with optimization fatigue, perfectionism, self-sabotage, a loud internal critic, or the frustrating cycle of constantly restarting your routines, this episode offers a practical, human-centered roadmap toward sustainable growth and genuine self-trust.

    Passion Struck is the #1 alternative health and personal growth podcast dedicated to helping people live intentionally, unlock human potential, and create lives filled with meaning, purpose, and mattering.

    Limited Time Offer 

    Full Show Notes: https://passionstruck.com/small-changes-create-lasting-transformation/
    Get the Companion Workbook: https://www.theignitedlife.net/p/why-so-many-people-keep-starting

    Learn More About Eric: https://www.oneyoufeed.net

    Connect with John

    Support the Movement: https://startmattering.com/. Every human deserves to feel seen, valued, and like they matter. Wear it. Live it. Show it.

    Disclaimer

    The 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.

    26 May 2026, 4:05 am
  • 20 minutes 51 seconds
    Why Success Won’t Save You: The Alchemy of Real Change | John R. Miles - EP 771
    In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles reveals why achieving everything you ever wanted can still leave you feeling profoundly empty—and what real, radical transformation actually requires.

    Most of us treat personal growth like a home renovation project: we try to stack better habits, tighter routines, and sharper skills on top of the same old foundation. But true change—the kind that rewires who you are at the core—doesn’t work through simple addition. It demands dissolution.

    In part three of our solo series, Forged in Adversity, John explores the hidden architecture of profound human change through raw, unvarnished conversations with Amy Purdy and Blake Mycoskie, weaving in the timeless, cautionary, and triumphant lessons from The Count of Monte Cristo.

    Together, their stories expose a critical truth: Healing is not about patching up or returning to your old self. It is an alchemical process of burning away the armor that once saved you so that something entirely new can emerge.

    In this episode, you will learn:
    • The Modification Myth: Why trying to fix your life with new habits on a broken foundation is doomed to fail.
    • The Scoreboard Trap: How to stop tying your inherent worth to external achievements and performance.
    • The "Enough" Realization: How Blake Mycoskie transcended the hollow trap of "having it all."
    • Bounce Forward vs. Bounce Back: Why Amy Purdy’s philosophy of innovation is the key to surviving any crisis.
    • The Alchemy of Suffering: How to stop rearranging the furniture in a burning house and allow true transmutation.
    • Radical Identity: How to move from performance-based value to the liberating truth: I am enough simply because I exist.


    If you’ve ever succeeded on paper but felt hollow inside, lost your identity after a major crisis, or sensed that you are being asked to dismantle your old life to make room for something new—this episode will give you the vocabulary and the hope to step directly into the fire.


    Passion Struck is the #1 alternative health and personal growth podcast dedicated to helping you live intentionally, unlock your human potential, and create a life filled with meaning, purpose, and mattering.

    Special Offer: Take control of your health with Function Health—160+ lab tests a year for $365. Join at https://www.functionhealth.com/tcm/passion or use code PASSION25 for a $25 credit toward your membership.

    Full Show Notes & Resources: https://passionstruck.com/how-to-achieve-personal-transmutation/
    Download the Workbook for episode 771

    Connect with John

    Support the Movement: https://startmattering.com/. Every human deserves to feel seen, valued, and like they matter. Wear it. Live it. Show it.

    Disclaimer

    The 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.

    22 May 2026, 4:05 am
  • 55 minutes 8 seconds
    The Courage to Believe You Are Enough | Blake Mycoskie - EP 770
    In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles sits down with Blake Mycoskie, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and founder of TOMS, to discuss the hidden emotional cost of success, the mental health crisis affecting high-achievers, and the powerful message behind the We Are Enough movement. After building one of the world’s most iconic purpose-driven brands and donating over 100 million shoes, Blake had everything society tells us should create happiness—wealth, recognition, impact, and success. Yet beneath it all, he was privately battling depression, burnout, feelings of inadequacy, and suicidal ideation.

    Through his healing journey, Blake discovered a truth that changed his life: nothing external can heal the belief that you are not enough. This conversation explores why so many people tie their worth to achievement, productivity, comparison, and validation—and how reclaiming intrinsic self-worth can transform mental health, leadership, relationships, and purpose.

