Ben McCollum x2
+ early failure is GOOD
“The only exercise I take is walking behind the coffins of friends who took exercise.” — Peter O’Toole
Hey Coaches,
Here you go!
✍️ Articles
The Obscure Maestro Who Shocked the Tournament’s Defending Champions: Ben McCollum, a coaching guru from Division II, just guided the Iowa Hawkeyes over Florida. The result stunned everyone except the coach himself. This gives a glimpse into McCollum.
Early Career Failures Can Make You Stronger in the Long Run: Lisa Röper explains how early career failure can lead to stronger long-term success, showing how setbacks build resilience and drive better performance over time. She explains why early losses can actually create better competitors by forcing adaptation and persistence.
Scientists who narrowly missed out on an important grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) ended up publishing more successful papers than those who narrowly qualified for the grant. Over the long run, “the losers ended up being better,” Wang says.
🎙️ Podcast
Watts Happening Podcast: Ep 74 | Coach Ben McCollum | Iowa Men’s Basketball | Head Coach: Ben McCollum touches on building culture, developing competitive toughness, how he builds his staff, and how coaches can drive growth by demanding effort, accountability, and the right people. [12/23/25 - 59 minutes] Apple | Spotify | YouTube
“I do think that most really competitive people have a level of adversity that happens to them throughout their lives.”
“The quickest way and the best way to establish culture is people… the people that you recruit to it establish the culture.”
ReThinking: Breaking leadership barriers with hockey coach Jessica Campbell: Jessica Campbell explains how leaning into differences, building real relationships, and focusing on process helped her break barriers and lead at the highest level. She also shares how trust, belief, and communication drive performance and allow coaches to challenge players effectively. [3/17/26 - 37 minutes] Apple | Spotify | YouTube
“I’ve learned that when I lean into my differences that actually has me showing up as my most confident authentic self.”
“An empowered person goes through walls when they feel seen and valued.”
💭 Miscellaneous
An old email from Elon Musk to all Tesla employees shared productivity recommendations:
