Passion Struck with John R. Miles

What if many of our most heated debates and divisions aren't really about facts or outcomes, but about clinging to sacred values that feel absolute and non-negotiable?In this eye-opening episode of Passion Struck, cognitive scientist Dr. Steven Sloman joins John R. Miles to unpack his groundbreaking book, The Cost of Conviction: How Our Deepest Values Lead Us Astray (MIT Press, May 2025).Drawing on decades of research into how we think individually and collectively, Steven reveals why we often prioritize "right vs. wrong" sacred values over practical consequences—leading to oversimplification, outrage, polarization, and even extremism. From the illusion of explanatory depth (where we overestimate our understanding) to taboo and tragic trade-offs, this conversation explores how sacred values unite communities, define identities, and drive history, yet also create barriers to dialogue on issues such as abortion, immigration, climate change, and political conflict.John and Steven dive into real-world examples: the rise of zealotry from ancient Judea to modern times, the shifting values among young men, the role of belonging in group identity, and why reframing conversations around consequences (rather than slogans) offers a path to better decisions, adversarial cooperation, and reduced division. At its heart, this episode is a call to question certainty, respect expertise, and balance conviction with humility—reminding us that true wisdom lies in thinking harder about outcomes, even when sacred values feel compelling.Passion Struck was recently ranked #1 on FeedSpot’s list of the Top Passion Podcasts on the Web, recognizing the show’s ongoing commitment to thoughtful, human-centered conversations like this one.Check the full show notes here: https://passionstruck.com/sacred-values-cost-of-conviction-steven-sloman/Download a Free Companion Workbook with prompts about this episodeAll links gathered here, including books, Substack, YouTube, and Start Mattering apparel: https://linktr.ee/John_R_MilesPre-order You Matter, Luma - https://youmatterluma.com/For more about Dr. Steven Sloman: https://copsy.brown.edu/people/steven-slomanPurchase The Cost of Conviction: https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262049825/the-cost-of-conviction/ (Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook)In this episode, you will learnWhy sacred values simplify decisions but often ignore real consequences, fueling polarization and conflictThe difference between consequentialist thinking (outcomes-focused) and sacred values (right/wrong actions)How the knowledge illusion leads us to rely on community slogans rather than deep understandingWhat taboo tradeoffs (refusing to compromise sacred values for gain) and tragic tradeoffs (competing sacred values) reveal about human natureWhy sacred values tie us to belonging and identity, but drive us to distinguish and demonize "the other side."Practical ways to spot sacred value reliance: Ask "Why am I doing this?" and focus on explainable consequencesSupport 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 quiet emptiness after achieving "success"—the promotion, the house, the milestone—isn't failure, but a signal to build deeper meaning?In this solo episode of Passion Struck, host John R. Miles introduces the architecture of significance: a blueprint for shifting from a life that's a monument to yourself to one that becomes a shelter for others.Building on insights from Dr. Stephen G. Post and Mark Nepo, John explores the hidden foundation of inherent worth, the pillars of circulation that turn contribution into connection, the windows of mature perception that move from facade to true presence, and the roof of shelter that protects what matters most.This episode explains why success often feels hollow, how significance creates flow rather than extraction, and why your quiet, real presence may be the greatest gift you offer in 2026. It's an invitation to inhabit your worth, circulate meaning, and become the shelter others need.Passion Struck with John R. Miles was recently ranked #1 on FeedSpot’s list of the Top Passion Podcasts on the Web, recognizing the show’s ongoing commitment to thoughtful, human-centered conversations like this one.Check the full show notes here: https://passionstruck.com/build-an-architecture-of-significance/All links gathered here, including books, Substack, YouTube, and Start Mattering apparelhttps://linktr.ee/John_R_MilesFor more about John R. Miles - https://johnrmiles.com/Pre-order You Matter, Luma - https://youmatterluma.com/The