Podcast Summary: The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast – 1KHO 628

Episode Title: More Often Than Not, People Don’t Know Their Values | Robert Glazer, The Compass Within
Host: Ginny Urch
Guest: Robert Glazer (WSJ & USA Today bestselling author, leadership expert)
Date: November 22, 2025
Theme: Exploring how understanding and articulating core values impacts our personal, professional, and family life — and how to apply this wisdom, especially as we guide children through life's big decisions.

Episode Overview

In this insightful episode, Ginny Urch interviews Robert Glazer about his new book, The Compass Within, and the crucial (yet often overlooked) role that core values play in shaping our experiences, decisions, and fulfillment. The discussion navigates the book’s parable format, practical strategies for discovering and applying personal and family values, and how these ideas can transform work life, parenting, and community engagement. The episode also dives into memorable stories, actionable tools, and even draws thoughtful parallels between values, nature, and healthy childhoods.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Values Matter — and Why Most People Can’t Articulate Theirs

• The Approach: Robert wrote The Compass Within as a story, not a textbook, using a fictional character (“Jamie”) as a stand-in for common real-life dilemmas about culture fit, purpose, and relationships.

  • [01:21] “Jamie’s just this vehicle that makes us kind of look at, oh, this is what values are. And this is where I've run into problems in life with them.” — Robert Glazer

• The Problem: Most people never define their core values:

  • [04:49] “...There’s 1 to 2% of people who have those [core values they can articulate]. ...There’s alignment between what they’re thinking, what they're saying and what they're doing.” — Robert Glazer

• The Consequence: Not knowing our values leads to misalignment and unhappiness — likened to driving a car in a dark tunnel, bumping into unseen walls (boundaries/values).

2. Discovering Personal Core Values: Robert’s Method & Examples

• Personal Journey: Robert’s values journey began when intense business growth left him exhausted and seeking meaning:

  • [07:38] “I was overwhelmed...invited [to] this exclusive global leadership training. ...The first couple days were just this big mirror...Who are you? What do you value?”

• The Practical How: Frustrated by lack of step-by-step resources, Robert developed a course (now free with book pre-order) and practical frameworks to identify and clarify core values, such as:

  • Find a better way and share it
  • Health and vitality
  • Self-reliance
  • Respectful authenticity
  • Long-term orientation

• How Values Form: Often forged in childhood—by what mattered (or was missing) growing up.

  • [20:16] “Most people are actually doubling down on something that was really important to them or they're running 100% the opposite direction.”

• The Value "Fence": You feel pain/anger when your values are violated, even if you can’t clearly describe them.

3. The Power of Values for Families & Parenting

• Translating Values to Family Life: Robert’s family created explicit family values (e.g., "be respectful, responsible, resilient, happy, kind") and posted them at home.

  • [14:10] “That's how [the teacher] described one of my kids...I felt like I was like winning. Like that was like a dunk.” — Robert Glazer

• Practical Parenting: Use values to guide daily decisions—about health, relationships, even technology use.

  • [16:03] “We have some differing opinions on cell phone stuff...We have to accept that this is as unhealthy as drugs and alcohol.”

• Modeling and Transmuting Values: Parents transmit their values—intentionally or not—through expectations, reactions, and family rituals.

4. Applying Values to Major Life Choices

• Three Big Decisions: Partner, vocation, and community.

  • [10:55] “...Without core alignment in those key areas, there’s little chance of real success or happiness in the long run.” — Ginny Urch (summarizing the book’s message)

• For Teens & Launching Adults: Knowing values before major decisions—like choosing a job or partner—prevents regret and misalignment.

5. Values in Organizations: Hiring, Culture, and Authenticity

• Wall vs. Lived Values: Many companies display values (“lobby values”) that don’t match day-to-day behavior (e.g., Enron).

  • [42:12] “Enron had ‘integrity,’ ‘respect,’ whatever, but ... the values Enron at the time were like, take huge risks and you stab other people in the back.”

