What Educators Actually Need to Feel Purposeful Again with Glen Gerreyn

Adrienne Hornby: well, thank you so much for joining us for this incredible episode of the Well-Learned Schools podcast. The notes for the episode complete with information and links to connect with Glenn and access all his incredible resources ⁓ available wherever you're listening to this podcast. ⁓ you haven't already, don't forget to subscribe so you never miss a new episode and keep up to date with our new YouTube channel, ⁓ will be sharing ⁓ of our podcasts in video format.

Glenn, welcome to the Well Led Schools podcast. It is an absolute pleasure to have you on today. I don't think that you'll probably remember, of course not because you've had so many sessions, but around, I think five or six years ago, I heard you speak and it catapulted me into wanting to do this work. you certainly, you certainly inspired a vision and hope and purpose in me to...

Today I'm joined by Glenn Goren to discuss all things hope and purpose for our students and educators. Stay tuned. Glen Gerreyn: Yeah, wow. ⁓ wow, awesome.

Adrienne Hornby: Leave education, not that I was ever unhappy, but go out and do work that felt truly fulfilling because I watched you. So thank you. And thank you for being here today. So I love to start my podcast just to learn a little bit about my guests.

I'd love to know what's one thing that you do to personally prioritize or look after your own health or wellbeing. Today's guest on the podcast is Glenn Goren, a global voice for hope who has reached over a million people worldwide and is the director and co-founder of the Hopeful Institute. Glenn engages with students, parents, teachers, all staff, sporting groups and community leaders with his rare ability to challenge and inspire while making every individual feel seen. Glen Gerreyn: Yeah.

⁓ wow, that's awesome. So nice to hear. Thank you for sharing that. Adrienne Hornby: If you're ready to take the next step in creating a workplace where staff purpose and vision is ignited and they're able to sustain their wellbeing through attending to the multiple elements of what makes us feel truly happy, healthy and well, I invite you to explore the Well-Led Schools Partnership Program.

Glen Gerreyn: Wow, great first question. ⁓ This is kind of like my jam because my work is obviously centered around health and well-being, motivation and hope. So not only is this my work, it's actually my life, it's actually who I am. ⁓ I heard an interview by ⁓ Michael Jackson was being interviewed.

I don't know if you're a fan of his music, but when he was 10 years old, he was being interviewed and the interviewer said, was asked, asked him Adrienne Hornby: He's known for translating modern psychological research into practical insights that reignite purpose, motivation and possibility. And I really experienced that on today's interview. I myself before today had the privilege of hearing Glenn speak during my time as a school leader at the very beginning of my wellbeing consultancy journey.

And he indeed motivated me to be bold, This 12 month professional learning and coaching program helps schools in better well-being focused framework, strengthen culture and ensure that staff thrive personally and professionally. All while driving meaningful lasting change for both them and the students whom we work alongside. Learn more about the partnerships at adriennehornby.com.

au forward slash school hyphen partnerships. Yeah. Glen Gerreyn: Can you describe your performance? And he said this, said, whatever I sing, that's what I really mean.

Like when I'm singing a song, I don't just sing it ⁓ unless I mean it. And when I teach something in schools, I make sure that I'm either have done it or I'm currently doing it. And that places me, I guess, in a place of authenticity, being authentic and being an authority in that area. So I don't know if I can just give you one thing.

Adrienne Hornby: and brave and take the leap from safety into this very purpose driven work. In today's conversation, we explore what hope and purpose means for students and educators, strategies to motivate, Yeah. Yeah. Glen Gerreyn: that I'm prioritizing right now, but let me give you a couple.

At the moment, I'm actually, every January, I start by doing a 21 day intermittent fast. So where I fast was between 16 and 18 hours. Yeah, no, no, no, that's insane. Yeah, that's insane.

No. Yeah. So each day about 16 to 18 hours. So I basically stop eating around 6 PM and then start eating again around Adrienne Hornby: young people and how we can reconnect with our own purpose.

This is one you are not going to want to miss. Stay tuned. I thought you meant for 21 days. was like, how are you here, Glenn?

Glen Gerreyn: 10 or 11 the next morning. And a lot of people do intermittent fasting, you know, obviously for weight loss, but I mainly do it to obviously reduce inflammation, enhance brain function and cellular repair. So that's kind of one thing that I like to start the year now. It also helps in terms of my discipline for the year, because I'm about to go into it 200 days speaking.

Yeah. So I like to set that up, do that upfront. Adrienne Hornby: Yeah. Yeah.

Glen Gerreyn: Another thing I do to prioritize my wellbeing is I work out in the gym every single day. Do 50 push-ups every single morning. Because I read in Men's Health Magazine when I was 30 that if you do that once you hit 30, you lose about 10 % muscle mass every decade. So at like 52, I'm literally fighting against the decay.

Yeah. Adrienne Hornby: Hmm. 52 Glenn you don't look a day over 30. Glen Gerreyn: Yeah, thank you.

So ⁓ I try and do that as much as I can. And another thing I've done, this actually started last September, was to, I guess, reaffirm my commitment to young people. And with the social media ban that's in place in Australia, was I deleted Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok all off my phone last September. ⁓ And I feel like my headspace is so much more clearer.

Adrienne Hornby: Mm. Glen Gerreyn: And ⁓ I just want to, cause I can't go out and tell young people, hey, social media is bad. And then spend all my time on social media. So yeah, so I really wanted to do that to, you know, stand with young people in that, in that place.

Cause I heard this great quote by neuroscientist and he said, we are training our brains to pay attention to crap. And so I just want to even do that for myself. Adrienne Hornby: Yeah, that's right. Yeah, 100%.

Listen, you sound like you 100 % embody authenticity by practicing what you preach. And then I think we could get along and hang out because I do all of those things as well. All of them. I, I, ⁓ I have a little bit more trouble with the social media one.

I will go through periods of removing it, then it creeps back in and then removing it. I to be able to really know and understand. Glen Gerreyn: ⁓ wow, awesome. Wow, great.

Yeah. Adrienne Hornby: why that's so important, I dive into the learning around it. So all of the podcasts I've been listening to at the moment are all around focus and social media and the doom scrolling. And one I really love, if anybody else is struggling with this, and you might've read it yourself, is Stolen Focus by ⁓ Johann Hari.

Yeah, Johann Hari. And even for those who feel like they don't have time to read the book, I just searched him up on Glen Gerreyn: Yeah, well, yeah. Yes, yeah, it's awesome. Adrienne Hornby: ⁓ Apple Podcasts and then all of the episodes he featured on to speak about that were there and he's a brilliant, he's a brilliant storyteller.

He's an incredible mind and can explain and articulate what's happening in this generation with technology and the benefits of taking some time off. But he also really realistically shares why it's so hard for us to step away, which helps to Glen Gerreyn: Yeah. Yeah, it's awesome, it? Yeah.

