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 ch...

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...

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 Na...

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...

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...

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,...

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-...

Most of us try to avoid losing, but if you want to become an elite performer you're better of learning how to leverage it. Inspired by Josh Waitzkin and his book, The Art of Learning , this episode explores how elite performers reframe failure as a deposit into future growth. Learn how to process losses productively, avoid the hidden cost of playing it safe, and turn setbacks into growth.  Le...

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 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 f...

Today we're joined by the Team USA Men's Volleyball Head Coach, Karch Kiraly. Karch is one of the most accomplished figures in the history of volleyball and one of the few individuals to reach the pinnacle of the sport as both a player and a coach. Widely regarded as the greatest volleyball player of the 20th century, Karch Kiraly is a three-time Olympic gold medalist, winning twice in i...

Every year during the Super Bowl, companies spend millions of dollars for just 30 seconds of attention. This episode uses Super Bowl ads as a metaphor to explore why focus is one of your most valuable assets and how easily it gets spent without intention. Learn why attention functions like currency and how to create an internal “reset advertisement" to align your focus with what matters most....

Moylan’s Arrow explores how one small design decision removed friction for millions of people and what it can teach us as coaches and leaders about environment design. Drawing inspiration from the real life story of Jim Moylan, this episode unpacks why leadership is less about telling people to “figure it out” and more about creating conditions for great work to occur. You’ll learn how to spot hid...

Achieving goals don’t always require massive effort, but they do require leverage. In this episode, we explore  The Domino Effect and why extraordinary results rarely come from doing everything or trying harder. Borrowing from physics, we'll discuss how small, intentional actions (when lined up correctly) can compound into powerful momentum.  Learn More About Zach: If you’re a coach or leader...

This is the latest segment of " After the Whistle ,"  a short reflection series that follows guest conversations on Win More, Live Better . Drawing from my recent interview with Mitch Canham, this episode explores the often-overlooked idea of transition routines. We spend plenty of time preparing to perform, but far less time learning how to exit performance. This reflection looks at how...

Today I’m joined by Mitch Canham, the head baseball coach at Oregon State University. Mitch’s story and career has come full circle as he once helped build Oregon State’s championship standard as a player and now carries the program forward as its head coach. As a student-athlete, Canham helped lead the Beavers to three trips to Omaha for the College World Series and back-to-back National Champion...

Growth rarely follows a linear path and trajectory. This episode examines what I call the Up and To the Right Fallacy and how performers (and leaders) will sometimes mistake nonlinear growth as an indication of inadequacy. It's a reminder how messy seasons and unexpected detours are not indictments of your ability, but rather part of the normal process it takes to pursue or create something m...

One of the hardest leadership questions to answer is this:  What happens when I leave the room? This episode explores why compliance in a leader’s presence doesn’t always translate to commitment in their absence. Through stories and a classic leadership metaphor comparing buffalo and geese, we examine how leaders unintentionally create dependence and how they can instead build cultures rooted in s...

How often do you make promises you don’t fully intend to keep? In this episode, Zach examines how leaders unintentionally erode trust through unmet commitments and why auditing your promises is a key practice to ensure you're not losing and sabotaging your credibility. You’ll learn about two types of promises leaders make and a practical audit you can use today to protect your integrity and s...

After the Whistle is a short reflection episode following each guest interview, where Zach pulls out a standout moment from the conversation and offers additional perspective on how to apply the insight to your own coaching, leadership, and life.  In this episode, Zach expands on Jack Mullaney’s idea of “going on offense” with your time as a coach, whereby you intentionally set priorities and alig...

Our first guest interview of 2026 is Jack Mullaney. Jack is the head coach of HOKA NAZ Elite, one of the premier professional distance running teams in the world, based in Flagstaff, Arizona. His coaching journey began in sport administration, serving as an operations assistant for the University of Minnesota track & field and cross-country programs before moving to Utah State University as Di...

Why do some athletes excel in pressure moments and others tighten up, even when the task is exactly the same? In this episode, Zach explores a lesson drawn from elite-level soccer and the psychology of penalty kicks. It offers a reminder that our perception of pressure is key to determining our ability to execute when it matters most.  Learn More About Zach: If you’re a coach or leader striving fo...

Perspective is one of the easiest things to lose in high-pressure environments.  In this episode, we explore the idea that “You can’t read the label from inside the jar" and why even the best coaches need support outside the pressure cooker. Drawing on examples from elite sport, insights from Atul Gawande, and my personal experience from professional baseball, this episode unpacks why perspec...

Why do so many coaches and professionals plateau even as their years of experience continue to grow? Research across professions shows that experience alone does not guarantee continued improvement. Drawing on evidence-informed leadership research and insights from Adam Grant, this episode explores why expanding your perspective is often the missing ingredient behind sustained effectiveness.  Lear...

This is the fourth and final (for now) installment of “From the Other Side of the Mic” series where I’m cross-sharing conversations from the guest seat before the new Win More, Live Better guest interviews begin in 2026. First new guest interview is coming on Sunday, January 25th. In this episode, I join Luke Gromer on the Better Coaching podcast to unpack the inner game of coaching and leadership...