From Shy Student to Swimmer to Executive Coach: How Coaches Build Unshakable Mental Resilience

Krista and our PAWW Swim Team - flashback with AI

In episode #97 of the podcast, Heavy Or Not, The OG Swim Guide, we rejoice in the discovery and shout out of another podcast.

Years ago, Krista's journey to the PAWW swim team went from a terrified 12‑year‑old student, to age-group swimmer, to Division I athletes to today's high‑level executive advisor.

Come along for the ride and enjoy the flashback with coaching tactics and a story debrief with aid from Notebook AI.

Krista's growth to and confidence happened, in part, on the team — with Head Coach, Mark Rauterkus. The mental‑skill system translated from the pool deck to the boardroom — and appeared in a podcast episode elsewhere.

Learn:

• How a competitive swim program became the catalyst for Krista's confidence boost.

• The specific mindset and accountability framework Coach Mark taught her.

• Why raw physical talent alone isn't enough for peak performance.

• How Krista now applies similar principles to coach thousands of business leaders.

• The broader lesson: elite youth coaching methods can be scaled into powerful executive leadership strategies.

Thanks to Scott Grates, and his Referrals Done Right podcast, episode #122 for the interview with Krista. Hear their voices in Heavy Or Not, #98.

• Show link https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/122-krista-hawkins-the-leader-you-are-becoming/id1738602897?i=1000758278572