You Can’t Do It All—But You Can Do What Matters
Awe, ambition, and the quiet clarity that comes from owning your time.
Hi friends,
I just got back from a week in Maine—quiet mornings, long walks, no inbox. The kind of space where your mind finally stops racing… and starts noticing.
Out there, I wasn’t thinking about how to “optimize” my day. I was thinking about how I spend it—and who I become in the process.
Time has a way of revealing what matters most. Not when it’s tracked or scheduled—but when it’s felt.
This week on Passion Struck, we’re exploring a simple idea:
Maybe the goal isn’t to do more with our time—but to make our time feel more like our lives.
What deserves your attention?
What aligns with your values?
What’s been quietly calling for your time, but getting pushed aside?
These aren’t productivity questions.
They’re purpose questions.
And when you answer them honestly, everything begins to shift.
🎧 What’s New on the Podcast This Week
We’re now in week four of our July series: The Power to Change: Rewiring Thoughts, Behavior, and Emotion.
This week is about time, purpose, and possibility—and the courage it takes to live a life that’s aligned with what really matters.
Here’s what’s coming:
Tuesday – 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 time management—and offers a radically freeing reframe: you can’t do everything, but you can live fully right now.
Thursday – Susan Kilrain
Dreams, Discipline, and the Astronaut’s Mindset
Navy pilot. NASA astronaut. One of the few women to fly a space shuttle. Susan Kilrain shares what it takes to pursue dreams at the highest level—and how wonder, preparation, and purpose work together to unlock human potential.
Friday – Solo Episode
Your Time Is Your Life: How to Design a Life Worth Living
Together, let’s unpack the most powerful mindset shift of all: seeing time not as something to fill, but something to feel. We’ll talk awe, purpose, ambition, and the quiet power of limits in a noisy, urgent world.
🎧 In Case You Missed It
Episode 637 – Steven Heine
Culture, Purpose, and the Psychology of Meaning
How does culture shape the way we experience identity and purpose? Steven Heine, a pioneer in cultural psychology, unpacks the hidden influences behind our motivations—and what it really means to lead a meaningful life across different contexts.
Episode 638 – Michelle Chalfant
The Adult Chair: Psychology, Spirituality, and the Search for Wholeness
Therapist and creator of The Adult Chair model, Michelle Chalfant, bridges psychology and spirituality to help us understand what drives our behaviors—and how stepping into emotional responsibility can transform our relationships, work, and self-worth.
Episode 639 – Brad Deflin
Digital Trust and Human Leadership in an Uncertain World
Brad Deflin, cybersecurity expert and CEO of Total Digital Security, explores how trust, motivation, and leadership evolve in a tech-driven age. A timely conversation about courage, privacy, and leading with clarity when the world feels unpredictable.
✨ This Week’s Spark
Try this:
Instead of asking,
“How can I get more done?”
Ask,
“What would I still do—even if no one was watching?”
Because that question?
It usually leads to the real stuff.
The soul stuff.
The stuff that makes life worth living.
Let’s Keep Growing Together
This week, I hope you pause.
To feel the weight of your days.
To notice where your time is going—and whether it’s going where your heart wants to be.
And if something in this week’s episode speaks to you, I’d love to hear it. Just hit reply and let me know. I read every message.
Until next time,
—John
Live like you matter.