Author, The Wonder Effect: An Adventurous Guide for Igniting Your Passions and Pursuing Your Calling
This week on “Ira’s Everything Bagel,” Ira talks with Adam Haston, author of The Wonder Effect: An Adventurous Guide for Igniting Your Passions and Pursuing Your Calling.
In a conversation brimming with insight and energy, Adam shares his unconventional journey to success—one fueled by curiosity, resilience, and a refusal to accept the limits imposed by outdated systems. He reframes failure not as defeat but as vital feedback, a necessary ingredient in the recipe for growth. “Action plus learning equals experience,” he says—and that philosophy reverberates through every part of his story.
Adam explores how traditional education, designed for the industrial era, often narrows our choices instead of expanding them. He challenges listeners to venture beyond their comfort zones—just as artists, entrepreneurs, and filmmakers do—into the unknown where real learning and transformation occur.
From battling imposter syndrome to drawing wisdom from his rabbinic background, Adam offers both philosophical depth and practical tools for anyone seeking meaning and momentum in their life. He explains the origins of his book’s title, emphasizes that indecision is a decision, and reminds us that neither age nor illness should keep us from pursuing our calling.
Whether you're 18, 80, or somewhere in between, this episode is a powerful reminder that it's never too late to discover your passion and step boldly into your purpose.
Adam J. Haston, author of The Wonder Effect, is an entrepreneur, educator, and community leader dedicated to helping others unlock their potential. The founder and CEO of Haston Equity Group, a financial and real estate firm, he combines business acumen with a passion for personal growth.
A former rabbi and director of programming at Chabad of Greater New Haven, Adam learned that transformation begins with truly listening. He has mentored professionals, students, and entrepreneurs, guiding them through career transitions, personal challenges, and leadership development. He has led workshops on financial success, personal growth, and resilience. His philanthropic work includes fundraising for schools, synagogues, and the Friendship Circle, where he organized a charity climb of Mount Kilimanjaro. A lifelong adventurer, Adam has run the NYC Marathon and traveled the world, but his greatest journey is as a husband to Esther and father to seven children.