• Netflix Example:

  • Adequate performance gets appreciation and a generous severance.
  • We are a team, not a family.
    These open, even polarizing statements intentionally “repel” people who won’t fit, and attract those who thrive in that culture.
  • [35:21] “Adequate performance gets a thank you...but that's not really good enough here.” — Robert Glazer

• Behavioral Interviewing: Craft questions based on values (e.g., “Tell me about a time you took responsibility for a mistake”) to identify alignment in candidates.

6. Practical Tools & Takeaways

• How to Get Started: Robert’s six key questions (available at robertglazer.com/six) help individuals begin to clarify values.

  • [44:06] “Take an hour with a coffee...You may look down and be like, huh, I did not expect those themes to come up.”

• Family and Organizational Rituals: Value-based awards, rituals (like a “core value baton”), and regular check-ins reinforce alignment.

7. Nature and Values—A Deeper Connection

• Nature as a Core Value: The book’s protagonist continually returns to hiking, biking, and natural landscapes—mirroring recurring themes of balance, health, and fulfillment.

  • [45:20] “We as humans are not designed to be doing what you and I are doing all day right now...Going for a walk in the woods releases oxytocin into your bloodstream.”

• Practical Considerations: Choosing where to live, whom to partner with, and what habits to foster should account for affinity for nature, physical health, and real connections.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Why Values Work Matters:

“I would argue that they [people] do [know their values], and actually they know when they're electrocuted by the electric fence because that's crossing your values—but they don't see the fence.”
— Robert Glazer [05:11]

On Parenting & Core Values:

“We’re trying to transmute these things [values]...they need to have some real bedrock things they can trust on.”
— Robert Glazer [14:10]

On Company Values vs. Culture:

“Enron had like integrity, respect, whatever, when really the values [there] were...stab other people in the back.”
— Robert Glazer [42:12]

On the Fallacy of “Just Be Happy”:

“This, ‘I just want my kids to be happy,’ is sort of a narcissistic thing...I think you should want your kids to be fulfilled...Being fulfilled and engaged means you're doing something that you like and enjoy.”
— Robert Glazer [28:02]

On Letting People Leave Organizations Respectfully:

“Can't we make leaving...like the end of a sports contract—which is, hey, the person's a free agent?...We invented an open transition thing...that led to the TED Talk.”
— Robert Glazer [48:33]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Introducing Robert and Book Format: 00:29–02:54
• Why Few People Know Their Values: 04:49–06:10
• Robert’s Values Journey: 07:38–10:42
• Family Core Values in Practice: 12:44–16:03
• Values' Origins in Childhood: 20:16–24:32
• Impact of Trust as a Core Value: 24:32–26:10
• Lobby Values vs. Real Culture: 26:39–34:35
• Netflix’s Values Explained: 34:51–38:16
• Behavioral Interviewing with Values: 39:10–41:18
• Nature & Values in Life Decisions: 44:32–47:06

Additional Resources Shared by Guest

• The Compass Within (Book): Available at compass-within.com
• Free Core Values Course: Pre-order book for access
• Six Key Questions Worksheet: robertglazer.com/six
• Friday Forward Newsletter: Weekly stories & leadership tips (over 1M subscribers)

Final Moments

Childhood Memory (Robert Glazer):

• Thanksgiving Day football games in New England:
  • [51:52] “I remember sort of family football games on Thanksgiving...My dad ran into my grandfather and we thought we killed him one year!”

Takeaways for Listeners

• Don’t wait for a crisis—start articulating your values now, individually and as a family.
• Use values to filter big decisions; they are your “compass.”
• Real fulfillment comes from integrity — aligning actions, words, and internal beliefs.
• Bring your values to work and relationships authentically. Don’t fudge the fit.
• Nature, movement, and being “outside” aren’t just good for kids — they’re foundational for adults’ well-being and decision-making clarity.

Connect with Robert Glazer

• Book & Free Course: compass-within.com
• Weekly Newsletter: Friday Forward
• Six Questions Worksheet: robertglazer.com/six
• Podcast: Elevate with Robert Glazer
• Social: @robertglazer

Summary created for The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast community. If you haven’t yet, pick up The Compass Within — and take time as a family to name and live your values, inside and out.