Win More, Live Better

Most coaches don’t burn out from workload, but rather because they get disconnected from their purpose and why they're coaching in the first place. In this After the Whistle segment, Zach unpacks Tracy Slusser’s perspective on proactively defining your leadership identity before the “house is on fire.” Discover how clarifying your mission, values, and principles can anchor you during chaotic seasons and help you sustain energy, purpose, and impact over the long run. 
Learn More About Zach:
If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment, feel free to sign up for a free discovery call to see how I can best support you: https://calendly.com/zachbrandon/discoverycall
For more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/

In today's episode of Win More, Live Better, I sit down with Tracy Slusser, an executive leadership and performance coach and former collegiate and international swim coach. 
For more than 20 years, Tracy lived inside Division I athletics, which started as a student-athlete at Purdue University, then led to 17 years coaching at the highest levels in the sport of swimming. She coached three National Championship teams, represented the United States as a National Team coach, and worked with Olympic medalists and other world-class athletes. Today, she brings that experience into her work supporting coaches and leaders through values-based leadership and executive coaching. 
In our conversation, we unpack the identity trap of tying self-worth to wins and losses, how to separate what you do from who you are, coaching from freedom instead of fear, and the paradox of grit and self-compassion for achievers. She shares why values-based leadership is a key foundation for her work with coaches and offers some practical recommendations for how coaches can protect their energy and create a more sustainable relationship with coaching. 

Here's some notable highlights from our conversation:
[5:33] — Impostor Syndrome in Coaching
[8:54] — The Fear of Screwing It Up
[11:34] — The Identity Trap
[15:51] — Leading Yourself First
[18:05] — Values In Action
[20:30] — The Paradox Between Grit and Compassion
[24:18] — Who Coaches the Coaches?
[29:40] — The Courage to Leave Coaching
[34:04] — What Coaches Are Struggling With
[35:56] — The Iceberg Beneath the Issue
[39:54] — Values-Based Leadership
[45:24] — Giving Coaches Permission to Ask for Help
[50:55] — Protecting Your Energy
[53:55] — Realities Women Face in Coaching
[58:32] — Creating a Values-Aligned Life

Learn More About Tracy:
You can learn more about Tracy and her work on her website here.
Learn More About Zach:
If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment, feel free to sign up for a free discovery call to see how I can best support you: https://calendly.com/zachbrandon/discoverycall
For more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/
You can watch the video recordings of the podcast on YouTube here.

Inspired by the book, Through the Looking Glass, the Red Queen effect explains why any species (including humans) must adapt and evolve to not just survive, but to also stay ahead. In sport and life, sometimes it feels like our skills and progress plateau, but we forget that those around us are striving to improve every day too. In competitive environments where everyone is improving, effort alone rarely creates separation. True advantage comes from accelerating learning, integrating resources, and proactively evolving systems.
Learn More About Zach:
If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment, feel free to sign up for a free discovery call to see how I can best support you: https://calendly.com/zachbrandon/discoverycall
For more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/

We’ve been told that comparison is the thief of joy, but I’d actually argue some forms of comparison are useful. In this episode, I break down the difference between sideways vs. backwards comparison and why the latter can help us build confidence. 
Learn More About Zach:
If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment, feel free to sign up for a free discovery call to see how I can best support you: https://calendly.com/zachbrandon/discoverycall
For more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/

On this "After the Whistle" segment, Zach unpacks why ambiguity creates tension in teams and how transparency reduces interference. Building off his conversation with Georgetown Head Baseball Coach Edwin Thompson, this episode explores the psychology of uncertainty, why “maybe” can feel worse than bad news, and three practical ways leaders can create clarity around standards, decisions, and expectations to build trust and unlock performance.
Learn More About Zach:
If you’re a coach or leader striving for more clarity, consistency, and fulfillment, feel free to sign up for a free discovery call to see how I can best support you: https://calendly.com/zachbrandon/discoverycall
For more practical tools and mindset stories like this, you can subscribe to my free newsletter here: https://winningwithwords.beehiiv.com/