Adrienne Hornby: explain why young people and adults are almost magnetized to our phones. Glen Gerreyn: Oh, a hundred percent. I'm reading a book at the moment. I've just finished reading it.

It's called, Every Screen on the Planet. Have you heard of that? It's a, it's the story of, um, TikTok and it goes into, you know, how it started. Like one of the founders said, you know, my fundamental belief is that people are lazy and that if we can just get them to not even get to a place where they're actually even choosing anymore, that we choose for them, then Adrienne Hornby: no, no.

Mmm. Glen Gerreyn: then we can actually help generate a type of addiction. Because we live today in what's called an addiction economy. Back in the day, it was like tobacco.

But today, top, I think 10 out of the top biggest companies in the world all focus on addiction. How can we get people to just keep on scrolling? How can we keep them addicted? It's terrible.

So, ⁓ Adrienne Hornby: Yeah. Yeah. Mmm. I know, isn't it awful?

Yeah, but it makes people money and that's their end goal. I've even... Glen Gerreyn: That's exactly right. That's why I want to try and do that.

You know, we'll see how long it lasts, but I'm actually loving not having it on my phone. Adrienne Hornby: Me too, and I've started, I stole my son's paint by numbers over the break. So he's like, mom, that's mine. And I'm like, no, I need something to do.

So I sat there, it looks great. He's only six, he'll pop in and say, can I help? And I'm like, oh, okay. So we've been doing it together.

So just trying to replace it. Oh, thank you. Glen Gerreyn: Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's awesome. Yeah, that's right.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, that's right.

I'm fine. I mean, I was reading a lot, but now I'm even reading more. And, you know, my daughter handed me a because I'm not reading enough fiction. My daughter in her class at uni was studying contemporary literature and she came across these amazing books.

She keeps gifting them to me. So it's a great thing for me to get back into some fiction. Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

That's right. Yeah. Adrienne Hornby: I'm just saying. Yeah, yeah, I love an autobiography because it feels like fiction, but it's a true story and it's inspiring.

I love a story of hope. So that's how I get my fiction into it. We have the same brains, but in different body, we're working on the same thing. And one other thing I know that you like to do is your new sauna that you got at the end of last year, which is my ultimate goal.

on my vision board for the year. Glen Gerreyn: Yeah, I think so. Yeah. ⁓ Yeah, yeah.

Do it, do it. I'm telling you, like I try and get into sauna at least four or five times a week for about 20 minutes. And it just is because I'm trying to get back into athletics into running again. And so just like I said, at my age, the recovery is really, really important.

I heard LeBron spends two million a year on recovery. Adrienne Hornby: Yes. Glen Gerreyn: from cryo chambers to physiotherapists to everything. And David Goggins stretches for like two hours a day.

So I don't have $2 million and I don't have two hours, but I can spend 20 minutes in a sauna. ⁓ Adrienne Hornby: Yeah. ⁓ my gosh. I know and it's so great I remember when I commented on your post you said ⁓ all the kids get in as well and it's your way to connect you've got a big sauna though it's not like a one-man sauna and you're sitting on it totally.

Glen Gerreyn: Yeah. And it, it, have no, no, no, exactly. And it's great for the kids because they can't take their phones into the sauna. So I've got 20 minutes of uninterrupted time with my kids to just wind down and just talk about the day.

So it's just been awesome. Adrienne Hornby: Yeah, yeah. Yeah. And talk.

Talk. How wonderful. Well, for those of you who aren't tuned in on the video chat, you need to just to see how all of these things contribute to Glenn looking absolutely incredible for beauty too. Glenn, for those of you who are listening who don't know you, apart from what they've just learned about you now, can you tell us all a little bit about yourself, your work and the absolutely incredible story that's led you to where you are today?

Glen Gerreyn: Hahaha Yeah. Yeah, sure. Yeah, sure. Well, back in the day when I was in high school, I was a state champion sprinter, qualified for the world juniors and pretty much had my sights set up on the up and coming Commonwealth Games and Olympic teams.

But towards end of high school, towards the of my year 12, I got hit with an incurable disease called ulcerative colitis, which is very similar to Crohn's disease. The doctors put me on a disability pension and told me I'd be able to work again, let alone run. So I lived like that, shut up at home for five years, basically unable to work, unable to really leave the home. And then at 22, I read Nelson Mandela's book, Long Walk to Freedom.

I got so inspired by his story to see a black man go from like, you know, 27 years in prison to president of a nation. I took the $2 that I had that was left over from the disability pension that week, raised money through government grants and business sponsorship. Adrienne Hornby: Mm. Glen Gerreyn: and built a youth center in Queensland.

From that, I won Young Australian of the Year in 1998 for Queensland Community Service. And then schools, companies, football teams, then started asking me to come in and just share my story. And so I've gone from sharing my story to now working in close to 300 high schools around the world. I work with first 15 rugby teams, rowing squads, athletic squads.

The NRL had me come in and work with all their rookies Adrienne Hornby: Yeah. Glen Gerreyn: based upon one of my books called Men of Honor, which is around sexual ethics for young men. And at this point, I feel like I'm living my dream, know, doing the thing that I was born to do, which was actually to bring hope to as many young people as I possibly can. Adrienne Hornby: Thanks.

Yeah. Absolutely, and why youth in a youth centre? Why do you think focusing on our youth is so important, I guess towards a more hopeful and purpose-driven future? Glen Gerreyn: Yeah, well, for me, like I grew up, I went to a Catholic school and Catholics are super awesome at helping young people understand community service and social justice.

And so for me, it was like, ⁓ when you got out of school, the whole thing was to make a difference in your community. So Youth Center for me was like, hey, that would be a cool way that I can make a difference in young people's lives. Adrienne Hornby: And I see it even now, I guess, from my past profession of being a teacher, how early we really need to intervene and support and having young boys now. And I'm sure it's the same for girls, but I've done a little bit more research into boys and those teen years in particular.

It's about having those in particular for boys, male role models or role models around them in those years when they can tend to, I guess, disconnect from parents and gravitate towards only friends. Glen Gerreyn: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah, totally. Adrienne Hornby: building something like that is being able to support, as you said, those character strengths and the character building of these really young people from such a young age. Glen Gerreyn: That's right.

And we all need mentors, right? I mean, most of us understand the importance of mentor because we've been mentored before. And those of us who haven't been mentored wish that we probably had had someone in our life to help guide us. Because, you know, some people think, ⁓ the best way to learn is from your own mistakes.

That's the worst way to learn. The best way to learn is from other people's experiences, because then you don't carry the scars of those mistakes. Adrienne Hornby: Yeah. Yeah.

Yes. Yeah, definitely. And those stories. much of your work, of course, in schools and with young people really focuses on hope and purpose.

How have your own experiences shaped your understanding of hope and what it actually is and I guess what it isn't? And why is your work so important for these young audiences? Glen Gerreyn: Well, hope to me isn't just like wishful thinking. It's more of a disciplined way of seeing and acting in the world.

