Passion Struck with John R. Miles

What if the most profound regret we carry isn’t about what we did, but about the quiet ways we slowly drifted from the people we love most?In this heartfelt solo episode of Passion Struck, Episode 705, John R. Miles explores why the greatest gift we can give those who matter most isn’t more time, more gifts, or even more love, but simple, undivided presence.Drawing from personal holiday memories and the psychology of “relational mattering,” John reveals how relationships rarely break from conflict; they thin from absence disguised as normal life. He unpacks the quiet cost of diluted attention, the profound beauty of what becomes possible when presence returns, and why showing up fully may be the most important decision we ever make.If you’ve ever felt the subtle distance growing in a relationship you cherish, or wondered how to rebuild the felt sense of mattering during this holiday season, this episode is your gentle wake-up call.You’re not out of chances. You’re one intentional arrival away. Listen. Feel. Become present.Check the full show notes here: https://passionstruck.com/relational-mattering-how-to-matter-to-others/All links gathered here (books, Substack, YouTube, community):https://linktr.ee/John_R_MilesThe Season of Becoming Workbook: Rebuild Relational MatteringReflection questions + small presence practices to start tonight + prompts to notice where mattering is calling you most→ Download the free Companion Workbook at https://www.theignitedlife.net/p/relational-mattering-7-ways-to-fix-relationshipsSupport the MovementEvery human deserves to feel seen, valued, and like they matter.Wear it. Live it. Show it.https://StartMattering.comDisclaimerThe Passion Struck podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of John R. Miles and do not necessarily reflect those of Passion Struck or its affiliates. This podcast is not a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a licensed physician, therapist, or other qualified professional.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if the most significant leadership challenge of our time isn’t strategy, speed, or scale but our shrinking capacity to care for one another?In an era of deepening polarization and quiet loneliness, this special episode of Passion Struck confronts the root of division: our brain's ancient "us vs. them" wiring that once ensured tribal survival but now fragments society.Host John R. Miles joins Harvard cognitive scientist Joshua Greene (author of Moral Tribes) and psychologist Rick Hanson (New York Times bestselling author and founder of the Global Compassion Coalition) to explore how evolutionary moral instincts fuel exclusion and how neuroscience and compassion practices can rewire them toward broader belonging.Blending rigorous science with profound wisdom, the conversation explores how to expand the "moral circle" from narrow identities to shared global humanity, cultivate moral courage without erasing differences, and turn insight into action.A highlight: the tied-in Pods Fight Poverty initiative, uniting leading podcasters to support GiveDirectly's evidence-based cash transfers. These lift entire Rwandan villages out of extreme poverty with dignity-restoring direct aid (amplified by Giving Multiplier's matching funds).This episode does not just diagnose division. It offers a hopeful, actionable path to inclusion, proving small acts of expanded empathy ripple into real-world change. At a time when trust is eroding, this reminds us that true belonging is not zero-sum. It is the future we can choose.Go Deeper. Read the full show notes: https://passionstruck.com/us-vs-them-psychology-rick-hanson-joshua-greene/Support the Impact: Join the effort to transform lives in Rwanda: GiveDirectly.org/PassionStruckAbout the GuestsRick Hanson, PhDRick Hanson is a psychologist, Senior Fellow of UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, and New York Times bestselling author of books including Hardwiring Happiness, Resilient, and Just One Thing. His work focuses on the neuroscience of resilience, compassion, and well-being. Rick is also the president of the Global Compassion Coalition and co-hosts the Being Well podcast with his son, Forrest Hanson.Joshua Greene, PhDJoshua Greene is a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Harvard University and a leading expert in moral cognition. He is the author of Moral Tribes, a groundbreaking book exploring why we clash over moral values and how we can find common ground. His research bridges philosophy, psychology, and neuroscience to understand how humans make moral decisions in an increasingly interconnected world.🔗 All links in one place — books, Substack, YouTube, and Start Mattering apparel:https://linktr.ee/John_R_MilesDisclaimerThe Passion Struck podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Passion Struck or its affiliates. This podcast is not a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a licensed physician, therapist, or other qualified professional.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if the leadership answers you’ve been searching for can’t be found in another keynote, framework, or performance review but only by stepping completely out of the world you know?In Episode 703 of Passion Struck, John R. Miles is joined by Oli Raison and Boris Maguire, founders of Safarini Leadership, for a conversation that challenges everything we think we know about growth, leadership, and belonging.At a time when we are more globally connected than ever—and yet more polarized, distracted, and disconnected—leaders are facing pressures no playbook prepared them for: AI acceleration, climate anxiety, generational fracture, burnout, and a deep erosion of trust.Oli and Boris believe the problem isn’t a lack of leadership training. It’s that we’re trying to become wiser leaders without changing the environments that shaped us. Their work takes executives out of boardrooms and into the Kenyan bush, immersed in nature, culture, and relationships, walking alongside Samburu elders to rediscover leadership as a lived, relational practice rather than a performative role.Download the companion workbook: https://www.theignitedlife.net/p/ancient-wisdom-for-modern-leadersThis episode is part of The Season of Becoming series, following conversations with Brent Gleeson on the danger of comfort and Henna Pryor on why awkwardness is the frontline of growth.Listen. Watch. Go Deeper.