Passion Struck with John R. Miles

John R. Miles spent decades in Fortune 50 leadership before stepping back and asking a question most executives avoid: what actually makes a life feel meaningful? That pivot became Passion Struck, a show with over 730 episodes and a 4.8-star rating from more than 600 reviews. Miles drops new episodes three times a week, which sounds like a lot until you realize how consistently good they are. The format mixes solo reflections with long-form interviews featuring people like Joan Lunden, Harvard researcher Dr. Leslie John, and mythologist Dr. Martin Shaw. Episodes range from focused 22-minute solo takes to sprawling hour-long conversations that cover identity transitions, the neuroscience of human connection, and why so many successful people feel hollow inside. Miles has a particular talent for making academic research feel personal. He will reference attachment theory or positive psychology studies, then connect them to real decisions people face about careers, relationships, and self-worth. His recent work around the concept of mattering -- the idea that feeling significant to others is a fundamental human need -- is especially compelling. He even wrote a book about it. The show leans more toward human flourishing broadly than emotional intelligence specifically, but the emotional awareness threads run through nearly every episode. If you want something that pushes you to think about how you show up in the world, this one delivers.