Passion Struck with John R. Miles

Episode 668: Robert Glazer on How to Transform Your Life Using the Compass Within
Date: September 25, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, John R. Miles interviews Robert Glazer—serial entrepreneur, bestselling author, and founder of Acceleration Partners—on how to discover and live by your core values. Glazer’s new parable, The Compass Within, serves as a launching pad for a discussion about why high achievers feel misaligned, how to distinguish between busyness and true alignment, and the concrete steps to rebuild spiritual, intellectual, emotional, and physical capacity for sustained impact. Approaching these themes both philosophically and practically, Glazer and Miles explore the internal “whispers” that signal something’s off and how to heed those calls.

Major Themes and Purpose

• The cost and power of living by your core values
• Why professional and personal misalignment so often disguises itself as “success”
• How values become actionable—not just decorative
• Why true capacity comes from alignment, not just hustle
• Concrete advice to define core values and craft a more authentic, intentional life

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Problem: Quiet Desperation & Misalignment

• Why do high achievers feel “quietly misaligned”?
  Many reach a point—absent any dramatic collapse—where they wonder “Is this really it?” Glazer ties this to subconscious conformity and societal expectation.

  "Those systems, they serve a lot of people, but not everyone. So I think you learn to play the game... and then whether it's at 18 or 28 or 48... [there's] a real disconnect with what you value." (Robert Glazer, 05:07)

• Living by values vs. knowing your values
  Even when we can articulate our values, living by them is costly, especially when it means going against the current or challenging authority.

  "Core values have a cost and it's usually a higher cost in the short term, particularly when you're putting your boat upstream." (Robert Glazer, 08:20)

• Metaphor of the sports car in the tunnel
  Without clarity on values, we “smash against the walls,” whereas defined values are “the yellow lines” guiding us.

  “If I have a sports car in a tunnel and I turn off the lights, I'm going to drift... But if I turn on the lights and I see the yellow lines... I get in the center lane.” (Robert Glazer, 09:06)

2. The Solution: Clarifying and Acting on Core Values

• Why a parable?
  Glazer chose a fictional story with relatable characters to help readers see their own lives reflected and to move from theory to lived experience.

  “I've always resonated with the parable format... My daughter was challenging me to do something hard and write fiction. And I was like, I wonder if this would work better..." (Robert Glazer, 10:53)

• From ‘Success’ to Significance
  Success can still feel empty if it lacks values alignment—Glazer’s personal story and the story of protagonist Jamie both illustrate this.

  “I think really, if you can... I made a lot of changes in my life when the values were clear.” (Robert Glazer, 12:41)

• Why tell the story through "quiet success"?
  Most people coast through “good enough,” and true crisis or change often only occurs when it becomes unbearable.

  "If it's okay enough, like you can go on for a while. But that has consequences..." (Robert Glazer, 14:58)

3. Core Values in Organizations

• Decoration vs. Direction
  Most companies “perform” values—for example, Enron’s value of “integrity” was at odds with their actual behavior.

  “At the height of their fraud... Enron had core values of integrity and honesty. And that's not what got you promoted at Enron.” (Robert Glazer, 20:15)

• Rewarding behaviors vs. rewarding hours
  The best cultures reinforce values at every level, not just among leadership.

  “It's actually the middle managers who carry that forward and reinforce it.” (Robert Glazer, 24:57)

• Outcome orientation
  Glazer, referencing his own leadership at Acceleration Partners, underscores valuing results rather than hours logged.

  "If somehow they have five clients and their program is doing well... in 10 hours a week, God bless them... we just always had an outcome orientation." (Robert Glazer, 04:46 & 27:43)

4. Addressing Burnout, Busyness, and the "Mask of Pretense"

• Misalignment as root of burnout
  Misalignment—not just overwork—leads to dissatisfaction.

  “The misalignment is what leads to burnout and dissatisfaction... when you're doing something aligned, time flies, it's natural. You're happy to do more.” (Robert Glazer, 17:04)

• On "masking" at work
  Many wear a “mask of pretense” because they feel they must conform or need the job, but this comes at a personal cost.

  “There's times when I had a kid and I needed the money and I needed to like sacrifice a little bit... And you can do that for a little bit... but if that becomes your default mode... you're going to have burnout.” (Robert Glazer, 29:44)

5. Environments, Surroundings, and Community

• Your setting shapes your values and possibilities
  The impact of your literal and social environment can reinforce or undermine your core values.

