Win More, Live Better

When Snoop Dogg received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, he said something that caught people off guard. In this episode, we unpack his lesson on gratitude and why high performers often forget to recognize one critical source of strength. If you’re a coach, athlete, or leader who constantly raises the bar but rarely pauses to acknowledge what you've achieved, this conversation will challenge how you think about gratitude.Learn More About Zach:If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment, feel free to sign up for a free discovery call to see how I can best support you: https://calendly.com/zachbrandon/discoverycallFor more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/

Most coaches don’t burn out from workload, but rather because they get disconnected from their purpose and why they're coaching in the first place. In this After the Whistle segment, Zach unpacks Tracy Slusser’s perspective on proactively defining your leadership identity before the “house is on fire.” Discover how clarifying your mission, values, and principles can anchor you during chaotic seasons and help you sustain energy, purpose, and impact over the long run. Learn More About Zach:If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment, feel free to sign up for a free discovery call to see how I can best support you: https://calendly.com/zachbrandon/discoverycallFor more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/

In today's episode of Win More, Live Better, I sit down with Tracy Slusser, an executive leadership and performance coach and former collegiate and international swim coach. For more than 20 years, Tracy lived inside Division I athletics, which started as a student-athlete at Purdue University, then led to 17 years coaching at the highest levels in the sport of swimming. She coached three National Championship teams, represented the United States as a National Team coach, and worked with Olympic medalists and other world-class athletes. Today, she brings that experience into her work supporting coaches and leaders through values-based leadership and executive coaching. In our conversation, we unpack the identity trap of tying self-worth to wins and losses, how to separate what you do from who you are, coaching from freedom instead of fear, and the paradox of grit and self-compassion for achievers. She shares why values-based leadership is a key foundation for her work with coaches and offers some practical recommendations for how coaches can protect their energy and create a more sustainable relationship with coaching. Here's some notable highlights from our conversation:[5:33] — Impostor Syndrome in Coaching[8:54] — The Fear of Screwing It Up[11:34] — The Identity Trap[15:51] — Leading Yourself First[18:05] — Values In Action[20:30] — The Paradox Between Grit and Compassion[24:18] — Who Coaches the Coaches?[29:40] — The Courage to Leave Coaching[34:04] — What Coaches Are Struggling With[35:56] — The Iceberg Beneath the Issue[39:54] — Values-Based Leadership[45:24] — Giving Coaches Permission to Ask for Help[50:55] — Protecting Your Energy[53:55] — Realities Women Face in Coaching[58:32] — Creating a Values-Aligned LifeLearn More About Tracy:You can learn more about Tracy and her work on her website here.Learn More About Zach:If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment, feel free to sign up for a free discovery call to see how I can best support you: https://calendly.com/zachbrandon/discoverycallFor more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/You can watch the video recordings of the podcast on YouTube here.

We’ve been told that comparison is the thief of joy, but I’d actually argue some forms of comparison are useful. In this episode, I break down the difference between sideways vs. backwards comparison and why the latter can help us build confidence. Learn More About Zach:If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment, feel free to sign up for a free discovery call to see how I can best support you: https://calendly.com/zachbrandon/discoverycallFor more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/

Inspired by the book, Through the Looking Glass, the Red Queen effect explains why any species (including humans) must adapt and evolve to not just survive, but to also stay ahead. In sport and life, sometimes it feels like our skills and progress plateau, but we forget that those around us are striving to improve every day too. In competitive environments where everyone is improving, effort alone rarely creates separation. True advantage comes from accelerating learning, integrating resources, and proactively evolving systems.Learn More About Zach:If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment, feel free to sign up for a free discovery call to see how I can best support you: https://calendly.com/zachbrandon/discoverycallFor more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/

On this "After the Whistle" segment, Zach unpacks why ambiguity creates tension in teams and how transparency reduces interference. Building off his conversation with Georgetown Head Baseball Coach Edwin Thompson, this episode explores the psychology of uncertainty, why “maybe” can feel worse than bad news, and three practical ways leaders can create clarity around standards, decisions, and expectations to build trust and unlock performance.Learn More About Zach:If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment, feel free to sign up for a free discovery call to see how I can best support you: https://calendly.com/zachbrandon/discoverycallFor more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/

Today's guest is Georgetown University Head Baseball Coach, Edwin Thompson.Since taking over the Georgetown program in 2020, Thompson has led the Hoyas through the most successful stretch in school history, highlighted by a record-setting 36-win season in 2024. Under his leadership, Georgetown has produced BIG EAST Player and Pitcher of the Year honorees, multiple first- and second-team all-conference selections, and back-to-back MLB Draft picks.Before leading the Hoyas, Thompson served as head coach at Eastern Kentucky, where he led multiple 30-win seasons and coached All-Americans, Academic All-Americans, and multiple MLB draft picks. His resume also includes coaching roles at Duke University, Georgia State, Bates College, and the University of Maine at Farmington. In addition, Thompson has spent four years working with USA Baseball, evaluating and coaching elite national-level talent.This episode offers a comprehensive look at the leadership, program-building, and player development philosophy behind one of college baseball’s most respected and rising head coaches.Here's some notable highlights from our conversation:[5:31] — Background Before Coaching[7:13] — Finding Connection Points With Players[10:55] — Relationships Are Key[14:56] — Being Transparent[19:56] — Coaching Other Sports[27:13] — Recruiting Character[32:05] — Onboarding New Players[40:37] — Fostering Belief and Confidence[45:42] — Leadership Lessons From a Losing Season[53:25] — Owning Mistakes as a Coach[59:40] — Leadership Lessons from MLKLearn More About Zach:If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment, feel free to sign up for a free discovery call to see how I can best support you: https://calendly.com/zachbrandon/discoverycallFor more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/You can watch the video recordings of the podcast on YouTube here.

A dive into treating losses as learning deposits and the truth about why setbacks expose your edge. Short takes on processing loss beyond emotion and the hidden cost of playing it safe. Practical prompts for post-loss reflection and why intentionally risking stretches fuels growth.

When we're preparing to experience something new, many of us default to seeking wisdom from others (directly or indirectly) to prepare ourselves accordingly. But some lessons in life, sport, and leadership have to be acquired through first-hand experience. So if you’re stepping into a new season, role, or challenge, this episode will help you understand why some of the most important lessons in leadership can’t be pre-packaged.Learn More About Zach:If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment, feel free to sign up for a free discovery call to see how I can best support you: https://calendly.com/zachbrandon/discoverycallFor more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/

In pursuit of mastery, good luck not experiencing failure along the way. This episode is a reminder that losing and failure will be inevitable in sport (and in life), but how you recover and bounce-back from it is a trainable skill. As an extension of my guest interview with USA Men's Head Volleyball Coach, Karch Kiraly, this episode is a glimpse into essential three strategies for managing failure more effectively.  Learn More About Zach:If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment, feel free to sign up for a free discovery call to see how I can best support you: https://calendly.com/zachbrandon/discoverycallFor more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/