On The Gloria Show, we often discuss growth, mindset, and creating a meaningful life. In this episode, I sat down with Sue Burke-Lydon, Senior Manager of Product at Spectrum Reach, performance coach, and lifelong learner, to explore what lifelong learning really looks like in a rapidly changing world shaped by AI and constant change.
Sue has lived many reinventions. She is a girl mom, MBA, product strategist, roller derby alum, yoga teacher, and entrepreneur. Instead of staying in one lane, she brings all of these parts of herself into everything she does. Her message is simple:
When you stop compartmentalizing who you are and start leading with your whole self, you build the resilience, adaptability, and courage needed to thrive today.
In this blog, we will walk through the key insights from our conversation and how you can apply them in your own life and career.
Why Lifelong Learning Is No Longer Optional
If you have been following The Gloria Show for any length of time, you are already familiar with my strong belief in lifelong learning. It is not a hobby or a nice-to-have. It is a way of living.
Sue sees it the same way. She has spent more than two decades exploring human development, reading, studying, and experimenting with new ideas. For her, lifelong learning is what allows you to:
- Stay relevant in a fast-changing world
- Respond to new challenges with curiosity instead of fear
- Reimagine your identity when life or work suddenly shifts
- Build confidence from experience rather than titles
In a world shaped by AI, automation, and constant disruption, your most valuable skills are no longer only technical ones. They are what Sue calls the real power skills:
- Curiosity
- A growth mindset
- Emotional awareness
- Adaptability
These are the skills that help you pivot, experiment, and reinvent, even when the future feels uncertain.
The Myth of Work Life Balance
One of the most powerful parts of our conversation was Sue’s perspective on work-life balance.
She hears that phrase a lot in corporate spaces, and it always makes her smile. Not because balance is unimportant, but because the way we talk about it often creates more stress instead of less.
Work-life balance can become:
- Another impossible standard
- Another way to feel like we are failing
- Another reason to divide who we are into separate boxes
Sue believes that traditional work-life balance is a myth. Instead of separating work and life into opposite sides of a scale, she invites us to think about integration.
You are not just an employee.
You are not just a parent.
You are not just a business owner or a creative.
You are all of it.
When you stop trying to keep every part of your life in separate containers and begin to integrate who you are, you:
- Bring more value to your work
- Show up as a fuller human being
- Feel less like you are “rushing” from role to role
- Experience more ease, even in a busy season
Her roles as a leadership coach, product manager, yoga teacher, and roller derby player all inform one another. Coaching makes her a better leader at Spectrum Reach, and her corporate experience gives her a richer context when working with coaching clients.
Instead of asking, “How do I balance it all?” she asks, “How do these parts of me work together?”
Roller Derby, Yoga, and the Power of Nonlinear Success
On paper, Sue’s life does not look linear. She has:
- Lived in three countries and about 25 cities
- Played roller derby for seven years with the Savannah Derby Devils
- Become a yoga teacher
- Built a career in product leadership
- Raised daughters as a girl mom
Roller derby and yoga might sound like opposites, yet both have shaped who she is as a leader and coach.
What Roller Derby Taught Her About Leadership
Roller derby is fast, physical, and intense. It is also grassroots and community-driven. The league runs everything, from:
- Events
- Merchandise
- Public relations
- Training
- Logistics
In other words, it works much like a small business.
On the track, Sue had to face her fears, especially around physical contact and competition. She learned how to:
- Push past self doubt
- Get back up after being knocked down
- Work with strong personalities
- See the opposing team as people, not enemies
That experience translated into the workplace as resilience, confidence, and the ability to collaborate in high pressure environments.
What Yoga Taught Her About Self Awareness
On the other side of the spectrum, yoga gave her a quieter kind of power. Through breathwork, discipline, and body awareness, she learned to:
- Notice how she reacts emotionally and physically
- Create a pause before responding
- Stay present instead of mentally jumping to her to-do list
- Bring more calm into parenting and leadership
Practices like ujjayi breathing helped her handle the intensity of roller derby and the stress of corporate life. Yoga made her a more patient parent, a more grounded coach, and a more self-aware leader.
These paths may seem unrelated. Together, they show that success does not have to be linear. Your “side paths” often give you the exact skills and insights you later need for your main work.
Stop “Shoulding” on Yourself
In our conversation, we talked about one of the biggest traps that holds people back: the world of “should.”
- I should be further along.
- I should stick to one lane.
- I should have a stable, linear career.
- I should not talk about my hobbies at work.
In yoga, there is a playful phrase: “Stop shoulding on yourself.”
A “should” is usually either:
- Someone else’s expectation, or
- What you think someone else expects of you
Coaching often begins by helping people sort through:
- What do you truly value?
