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December 24, 2025 66 mins
Are you ready to confront the stories you tell yourself and step into your fullest potential? In this episode of The Greatness Machine, Preston Smiles shares his journey of personal growth, from navigating childhood challenges to becoming a world-renowned coach and thought leader. He opens up about the patterns he had to unlearn, including addictive behaviors, identity struggles, and emotional disconnection, and how he learned to cultivate presence, healthy relationships, and leadership within his own family. Preston breaks down how our nervous system, mindset, and body intelligence shape our experiences, and why capacity, not just knowledge, is key to creating lasting transformation. He also introduces “The Bridge Experience,” an immersive workshop designed to help people embody their growth in powerful, practical ways. This conversation is raw, honest, and packed with insights about breaking cycles, expanding capacity, and living a life of love, purpose, and conscious leadership. In this episode, Darius and Preston will discuss: (00:00) Introduction and Guest Introduction (01:47) Preston's Origin Story and Transformation (05:34) The Impact of Childhood Experiences (09:21) Resilience and Adaptation in Adversity (13:15) The Journey of Healing and Self-Discovery (18:49) The Role of Authenticity in Relationships (26:19) Surrendering to a Higher Power and Continuous Growth (30:47) The Leadership Journey: Personal Accountability (32:48) Addiction to Pain: Recognizing Patterns (35:36) Attracting Light and Darkness: The Duality of Existence (38:29) Building Capacity: The Key to Mastery (41:17) The Observer: Identifying Beyond Titles (46:52) The Bridge Experience: Transformative Workshops (54:43) Overcoming Toxic Shame: The Path to Greatness Preston Smiles is an Abundance Coach, transformational speaker, and bestselling author whose journey from surf instructor to multi-millionaire reflects his deep commitment to personal growth and humanity. Known for his high-energy presence and groundbreaking book Spiritual Millionaire: Unlock the 7 Inner Laws of Abundance, Preston has coached over 100,000 people since 2005 and leads global workshops with his wife, Alexi. His work centers on nervous system healing, embodied leadership, and expanded abundance. A former Millennial Mentor of the Year and cover feature of Inspired Coach Magazine, Preston has appeared on top platforms like Impact Theory and The School of Greatness. His bold messages and viral content continue to inspire millions—earning him praise from leaders like Jack Canfield and Michael Beckwith, who call him “unstoppable.” Connect with Preston: Website: https://prestonsmiles.com/  Workshop: https://www.thebridgemethod.org/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prestonsmiles/  Connect with Darius: Website: https://therealdarius.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dariusmirshahzadeh/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imthedarius/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Thegreatnessmachine  Book: The Core Value Equation https://www.amazon.com/Core-Value-Equation-Framework-Limitless/dp/1544506708 Write a review for The Greatness Machine using this link: https://ratethispodcast.com/spreadinggreatness.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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