Early in my life with this diagnosis, it kind of forced me to rethink my future. And I had to learn that hope is not the absence of hardship, but it's the presence of agency and purpose literally in the midst of it. So that shift from like, why me to what now has shaped everything I do. Adrienne Hornby: Mm.

Mm. Mm. Mm. Glen Gerreyn: with young people.

So in schools, I've seen when a student is anchored to hope and purpose, they stop drifting. Igniting hope is like infusing yourself with well-being. And how do you generate hope in young people? Professor Charles Snyder, I'm sure you're familiar, developed this formula for hope in the 1990s.

He said goals Adrienne Hornby: Mmm. Mm-hmm. Glen Gerreyn: plus pathways, plus agency equals hope. Now, ⁓ goals.

My first thing is whenever I get into a school, my goal is to help enliven young people to understand the process of goal making or goal creating. And then helping them understand that pathways are their ability to generate multiple routes, that they need to be flexible in their thinking and obviously learn to develop alternate plans because life is shifting, right? There's nothing really certain. Adrienne Hornby: Mm.

Glen Gerreyn: And then that last key component agency, knowing that they have the power to actually affect change. And so in these seminars that I run, don't, we teach practical rituals that turn those ideas into like muscle memory. So naming, it's all about naming a compelling purpose, crafting like precise goals and then building habits and obviously serving others. And, and, and also telling yourself a better story.

Adrienne Hornby: Mm-hmm. ⁓ Glen Gerreyn: about who you're becoming. It's not about hype, it's literally about a toolkit. And why does this matter?

Because ⁓ students are navigating storms, comparison, anxiety, uncertainty, and without an anchor, they get pulled, obviously, in these strong, in these really strong currents. So I guess with these tools, my goal is to help them hold position. even in rough seas, that they actually choose their direction, again, when the weather clears. And I've watched, in seeing this, I've watched disengaged students become student leaders just by clarifying their purpose.

I've seen attendance rise, resilience, well-being lift, when hope becomes a practice and not just a poster. Adrienne Hornby: Yeah, I really, it's incredible work that you're doing. And I really resonated with what you said there about telling yourself a better story. And I think a big connection even for me in that, as I was listening to you speak, is that quite recently, actually, I read the book, The Courage to Be Disliked.

I don't know whether you've read it yet. Yeah, it's a really interesting book. And I read it for different reasons. I read it maybe thinking that it would...

Glen Gerreyn: Okay. It's on my bookshelf. haven't read it yet, but it's there. Adrienne Hornby: support me with my confidence to stand up for what I believe in or you know navigate imposter syndrome in in the business world.

But what I actually took away from it was it's actually unpacking Adlerian psychology which talks a lot about how very boldly, ⁓ Adler I can't remember his first name but his main I guess philosophy in psychology was that At times we can choose whether we move forward and we're practical and we apply strategies and solutions or we stay in the story of being a victim. And I don't mean to say ⁓ because there are many different ways that we can be victims in a variety of circumstances, but you choose whether you let something consume you or whether you use it to move forward and you choose a different outcome.

And that for me, Glen Gerreyn: Yeah, wow. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, totally. I agree, yeah.

Yeah. Adrienne Hornby: was actually really powerful and I don't think I ever assumed a victim role but I very much used my prior story in life and in work and in childhood to excuse I guess why I was the way that I was that maybe the less positive sides of myself and so now I was like you know I found it actually really empowering so that doesn't have to be what defines me now and even how challenging the world is doesn't have to hold me back. Glen Gerreyn: Yeah, that's awesome.

Adrienne Hornby: like with your amazing story of starting your youth centre, which I'm sure came with many roadblocks and challenges, but you had the eye on the prize and on the future that you wanted and you kept deciding for yourself. Glen Gerreyn: Totally, yeah. Yeah, that's right. I mean, we tell ourselves so many stories that aren't actually serving us.

So we just need to change the narrative. I mean, the truth is we're all telling ourselves a story. So since you're telling yourself this story that isn't serving you, why don't you just tell yourself another story that can serve you. Adrienne Hornby: Mm-hmm.

Yeah, yeah. Mm. Yeah, and choosing the right people around you, which is really important for young people, because I know that there's probably a lot of things happening from a neuroscience perspective of why that's so hard to discern maybe good fit people around you and surrounding yourself with the right influences. But I can't remember which Gabor Marte book it is where he talks about it's all around in those teenage years, making sure that again, like we talked about with those, ⁓ the focus on boys in particular.

Glen Gerreyn: Yeah. Adrienne Hornby: around these teenage years with the right kind of influences and keep holding your children close. I think that's what it's called. Yes.

And ensuring that when things are hard and we're struggling, that we're not gravitating towards other people who confirm, I guess, some of those stories that we're telling ourselves and I guess maybe steer us in a direction that isn't towards the goals that we're looking for. Yeah. Glen Gerreyn: Yeah. Okay, well.

Yeah. That's so great. I read, I'm sure you've heard the book Man's Search for Meaning by Victor Franka. Oh, it's a tough book.

I've read it seven times. And it's only recently that I just found this quote. And he said, when a person can't find a deep sense of meaning, they distract themselves with pleasure. And it pretty much, this book was written 70 years ago, but it pretty much describes this current generation.

Because TikTok never runs out. Adrienne Hornby: No, I haven't. No. I have.

Mm-hmm. Mm-mm. ⁓ Mm. Glen Gerreyn: So you can actually spend yourself, spend 24 hours, seven days a week, 365 days, completely distracted and never have the opportunity to sit and think about where you're going and what your purpose is.

Cause you know, to do that self-creation can only happen in moments of boredom, but we are so entertained all the time now that we never had these times for self-reflection. Adrienne Hornby: Mm. Mm-hmm. Yeah.

And they talk, Johan Hari also talks about that in Stolen Focus, we can't ever solution find or sit on a feeling that feels uncomfortable and consider what that means. And thought about it this morning, I took my son out for a walk and I'm like, this is a perfect opportunity to listen to a podcast. I was like, you know what, how about I'll actually talk to my child on this walk? Glen Gerreyn: Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Adrienne Hornby: He's only two and I was like, oh, let's talk about all the things around us. But even as adults, we're so prone to doing that, to escape.

Yeah, to escape at all. Do you think that we, young and old, are more or less hopeful in 2026 and why? Glen Gerreyn: ⁓ tidal light, tidal light, yeah, absolutely. ⁓ I think the research will probably say that we're less hopeful.

I mean, when you think about even the recent events that have happened, like we got bushfires in Victoria, the bond I shoot in, cost of living crisis. And then globally, we've got like the Ukraine-Russian war that's happening, Palestine and Israel, civil wars in like, I think it's Sudan, Syria, Congo, Haiti, and even Yemen. And then even what's happening in Venezuela. ⁓ Adrienne Hornby: Hmm.

Yeah. No, don't know. Glen Gerreyn: And the problem with all of this is in today's world, it's not just one alarming issue that grabs our attention. It's hundreds all at the same time constantly coming at us.