- What feels meaningful and alive for you?
- Which goals are actually yours and which belong to someone else?
When you stop living by other people’s “shoulds,” you reconnect with your own definition of success. That opens the door to more authentic choices, more creative risks, and new ways of learning.
Pivot Star Labs: Becoming a Star at Pivoting
Sue’s coaching platform, Pivot Star Labs, is deeply rooted in her roller derby experience. In derby, one of the key positions is called the pivot. The pivot:
- Leads the pack
- Reads the movement of the group
- Shifts direction quickly when needed
- Can even take on the scoring role when required
That image inspired Pivot Star Labs. Today, agility is a vital skill. We do not just need to be independent. We need to become skilled at pivoting.
In her coaching work, Sue helps clients:
- Understand who they are at a deep level
- Clarify what needs to change
- Identify the gap between where they are and where they want to go
- Experiment with new paths in a safe, structured way
The process is practical and also personal. It is about being willing to be vulnerable, honest, and open to new possibilities, then taking action from that place.
How Sue Uses AI in Coaching and Personal Branding
Since we were talking about lifelong learning in an AI-driven world, I asked Sue how she is using AI in her coaching.
One of her favorite applications is in personal branding workshops, especially around LinkedIn. Here is how she approaches it:
- She works with clients to uncover their values, experiences, and stories.
- Together they explore not only work history, but also “hidden” parts of their lives that reveal discipline, creativity, or resilience.
- She feeds those details into an AI tool like ChatGPT with a clear prompt, such as: “You are a branding expert. Help us craft a LinkedIn About section for this person.”
- They review the draft, refine it, and shape it into a voice that feels authentic to the client.
AI does not replace the human process. It supports it. Many people struggle to write about themselves. AI gives them a starting point, a language for their story, and a way to see their experiences through a fresh lens.
At the same time, Sue is very clear about what AI cannot do:
- It does not read body language or micro expressions.
- It does not feel the energy in the room.
- It does not build deep trust.
This is where human coaching remains essential. The accountability, empathy, collaboration, and presence that a coach brings are irreplaceable.
In an AI-driven world, the invitation is not to compete with AI, but to partner with it. Let the tool handle structure and drafts while you supply self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and integrity.
Why Lifelong Learning Protects You From Burnout
There is a growing body of research that shows how hobbies and passion projects can help prevent burnout. Sue has seen this firsthand.
When you stay connected to what lights you up:
- Work stress feels more manageable
- You have something energizing to look forward to
- You stay more open to new ideas
- You interact with others from a fuller, more grounded place
Lifelong learning is not only about professional development. It is also about:
- Trying a new sport or discipline
- Learning a creative skill
- Joining a community or league
- Attending workshops that stretch your thinking
These experiences give you more stories, more perspective, and more resilience when life shifts unexpectedly.
Practical Tips To Embrace Lifelong Learning
If you are feeling the impact of constant change, here are a few simple ways to step into lifelong learning in an AI-driven world:
1. Get Curious About Yourself
Start by learning you.
- List your values.
- Notice how you react under stress.
- Pay attention to what makes your eyes light up.
This is the foundation of authentic leadership and meaningful growth.
2. Stop Hiding Your “Nonlinear” Story
Think about experiences you might be dismissing as “not relevant” such as:
- Sports
- Art or performance
- Volunteer work
- Travel
- Parenting
Ask yourself: What did this teach me about discipline, communication, or resilience? Those lessons are often the heart of your personal brand.
3. Use AI as a Learning Partner
Instead of fearing AI, explore how it can support your growth:
- Ask it to help you brainstorm new career paths.
- Use it to draft a LinkedIn summary that you then refine.
- Let it suggest interview questions, reflection prompts, or learning plans.
You stay in charge. AI becomes a tool, not a replacement.
4. Replace “Should” With “What Matters To Me”
When you catch yourself thinking, “I should be doing X,” pause and ask:
- Who does this “should” belong to?
- What do I actually want?
- What feels aligned for this season of my life?
This shift alone can free up a huge amount of energy.
5. Keep One Small Learning Habit
Lifelong learning does not have to be overwhelming. You might:
- Listen to a podcast on your commute
- Read ten pages of a book each night
- Attend one webinar a month
- Learn a small feature of a new tool each week
Small, consistent actions create momentum.
Bringing Your Whole Self To the Game
As Sue likes to say, growth is a lifelong sport. You are not here to play small, hide parts of yourself, or squeeze into someone else’s version of success.
You are here to:
- Learn
- Evolve
- Reinvent
- Bring every part of yourself to the table
In a world that is shifting faster than ever, lifelong learning is how you keep moving, stay grounded, and create a life that fits who you truly are.
