Nick Thompson on Grit, Growth, and the Miles That Matter | EP 683

Passion Struck with John R. Miles

Passion Struck Network

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4.9 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 30 October 2025

⏱️ 67 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this powerful conversation, John R. Miles sits down with Nick Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic and author of The Running Ground: A Father, a Son, and the Simplest Sport. Together, they explore how running became a thread through Nick’s life—a tool for resilience, self-discipline, and understanding his father’s complex legacy.

From the early memories of running beside his dad during the American running boom to surviving thyroid cancer and breaking the three-hour marathon barrier, Nick shares how the sport has shaped his mind as much as his body. The discussion expands far beyond the track—touching on fatherhood, AI and authenticity, the psychology of limits, and how pain can be both teacher and truth-teller.

This episode is a reminder that sometimes the hardest miles—whether in life or on the road—are the ones that teach us who we really are.

👉 Read the full show notes: https://passionstruck.com/nick-thompson-the-miles-that-make-us-who-we-are/

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To learn more about Nick Thompson, visit nickthompson.com

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🧠 About the Episode

Running as Identity: How movement connects memory, focus, and meaning.
Breaking Mental Ceilings: The invisible limits that look like data but are really belief.
Discipline and Flow: What marathons teach us about self-trust and persistence.
Fatherhood and Legacy: How Nick’s turbulent relationship with his father shaped his resilience.
Authenticity in the Age of AI: Why real voices matter in writing and leadership.
Pain as Information: Learning to differentiate discomfort from danger.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Coming up next on PassionStruck. The other thing that's really important is this principle
0:04.0	called cognitive offloading. And so that's the principle whereby once you start to rely on a tool,
0:10.6	a technological tool to do something, you get worse at it. Right. So you use a calculator all the time.
0:15.8	You forget how to do long division. You use ways. You forget how to navigate. That's fine.
0:20.4	Who cares? We don't. It's better to have a calculator do long division than we do long division.
0:24.6	But when it comes to thinking and writing, I don't want to get worse at it, so I don't want to rely on an AI for it.
0:29.6	Welcome to Passionstruck. I'm your host, John Miles.
0:32.6	This is the show where we explore the art of human flourishing and what it truly means to live
0:38.7	like it matters.
0:40.3	Each week, I sit down with change makers, creators, scientists, and everyday heroes to decode
0:45.5	the human experience and uncover the tools that help us lead with meaning, heal what
0:50.2	hurts, and pursue the fullest expression of who we're capable of becoming.
0:55.2	Whether you're designing your future, developing as a leader, or seeking deeper alignment in your life,
1:00.2	this show is your invitation to grow with purpose and act with intention.
1:04.8	Because the secret to a life of deep purpose, connection, and impact is choosing to live like you matter.
1:24.4	Welcome back to Passion Struck episode 683. I'm your host, John Miles, and I am so grateful you're here. Whether you're a longtime listener or joining for the first time, thank you for being part of this growing movement to live more intentionally and unlock the power of mattering. If this show has ever given you clarity, courage, or momentum, here's how you can help it grow. First, share this episode with someone who will find it meaningful and leave a five-star rating or review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
1:46.1	It helps more people discover passion-struck and become part of this movement for intentional living.
1:51.3	This week, we're continuing our series of forces that shape us, where we explore the unseen dynamics
1:56.9	that define how we live, lead, and connect.
1:59.8	Earlier this week, Claude Silver helped us
2:02.0	rediscover the power of belonging and emotional bravery at work. But there's another force,
2:08.0	one that threads through all of them, endurance, because the way we move through struggle,
	...

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