Train the Mind, Change the Story
What mental fitness really means—and how to rewire your thoughts, identity, and inner narrative for growth.
Hi friends,
There’s a moment, often quiet and unnoticed, when we realize:
Our thoughts aren’t just passing clouds. They’re the architects of our identity.
This week, I’ve been thinking about the stories we tell ourselves—about who we are, what we can handle, and what we’re worthy of. Because if we don’t question them, they become the blueprint.
Mental fitness isn’t just about managing stress or avoiding burnout. It’s about learning to train the mind with the same consistency and care we might bring to the body or a craft.
Not by force.
But by presence.
By discipline.
By choosing which thoughts get to take root—and which ones we finally let go.
This week on Passion Struck, we’re exploring how everyday people condition their mindset, rewire emotional patterns, and become who they were always meant to be.
Let’s dive in.
🎧 What’s New on the Podcast This Week
We’re now in week five of our July series: The Power to Change: Rewiring Thoughts, Behavior, and Emotion.
This week is about mental fitness, mindset conditioning, and the inner work required to become the person you know you’re capable of being.
Tuesday – Helen Ye Phlen
Mental Resilience, Lived Experience, and the Power of Reclamation
Mental health advocate Helen Ye Phlen shares how she broke free from generational patterns and self-doubt to become a powerful force for healing. A conversation about resilience, agency, and rebuilding from within.
Thursday – Brian Keane
Discipline, Self-Talk, and the Mental Habits That Build Success
High-performance coach Brian Keane offers a masterclass in mindset conditioning—how to train your thoughts the way an athlete trains their body. We cover identity shifts, inner dialogue, and showing up when motivation fades.
Friday – Solo Episode
Training the Mind: What It Really Takes to Rewire Your Identity
Let’s unpack the real work of transformation:
– Mental fitness vs. mental health
– The inner critic and reframing failure
– Disrupting cognitive distortions
– How to build a 'growth environment' around you
Because your mind can be your greatest ally—when you train it to be.
🎧 In Case You Missed It
Episode 637 – Oliver Burkeman
Finitude, Focus, and the Myth of Getting It All Done
Bestselling author of Four Thousand Weeks, Oliver Burkeman challenges our obsession with productivity—and invites us to embrace what truly matters in our limited time.
Episode 638 – Susan Kilrain
Dreams, Discipline, and the Astronaut’s Mindset
NASA astronaut and Navy pilot Susan Kilrain shares what it takes to reach the stars—and how wonder, preparation, and purpose can ground us here on Earth.
Episode 639 – Solo Episode
Your Time Is Your Life: How to Design a Life Worth Living
Not a productivity hack—but a perspective shift. Explore how awe, ambition, and acceptance can help you build a life that feels like your own.
✨ This Week’s Spark
Try this:
Instead of asking,
“Why am I like this?”
Ask,
“What might be possible if I believed something new?”
Because the stories we repeat shape the future we reach.
Let’s Keep Growing Together
This week, I hope you find the courage to rewrite even one story you’ve been living in.
And if something in this week’s episodes moves you—share it. With a friend. With your journal. Or with me. Just hit reply. I read every word.
Until next time,
—John
Live like you matter.