    In this episode, you’ll learn:
    • Why success and achievement often fail to create lasting fulfillment
    • How the belief of “not enough” shapes identity, ambition, and mental health
    • The hidden emotional toll of entrepreneurship and high-performance culture
    • Why comparison and external validation keep people trapped in cycles of inadequacy
    • How Blake Mycoskie’s healing journey inspired the We Are Enough movement
    • Practical tools for emotional healing, vulnerability, and self-acceptance
    • Why redefining worth can transform leadership, parenting, and relationships
    • How to stop chasing external validation and build a life rooted in intrinsic value
    • The importance of normalizing conversations around depression, burnout, and mental wellness
    • Why human connection is one of the most powerful antidotes to shame and isolation
    If you’ve ever struggled with burnout, anxiety, perfectionism, identity loss, emotional emptiness, or the feeling that no matter what you achieve, it’s never enough, this episode offers a powerful roadmap toward healing, authenticity, and self-worth.

    Passion Struck is the #1 alternative health and personal growth podcast dedicated to helping people live intentionally, unlock human potential, and create lives filled with meaning, purpose, and mattering.

    Limited Time Offer – Check out Function Health— 160+ lab tests a year for $365. Join at https://www.functionhealth.com/tcm/passion or use gift code PASSION25 for a $25 credit toward your membership.

    Full Show Notes: https://passionstruck.com/mycoskie-how-to-stop-chasing-external-validation/
    Get the Companion Workbook: https://www.theignitedlife.net/p/why-high-achievers-never-feel-like-enough-blake-mycoskie
    Join the Movement: We Are Enough

    Connect with John

    Support the Movement: https://startmattering.com/. Every human deserves to feel seen, valued, and like they matter. Wear it. Live it. Show it.

    Disclaimer

    The 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.

    21 May 2026, 4:05 am
  • 1 hour 12 minutes
    Amy Purdy on Resilience, Adversity, and How to Bounce Forward | EP 769
    In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles sits down with Paralympic medalist and bestselling author Amy Purdy to discuss resilience, adversity, gratitude, and reinvention. Amy shares the story of surviving meningococcal meningitis at age 19, losing both legs below the knee, rebuilding her life through adaptive snowboarding, and later facing another devastating health crisis that inspired her new book Bounce Forward. The conversation explores how to transform grief into hope, navigate uncertainty, build emotional resilience, and create meaning through hardship.

    In this episode, you’ll learn:
    • How Amy Purdy transformed unimaginable adversity into purpose and possibility
    • Why resilience is about “bouncing forward,” not bouncing back
    • The mindset shift that helped Amy rebuild her identity after losing both legs
    • How uncertainty can become a gateway to growth and reinvention
    • Why Paralympians often develop a deeper relationship with purpose and meaning
    • Practical tools for moving from grief to hope
    • How gratitude can reshape your perspective during difficult seasons
    • Why taking small, intentional steps creates lasting momentum
    • The importance of passion, creativity, and self-definition in overcoming hardship
    • How to stop letting adversity define your future
    If you’ve ever faced loss, uncertainty, burnout, identity shifts, physical challenges, or moments where life forced you to rebuild from the ground up, this conversation offers powerful insights on resilience, hope, and living beyond perceived limits.

    Passion Struck is the #1 alternative health and personal growth podcast dedicated to helping people live intentionally, unlock human potential, and create lives filled with meaning, purpose, and mattering.

    Limited Time Offer – Check out Function Health— 160+ lab tests a year for $365. Join at https://www.functionhealth.com/tcm/passion or use gift code PASSION25 for a $25 credit toward your membership.

    Full Show Notes:  https://passionstruck.com/amy-purdy-how-to-overcome-adversity/
    Get the Companion Workbook: https://www.theignitedlife.net/p/identity-after-trauma-amy-purdy

    Order Amy Purdy's new book, Bounce Forward: https://amzn.to/4tItuU4

    Connect with John

    Support the Movement: https://startmattering.com/. Every human deserves to feel seen, valued, and like they matter. Wear it. Live it. Show it.

    Disclaimer

    The 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.

    19 May 2026, 4:05 am
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