Embrace Change and Unleash Your Extraordinary: A Journey of Self-Discovery with Olympian Katie Hoff Anderson

Tiffany Sauder: Katie Hoff is an Olympic silver medalist, world champion, like she's been a competitive swimmer since literally she was in first grade.

Her life had been competitive swimming, and when she went to the Olympics, she did not get what she wanted, uh, what her goals were. And then swimming was taken from her very unexpectedly due to a medical issue that she had and. I was actually kind of nervous preparing for this conversation with Katie because I don't actually know that much about swimming and I didn't want the conversation to be about swimming and, um, I wanted it to be really about what happens when your identity is taken away and what does fear say to you and how big is its voice when you're really searching in the dark for who you are. Um, without that major thing that was such a part of your time, a part of your discipline, a part of your identity, a part of the way people knew you, what you talked about, what you studied, what you obsessed over, and wow, the conversation really delivered. Katie was so vulnerable and she's, I would say like coming out of the journey, but not all the way through this process of finding what replaces swimming.

And so if you're on a journey of figuring out what replaces something that was really a big part of your life, this episode is definitely for you. And this conversation with Katie Hoff is a can't miss. Listen in and my conversation with Olympic swimmer Katie Hoff.

As I was reading about the different things that you've accomplished and the things that you've done, this thought came to my mind, and that is, if you wanna go where no one has been, you have to make decisions that are different than those around you.

And I read that you were homeschooled, you went pro, so you couldn't go to college. Like you didn't have. Traditional experiences. And so I just would like roll back time and talk about like how did that shape who you are today, what you experienced and how you found and pursued friendship.

Because I think that can be hard at different stages in life. you just moved to a new city, you shared, you know, so how did that shape you? I'd love to hear about that because I see this, uh, very early in your decision making is like, yeah, nobody else is doing it, but I'm going to.

Katie Hoff Anderson: Yeah, I, no, I mean, it's so true. I mean, IYou say all those things and in the moment each time I never felt that way. Like I never felt like, oh, this is off the beaten path or this is unique. It just felt right. And I think I had this ignorance as bliss where I didn't realize, when I was super young and kids were wanting to skip doing certain things or kids were, Hey, let's cheat on this rep and. I would stand up for it and be like, no, no, we're doing this. You know, or, even homeschooling. I think I was so, laser focused on a goal that everything else just didn't matter, which, there's positives and negatives to that, but the, the positives to that are, Okay. Like, this is my goal, so I'm gonna homeschool because it's going to allow me to be just laser focused on my swim career, get extra sleep recovery, you know, find a, a really good balance between, schoolwork and my swimming. And same thing with going pro. I still didn't actually go to college. My sponsor paid for my schooling. but I just couldn't compete, in ncaa, I had just made the decision and again, and again, it was okay, well I have this amazing opportunity to set up my future. Financially and, even from the professional side of working with sponsors, it was just a no-brainer. And so I think, I feel very fortunate that that is one of the qualities where it's just, Very clear. And if I look weird, like, okay, well then that's just what I look like. now as an adult, I think that has shifted a little bit more where I know more. And so there isn't as much of that ignorance there, which I wish I still had. but I think early onI just was like, okay, this is just what I have to do to accomplish the goal.

Tiffany Sauder: you were just very independent in the way that you thought about all that stuff.

Katie Hoff Anderson: Yeah, and I think definitely credit to my parents of just allowing me to be, and not saying things like, this is what so-and-so's doing, or this is the norm, or they just kind of let me be myself. And I think because of that I just. Didn't have a, a feeling of embarrassment. Like I didn't really get embarrassed very easily, and I think that just allowed me to just kind of own me and, and own who I was and be a little quirky at times.

Um, but because of that, I think I was able to kind of come into my own maybe faster than others at, an adolescent age when you're, a teenager and everything feels off and you just wanna cry every day.