  "We forget about our environment and our community and how much that reinforces the things that are important to us and how hard it is when there's not alignment..." (Robert Glazer, 16:45; 34:35)

• Listening to the “Whisper”
  Internal intuition or discomfort is a sign you may be misaligned.

  “A lot of people travel a lot of miles to meet with [clarity coaches] for the clarity that they don't really want. They're in a relationship they know is a dead end... but dealing with it is really hard.” (Robert Glazer quoting Philip McKernan, 32:46)

6. Defining Values: Uniqueness & Actionability

• Core values must be actionable, not just buzzwords
  One-word values are too vague. Glazer recommends descriptive phrases that pass a “discomfort and decision” test.

  “One of the key things... is does the opposite cause discomfort, like deep discomfort, because that's how you know it's really a core value. And then can you use it to make a decision or look at your behavior?” (Robert Glazer, 38:18)

• Personalization is essential
  Your own words and lived examples matter more than adopting generic lists.

  “When you have three or four [core values] that are unique to you, that's a very unique blueprint... actionable core values...” (Robert Glazer, 38:18)

7. Taking Action: Small Steps and Practical Tools

• Clarity before change
  Don’t upend your life immediately; start with understanding.

  "First gain the clarity. And then you can think about what does a plan look like? ...You can get started in these directions, but I don't think you can do anything until you have that clarity." (Robert Glazer, 41:19)

• Six core questions
  Glazer suggests starting with six reflective questions, available on his website (robertglazer.com/6).

  “My challenge would be just answer the six questions one morning, answer them honestly on a piece of paper and take a look at those answers…” (Robert Glazer, 50:09)

• Even small misalignments matter
  Glazer ends with a personal anecdote about a near-miss pool accident, underscoring that ignoring “small fissures of core values... tend[s] to turn into earthquakes eventually.” (Robert Glazer, 46:14)

Notable Quotes

• "Core values have a cost—and it's usually a higher cost in the short term, particularly when you're putting your boat upstream."
  — Robert Glazer (08:20)

• "If I have a sports car in a tunnel and I turn off the lights... I'm going to get through, but my car is going to look like crap at the end... But if I turn on the lights and I see the yellow lines... I just, I stay away from the wall to begin with."
  — Robert Glazer (09:06)

• "It's not the time... it's where and how we're spending the time and whether we realize... that with things that are aligned."
  — Robert Glazer (17:04)

• "At the height of their fraud... Enron had core values of integrity and honesty. And that's not what got you promoted at Enron."
  — Robert Glazer (20:15)

• "We just always had an outcome orientation."
  — Robert Glazer (04:46 & 27:43)

• "I haven't found anyone who hasn't gotten a benefit by getting more clarity in this area."
  — Robert Glazer (50:09)

Notable Segments & Timestamps

• Core values as costly but essential (08:20)
• Sports car metaphor: Living misaligned vs. with clarity (09:06)
• Why parables, and the power of fiction (10:53)
• Success vs. fulfillment: personal turning point (12:41)
• Organizational values: Performance vs. decoration (20:15)
• The role of middle management in culture (24:57)
• Outcome orientation in leadership, not hours worked (27:43)
• Misalignment leading to burnout (17:04)
• Why environments matter (16:45, 34:35)
• Mentorship by asking, not telling—on character “Jack” (36:57)
• How to craft actionable, unique values (38:18)
• First steps: Answering the six core questions (50:09)
• Personal anecdote: dangers of ignoring small values misalignments (46:14)

Final Takeaways / Host Reflection

At the episode’s conclusion, John R. Miles summarizes three key ideas:

1. “Core values aren’t decoration; they’re direction.”
   They keep you from “smashing against the walls.”
2. “Capacity is built, not borrowed.”
   Focus on expanding core capacities—don’t just work harder.
3. “Alignment beats hustle.”
   Busyness without alignment leads to burnout; alignment fuels joy and results.

“Living by your values sometimes comes with a cost, but the price of ignoring them is far higher.” (John R. Miles, 51:03)

Call to Action

• Reflect on your core values: Answer the six questions for clarity (robertglazer.com/6).
• Share this episode or leave a review if it resonated.
• Explore further: The Compass Within (launching October 14th).

For more resources, full show notes, and to join the conversation:

• TheIgnitedLife.net
• Passion Struck YouTube

This summary captures the essence and actionable insights of the conversation for those seeking to align their lives with purpose, core values, and sustainable personal growth.