Architecture of Significance Companion ResourcesPractical reflections and contemplative prompts to map your shift from success to significance, including exercises on recognizing your foundation, identifying circulation pillars, and reframing perception.Explore the companion guide: https://www.theignitedlife.net/p/becoming-an-architect-of-significanceIn this episode, you will learnWhy the "hollow quiet" after success has a structure, and how to recognize itHow reclaiming inherent worth forms the unshakeable foundation of significanceThe difference between extraction (success) and circulation (meaning) in daily lifeWhy mature attention shifts from facade (impressing others) to windows (truly seeing)How immersion in the ordinary creates deeper resonance than chasing intensityWhy building a "shelter" for others is the ultimate evolution of a meaningful lifeSupport 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 living with an open heart, especially in times of loss, uncertainty, and division, is not a matter of willpower or optimism, but a quiet and courageous practice of presence?In this episode of Passion Struck, poet, philosopher, and cancer survivor Mark Nepo joins John R. Miles for a deeply human conversation about acceptance, aliveness, and what it means to live with an open heart in a fractured world.Drawing on his lifelong body of work, including The Book of Awakening and his newest book, The Fifth Season: Creativity in the Second Half of Life, Mark explains that acceptance is not resignation but an act of cooperating with truth. Together, John and Mark explore why the heart is our strongest muscle, how immersion, rather than achievement, brings us to life, and why caring fully for what is right in front of us may be the most meaningful form of compassion we have.This episode weaves together stories of grief, creativity, aging, and meaning. From feeding a dying parent applesauce to the metaphor of the meteor that burns away what no longer matters, Mark reveals how life becomes clearer when we stop holding back.At its core, this conversation is an invitation to stay present even when life is difficult, to say yes to life even when it breaks us open, and to remember that our presence, here and now, truly matters.Passion Struck with John R. Miles was recently ranked #1 on FeedSpot’s list of the Top Passion Podcasts on the Web, recognizing the show’s ongoing commitment to thoughtful, human-centered conversations like this one.Check the full show notes here: https://passionstruck.com/mark-nepo-interview-fifth-season-book/All links gathered here, including books, Substack, YouTube, and Start Mattering apparelhttps://linktr.ee/John_R_MilesFor more about Mark Nepohttps://www.marknepo.com/Pre-order You Matter, Lumahttps://youmatterluma.com/The Fifth Season Companion ResourcesPractical reflections and contemplative prompts inspired by Mark Nepo’s teachings on presence, creativity, and aging with intention.Explore the companion guide: https://www.theignitedlife.net/p/the-courage-to-stay-awake-to-life-mark-nepoIn this episode, you will learnWhy acceptance is not about giving up, but about cooperating with truthHow the heart functions as our strongest muscle and most reliable compassThe difference between nostalgia and the healing use of memoryWhy dreams remain essential to aliveness in the second half of lifeHow immersion, not excellence, creates meaning and creativityA simple question that reveals whether something is life-giving or life-drainingHow the metaphor of the meteor explains why aging can bring greater clarityWhy caring deeply for the smallest detail connects us to the wider human storyWhat it means to say yes to life in a way that affirms that you matterHow widening your inner horizon helps right size fear, grief, and sufferingSupport 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 most powerful force for healing division, reducing stress, and finding lasting inner peace wasn't elusive or mystical, but a practical, science-backed way of living accessible to everyone?In Episode 712 of Passion Struck, renowned researcher, bestselling author, and founder of the Institute for Research on Unlimited Love, Dr. Stephen G. Post, joins John R. Miles to explore "Pure Unlimed Love" as the ultimate unifying energy, blending science, spirituality, and compassionate action, with a foreword by His Holiness the Dalai Lama.Drawing from over 40 years of groundbreaking studies on altruism, giving, and well-being, plus personal stories of interconnectedness and mentorship with Sir John Templeton, Dr. Post reveals the Wheel of Love (10 expressions like compassion, mirth, forgiveness, and carefrontation) and the Seven Paths to Inner Peace: giving generously, healing with kindness, following your calling, raising kind children, knowing the one mind, cherishing nature, and honoring the spirit of freedom.Together, John and Dr. Post discuss the health benefits of kind giving, why mothers' love hints at non-local consciousness, practical ways to model kindness for the next generation, and how unlimited love can renew our divided world.Passion Struck with John R. Miles was recently ranked #1 on FeedSpot’s list of the Top Passion Podcasts on the Web, recognizing the show’s ongoing commitment to thoughtful, human-centered conversations like this one.Check the full show notes here: https://passionstruck.com/pure-unlimited-love/All links gathered here, including books, Substack, YouTube, and Start Mattering apparel: https://linktr.ee/John_R_MilesFor more about Dr. Stephen G. Post: https://www.stephengpost.com/Pre-order You Matter, Luma: https://youmatterluma.com/Pure Unlimited Love Companion ResourcesPractical reflections and exercises to cultivate the Wheel of Love and Seven Paths in daily life.Explore the companion guide: https://www.theignitedlife.net/p/pure-unlimited-love-scienceIn this episode, you will learn:The definition of pure unlimited love: When the security and well-being of another is as meaningful to you as your ownThe Wheel of Love: 10 concrete expressions including compassion, mirth, forgiveness, listening, creativity, and carefrontationThe Seven Paths to Inner Peace and how to integrate them for personal and societal flourishingScience-backed benefits of kind giving: Reduced stress, greater happiness, purpose, and even physical healthWhy following your calling from an early age leads to a balanced, meaningful lifeStories of the "one mind": Interconnected consciousness beyond the brain, including maternal intuitionPractical ways parents can model and raise kind children in today's cultureHow honoring the spirit of freedom, intertwined with lov,e liberates rather than bindsSupport 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 key to thriving in 2026 isn't expanding your network or chasing global impact, but intentionally shrinking your world to the size your brain was built for?In this first solo episode of 2026, Episode 711 of Passion Struck, John R. Miles explores the profound mismatch between our hunter-gatherer brains (evolved for tribes of under 150 people) and the demands of an 8-billion-person world. Drawing on Dunbar's number, psychology, and the themes of The Season of Becoming, John unpacks why endless social feeds, polarized news, and constant connectivity leave us anxious, burned out, and divided.He explains how focusing on your true "tribe" of 150 restores peace, deepens connections, and amplifies your real impact, without the exhaustion of treating everyone as a potential ally or threat. This isn't about isolation. It's about reclaiming energy for what truly matters: presence, meaning, and relationships that sustain you.If you're entering 2026 feeling overwhelmed by the world's noise or ready to reset for deeper fulfillment, this episode offers a compassionate blueprint to come home to your natural scale.Before the goals and habits, reclaim the space where true flourishing begins.Resources and LinksCheck the full show notes here: https://passionstruck.com/dunbars-number-explained-why-we-need-150-in-2026/All links gathered here, including books, Substack, YouTube, and Start Mattering apparel: https://linktr.ee/John_R_MilesPre-order You Matter, Luma: https://youmatterluma.com/Tribe Mapping Companion WorkbookIdentify Your 150. Release the Rest. Build True Belonging.Reflection prompts and exercises to map your core tribe, name what to release from large-group weight, and create habits for deeper connections in 2026.Download the free Companion Workbook at: https://open.substack.com/pub/passionstruck/p/dunbars-number-150-thrive-2026/In this episode, you will learn:Why our brains are wired for tribes of 150 and how modern life creates constant mismatch and exhaustionThe science of Dunbar's number and its role in anxiety, burnout, and divisionHow shrinking your world restores focus, empathy, and real impact without isolationPractical ways to identify and nurture your true tribe in 2026Why large-group thinking treats others as threats and how small-scale living rebuilds peaceReflections on The Season of Becoming and stepping into a year of intentional presenceSupport 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.