This episode is a simple pause. A moment to breathe and reflect. I share the poem titled "The Dash" which has meant a lot to me this past year on a personal level.  It’s a short, but powerful reminder that the space between our birth and death is where our true legacy is built. It’s personal episode, but I hope it resonates for you too. 

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Leadership isn’t about being bulletproof. It’s about being real. In this episode, we use the metaphor of forest fires to explore why growth follows vulnerability. You'll learn to give yourself more grace to be vulnerable with those you lead and how leaders can model vulnerability for themselves and others to grow. 

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When scientists designed a "perfect" world inside a glass dome in the Arizona desert, they didn’t expect the trees to fall. But one-by-one the trees began to tip over because there was no wind. In this episode, we explore what Biosphere 2 taught us about resilience and the role of struggle in developing strength. Today's episode explores why leadership isn’t about making everything easier, it’s about knowing when to make things just hard enough. 

• 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, feel free to reach out anytime to see how I can best serve you: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-brandon-40169573/

Most performers don’t need more information. They need help filtering it. In a world flooded with tips, trends, and noise, clarity is a superpower. In this episode, we explore the powerful concept of signal vs. noise and why one of the most important roles of a coach or leader today is to act as a "quality control filter." You’ll learn how to help your performers cut through the distractions and stay connected to the process that leads to real growth.

• 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, feel free to reach out anytime to see how I can best serve you: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-brandon-40169573/

Today's episode reflects on the final words of NHL veteran, T.J. Oshie's retirement speech on Monday. Rather than focusing on accolades or stats, Oshie concluded his speech with a reference to his childhood and a quote that his dad and coaches would share with him year-after-year.

“Today I will give all I have, for this moment may never come again.”

Within thie episode, we explore the difference between control and choice and how we can give 100% of what we do have every day, even when we are fatigued or circumstances aren't ideal. 

• 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, feel free to reach out anytime to see how I can best serve you: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-brandon-40169573/

In this episode, we explore the creative discipline of digital artist Beeple, who posted digital art every single day for over 13 years and how his consistency led to one of the most historic art sales of all time. You'll learn why consistency often matters more than intensity and how to create non-negotiable minimum habits that keep momentum alive, even on your toughest days. 

• 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, feel free to reach out anytime to see how I can best serve you: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-brandon-40169573/

After reaching the top of the music industry, Mike Posner walked across America (literally) in search of something more. Through personal reflection and hardship, he discovered that true fulfillment comes from the process, not the praise. This episode breaks down what that means for performers and leaders and how his journey is a reminder to not just chase success, but to also find inner peace.

• 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, feel free to reach out anytime to see how I can best serve you: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-brandon-40169573/

Over the course of just a few days, two of the most thrilling comebacks in sports unfolded on the world’s biggest stages. The Indiana Pacers stunned the basketball world in Game 1 of the NBA Finals and Carlos Alcaraz pulled off a near-impossible rally at the French Open. In this episode, we unpack what these moments reveal about competitive greatness, the danger of writing the ending too early, and how performers at every level can train themselves to stay in the story, no matter how it starts. 

• 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, feel free to reach out anytime to see how I can best serve you: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-brandon-40169573/

Today's episode dives into a decision-making framework that coaches and leaders can use to break free from one-track thinking. Edward de Bono's "Six Thinking Hats" is a mental model that helps you step back and look at problems from all sides so you can move forward in a positive direction, individually and collectively. At its heart, this "Six Thinking Hats" framework helps drive better thinking, which leads to better decisions, and better decisions lead to better performance. 

• 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, feel free to reach out anytime to see how I can best serve you: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-brandon-40169573/

Frank Sinatra famously said, "If you possess something, but you can’t give it away, then you don’t possess it. It possesses you." With this in mind, today's episode explores what it means to live open-handed and how to stop being attached to things. If you’ve ever felt controlled by expectations, titles, or outcomes, this story might resonate. You'll learn how practicing detachment can lead to more fulfillment and lasting peace.

• 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, feel free to reach out anytime to see how I can best serve you: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-brandon-40169573/