Win More, Live Better

UFC legend Randy Couture had a simple ritual at the start of each training camp: Acknowledge the worst-case scenario. This practice helped him keep things in perspective and helped him cultivate a mindset that freed him up to perform his best. In this episode, we explore how naming fears and accepting what you can’t control free you to compete and lead without fear holding you back.  For more prac...

Most people don’t realize they’re running a marathon every day, but it's not on the road. It's in their mind. Overthinking creates mental marathons that drain energy, stall momentum, and chip away at confidence. In this episode, we explore how overthinking masquerades as preparation and a strategy for how you can stop looping in circles.  For more practical tools and mindset stories like...

Studies suggest that a large portion of fatalities for mountaineers climbing Mount Everest occur on the way down after reaching the summit. Researchers highlight multiple factors that contribute to this including fatigue and the conditions, but there's a mindset variable that plays a role here too. Drawing from a message Coach Nick Saban used to share with his staff, this episode unpacks why...

Brian Smith has spent nearly three decades building the University of Missouri wrestling program into a national powerhouse.  Since taking over in 1998, he has guided the Tigers to 64 individual conference champions, 192 NCAA qualifiers, 69 All-America performances, and six athletes who have claimed 10 national titles. His teams have recorded 23 winning seasons, three undefeated dual campaigns, an...

Harry Houdini could escape chains, rivers, even being buried alive. Unfortunately, what killed him wasn’t a daring stunt, but it was a simple punch he didn’t see coming. In this episode, we unpack a key lesson from his story: It’s not the obstacles you plan for that hurt you most, it’s the ones you don’t expect. We’ll also discuss why preparation (not planning) is the skill that helps athletes, co...

Every athlete carries untapped potential, but talent alone doesn’t guarantee growth. What matters most is the environment you create. In this episode, Zach reflects on some recent personal news, a metaphor from nature on growth, and the essential role of trust in development. You’ll learn how trust shifts a coach from evaluation mode to development mode and why trust is the single greatest catalys...

Alan Bratton has worn nearly every hat in Oklahoma State University's golf program. A former All-American and member of the 1995 national championship team, he later served as an assistant coach on the 2006 national title run before taking over as head coach in 2013.  Since 2013, Bratton has guided the Cowboys to two NCAA championships (2018, 2025), earned National Coach of the Year honors tw...

Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald just finished his first season with 10 wins and is already refining his leadership approach and redefining how his team prepares. In this episode, we explore how he balances old-school principles with new-school methods, invites collaboration to chase edges, sharpens clarity by narrowing the focus of his staff, and audits himself with honesty to find grow...

What do you do with the sting of a heartbreaking loss? In this episode, we look at Kobe Bryant’s perspective on the agony of defeat and why your commitment can’t be up for negotiation based on yesterday’s outcome. From Kobe’s reflection to the residue of tough defeats in professional baseball, we highlight why the ability to flush a past performance is a separator in high performance.  For more pr...

In 2005, Dave Chappelle walked away from a $50 million deal and vanished from the spotlight. His decision was driven by the fact that he was tired of clinging to a form of success that wasn't fulfilling him anymore. In today's episode, we unpack Chappelle’s “Baboon Salt Trap” metaphor and the dangers of holding on too tightly to success, status, or control. For more practical tools and m...

We often want the reward without the receipt. We dream of love without compromise, ambition without stress, growth without failure. But life doesn’t work that way. In this episode, we’ll explore the hidden taxes of life (e.g. the discomforts and challenges) that become our greatest teachers. You’ll learn how rejection can guide you and how vulnerability can connect you. When you stop resisting the...

Scott Rueck is known as much for his servant leadership as he is for the banners and awards he's helped produce as a basketball coach. He first made his mark at George Fox University, where across 14 seasons he compiled a 288–88 record and captured the 2009 Division III National Championship with a perfect 32–0 season. He was named Division III National Coach of the Year that same year. In 20...