And this barrage of like information can make it feel like we're in a state of like perpetual crisis all the time. The challenge I think lies in how we process and prioritize this information with so much that is actually happening all at once. Adrienne Hornby: Hmm. Glen Gerreyn: And it also then becomes difficult to discern what issues actually really require our immediate attention and action.

And then we find, I guess, struggling to calibrate the significance of each one of these events. And so my advice ⁓ would be to actually, and this is what I've done, and this has helped me in the last few months, is like I said earlier, get rid of social media and don't listen to the news. And I think that will actually cut your anxiety by half. I read this book recently and it talks about the news, how most of it's not relevant.

Now, if you have to ask somebody, like we're in 2026 now, go back five years, 2021, and give me five of the top news stories. And most people probably struggle to come up with five. They might come up maybe one or two. Adrienne Hornby: Yep, I can attest to that.

Glen Gerreyn: So that shows how relevant all of this stuff. I mean, we get hundreds of news stories, hundreds of crises happening all the time, all around the world. And we hear about it all the time, but none of them are relevant to our current goals and where we're actually headed. Adrienne Hornby: ⁓ My question I was going to ask you before you went into your advice was, do we know too much?

Glen Gerreyn: I, yeah, I think, yes, I mean, there's obviously, it's, that's a nuanced question because it's obviously great to know it's things we need to know and things that we don't need to know. I mean, I don't need to look at 500 videos on what Donald Trump is doing today. You know, that's, I don't need to know, have that all that information. I need to look at what are my goals and what's the information I need to Adrienne Hornby: Yeah, things we need to know.

That's right. Yeah, yeah. Glen Gerreyn: get to get to those goals. Otherwise, we're just constantly paralyzed and never moving forward.

Adrienne Hornby: Mm. Glen Gerreyn: but a lot of these crisis is we actually can't do anything about it. But we can actually spend more time with our kids. We can actually spend more time doing the things that we love to do.

They're the things that we can do. So we need to probably spend more time on those things rather than these things that are really completely irrelevant to most of our lives. You know I found in cutting out all the news? Adrienne Hornby: Yeah.

That's fun. Glen Gerreyn: If there's something that I really, really need to know, I mean, where I get my news is basically conversations with other people. Because other, like I've not seen a single news story in the bushfires, but I have conversations with other people and they talk about them. And I get that, and that's all I really need to know.

Adrienne Hornby: Mm! Again, another ⁓ link to our very similar thinking is I did the same thing years ago and I had a lot of friends who said to me, but how do you know about the important things that are going on in the world? And I said, listen, if it's really important, I'll likely find out about it through the grapevine or I can switch on the news at any time if I feel like I need to know. Glen Gerreyn: 100%.

That's right. Exactly. That's right. Adrienne Hornby: And I think it's not just the news anymore, like we talked about with that link to social media is that the algorithm feeds us a lot of that same story that confirms what we want to listen to or watch a full video on rather than, you know, the reality of it.

And I don't know, you're up in Brisbane, I know I'm on the Gold Coast with the cyclone at the beginning of the year. Everyone kept calling me about the cyclone. was like, ⁓ it seems fine up here. And so we started to get worried and so switched on the news.

Glen Gerreyn: I don't Adrienne Hornby: And it was very interesting to watch in two days and we haven't watched news in years. What changed in our household around the mindset of everybody? And I woke up the next day really worried and my husband said, how about we, we're not meant to, but how about we go out for a drive and we actually look for ourselves, Adrian. We live right, right where it's meant to be hitting.

And we went out and my son's looking around and he's going, where's the destruction? And I said, yeah, it's the news position themselves. And there was of course some Glen Gerreyn: Yeah. Yeah, great.

Awesome. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Adrienne Hornby: you know, some issues and definitely some areas that were hit, but the news positioned themselves outside those places. And that I just noticed even in that little bit of time how that brought down my state of hope. Whereas before I was like, can, I can sense what's happening here as opposed to what somebody else was telling me. Glen Gerreyn: Yeah, China.

That's right. I the news is highly incentivized to make us feel like the world is falling apart, you because that's when we pay attention, right? And exactly. And what you were talking about with social media, mean, so much of it is propaganda that we just constantly get fed.

And, you know, none of it's really the truth. To actually think objectively is what we need to be helping young people with, you know. Adrienne Hornby: Yeah that's right they've worked out the psychology. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. 100 % I always have to say to my husband, I can hear what's happening on your algorithm there and I'm a little bit worried. It's very tinfoil hatty.

think you need to start, think you need to pull back there and yeah, I think with discernment we should consume everything. One thing I hear a lot in schools and when reviewing our staff wellbeing surveys is staff, particularly teachers reporting Glen Gerreyn: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

That's right. Yeah. Yeah. Yes, tidelight, yes.

Adrienne Hornby: higher rates of student disengagement or apathy, particularly at school and with their learning. And I can understand myself as a teacher that these challenges in connecting with students and motivating them can significantly affect ⁓ our staff's feelings of self-efficacy and purpose in their role, which affects morale and culture and relationships. And it's like a snowball effect to impacting the many different dimensions of our wellbeing. Glen Gerreyn: Yeah, Tyler.

Yeah. Adrienne Hornby: What are your thoughts or solutions ⁓ for navigating these challenges or perceptions and really motivating young people to pursue this future that they actually care about, like what you have done? Glen Gerreyn: Yeah, totally. I mean, I think for me, motivation isn't the problem.

It's actually lack of vision. Because how can they be motivated when they don't even know where they're going? And one of the reasons I think young people don't know where they're going is called, you've heard it, there's a great book written on it called The Paradox of Choice. ⁓ There are so many choices out there.

For instance, if I can illustrate it like this. When I was like eight years of age, my mom ⁓ Adrienne Hornby: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Glen Gerreyn: took me to the jeans store to buy a of jeans. And she would walk up to the sales assistant and say, listen, he's eight, could we have a pair of jeans? The sales assistants would go to the rack, pull out a size five or size eight pair of jeans, come in, I would go in and try them on. I'd come out and say, Monday fit.

We would walk out, the process would take like five minutes. I walked into General Pants a few years ago to buy a new pair of jeans. And I got up to the sales assistant, I said, listen, can I have a new pair of jeans? She says, sure, what would you like?

Button fly, zip fly. baggy extra baggy slim fit extra slim fit which like for a diesel subies Levi's Lee's true legit what color would you like the man she gives me like 58 choices then goes to the rack you know the rack that's piled up jeans in the ladder to come to reach them she pulls out from there I'm not kidding you 18 pairs of jeans comes over and over to me and says here sir try these ones on see which ones you like I spend literally the next three and a half hours trying on jeans I'm confused Adrienne Hornby: Yeah Glen Gerreyn: I don't know which ones I like, which ones I After three and a half hours, I finally make a decision.