👉 Read the full show notes here: https://passionstruck.com/leadership-in-the-wild-oli-raison-boris-maguire/🔗 All links in one place — books, Substack, YouTube, and Start Mattering apparel:https://linktr.ee/John_R_MilesIn this episode, you will learn:Why today’s global challenges require elevated leadership, not louder leadershipHow cultural immersion rewires creativity, self-awareness, and decision-makingWhy nature sharpens focus, learning, and emotional regulationWhat Samburu elders can teach modern executives about belonging and purposeWhy leadership cannot be developed in isolation—or in comfortHow stepping out of familiar systems reveals who you actually are as a leaderWhat it means to lead when connection isn’t optional—it’s survivalAbout the GuestsOli Raison has spent over a decade founding, leading, and selling businesses in Kenya. He specializes in organizational culture, leadership development, and cross-cultural teams. Oli is fluent in Swahili, holds an MBA from Aston Business School, and a Certificate in Executive Coaching from UC Berkeley.Boris Maguire has worked in over two dozen countries and lived in five. He has led teams across ten African nations, served as a startup CEO and Managing Director of a solar firm, and now leads global operations for one of Africa’s fastest-growing HR fintech companies. Boris holds an MPA from Columbia University, a BA from Duke, and a certificate from the African Management Institute.Support the MovementEvery human deserves to feel seen, valued, and like they matter.Wear it. Live it. Show it.👉 https://StartMattering.comDisclaimerThe Passion Struck podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Passion Struck or its affiliates. This podcast is not a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a licensed physician, therapist, or other qualified professional.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if the only thing standing between you and the person you’re meant to become isn’t talent, time, or even confidence, but one small, uncomfortable decision you haven’t made yet?In this powerful solo episode, Episode 702 of Passion Struck, John R. Miles closes the Season of Becoming by distilling the single most consistent lesson from hundreds of world-class performers, Navy SEALs, near-death survivors, and everyday courage-builders:Courage is not a trait you’re born with. It’s a vote you cast every single day.Drawing directly from four transformative conversations this season (Susan Grau, Anne Libera, Brent Gleeson, and Henna Pryor), John reveals the Four Daily Decisions of Courage that anyone can make starting today:The courage to Listen when life breaks you openThe courage to Unscript and show up realThe courage to Commit and stop negotiating with your potentialThe courage to Practice awkwardness on purposeIf you’ve ever felt stuck waiting for confidence, clarity, or permission, this episode is your wake-up call. You’re not behind. You’re one courageous 10-second vote away.Listen. Reflect. Become.Check the full show notes here: https://passionstruck.com/courage-is-a-daily-choice/All links gathered here (books, Substack, YouTube, community):https://linktr.ee/John_R_MilesThe Season of Becoming Workbook: Your Next Courageous VoteReflection questions + the exact micro-action planner for the Four Daily Decisions→ Download the free Companion Workbook at https://www.theignitedlife.net/p/the-10-second-vote-build-courage-habitSupport the MovementEvery human deserves to feel seen, valued, and like they matter.Wear it. Live it. Show it.https://StartMattering.comDisclaimerThe Passion Struck podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed are those of John R. Miles and do not necessarily reflect those of Passion Struck or its affiliates. This podcast is not a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a licensed physician, therapist, or other qualified professional.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if the very thing you’ve been trying to hide, your awkwardness, was actually the key to deeper connection, stronger leadership, and unbreakable confidence?In Episode 701 of Passion Struck, workplace performance expert and bestselling author Henna Pryor joins John R. Miles to unpack her groundbreaking book Good Awkward and expose the hidden crisis she calls Social Muscle Atrophy, the slow erosion of our ability to handle normal human interaction in a world gone hybrid and hyper-polished.Henna drops the stat that stops everyone cold: 30 % of employees would rather clean a toilet than ask a coworker for help. The cost? Billions in lost innovation, fractured trust, and a growing “mattering gap” at work.But the fix isn’t more communication training.It’s learning to get good at being awkward on purpose.If you’ve ever stayed silent when you wanted to speak up, rehearsed a conversation 47 times and still didn’t have it, or felt like an imposter in your own life, this episode is your permission slip to stop polishing and start connecting.Listen. Watch. Go Deeper.Check the full show notes here: https://passionstruck.com/good-awkward-psychological-safety-confidence/All links gathered here — including books, Substack, YouTube, and Start Mattering apparel:https://linktr.ee/John_R_MilesThe Good Awkward Workbook: 7 Micro-Courage Challenges to Rebuild Your Social MuscleReflection prompts + daily practice → Download the Companion WorkbookIn this episode, you will learn:Why awkwardness is the price of growth and how to pay it gladlyWhat Social Muscle Atrophy is costing your team and how to reverse itThe confidence myth we all need to retireHow embracing cringe builds psychological safety faster than perfectionHenna’s 5 science-backed practices to turn awkward moments into leadership superpowersWhy the future of work belongs to the willingly awkwardSupport the MovementEvery human deserves to feel seen, valued, and like they matter.Wear it. Live it. Show it.https://StartMattering.comDisclaimerThe Passion Struck podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Passion Struck or its affiliates. This podcast is not a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a licensed physician, therapist, or other qualified professional.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.