Win More, Live Better

Zach Brandon
  • 4.8 (23)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT

Win More, Live Better is a podcast for sport coaches and high-performing leaders who care deeply about results, but refuse to compromise their well-being, joy, or relationships in the process. This show explores what it really means to win more and live better on your terms. Through stories, conversations, and practical frameworks, each episode helps you sharpen your leadership, strengthen your inner game, and build systems that support sustainable performance for you and those you lead. Hosted by Zach Brandon, a nationally recognized performance and leadership advisor who partners with elite sport coaches, executives, and high performers to help them thrive using practical tools, systems, and mindset frameworks.

  1. 2D AGO

    Dan Meske | Head Volleyball Coach, University of Louisville | "Take more from failure than it took from you."

    In this episode, I’m joined by Dan Meske, the head women’s volleyball coach at the University of Louisville and one of the most respected coaches in the entire sport. Before becoming Louisville’s head coach in 2025, Dan spent eight seasons as the program’s associate head coach, helping transform Louisville into a national powerhouse. During that stretch, the Cardinals reached multiple Final Fours, appeared in two NCAA National Championship matches, won four ACC championships, and consistently finished among the top teams in the country. In 2022, Dan was named AVCA Assistant Coach of the Year. In his first season as Louisville’s head coach, the Cardinals finished 26–7 while advancing to the NCAA Regional Semifinals. Prior to Louisville, Dan served as head coach at Augustana University, where he compiled a 45–17 record across two seasons and led the Vikings to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2008. Before that, Dan spent eight seasons at University of Nebraska, where the Huskers compiled a 216–44 record, won multiple conference championships, made eight NCAA Tournament appearances, and helped establish Nebraska’s sand volleyball program into a top-10 national program.  Dan is also a former standout player at Ohio State University, where he helped lead the Buckeyes to a national semifinal appearance and earned All-MIVA honors during his collegiate career. Here's some notable highlights from our conversation: [4:10] — Lessons Learned from Year One as a Head Coach [7:35] — Reflection as a Coach [10:13] — Catching People Being Good [16:23] — Taking Over a Winning Program [20:54] — Growing Beyond Your Strengths as a Leader [25:33] — Joy and Flow State in Competition [30:02] — Core Values [33:03] — Courage and Leadership [43:21] — Turning Failures and Losses Into Lessons [49:01] — Searching for Competitive Advantages [53:49] — Never Stop Learning [58:30] — Family and Fatherhood Follow Dan's Coaching Journey: Follow Dan on Instagram here. Learn More About Zach: Explore 1:1 coaching with Zach -- Schedule a free call hereSubscribe to my free newsletter hereYou can watch the video recordings of the podcast on YouTube here.

    1h 4m

  2. 3D AGO

    Rehearse the Resistance: Why Elite Performers Prepare for Adversity, Not Just Success

    Visualization is one of the most widely used mental performance tools in sports and performance, but many people use it incorrectly. In this episode, Zach explores why elite performers shouldn’t just visualize success, but also mentally rehearse the adversity, setbacks, and pressure that come with pursuing meaningful goals. Learn More About Zach: Explore 1:1 coaching with Zach -- Schedule a free call hereSubscribe to my free newsletter here

    10 min

  3. 6D AGO

    The Danger of Judging Outcomes Too Quickly

    In this episode, Zach shares the famous parable of the farmer and the runaway horse to explore why leaders and performers often judge moments too early. A loss, injury, setback, or disappointment can feel defining in the moment, but most moments are incomplete stories. This episode breaks down the dangers of binary thinking, emotional overreaction, and attaching permanent meaning to temporary circumstances, while offering a more grounded way to navigate life's circumstances. Learn More About Zach: Explore 1:1 coaching with Zach -- Schedule a free call hereSubscribe to my free newsletter here

    8 min

  4. MAY 9

    Your Culture Isn't for Everyone: A Lesson from a Paris Restaurant With No Menu

    What can a Paris restaurant with almost no menu teach us about leadership and culture? In this episode, Zach shares a lesson from Le Relais de l’Entrecôte and explores why strong cultures are not built by trying to be everything to everyone. Zach explores why leaders often overcomplicate culture by adding more (e.g. meetings, standards, values, options, etc.) and why the better move is often to clarify the main thing you’re serving in your environment. Learn More About Zach: Register for the upcoming free webinar on Monday, May 11th at 4pm (PST) -- Register HereExplore 1:1 coaching with Zach -- Schedule a free call hereSubscribe to my free newsletter hereYou can watch the video recordings of the podcast on YouTube here.