I pay the money. I walk out and do you know all I'm thinking about then for like the next five weeks is did I choose the right pair? You know, and so you tell you the reason why young people often can't make a choice about where they want to go is because there's so much choice. Have you ever seen those career career guides?

You know, they're massively filled, right? So what I tell young people is this. said, listen, here's the one we need to do. Is it easy to steer a car?

Adrienne Hornby: or the other chance. There's so much to do. Yeah, yeah. Glen Gerreyn: when the car is moving or when it's stationary.

The answer is obviously when it's moving, right? Cause when you're stationary, you're not getting anywhere. You can steer as much as you want, but you can get moving. So here's what we're doing in the next 10 seconds, like your life dependent on it.

I want you to make a decision. I don't care even if it's a wrong decision, just make a decision about something that you're interested in something like it could be architecture, could be law. It could be construction. don't care.

And as you're moving, Adrienne Hornby: Mmm, yes. Yes. Glen Gerreyn: you actually start to change directions, but you can actually change directions more efficiently because you're actually moving. I mean, there's this research that says that young people today will have about 35 different jobs during their lifetime, seven different careers, and most of the jobs that they'll be engaged with don't even exist yet.

So their goal in high school is not to have it all worked out. Their goal is to try and make a decision, pick a interest, and just start moving in direction. Adrienne Hornby: ⁓ Mmm. I'm awesome.

Glen Gerreyn: Because I believe this, they can gain, ⁓ all they want to do is get discipline in a area, whether it's dance, whether it's swimming, whether it's music, do something where you have to practice. And as you gain discipline, you gain wisdom. And wisdom then helps you make better decisions as to what you should do next. Adrienne Hornby: Mmm.

You are reaffirming my mother's decision making and her pushing of me in year 12, I didn't know what I wanted to do. And I said, maybe I'll take this year off. And I think she could sense in my personality that that would be a very bad idea. She was like, no, you're picking something and you'll start it and you'll probably work it out throughout that first year.

And then we can pivot down the line. You'll learn some skills in writing reports and essays and completing assignments and deadlines. Glen Gerreyn: Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Tyler, that's right. Yeah. That's right. Adrienne Hornby: And so I chose teaching.

went, ⁓ yeah, I guess that'd be fine. And ended up loving it. But I've always, for a number of years, been like, you know, I was forced into that decision. And I'm still very glad, but it goes to show that maybe she'd heard you speak a really long time ago.

And I think this is wonderful for our teachers with students looking to move forward. So it sounds like having that goal or having some kind of vision, whether maybe it's the vision of the feeling or how. Glen Gerreyn: Yeah. ⁓ Yeah.

⁓ tideline. Yeah. ⁓ Adrienne Hornby: how we want to live our lives as opposed to what we want to do. Glen Gerreyn: That's right.

Absolutely. And I think it's all about taking the pressure off. This isn't the thing, but it might be the thing that leads you to the thing that Adrienne Hornby: Mmm. I had some girlfriends around the other night to set goals for this year and everyone was, you know, it was meant to be a vision boarding night, but it just turned into a lot of talking, which is a way better outcome than us making vision boards.

But we reflected on last year and set goals for this year. And I had one friend who found it really challenging. She said, I'm a live in the moment person. I don't, I don't see the point in this.

I just decide I want to do something that I do at the next day. And I didn't quite know. Glen Gerreyn: Yeah, I cry. Yeah.

Adrienne Hornby: how to share with her the importance of that vision or the goal, because she's like, I'm totally happy with how my life is. Yeah. Glen Gerreyn: Yeah, that's right. And I think we're all heading in a direction.

And I think what goals do is they just help frame us so we don't get distracted by all the stuff that isn't relevant to our personal lives. Because by constantly living in them, I mean, there's so many distractions and so many interruptions that come into our day and goals just help keep us focused. Adrienne Hornby: Hmm. Mm, mm, mm, okay, so F.

I always ask the really important question, well, are you happy with how your life is? And I asked this for Cassin, she's like, yeah, love my life. And I was like, well, obviously that strategy is working for you. But if you sense, again, if people have lost motivation or direction, that it's probably going to be a good solution for them.

Glen Gerreyn: Yeah. I mean, totally. And also the illustration I give young people is, know, on a, why do they have goal posts on a football field? The reason is so you know, which team is winning or losing.

So how do you know whether you're winning or losing in life if you don't have any goals? Adrienne Hornby: Mm. Mm. Mm, mm.

Yeah. And it's just having that idea of, like we said, where we want to go, what we want to do, how we want to feel, and actually igniting that conversation. What about those students who don't seem to be engaging with a subject area or, you know, something, I guess, that's out of alignment from their vision and goals? How do we how do we keep them focused on some of those things that We don't love doing, but are important and they're part of our duty as a student or part of the whole package.

Glen Gerreyn: Sure, well, what I teach is that school is not about content, it's about character. And there's this old proverb that says in all labor, there is profit. So even though you think this might not be relevant, it actually doesn't matter because what you're learning, school is not about the mark that you get at the end of the year. What you're supposed to be learning at school is discipline, focus, how to get along with people.

Adrienne Hornby: Yeah. Hmm. Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. Glen Gerreyn: ⁓ How to adapt, when to learn to pivot and when to learn to push.

Those character traits will be with you forever. So that's what we're learning and all work works. Either it works for you or it works on you. But all work works.

Adrienne Hornby: Ugh. It all has its purpose and I even was thinking as you were talking then when I was teaching there was this discernment between teaching skills and content and so I always had a big focus mostly actually on teaching skills because anybody could consume the content at any one stage so sure you might not like Australian history but those important skills of research you will likely need for the thing that you have as part of your vision so Glen Gerreyn: Yeah.

That's right. That's exactly right. Yeah, timeline. Adrienne Hornby: shifting and changing it there.

We often talk about purpose for students and young people, but what about for teachers and educators? Like I say all the time that a career in education we know is highly stressful. The data tells us that, well, it can be, because it's not for everybody. And it may lead to burnout for a rising number of people.

But we will be really hard pressed to find as purposed filled Glen Gerreyn: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Adrienne Hornby: and rewarding profession is the one that we work in.

We are so incredibly lucky when we look at it that way. How do we remain hopeful and have a belief in our purpose when the challenges of teaching are so loudly shared on media throughout our schools, but also experienced by our staff too? Glen Gerreyn: Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah, I think one way to remain hopeful is to remember why you chose this profession in the first place. I mean, let's be honest, the majority of teachers that I've worked with chose this profession because they wanted to make a difference in young people's lives. But somewhere along the way, we lost our first love for the work. ⁓ I mean, think about it.

When people first began teaching, they were hopeful, exuberant when I ran out teaching colleges. And you might have, what? Adrienne Hornby: Yes. Glen Gerreyn: led you into this might have been you watched a movie like To Sir With Love or Mr.

Holland's Opus or even like Remember the Titans and you came out of these films brimming with hope that one day you were going to do the same thing and I think you know in the movie The Wizard of Oz, ⁓ The Tin Man, the reason why he lost his heart was he kept on doing the same robotic thing over and over Adrienne Hornby: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Glen Gerreyn: and over again.

And I think that's what happens to teachers, like any professional in any field. It's easily become overwhelmed with the paperwork, the compliance, the reports, the registration, the curriculum and development, even parental communication, which has obviously escalated today. And even, and also navigating difficult relationships with colleagues. So in the process, you might've lost sight of your true purpose.

And that was obviously to make a meaningful impact on young people's lives. ⁓ But sharing your passion for a subject or witnessing the joy in someone's eyes when they really conquer a challenge is what really truly matters. Now, I believe this 100 % with all my heart, right? Work can actually be a prison sentence.

Unless it has meaning. And once it has meaning, it will actually make you come alive. Adrienne Hornby: I wholeheartedly agree with you and see even in my sessions when we just give our staff a minute to reflect on why they got here in the first place, ⁓ why they continue to come in every day, the things that light them up. it seems it's almost like a weight lifts off everybody.

And I think. Well, I know that what I would love to see happening in schools more is schools, individuals, leaders, teams offering more opportunities for reflection for those things so that we can come back to our purpose. Because as we know, everybody's mindsets and mental health and wellbeing are at very different stages of that, you know, of their journey. Maybe they're teetering on burnout, they've been burned out and they're coming back or, you know, they're in the middle of Glen Gerreyn: Yeah.

guess. Adrienne Hornby: really addressing things for themselves. But I think we just get so caught up in all of those extra things that you outlined that we forget to come back to these anchors, like anchoring to our purpose and remind, helping to remind us all of the positive things that come throughout our days. you know, you might, and your work certainly does that.

What are some other ways that you think even individually or within teams or as a leader, we can really authentically without just asking that same question, why are here and why did you get into that? How do you think we can come back to our purpose when we feel it's drifting away? Glen Gerreyn: Yeah. Yeah, I think it's getting back to that first love.

It's like, what was the main reason that we got into this in the first place? And everyone will have a different sort of reason for that. But just reflecting back, because it can become overwhelming with all this paperwork and compliance, et cetera. And I actually honestly blow, because I did a deep dive into AI over the September holidays.

And I actually think in the future, work will actually become a privilege. Adrienne Hornby: No Yeah. Mm-hmm. Glen Gerreyn: Because when you think about what's actually happening, I mean, in China, there are no baristas anymore.

They're all like AI robots. ⁓ I've seen footage of AI robots painting, tiling, delivering room service. last, yeah, there you go. Yeah, totally.

Yeah, that's right. Last June, ⁓ Amazon ⁓ actually deployed its millionth robot in warehouses. Adrienne Hornby: Hmm. Yeah, they're at our sushi store.

They deliver the sushi. Glen Gerreyn: which is like insane. And it's not just like blue collar workers. I mean, in China, there's a university has launched a hospital with 42 AI agent doctors and four nurses, and they're serving thousands of patients every single day where they submit their blood tests.

They read the blood tests and say, this is what you need to do. So, I've had, yeah, that's right. Adrienne Hornby: Yeah. ⁓ yes.

It'd be the same for lawyers too, I feel at one stage because the law is can all just be found in paperwork. Yeah. Glen Gerreyn: Yeah, exactly. Well, apparently, they're not ⁓ with new recruits, paralegals, that it's almost like it's changed the shape of things where it used to be like lots of paralegals, mental management, and top management.

But now it's like fewer paralegals because the AI is doing all these jobs, heaps of mental management, and then a few at the top as well. ⁓ And I heard, I ⁓ was listening to this podcast and this guy said that ⁓ There'll be 10 billion humanoid robots on the planet by 2040. So, and every household will have at least by 2040 and every household will have one because they can iron now, you know, and do the, you know, cut our grass outside. It's like insane.

So. Adrienne Hornby: I'll eat my leaves. By what year? 2040.

Yeah, so and we are so lucky again to work in a profession that requires us to have that very important privilege of giving away, like not giving away our heart, but utilizing our heart and our soul and our connection with these young people. Yeah, the skill development, I mean, can show you can teach skills. Certainly we can find content online. Glen Gerreyn: Yeah, being human.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Adrienne Hornby: But that emotional intelligence and those leadership skills and those life skills certainly need to come from people.

Much of the wellbeing work in schools at the moment ⁓ is really focused on personal wellbeing as we know. And a lot of schools I see are adopting with staff and students this emphasis on self-care. Glen Gerreyn: That's right. Absolutely, 100%.

Adrienne Hornby: and looking after ourselves as a real antidote to the quite stressful working and probably learning environments ⁓ and our just general lives. In your view, is that enough? Glen Gerreyn: Yeah. Um, you know, promoting self care is essential for personal wellbeing, but I don't think it's sufficient on its own.

Um, I think self care practices, obviously like mindfulness or stress management techniques can obviously help us cope with immediate pressures, but they don't necessarily, um, help with the underlying systemic issues that can contribute to like stress, such as workload, uh, lack of support, um, or even like Adrienne Hornby: Yeah. Glen Gerreyn: organizational culture. ⁓ And so I think if you want to create a really supportive environment in schools, we should focus on ⁓ building a collaborative culture, providing adequate resources, and ⁓ probably encouraging open communication amongst staff and students and implementing policies that prioritize well-being at an institutional level.

⁓ And additionally, providing professional development. Adrienne Hornby: Thank Yeah. Glen Gerreyn: opportunities that equip educators with skills around their workload and enhance the teaching practices that can obviously further strengthen the overall well-being of the school and its community. Adrienne Hornby: And I think I'll add to that, that big focus on workplace wellbeing I know is really important, but I think often what's missing in this personal wellbeing approach, we've got self-care, but not this deep work that you're doing, which is around finding our vision and our goals and our purpose, that really deep personal development work and just offering those opportunities for our staff and educators to really reflect on those components of their wellbeing rather than you know, just the bubble baths or the walks or the exercise.

It's really getting to the core of who we are, you know, deep emotional wellbeing and spiritual wellbeing, as opposed to just how to, I guess, recover after a stressful time. It's knowing ourselves, how to manage ourselves, what's really important, all of that amazing work that you do. Glen Gerreyn: Yeah, that's right. Yeah.

Yes. Yeah, yeah. No, it's such a, mean, when I first started doing this work with the NRL, I did it like a pilot program of my men of honor program with the Sydney Roosters. And they had some of the team wellbeing officers there.

And one of the psychologists at the end of it said, Hey, we'd love it. But there's just one thing we don't want you to talk about with these players. I said, ⁓ what's that? Cause in the men of honor program, I I mentor young guys around seven key areas, exercise, nutrition, money, drugs and alcohol, sex, pornography and masturbation.

And she said, listen, we love what you do, but just don't talk to our players about pornography and masturbation because that's their personal life. And I said, well, if you don't want me to talk about that, then I'm not going to run the session. And they were like, why? Well, I said, Because for me, it's their personal life that's messing up their professional life.

