Win More, Live Better

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 better lead in today's world.

• 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/

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 (the longest in international women’s water polo history). Under his leadership, Team USA has held the world’s number-one ranking for much of his tenure.

Before Team USA, Krikorian built his foundation at UCLA, where he captained the Bruins to the 1995 NCAA Championship and his career culminated in 15 national championships across being a player, assistant coach, and head coach. His leadership and integrity have been recognized with honors such as the USOC National Coach of the Year, the Jack Kelly Fair Play Award, and induction into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame.

In this conversation, Adam goes beyond the accolades to share how he has grown as a leader, the role vulnerability plays in high performance, and why he now embraces difficult conversations as opportunities for growth. He also discusses the importance of listening as a coach, how he trains his players to sharpen their focus, and how journaling has become a central practice in his own development.

Here's some notable highlights from our conversation:

[6:04] — Overvaluing Talking as a Leader

[9:28] — Studying Body Language

[14:37] — Defining Consistency

[17:06] — Training and Modeling Focus

[23:44] — Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing

[26:44] — Journaling

[33:09] — Renting Vs. Owning

[39:23] — Vulnerability as a Leader

[45:35] — Keeping Things in Perspective

[50:25] — Growing from Losses

[53:16] — Learning from the 2024 Olympics Finish

[58:42] — Developing Confidence

[1:05:19] — Who Coaches You?

[1:13:23] — The Benefits of Mindfulness

[1:22:51] — Greatest Honor at UCLA

More Resources from Zach:

• For more practical tools and mindset stories, 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/

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 it’s not enough to add more effort, you must also remove the zeros.

• 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/

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 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/

What can a suspense novelist teach us about sports and leadership? In this episode, we highlight a pair of lessons from John Grisham’s approach to writing thrillers. The first will examine how every great story features a hero that is burdened with adversity and challenges. The second is how a vision of the ending for each story can shape every detail along the way. This episode is all about crafting your own ideal ending and reverse-engineering the steps to bring it to life. 

• 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/

This episode is a reminder to not obsess over where you are and start focusing on where you're headed. We examine the difference between your position and your trajectory and why the latter might be a better indication of your growth. You can’t always control your position, but you can always shape your trajectory.

• 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/

Joanne “Coach P” McCallie stands as one of the most accomplished coaches in women’s college basketball history. 

Over 28 seasons as a Division I head coach at Maine, Michigan State, and Duke, she became the only coach ever to win Coach of the Year honors in four different conferences (five times in total). She ammassed 646 career wins as a head coach which ranks her in the top 100 all-time for women's basketball coaches. She led teams to three national championship game appearances (one as a head coach and two as an assistant). Along the way, she built a reputation as one of the most decorated and resilient leaders in the sport.

In this conversation, Coach P discusses the importance of self-leadership in coaching, the need for leaders to model healthy habits, and the courage to seek therapy in high-pressure environments. She reflects on her evolution from a dogmatic to a transformational coaching style, shaped by mentors like Coach K and Tom Izzo, and talks candidly about balancing personal and professional life without “selling your soul.”

We also discuss her work beyond the sidelines, from advocating for brain health and breaking the stigma around mental illness, to writing her bestselling book Secret Warrior and her debut novel Stellar Rising.

Whether you’re a coach, a leader, or someone striving to “win without losing yourself,” this episode offers insight and inspiration you won’t want to miss.

Here's some notable highlights from our conversation:

[4:15] — Actions Speak Louder Than Words

[7:47] — Normalizing Brain Health

[18:14] — Don't Delegate Relationships

[25:43] — Lessons from Tom Izzo and Coach K

[37:12] — Winning Without Losing Your Soul

[47:13] — Developing as a Leader & Mentorship

More Resources from Zach:

• For more practical tools and mindset stories, 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/

When Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon, the world watched in awe. But there was a third astronaut, Michael Collins, whose name you may not know. While the others explored the lunar surface, Collins remained in orbit, cut off from all human contact, ensuring their safe return. In this episode, we explore what Collins’ story teaches about personal scoreboards, the power of embracing your role, and why the success of any mission depends on every seat being filled with excellence. 

• 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 his third world title, professional bull rider Tuff Hedeman didn’t go on a victory tour. He didn’t take a break. He loaded his gear, headed to Denver, and started over in preparation for the next event. Why? Because he said "the bull doesn’t care." In this episode, we unpack the “bull don’t care” mentality and how it can help keep you grounded and ready for whatever’s next, no matter your past successes or failures.

• 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/

Olympic champion marathoner Eliud Kipchoge describes long runs as “quiet rehearsals for greatness.” In this episode, we unpack the science behind mental stamina and draw from Alex Hutchinson’s book, Endure, on how you can train your mind to push past perceived limits. 

• 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/