The Threshold Lab
The Threshold Lab is where “aha” moments and insights go to lift weights. Each episode cracks open a fundamental principle from the world of high performance and aims to transform how you think, work, and lead. Think of it like unlocking a door you’ve passed a hundred times, only to find it opens into a whole new way of thinking. If you're into mindset, growth, and the occasional mental mic drop, you're in the right lab.
Zach Brandon is a coach, speaker, and thought leader blending principles from psychology, coaching, and high performance to empower others toward personal and professional excellence.
The Threshold Lab
Joanne McCallie | Former D1 Head Women's Basketball Coach & Author | "You Can't Sell Your Soul as a Coach"
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/