Case in point, Tiger Woods. When Tiger Woods's personal life fell apart, his professional life fell apart. It took him 10 years to get to a point where he could actually win another tournament after that whole thing fell apart. So I think we need to align our personal and professional lives together.

They need to be aligned because that's when we have peace. Peace is about alignment. Adrienne Hornby: Mmm. Yeah, thank you.

Mm-hmm. Hmm. Mmm, mmm. Glen Gerreyn: in our lives.

The reason why so many people don't have peace is because there's so many different things to so many different people. I mean, you talk to most young people, they've got like their social media account, but then they have their private social media account that their parents that that's and then their private private social and their private private private with only just a few friends. So there are all these different things to all these different people. But to be truly authentic is that's when you find really great peace in every area of your world.

Adrienne Hornby: Mm. Yeah, my niece and nephew have that. Yeah. Yeah, and there's up to eight different dimensions of our lives and our wellbeing and they are also interdependent.

So, you know, if we're struggling financially, that has an impact on our relationships. Or if we're struggling in our home and our relationship, like we bring that to work, our morale is lower, morale is contagious. It impacts our team. That then becomes to impact the rest of the school and the students and the community.

So, yeah, I agree with you. It's about seeing wellbeing through the lens of our whole life. Glen Gerreyn: Yeah. Yeah.

Yes. Yeah, that's right, yeah. Adrienne Hornby: in Wellbeing at Work that it was Gallup research that highlighted that our workplace wellbeing or our occupational wellbeing has the biggest impact on our overall sense of thriving, likely I think because it's linked to so many other dimensions like our financial wellbeing and our relationships and our emotional wellbeing and so on. But what it emphasised in there is that we are more likely to experience anxiety, depression and burnout.

Glen Gerreyn: Yeah, sure, yes. Yeah. Yeah. Adrienne Hornby: if the higher amount of dimensions of our life that are impacted.

So while our workplace might be the priority here, if we're struggling in other areas, we're more likely to experience those things that might be linked to the workplace. So it's a real nod to getting to know our whole selves. that's such a, I'm glad you set that boundary because it's, yeah, we're not separate from work and life and that work-life balance is all one. Glen Gerreyn: Wow.

Yeah, yes. Yeah. No, and self-awareness is one of the key pillars, right, for emotional intelligence. And just a bit, yeah, that's right.

Yeah, exactly. So to be, to actually be self-aware. And that's why, you know, at the top of our conversation, I spoke about what I prioritize in terms of my health and wellbeing, in terms of exercise and nutrition, because all those things matter towards our overall wellbeing, right? And if we can get those simple, those areas right, you know.

Adrienne Hornby: Yeah, yeah, that's the first one. It's the gateway to the others. Yeah. Yeah.

Mm-mm. Well, I feel like the, yeah, the foundation for you to actually have the clarity of mind to think and have that self-awareness emotionally regulate. And I went on a journey where I worked on all of those foundations first. And once I got on top of that, then this level of my brain opened up where I could practice a bit of mindfulness and self-awareness and do a little bit of personal development.

But none of that Glen Gerreyn: Yeah, that's right. Adrienne Hornby: could happen and certainly can't happen now if I don't look after those basics first. And they seem like the low hanging fruit, but once we get into a bit of a rhythm with them, then access to the other wellbeing initiatives or strategies almost opens up like a door. It's like, you know, the next corridor opens and those options are there for us to access.

Glen Gerreyn: Yeah, totally. I'm so glad you said that. And I don't want people listening to this to get overwhelmed and think, ⁓ there's eight areas, what am I going to do? Here's what I recommend is like, do one thing in terms of like, get breakfast right.

Spend the next, spend 2026 making sure that your breakfast is as nutritious as you possibly can make it. And then next year can focus on lunch. Adrienne Hornby: enough Noooo Mmm! Mm-hmm.

Yeah. Glen Gerreyn: And the next year, I tell you, funny thing happens, you spend three months on breakfast, go, know what? I got this nailed. I can probably do lunch now and really work on that, you know?

The one thing. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Adrienne Hornby: I did the same thing. Yeah, I did the same thing. I did month by month. I tried to habitualize something because a month I could do.

So yep, three meals. I did that for a month. Then once I was getting that, all right, water. And I added water in.

Yeah, and then you grab, it becomes part of it. And so yeah, I always say one to three things is plenty. And when I was health coaching way back in the beginning, you'd have something to work on for two weeks and I'd see clients every two weeks and they'd, Glen Gerreyn: Yeah, that's right. Little things.

Yeah, Adrienne Hornby: I heard it every time. I did great for the first week and it dropped away by the second week. So that's why having somebody to check in with or review a mental health professional or a health professional to regularly check back in on consuming information in that area is something I'll suggest. Like my big goal is to move away from social media.

So I've now started to listen to everything to do with removing social media because it helps reaffirm the message in my mind. Glen Gerreyn: Yeah, totally. Yes, yeah. Yeah, yeah.

Adrienne Hornby: every day of why it's important. Glen Gerreyn: That's I mean, I heard James Clear say in his book, Atomic Habits, he said the reason why most people don't stick to habits because they try and improve a habit before they've actually created one. So just create a habit. I tell young people just run for one minute.

Just get dressed in your Nikes, run for a minute and walk home. And once you can do that for 30 days in a row, then I want you to go to two minutes. And once you can do that. Adrienne Hornby: Yeah, yeah.

Mm-mm. Glen Gerreyn: then go to three. And in a year's time, you'll be in such great shape, it'll change your life. Adrienne Hornby: Yeah, that's right.

I spent 2025 just trying to get consistent with four days at the gym, like not, it just had to be four days because for years I've done two days, one day, four day, you know, I'm consistently inconsistent. That's what I say about me. But yeah, just, and that's really normal, particularly for anyone with young children, I feel like they can really pull away from all of the habits. Yeah, we don't have to be progress over perfection, as they say.

Glen Gerreyn: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, Yeah. Yeah, tidelight, tidelight, yeah, yeah. Yes, I am in. ⁓ Adrienne Hornby: So Glenn, for anyone who's interested in learning more about hope and purpose and this holistic approach to their wellbeing, do you have any resources that you recommend?

I've got a few links here, but you might just wanna share the ones that you sent through and why they would be great for our listeners to access. Glen Gerreyn: Yeah, sure. ⁓ Every month ⁓ I read a book and then I summarize it. So I've got a list, particularly for educators, of 50 ⁓ book summaries that I've done.

I've summarized a book into five pages and I'll send you through that link. ⁓ And yeah, great. And that's a great resource just for people who are time poor. Adrienne Hornby: ⁓ how good.

Yeah, I've got them all here. Yeah. Yeah. Glen Gerreyn: They just want to get a quick read of a book.

then maybe after you've read the summary, you might think, ⁓ I'll go and grab that book. That sounds pretty good. And I've also got like my latest seven infographics. Every couple of weeks, I develop an infographic for schools that I hand out to all our clients.

