What if peak performance isn’t created by intensity, control, or relentless self-pressure, but by inner stability?

In this powerful episode of Passion Struck, Jim Murphy, performance coach to elite athletes and the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Inner Excellence, joins the show to explore what truly sustains excellence under pressure.

Many listeners first encountered Inner Excellence when A.J. Brown was shown reading it on the NFL sideline during a playoff game. That moment sparked a national conversation—but Jim’s work has been shaping elite performers quietly for years.

In this conversation, John and Jim examine the inner architecture that allows people to remain grounded when the stakes are high. Jim explains how fear, ego, and self-centered thinking destabilize performance, and how cultivating love, wisdom, and courage creates inner freedom that carries across athletics, leadership, parenting, and everyday life.

Rather than focusing on tactics or motivation, this episode centers on the internal conditions that allow clarity, presence, and sustained performance to emerge. It offers a framework for anyone seeking excellence that endures—without burnout, anxiety, or collapse under pressure.

If you’ve ever wondered why success alone doesn’t steady the inner world—or how to remain anchored when everything is on the line—this conversation offers a path inward.

Check the full show notes here:

Download a Free Companion Workbook with reflection prompts tied to this episode.

Connect with John

Keynote speaking, books, and podcast: https://linktr.ee/John_R_Miles

Pre-order the Children’s Book

You Matter, Luma: https://youmatterluma.com/

Learn More About Jim Murphy

Website & newsletter: https://innerexcellence.com/

Book: Inner Excellence: Train Your Mind for Extraordinary Performance and the Best Possible Life

Available wherever books are sold.

In This Episode, You Will Learn

• What Inner Excellence really means and why inner stability precedes peak performance
• Why fear escalates under pressure and how “fear of fear” disrupts clarity and presence
• How ego destabilizes performance by creating self-centered thinking and internal noise
• The three pillars of Inner Excellence: love, wisdom, and courage
• Why the heart plays a central role in sustained performance and fulfillment
• How elite athletes remain grounded when expectations, scrutiny, and stakes rise
• How to apply Inner Excellence beyond sports—in leadership, relationships, and daily life
• What creates excellence that endures rather than collapses under pressure

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 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 important things you will ever say to those you love are the things you never speak aloud?

In this moving solo episode, John R. Miles shares a deeply personal story about a final walk with his sister, Carolyn, by Lake Austin. He explores the "wordless tie" that binds us together and explains the science of why silence often carries more weight than speech. Drawing on the groundbreaking fMRI research of Dr. Lisa Miller and her work on The Awakened Brain, John reveals how our brains are biologically wired with a "sensing system" for significance.

You will learn why success often feels hollow when we lose our wordless connection to others, and how to use the "Presence Pause" to clear the mental clutter that blocks your sense of purpose. This is an invitation to move beyond the noise of constant doing and rediscover the "mortar" that holds a meaningful life together.

Passion Struck is the #1 alternative health podcast and personal growth podcast dedicated to human flourishing and the science of mattering. It is 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/how-to-find-meaning-without-words/

All links gathered here, including books, Substack, YouTube, and Start Mattering apparel: https://linktr.ee/John_R_Miles

In This Episode, You Will Learn

• The Inherited Knowing: How legacy, belonging, and love are passed through presence rather than instruction.
• The Science of the Awakened Brain: A deep dive into Dr. Lisa Miller’s research (episode 532) on the high-power neural circuit that handles stress and hope.
• Quiet Disconnection: Why our brains are wired to amplify the negative and how to reset your internal "noise-to-signal" ratio.
• The Three Bricklayers: A powerful lesson on how shifting your lens transforms the daily grind into a sacred mission.
• The Presence Pause: A 3-minute practical habit to reopen your brain's channel for purpose.
• Small Acts of Resonance: How wordless gestures like a smile or a simple touch recalibrate the nervous system for safety and connection.

The Meaning Without Words Companion Resources

Download our free digital companion workbook featuring guided prompts to help you notice the silence, open to presence, and let meaning land without forcing it through words. Explore the guide

Connect with the Ecosystem

• Pre-order You Matter, Luma: https://youmatterluma.com/
• Support the Movement: https://StartMattering.com
• Join The Ignited Life Community: https://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 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 moments where you feel most "disengaged," "perfectionistic," or "paralyzed" as a parent aren't character flaws, but the result of a "Trauma App" running in the background of your brain?

In this groundbreaking episode of Passion Struck, Dr. Robyn Koslowitz, clinical child psychologist and author of the definitive guide Post-Traumatic Parenting: Break the Cycle and Become the Parent You Always Wanted to Be, joins the show. With over 20 years of experience helping more than 10,000 families, Robyn explains why post-traumatic parenting is fundamentally different from typical parenting. She reveals how "Secret ACEs" (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and hidden trauma history can hijack your nervous system, making it nearly impossible to "share your calm" with your children.

John and Robyn discuss the neurological reality of parenting after trauma, moving past the "fad" social media trends of gentle parenting to focus on the science of nervous system regulation. Koslowitz introduces her trademarked AIM Method (Acceptance, Integration, and Meaning-making) to help parents reclaim their "admin permissions" from their trauma. The conversation centers on a profound truth: your inner child cannot raise a child, but raising your real-world child can be the ultimate path to healing trauma through parenting.

If you have ever asked, "How can I give my kids a normal childhood when mine was anything but?"—this episode provides the validation, neuroscience, and practical "hacks" needed to break generational trauma and foster an earned, secure attachment.

Check the full show notes here: https://passionstruck.com/post-traumatic-parenting-robyn-koslowitz/

Download a Free Companion Workbook with reflection prompts tied to this episode.

To contact John about Keynote speaking, his books, and podcast: https://linktr.ee/John_R_Miles

Pre-order You Matter, Luma: https://youmatterluma.com/

For more about Dr. Robyn Koslowitz: https://posttraumaticparenting.com

Book: Post-Traumatic Parenting available wherever books are sold.

In this episode, you will learn

• Post-traumatic parenting explained: Why your body reacts to your child's behavior as a survival threat.
• The "Trauma App" Metaphor: How early experiences shape emotional regulation and override your parenting instincts.
• The 5 Subtypes of Post-Traumatic Parents: Identifying if you lean toward paralysis, perfectionism, or disengagement.
• Building Secure Attachment: How to move from trauma responses in parents to creating attachment and emotional safety.
• The AIM Method: A 3-step clinical framework for intergenerational healing and trauma recovery.
• Why "Gentle Parenting" isn't enough: The importance of structure, play, and nervous system regulation for the "cycle breaker."
• Healing the Inner Child: How to stop "Trauma Poker" and start raising emotionally secure children after trauma.

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 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.