Passion Struck with John R. Miles

The Tapes You’re Still Playing: How to Rewrite the Stories That Hold You Back | John R. Miles - EP 840

2026-10-30

What if the story you've been telling yourself about who you are was never really yours?

In 1979, a collection of interviews with college students disappeared into the archives. Decades later, Harvard developmental psychologist Alexis Redding helped uncover the recordings—and found young people wrestling with many of the same questions we face today: Who am I? Where do I belong? Am I doing enough?

On Episode 840 of Passion Struck, John R. Miles connects Redding's discovery with insights from author Jon Acuff on procrastination, identity, and the mental soundtracks that keep us stuck. Together, their ideas reveal how family expectations, schools, workplaces, and influential people can shape beliefs we carry long after the original moment has passed.

From the pressure to appear effortlessly successful to the childhood labels that limit our ambitions, this episode explores how we can mistake an old message for an enduring truth.

John introduces The Tape Check, a three-question exercise to help you identify the belief you're replaying, understand where it came from, and test whether it still holds up. Drawing on the Wright brothers' willingness to question accepted data, he shows why small experiments can be more powerful than simply trying to think positively.

Because you may not have chosen every story that shaped you—but you can decide what plays next.

In This Episode, You'll DiscoverWhat decades-old student recordings reveal about the beliefs and pressures that persist across generations.How family, school, and workplace environments shape the stories we tell ourselves.Why labels like “not a natural leader” can influence decisions for decades.How perfectionism and the pressure to look successful can keep people from taking meaningful risks.Why procrastination can begin with identity beliefs before showing up in our actions.How to use the three-question Tape Check to challenge an inherited belief.Why small experiments can help you discover what you're capable of without committing to a lifelong path.How sharing the messy middle of your own story can help someone else rewrite theirs.The Big Idea

The beliefs that shape your life may have originated in a room you left years ago. Recognizing where they came from gives you the opportunity to question them, test them, and choose a different way forward.

You can't unhear it once you've heard it. And you get to decide what plays next.

Check the full shownotes here.

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Passion Struck with John R. Miles

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No. of episodes

841

Latest episode

2026-10-30

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What does it really mean to live a fulfilling life? I'm John R. Miles, Navy combat veteran, former Fortune 50 executive, bestselling author, and someone whose own experiences with achievement and disability have reshaped how I think about success, resilience, and what matters. On Passion Struck, I bring together leading voices in neuroscience, psychology, medicine, behavioral science, and contemplative practice to explore the many dimensions of human flourishing, from physical and mental health to emotional well-being, purpose, relationships, career, and spirituality. Through research-driven conversations and practical insights, we explore how to understand ourselves, strengthen our connections, navigate life's challenges, and live with greater meaning and intention. More than 85 million downloads worldwide. New interviews Tuesday and Thursday, with solo episodes every Friday. Understand Yourself. Rethink Success. Discover What Matters.