This episode explores the principle of practicing what you preach and backing up your words with actions. A leader's credibility depends not just on what they say, but whether or not they live by their words too. Drawing from research on social learning and previous conversations with other guests on this show, this conversation unpacks why modeling matters and how to put it into practice. Fo...

What happens when you reach the top and it doesn’t feel the way you thought it would? In this episode, we explore author David Brooks’ metaphor of the two mountains. The first mountain is about proving yourself. The second is about devoting yourself. If you’re a coach, athlete, or leader, this episode will help you reflect on your own climb and the commitments that matter most.  For more practical...

Miles Davis once said, “It’s not the note you play that’s the wrong note—it’s the note you play afterwards that makes it right or wrong.”  In this episode, we'll explore how the “next note” principle helps athletes, coaches, and leaders build the recovery speed they need to move forward on and off the field. For more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free...

When Jim Carrey was broke and unknown, he wrote himself a $10 million check and carried it in his wallet for a decade. But the check wasn’t just about money, it was about who he wanted to become. Ten years later, he earned a multi-million contract for his work on Dumb and Dumber . This episode explores two lessons from Carrey’s story: The power of writing your goals down and the practice of visual...

Cindy Bristow is one of the most accomplished figures in the sport of softball. A Hall of Fame coach, former NFCA President and pioneer in the growth of the game, Cindy has spent more than three decades shaping softball at every level. She’s coached collegiately at Arizona State, New Mexico State, Wichita State, and most recently UC Riverside, where her pitchers have set program records and earned...

What happens when a zoo tiger is dropped into the wild? It doesn’t survive. In this episode, we explore why the same principle applies to athletes: If games are the jungle, training must prepare you for it. I share a conversation with a college wrestling coach about blending mental and physical training, the “knobs” coaches can turn to create adaptable players, and why desirable difficulties and c...

For years, I waited to launch this podcast and stalled on starting this project. Now, 100 episodes later, I’m glad I finally hit publish. In this special episode, I reflect on five lessons I’ve learned from the process so far. Whether you’ve listened from day one or this is your first episode, these lessons can help you keep moving forward in your own journey. And most of all, I want to say thank...

Why do some people get stuck in the past while others keep moving forward? The answer often lies in how we process events. In this episode, I share a powerful phrase from Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt: “Learn the lesson, leave the event.” Whether you win or lose, every experience has something to teach you, but only if you can extract the wisdom without getting stuck in the moment. Toda...

In this episode, I share a personal story from my work with a professional baseball pitcher who was stuck at a plateau. In an attempt to show empathy, I made the mistake of lowering the standard he had set for himself. That moment taught me an unforgettable lesson: As leaders and coaches, we must resist the urge to comfort with justifications and reasons. Instead, we need to coach people toward th...

We live in the most "connected" era in history and yet loneliness is at an all-time high. In sports and life, success is not a solo journey and it's essential for us all to develop strong connections with others. Using redwood trees as a metaphor and a wonderful book passage from legendary coach George Raveling, this episode is about why connection isn’t optional and how we can all...

Adam Krikorian is one of the most accomplished coaches in Olympic history. Since being named head coach of the U.S. Women’s National Water Polo Team in 2009, he has guided the program to unprecedented success: Three consecutive Olympic gold medals (2012, 2016, 2020), six World Championship titles, four World Cup victories, 11 World League Super Final crowns, and a record 69-game winning streak (th...

What’s the one thing in your life that could multiply everything by zero? We all have "zeros" (e.g. hidden habits, blind spots, or flaws) that cancel out our progress and sabotage our ability to be successful. In this episode, we unpack the "Multiply by Zero" mental model and apply it at three levels: Individual performers, leaders, and systems. This principle reminds us that i...

David Roche is an elite ultrarunner and coach who recently set a new course record at the Leadville 100 competition just weeks after a disappointing DNF at Western States. In this episode, we reflect on what his story can teach us about readiness and resilience and why competing from a space of love can guide us toward success. For more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscr...