Passion Struck with John R. Miles

What if the choices you make every day aren’t entirely your own?
In this episode of Passion Struck, I sit down with Nobel Prize-winning economist Alvin Roth to explore how incentives, systems, and hidden structures shape human behavior—often in ways we don’t even realize.
Drawing from his new book, Moral Economics: Why Good Incentives Are No Substitute for Good Citizens, Roth reveals a powerful truth: markets aren’t just about money—they are systems that decide who gets what, who gets access, and what society considers acceptable.
We explore why banning certain behaviors often pushes them underground, how so-called “repugnant transactions” reveal our moral boundaries, and why understanding incentives is essential if you want to make better decisions—in your life, your work, and the systems you operate within.
This conversation challenges how you think about choice, control, and responsibility—and offers a new lens for understanding the forces shaping your decisions every day.
Passion Struck is the #1 alternative health and personal growth podcast dedicated to human flourishing and the science of mattering.
Check the full show notes here: https://passionstruck.com/moral-economics-alvin-roth-market-design/
Explore companion insights for this episode at: https://www.theignitedlife.net
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Limited Time Offer – Get Huel today with my exclusive offer of 15% OFF online with my code PASSION at huel.com/passion. New Customers Only. Thank you to Huel for partnering and supporting our show!
Connect with John
Keynotes, books, podcast, and resources: https://linktr.ee/John_R_Miles
Children’s Book — You Matter, Luma: https://youmatterluma.com/
Pre-Order The Mattering Effect: https://matteringeffect.com/
In This Episode, You Will Learn:
How incentives shape your decisions—often without you realizing it
Why markets are systems of allocation, not just exchange
What “repugnant transactions” reveal about society’s moral boundaries
Why banning something doesn’t eliminate it—it often creates black markets
How hidden systems influence behavior in business, policy, and everyday life
What it means to design better systems that align with human values
Support the Movement
Understanding how systems shape behavior is the first step toward living more intentionally.
Explore tools, insights, and frameworks to help you align your life with what truly matters: https://www.theignitedlife.net
Disclaimer
The 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, legal, or financial advice.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Does it ever feel like you’re waiting for your own life to start?
You’re sitting in your car at the end of the day, staring at the front door, realizing you have to "gear up" just to walk inside. You’ve become a world-class manager of a life you’ve stopped inhabiting. You’re winning the efficiency game, but you’re losing the human one.
In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles explores the psychology of resistance and the difficult move from utility to aliveness. He identifies why we choose the "known hell" of burnout over the "unknown heaven" of presence. Drawing on recent conversations with shadow-work expert Keila Shaheen and life-design pioneers Bill Burnett and Dave Evans, John explains how to break the "identity handcuffs" that tie our sense of worth to our productivity.
This isn't about working harder—it's about the literal, physical courage it takes to cross the threshold from being a provider to being a presence. It’s time to stop circling the wall and finally step through the door.
Passion Struck is the #1 personal growth podcast dedicated to human flourishing and the science of mattering.
Check the full show notes here: https://passionstruck.com/why-we-circle-change-psychology-of-resistance/
Explore the daily reflection guide for this episode at:
Thank You to Our Sponsors.
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.
Connect with John
Keynotes, books, podcast, and resources: https://linktr.ee/John_R_Miles
Children’s Book — You Matter, Luma: https://youmatterluma.com/
Pre-Order The Mattering Effect: https://matteringeffect.com/

In this episode, John discusses:
The Safety of the Squeeze: Why our nervous systems prefer the predictable exhaustion of the grind over the perceived threat of stillness.
The Identity Handcuffs: How we’ve anchored our self-worth to our "utility" and why being needed is not the same as being known.
The Grief of the Machine: Acknowledging the loss that occurs when you let the "super-producer" version of yourself die so the person can emerge.
The Five-Second Threshold: Understanding the physical gap between knowing you should change and actually moving your hand to do it.
Transition Rituals: How to use tiny, physical anchors—like touching a doorframe—to tell your nervous system that the manager is checking out.
Reclaiming Agency: Why crossing the threshold is a private, quiet decision to stop seeking light from external approval.
The Floor Beneath Your Feet: A sixty-second practice to shift from maintaining a structure to actually living within it.

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.
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 reason you feel unfulfilled is that you’ve been approaching it all wrong?
In this episode of Passion Struck, I sit down with Bill Burnett and Dave Evans, the visionary minds behind Stanford's Life Design Lab and co-authors of How to Live a Meaningful Life. We tackle one of personal growth’s biggest myths: that meaning is something you find.
Instead, Bill and Dave present a groundbreaking concept—meaning is something you design.
We delve into why high-achievers often feel "fine but empty," why success doesn’t guarantee fulfillment, and how our transactional world traps us in outcomes over experiences. Our conversation uncovers a transformative framework for building a meaningful life through small experiments, curiosity, and intentional action, all without drastic life changes.
This conversation will change how you think about purpose, passion, and what it really means to live fully alive.
Passion Struck is the #1 alternative health and personal growth podcast dedicated to human flourishing and the science of mattering.
Check the full show notes here: https://passionstruck.com/designing-a-meaningful-life/
Explore companion insights for this episode at: https://www.theignitedlife.net/p/stop-planning-your-life-start-wayfinding
Thank You to Our Sponsors
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.
Connect with John
Keynotes, books, podcast, and resources: https://linktr.ee/John_R_Miles
Children’s Book — You Matter, Luma: https://youmatterluma.com/
Pre-Order The Mattering Effect: https://matteringeffect.com/
We also dive into:
Why many feel “fine” outwardly, yet unfulfilled inside
Distinguishing meaning, fulfillment, and happiness—and avoiding the confusion
Why “follow your passion” can mislead—and the better alternative
Using design thinking and prototyping to cultivate purpose
The contrast between transactional and flow worlds—and where true meaning resides
How actions, rather than waiting, create clarity
The impact of small moments of awe and curiosity on lasting meaning
The vital role of community in the journey to meaning
Support the Movement
Every human deserves to feel seen, valued, and like they matter.
Wear it. Live it. Show it. https://StartMattering.com
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.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Shadow work helps you uncover the hidden parts of yourself, but what happens after that?
In this episode of Passion Struck, I sit down with Keila Shaheen, the million-copy bestselling author of The Shadow Work Journal, to explore the step most people miss: integration.
While shadow work helps us confront the “invisible bag” of childhood wounds and hidden traits we carry, it is only part of the equation. Keila explains why true healing requires shifting from reflection to action—what she calls light work. We explore her newest book, The Light Work Journal, and how it helps people move out of the “gray area” of exhaustion into intentional awareness and energized living.
Passion Struck is the #1 alternative health and personal growth podcast dedicated to human flourishing and the science of mattering.
Check the full show notes here: https://passionstruck.com/light-work-journal-keila-shaheen-passion-struck/
Explore companion insights for this episode at: https://www.theignitedlife.net
Resources & Links
Explore companion insights: https://www.theignitedlife.net
Thank You to Our Sponsors
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.
Connect with John
Keynotes, books, podcast, and resources: https://linktr.ee/John_R_Miles
Children’s Book — You Matter, Luma: https://youmatterluma.com/
Pre-Order The Mattering Effect: https://matteringeffect.com/
We also dive into:
Why so many people feel a sense of quiet disorientation—and how to move from reactive, autopilot living into clarity
The difference between System 1 vs. System 2 thinking and how it impacts your daily life
Why exhaustion—not anxiety or depression—is the dominant emotional state today
The role of a healthy ego as a stabilizing force rather than something to eliminate
How noticing “glimmers” can rewire your mindset and shift your emotional baseline
Practical ways to protect your energy and show up as your most authentic self
This episode is a roadmap for anyone who has done the inner work but still feels stuck.
Support the Movement
Every human deserves to feel seen, valued, and like they matter. Wear it. Live it. Show it. https://StartMattering.com
Disclaimer
The Passion Struck podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes only. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not substitute professional medical or psychological advice.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Does your life look successful on the outside but feel empty on the inside?
In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles introduces a simple way to measure what truly matters: the ROI of Aliveness. Most of us spend our lives trying to be as productive as possible. We focus on checking off to-do lists and meeting everyone else's expectations, but we often forget to check in on ourselves.
John explains why focusing only on your "output" leaves you feeling disconnected and replaceable. He shares a practical way to look at the "math" of your life—balancing the time you spend on chores with the time you spend truly being present. Featuring insights from experts like Arthur Brooks, Claude Steele, and Angela Maiers, this episode shows you how to stop living on autopilot and start building a life where you actually feel essential to the people around you.
This isn't about working harder or doing more. It’s about making small, intentional shifts so your daily life actually feels like it belongs to you.
Passion Struck is the #1 personal growth podcast dedicated to human flourishing and the science of mattering.
Check the full show notes here: https://passionstruck.com/roi-of-aliveness-math-of-a-life-that-matters/
Explore the daily reflection guide for this episode at: https://www.theignitedlife.net/p/the-roi-of-aliveness
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Limited Time Offer – Get Huel today with my exclusive offer of 15% OFF online with my code PASSION at huel.com/passion. New Customers Only. Thank you to Huel for partnering and supporting our show!
Connect with John
Keynotes, books, podcast, and resources: https://linktr.ee/John_R_Miles
Children’s Book — You Matter, Luma: https://youmatterluma.com/
Pre-Order The Mattering Effect: https://matteringeffect.com/
In This Episode, We Discuss:
The Meaning Gap: Why having a "good life" on paper doesn't always lead to feeling happy or valued.
The Productivity Trap: How the pressure to always be "busy" keeps us from noticing what’s actually important.
Feeling Replaceable: Why we often feel like anyone could do our job or handle our chores—and how to change that.
Simple Lessons from the Classroom: How two basic ideas from kindergarten can help you feel more connected at work and at home.
The 10% Shift: A realistic way to reclaim your time and energy by making tiny changes to your daily routine.
Better Leadership: How to create an environment where your team (and your family) feels seen and needed.
Support the Movement
Every human deserves to feel seen, valued, and like they matter. Wear it. Live it. Show it. https://StartMattering.com
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.
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.