Profits, Prophets, Coaches, and Kings
Work
by Jared Diamond · 2026
A wide-ranging examination of when and how individual leaders shape institutions and historical outcomes. Jared Diamond considers leadership across business, religion, sports, and politics, asking how personal qualities interact with broader historical circumstances.
3 episodes featuring Profits, Prophets, Coaches, and Kings
Passion Struck with John R. Miles
John Miles examines why success can still feel insignificant
The episode frames disconnection and helplessness as problems of meaning and agency, while asking whether change must begin within a person or in their environment.
Sep 4, 2026 · 24 min
Passion Struck with John R. Miles
Jared Diamond argues leaders matter when circumstances meet ability
The episode tests whether history turns on indispensable individuals or on opportunities that many capable successors could have seized.
Sep 3, 2026 · 1h 14m
Passion Struck with John R. Miles
Duckworth argues environments shape who we become
The conversation reframes personal change as a shared responsibility: growth depends not only on grit, but on the people, places, and cultures surrounding us.
Sep 1, 2026 · 55 min