    7 min

  5. MAY 7

    The Tape Doesn't Lie: How to Become a Better Communicator as a Coach

    Most coaches use film to help players improve, but very few use it to evaluate themselves. In this episode, Zach shares why reviewing your own meetings, practices, conversations, or presentations can dramatically improve your communication and leadership effectiveness. Drawing from his own experiences with podcasting and public speaking, he explains how self-review exposes blind spots, reveals patterns, and accelerates growth. Learn More About Zach: Register for the upcoming free webinar on Monday, May 11th at 4pm (PST) -- Register HereExplore 1:1 coaching with Zach -- Schedule a free call hereSubscribe to my free newsletter hereYou can watch the video recordings of the podcast on YouTube here.

    10 min

  6. MAY 5

    After the Whistle: Why Naming Your Emotions Improves Your Life and Performance

    What happens when you stop trying to suppress emotions and start learning how to work with them? In this episode, I build on my recent conversation with Amy Morin to explore the connection between emotional awareness and mental strength. We discuss emotion labeling and I also share a real-life example on the power of journaling about your emotions from NBA player, Steven Adams. Learn More About Zach: Register for the upcoming free webinar on Monday, May 11th at 4pm (PST) -- Register HereExplore 1:1 coaching with Zach -- Schedule a free call hereSubscribe to my free newsletter hereYou can watch the video recordings of the podcast on YouTube here.

    10 min

  7. MAY 4

    Amy Morin | Author and Keynote Speaker | "Mental strength is not about acting tough."

    Amy Morin is a licensed psychotherapist, keynote speaker, award-winning host of the Mentally Stronger podcast, and an international bestselling author of six books on mental strength, including the globally acclaimed 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do. Her work has been featured by major outlets including Good Morning America, Today, Oprah, Tamron Hall, and the BBC. Her TEDx Talk, The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong, has been viewed more than 24 million times, and her writing and speaking have helped millions of people rethink what it means to build resilience, manage adversity, and grow mentally stronger. Amy’s passion for teaching mental strength comes from both her clinical expertise and her personal experience. After losing her mother and husband by the age of 26, she began exploring mental strength not just as a therapist, but as someone trying to navigate grief, uncertainty, and life’s most difficult moments herself. Here's some notable highlights from our conversation: [7:18] — From Grief to Mental Strength [10:50] — The Power of What Not to Do [13:18] — The Myth of Mental Toughness [16:32] — Building Discomfort Tolerance [19:33] — Helping Athletes With Anxiety Before Performance  [22:38] — The 3 Components of Mental Strength [26:11] — Stop Giving Away Your Power [28:16] — Controlling What You Can Control [31:45] — The Mental Strength Playbook [34:37] — Emotion Regulation for Coaches [37:24] — Mental Strength Takes Reps [40:05] — Confidence Isn't a Feeling [44:13] — Helping Resistant Athletes [47:41] — Learning to Ask for Help [50:03] — Life on a Sailboat Learn More About Amy: Learn more about Amy's coaching, speaking, and books hereLearn More About Zach: Register for the upcoming free webinar on Monday, May 11th at 4pm (PST) -- Register HereExplore 1:1 coaching with Zach -- Schedule a free call hereSubscribe to my free newsletter hereYou can watch the video recordings of the podcast on YouTube here.

    55 min

  8. APR 30

    The Expectation Effect: How a Coach's Beliefs Shape a Player's Behavior

    The expectations you hold for others are never neutral. In this episode, we break down the Pygmalion Effect (also known as the Rosenthal Effect) and the classic 1968 study with school children that revealed how important expectations can be. If you're a coach, leader, parent, teacher, or anyone in an authority position, and you want your people to grow, it starts with what you expect from them (and how you show it). Learn More About Zach: Get 1:1 coaching with Zach -- Schedule a free call hereSubscribe to my free newsletter here

    9 min
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Trailers

4.8
out of 5
23 Ratings

About

Win More, Live Better is a podcast for sport coaches and high-performing leaders who care deeply about results, but refuse to compromise their well-being, joy, or relationships in the process. This show explores what it really means to win more and live better on your terms. Through stories, conversations, and practical frameworks, each episode helps you sharpen your leadership, strengthen your inner game, and build systems that support sustainable performance for you and those you lead. Hosted by Zach Brandon, a nationally recognized performance and leadership advisor who partners with elite sport coaches, executives, and high performers to help them thrive using practical tools, systems, and mindset frameworks.

Information

  • Creator
    Zach Brandon
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    249
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Win More, Live Better
  • Show Website
    Win More, Live Better

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