You Don't Need More Freedom. You Need Better Constraints | David Epstein - EP 818
10 September - 1 hourHave you ever felt like you need more options, more time, more freedom, or a bigger opportunity before you can finally make progress?
What if the opposite is true?
Today, John R. Miles sits down with New York Times bestselling author David Epstein, author of Range and The Sports Gene, to explore why constraints can sometimes unlock the creativity and focus that unlimited freedom cannot.
David's new book, "Inside the Box," challenges one of our most deeply held assumptions: that more freedom is always better.
Sometimes, having too many possibilities makes it harder to decide what matters, where to focus, and what to do next. David explains how constraints can channel us into productive ex...
Series Episodes
Why Nothing You Achieve Will Ever Make You Feel Worthy | Marisa G. Franco – EP 821
Psychologist Marisa Franco reveals why lasting self-worth doesn’t come from achievement, confidence, or validation from others, but from learning to trust yourself, process your past, and reconnect with the parts of yourself you’ve learned to ignore.
55 mins
17 September Finished
How to Believe in Yourself When Everyone Tells You “You Can’t” | Cole Brauer - EP 820
In episode 820 of Passion Struck, Cole Brauer shares how purpose, resilience, and self-trust helped her overcome doubt, adversity, and other people’s limitations to become the first American woman to race solo, nonstop, and unassisted around the world.
1 hour 8 mins
15 September Finished
The Agency Paradox: Why Real Adaptability Starts Inside the Box | John R. Miles - EP 819
In this episode of Passion Struck, John R. Miles brings together two seemingly different ideas from his recent conversations with Martin Seligman and David Epstein to uncover what he calls The Agency Paradox: the belief that more freedom, more options, and more individual willpower will automatically make us more capable can actually leave us overwhelmed, disconnected, and unable to act.
22 mins
11 September Finished
World’s Most Influential Psychologist: The Hidden Force That Drives Human Progress | Dr. Martin Seligman – EP 817
In this landmark conversation, John R. Miles sits down with Dr. Martin Seligman, one of the world’s most influential psychologists and a pioneer of positive psychology, to explore his new book, "Agency: The Psychological History of Human Progress."
1 hour 1 min
8 September Finished
You Are Not the Only Variable: When to Change Yourself and When to Change Your Environment | John R. Miles - EP 816
In this solo episode 816, John R. Miles brings together two powerful ideas from his conversations with Angela Duckworth and Jared Diamond to explore a question that most of us rarely stop to ask: when does the situation shape the outcome, and when are we the person who uniquely matters?
23 mins
4 September Finished
