Win More, Live Better

Billy Allen brings a rare blend of experience to today's conversation: Elite performer, coach, author, and longtime podcast host. Entering his third season as an assistant coach and player development coordinator for Stanford’s beach volleyball program in 2026, Billy has already helped guide the Cardinal to a historic success on The Farm. Outside of coaching, Billy continues to compete on the...

We all love the good days, but our commitments are defined by how we handle the hard ones. This episode reflects on the importance of embracing not only the joyful parts of life, but the difficult ones too.  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/zach...

Most performers spend the majority of their lives in repetition in the form of practice, meetings, workouts, conversations, and responsibilities that cycle over and over every day. Today, we’re discussing how to bring more intentionality to these activities through one of my favorite lessons from the Greek mythology of Sisyphus.   For more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can sub...

This episode explores how old habits, beliefs, and routines “auto-renew” in our lives long after they’ve served their purpose. Zach shares a story about a Major League pitcher "unsubscribing" from a starting point in his delivery and implementing a small adjustment to accelerate his career. Listeners will learn why stagnation carries invisible costs, how leaders accidentally let their en...

Today's guest is two-time Olympian Kibwé Johnson. He joins the show with one of the most decorated careers in U.S. hammer history including being a five-time U.S. Champion, Pan American Games gold medalist and record holder, and a three-time NCAA Champion. He also holds the world record for the combined hammer–discus–weight throw and represented the United States at four World Championships....

What do you do when pressure spikes or the moment starts moving too fast? Using a powerful story from Navy SEAL Mark Owen’s book No Hero , this episode explores a practical framework for staying composed in these moments and controlling the controllables.  For more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/ If...

Most of us don’t realize we’re being put on trial every single day by our own thoughts. This episode dives into the “mental courtroom” we carry inside us. It's a place where childhood labels become lifelong rulings and where outdated stories shape how we think, lead, and perform. We also discuss a simple 3-step process for challenging our unhelpful thoughts and replace them with more accurate...

This episode explores the famous story of Muhammad Ali’s stolen red bicycle and how one painful childhood moment became an unexpected spark in his journey toward greatness. We break down why adversity often shapes drive, what research shows about performers who turn hardship into fuel, and how purpose evolves as identity evolves. You’ll also hear how athletes like Amon-Ra St. Brown and Simone Bile...

This episode dives into what happens when the role you’ve built no longer matches the life you want. If you’ve ever felt a pull toward a different future, this one’s for you.  For more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/ If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment,...

Today I’m joined by Cody Royle who spends his days coaching some of the top head coaches in elite sport. Cody is a former head coach of Canada’s men’s AFL national team. He’s the author of three books (Where Others Won’t, The Tough Stuff, and Second Set of Eyes) and previously hosted the leadership podcast Where Others Won’t, where he explored how great teams and leaders actually thrive. In this c...

This episode explores how one of the NFL's all-time best wide receivers, Larry Fitzgerald, extended his greatness by inviting some of his top competitors to train with him one offseason. We'll discuss the curiosity that helped him excel and his proactive approach to learning, even while at the top of the NFL. This episode is a guide for anyone who wants to stay hungry after success.  For...

Some teams are overflowing with talent yet never reach their ceiling. S today's episode explores John Maxwell’s “Law of the Lid” principle and how a leader’s personal growth directly shapes the ceiling of their team’s potential. Through stories like Mike Norvell’s developmental approach at Memphis University and coaching trees from legends like Tara VanDerveer and Nick Saban, we break down ho...

Most people chase success by running faster toward the same goal. Sam Brannan became the first millionaire of the Gold Rush by slowing down and seeing differently. In this episode, we explore what his story teaches about anticipation, leverage, and finding hidden advantages. For more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwor...

What do you do when your team is falling apart and belief feels out of reach? This episode offers a playbook for leading through adversity, drawn from a Major League Baseball story called Operation Starfish and an NBA staff’s relationship audit. Zach explains how narrowing your focus and deepening connection can transform culture, one relationship at a time.  For more practical tools and mindset s...

Visualization isn’t just about picturing perfection. It’s also about preparing for pressure and adversity. In this episode, we explore defensive visualization, a Stoic-inspired practice for training your response to adversity before it strikes. You’ll hear how one MLB pitcher learned to extend his visualization beyond early success and how coaches can use the signal light framework to help athlete...

Today’s episode explores a valuable mental model for high performers called “the map is not the territory.” From GPS detours to in-game adjustments, this episode unpacks the art of staying aware, updating your plan in real time and leading with confident flexibility when reality refuses to follow the script.  For more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free news...

Every performer faces storms (e.g. slumps, setbacks, self-doubt, etc.). The question isn’t whether the waves will come, but whether you know where and how to drop your anchor. Today's message is about why our personal strengths are our anchor when storms hit. We'll discuss importance of leaning into your signature strengths (instead of obsessing over weaknesses) and why we should focus o...

Ever sat at a parking lot exit waiting for your GPS to calibrate and catch up? Today's message is centered around the idea that a GPS can’t guide a parked car, it requires motion. We'll explores three takeaways and lessons we can all learn from a GPS as we drive towards whatever destination (e.g. goals) we set out for. For more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subsc...

Sharing and receiving the truth might be the hardest (and most important) part of a team's culture. Inspired by the movie, The Matrix, and Buzz Williams’ “red pill” principle at Texas A&M, this episode dives into what it means to choose the honest reality over comfort in your team or organization. We also highlight Kevin Eastman's 3 components of the truth: Live it, tell it, and take...

When Becky Burleigh took over the brand-new Florida Gators women’s soccer program at just 26 years old, there was no history to inherit, she had to build it. Three years later, she delivered a national championship. Across 26 seasons at the University of Florida, Coach Burleigh became one of the winningest coaches in college soccer history. She amassed 513 career wins, 14 SEC regular-season titles...

In 1999, Kobe Bryant broke his wrist, but showed up early the next morning and completed a workout on the court anyway. This scene offered a valuable lesson to one of his teammates because it highlighted the difference between those who want it from those who work for it. In this episode, we unpack how elite performers (from Kobe Bryant to a Grammy-winning artist) override their brain’s natural pu...

Most leadership messages push you to “be a thermostat” and set the tone for your team and its culture. But great leaders know that before you can change the temperature, you have to understand it. In this episode, we explore why it's imperative for coaches and leaders to be thermostats AND thermometers with their teams. The key is learning to balance between reading the room and setting the t...

Great leaders don’t design environments that never fail, but they do build ones that recover quickly. In this episode, we explore the difference between "fail-safe" and "safe-to-fail" systems and what NASA’s Apollo 13 mission, Netflix’s Chaos Monkey, and parenting can teach us about building stronger, more flexible mindsets.  For more practical tools and mindset stories like th...

Today’s guest is Phil Beckner who is one of basketball’s most trusted and respected player development coaches and a teacher who’s coached at nearly every level of the game. Phil is currently a Player Development Consultant for numerous NBA players and several college programs, helping performers thrive on and off the court. Through his company, Be Better Be Different, he also partners with high-p...

Today we discuss a quote from NFL star wide receiver, Cooper Kupp, that illustrates the mindset he has to play and compete with freedom on the field. We explore how intentional preparation builds confidence and detachment unlocks freedom. Together, this combination helps you perform freely and as the best version of yourself. For more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscrib...