The Threshold Lab

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 you for being here with me on this journey.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/

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. Today's message is about acquiring wisdom through both learning and letting go.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, 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 the version of themselves they aspire to be.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/

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 UCLAMore 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 & MentorshipMore 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/