And ⁓ I've got a latest seven, they're there on like burnout, procrastination, how to handle these things. And they're great conversation starters with your students. Adrienne Hornby: Yes. Yep.

Mm-hmm. Yeah. Glen Gerreyn: And I've also got a free positive parenting tips for parents in your school community that you can, that's got some great tips on how to parent and build that relationship. Adrienne Hornby: Yes.

Mm. So great, I love the idea of the book summaries. It's a really great way to, ⁓ if you're anything like me, I can forget things if I don't go over and revise them. So it's a good way to cement it in your brain and then pass on those great books.

And you've got a lot of books behind you. So I believe you when you say that you read a lot of books. I'll read your book summaries. I always find it hard, but I have a two and a six year old.

I'm using it as an excuse, but it's always hard to read a book. Glen Gerreyn: Yeah, that's exactly right. Totally. Yes.

Yeah. Yeah, I know what it's like. I've got four kids, so know exactly what it's like. Adrienne Hornby: I find Blinkist is a good app too, because it provides you with the book summary.

Yes. Excellent. Glen Gerreyn: It's awesome. Yeah, I love it.

I love Link. I often listen to one when I'm in the car and need to do a quick run. So that's awesome. Adrienne Hornby: Yes, yeah I do in the morning while I get up before I go to the gym I put it in again on focus or on social media at the moment just to consume a bit of knowledge in a succinct, nicely packaged way.

Glen Gerreyn: Yeah. Yeah, and on that, know, the VIA character strengths, one of my ⁓ character strengths is love of learning. So I find if I start my day with a book summary, my whole day is thriving because I actually, I operated in the strengths straight away. Yeah, there we Adrienne Hornby: Yep.

Yeah, me too. That is one of my strengths. Again, another thing that we have in common. Do you also like wine?

Oh no. Glen Gerreyn: No, I can't say that I do. It's funny. Yeah, it's so funny because I was an athlete, so I never really drank alcohol and I've just kind of kept that going.

So it's yeah, it's yeah. Yeah, yeah. Adrienne Hornby: Yeah, how good it's it'll probably have to be on my vision board for next year to reduce my alcohol consumption. I don't drink a lot, but ⁓ but you know, every year I only ever have a very healthy person, but I do like to have a drink on a Friday night or over the weekend.

And we have a great friendship group up here who love margaritas. But every time every time the Mother's Day questionnaire comes home, it's like my mom's favorite drink. My son's. Glen Gerreyn: Yeah, nice.

Yeah, good. Yeah, tell her. Yeah. ⁓ awesome.

That's great. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Adrienne Hornby: booze, because it's this running joke, but I do like to enjoy alcohol in moderation, but I thought, ⁓ how great, I'm sure that we could, we could chat more over, you know, coconut water or something. Glenn, we see a number of quotes posted and shared online on social media, not that you're on there, showcasing something thought provoking or inspiring from leaders across the globe and throughout time. Glen Gerreyn: Yeah, nice. Yeah, totally.

Adrienne Hornby: If a quote from you was circulating, what would it say? Glen Gerreyn: Gosh, Probably hope changes the world when hope means action. And for me, that embodies everything I do, because it's not just enough to have hope, but it's actually take action on that and help you move forward towards your dreams and goals. Adrienne Hornby: Having a plan for the hope.

Yeah, absolutely. When we did our vision boards, I had a little resource for everybody at the end that was like your big goal and then under it, was the steps that you'll take to get there because that's one thing I learned in my journey was that an outcome goal isn't enough. So almost like a performance goal you need to know, have your goals for the steps that will get you to that outcome. Yeah.

Glen Gerreyn: Yeah. Yeah. Gotta try it. Yeah.

Totally. And I don't even like calling them vision boards anymore. I like to now call them action boards. You know, what's the action that I'm about to take in order to help me make this happen?

Adrienne Hornby: Mm. Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah, I love that. Yeah, well, one of because one of my pictures on my vision board is the infrared sauna. I was like, well, we've got to put aside this amount every week.

Yeah, I've got to research which one we're going to go into. All of the actions are there. I've got it. Yes, well, we won't talk about it now, but, know, I'm thinking about the glues and the resin and the wood and all of the things.

Yeah, I will be in contact. Yeah. Glen Gerreyn: Yeah, yeah, that's right. Yeah, great.

Yeah, Taylor. Yeah, well, I can help you. did lots of research so I can help you with that. So now that yeah.

Yeah, that's right. Yeah, it's a it can be a rabbit hole. So I'll help you out with that. Adrienne Hornby: Yes, that's right.

The podcast is also ⁓ aptly titled Well-Led Schools, which is that play on words for schools who lead with well-being in mind. What is one thing that you think schools or school leaders can do to prioritize well-being or even hope and purpose that would make the most significant difference in their school? Glen Gerreyn: Gosh, I think when leaders model authenticity and encourage honest conversations around mental health and stress, it creates like this safe environment where both staff and students feel valued and supported.

And my belief is when people feel seen and heard, they're not just more engaged, they're actually more likely to take initiative to support one another. Because leadership for me is not about managing tasks. Adrienne Hornby: Mm. Glen Gerreyn: It's about nurturing the minds and hearts of those who you lead.

And in doing so, that's when we can lay the foundation for meaningful learning and growth. Adrienne Hornby: Mmm. Yeah, all the other things follow when you've got those foundations in place, you know, really supporting your staff and their wellbeing and seeing them as people. I love the quote, people first then pedagogy.

you know, thinking about all of the people in your school before the curriculum or the outcomes, those other things will come and we're more likely to get people on board. ⁓ Glen Gerreyn: Yeah, great, love it, Yeah, that's right, yeah. Yeah, yeah, that's right, awesome, love it. Adrienne Hornby: Glenn, what are the best ways for the listeners to connect and engage with you?

If they want to hear more, I'll have you come and speak in their school with students and staff. Glen Gerreyn: you Yeah, you can go to our website, thehopefulinstitute.com, hopeful with two L's, it's a little play on words. They can also find me on LinkedIn as well.

I've just, my team has actually just set up, because we produce so many resources, we've actually set up like a Pinterest page, where you can grab a lot of our resources that are there in posters, et cetera, and infographics. Adrienne Hornby: ⁓ how good. Yeah. That's a good idea.

That's a good idea. I have to steal that one. Glenn, thank you so much for your time today, for the incredible work that you're doing in schools with young people, with sporting teams out there in organizations. The world is a very lucky place to have you in it.

And I feel very lucky to have spent this last hour with you. I feel ready to go for my year. I feel hopeful, full of purpose. And I really want to thank you again for being here.

Glen Gerreyn: Yeah, tidelike. Thank you so much. Appreciate the opportunity and anything I can do, please don't hesitate to reach out. Adrienne Hornby: Yeah, anytime.