Learn, Earn & Turn

Podcast Version 
(with NotebookLM AI)

​In business, sport, and life, there are only three real levers to pull when you're in transition: Learn, Earn, and Turn. I use them every time I step into a new interim leadership role, and recently, I realized something powerful: this model doesn't just apply to companies, it applies in your personal life, too.

LEARN: The Outside-In Advantage

The first month in any new organization is like landing on a foreign planet. You don’t walk in with a hammer looking for nails. You listen, observe, and go beyond surface-level reports. You look for the hidden currents; what people aren’t saying, what gets swept under the rug or are hidden in plain sight - the forest through the trees, and where the friction lies between teams, tech, or targets. This isn’t passive. It’s active listening paired with curiosity.

And guess what? The same applies to your personal growth. Whether in business or endurance sport, most of us are too close to our routines to see what’s outdated, inefficient, or just plain wrong. You need to zoom out to level up. Keep questioning what you are doing. Learn from friends, colleagues, books and online videos. Get a coach to get an outside perspective.

EARN: Quick Wins Build Long-Term Trust

Month two is where I shift into gear. I’m still learning, but now I’m applying it. I go after low-hanging fruit, the quick, smart, meaningful wins. Surfacing hidden truths and highlighting process inefficiencies that have grown over time, but weren't being questioned anymore as "they had always been done that way." These aren't cosmetic fixes, they’re evidence. Evidence that change is possible. Evidence that I understand the system. In a corporate setting, it might be a process improvement or cross-industry best practice.

In life, it might be changing your morning routine or adjusting your swim stroke. When you implement something small that works, you start to trust the process. Consistency is key to materialize the growth. Earn your self-respect by keeping to it. Make the change ! Without that, the next step falls flat.
 
TURN: Lead the Way Forward—Together

Now comes the pivot. This is when you go from outsider to change leader. But here’s the trick: you don’t dictate the turn, you co-create it. You share the patterns you’ve seen, tie them back to people within the organization, and help them connect the dots. They need to see their own fingerprints on the new direction. You don’t just turn the wheel, you help others grip it with you.

In sport, this might look like finally embracing structured training, listening to your coach, or leaving behind old habits that no longer serve you. It’s not about reinventing everything; it’s about turning towards something better, together. This is also why it is important to educate your athlete so they can see and believe why they change their habits. You can not force them as a coach, they need to be willing to join you on that journey.

Why This Model Applies to YOU (Yes, You)

Here’s the punchline: until recently, I didn’t see that I needed to apply this to myself. My blind spot? Assuming that personal evolution was automatic. It’s not. In an era of AI, rapid tech shifts, and aging knees (let’s be honest), we all need to continually learn, earn, and turn. The minute we stop learning, we start falling behind. The minute we stop earning trust with others, or with ourselves, we lose our edge. And if we never turn, we stay stuck in habits that no longer match our ambitions.

Executive Athletes, Take Note

If you're an executive triathlete reading this, the metaphor writes itself. You’ve been training for years. You know how to suffer. You’ve got the Garmin- Strava - TriDot log to prove it. But what if your plan is stale? What if your "strengths" are now your blind spots? A coach isn’t there to tear you down. They’re there to learn your rhythm, earn your trust with a few smart tweaks, and then help you turn toward your next breakthrough. That takes humility. It takes openness. And it takes a mindset that’s more about growth than ego.

So ask yourself:

• What are you learning right now?
• What are you earning with that knowledge?
• And where are you ready to turn?

​Because if you're not doing all three, you’re standing still.

Don’t forget. It is the small daily steps that turn into positive habits, patterns, and beliefs ingrained in body and mind. Enjoy the journey!

BONUS TIPS COACH GLENN:

• Audit your week: What part of your training or work is just ‘auto-pilot’? Flag it.
• Find your outside-in lens: Talk to someone who isn’t in your team or training circle.
• Make one turn: Don’t wait for a crisis to course-correct. Small shifts add up.

Share this blog/newsletter with your friends, family, and colleagues who are also pursuing a sportier and healthier lifestyle!