Tiffany Sauder: So, so did that, like again, I'm projecting in my brain okay, I have two middle schoolers right now, and like they don't have anything to talk to their friends about if they don't have school. Like so much of their ability to relate to someone is a shared experience. They don't have natural curiosity yet. what age. Did you decide to homeschool?

Katie Hoff Anderson: So I went to Kindergarten at age five, and then I was homeschooled all the way through.

Tiffany Sauder: Okay, so from first grade

Katie Hoff Anderson: Mm-hmm.

Tiffany Sauder: so, how did friendships look for you? And I'm not saying like you had no friends, because I think this is like a thing actually, because chasing a dream means you sacrifice something else. Like it's not a zero sum game at all.and so that's kinda the backdrop of what I'm thinking through as I'm like,picturing your childhood Because I know it has to like translate into the way you see the world today. So what did that look like?

Katie Hoff Anderson: Yeah, I've never been asked that before. And so the reason I'm also kinda like, wow, like how did I, do that? And I think now because of our work with Synergy and our work with adolescent youth athletes, I've actually had more perspective and understanding of my. Own kind of quirkiness and abilities to just put blinders on because I see kids fall into that, right? Like, oh, like if I push this last rep and get beat red in the face and I'm, and breathing uncontrollably. I look a certain way. I'm perceived a certain way, and I didn't think of that at all. Like, I  felt fulfilled because I had swimming, right? Like I was going to practice every single day. I still went to my homecoming. I still went to a prom. I still went to school dances. I, I was getting social daily from that. and again, I, you don't know what you don't know, right?

I, I don't know the difference. I'm sure benefits to going to school and having, friends that are outside of a sport. So you have that variability in your life. But for me, I just felt like I got so much enjoyment from the sport of swimming and my teammates that. I didn't feel like it was a sacrifice.

Now looking back, I'm like, wow, that was, there's a lot of sacrifice there. and I, I know I got made fun of, I know that kids bullied me and, said certain things, but, I just kept accomplishing things and I kept moving forward and I just found a lot of joy from that. And it just, it filled up my cup enough to keep moving forward and, and just not care.

Tiffany Sauder: there's an important part of your story that's in that because you do see your own life in a little different light when your kids start getting into these stages that you remember. Cuz I don't remember being seven, but I remember being 13, you know? And as a parent, you're, looking for them to find their thing.

You know, you don't know if it's gonna be show choir if it's gonna be swimming, if it's gonna be volleyball, whatever it's gonna be. And so it has to be so interesting as a parent to have watched you find your thing so early. You know, cuz most eight to 14 year olds are still trying everything under the sun, trying figure out what brings me energy, what gives me focus, what makes me say no to bad things because I'm excited about this thing. So it's really cool, I

Katie Hoff Anderson: it's funny cuz when I, I talk about it now, people look at me and they're like, wow. So you talk about, you know, being laser focused on a goal and a goal that means, More than anything. And you found that at age nine, what must like? But then at the same time, when I retired at, 25 years old, it was almost like I had to go back in time and go, wait, now I'm starting over completely to find that new thing.

And so I've kind of experienced both where one just happened to happen. At nine years old and one happened, you know, in my mid twenties. But you know, my husband and I don't have kids yet, but when we do and we're close to it like that, like how do you help your kid find that?

Like what's overbearing and what's not enough and what involvement needs to be there. I watch my parents need to have that little push a little bit more with my brother, whereas they just needed to hop in the driver's seat with me. It was just, Go just, just support her, take her to some practice, feed her, and that's all that was needed.

Tiffany Sauder: Oh, I can't imagine. It had to be wild. I don't know if I've watched your Ted Talk or if it was an article that I read, but you said I had to figure out how to go from Katie, the swimmer to Katie, the person. So your whole life had been swimming. eating, resting, training, all of that early mornings, late night, Saturdays, it doesn't matter.

And then at 25, for reasons that when all you're choosing, you need to retire cuz your body's not able to keep going at a professional level. And so you're then left to figure out like, who is Katie, the person? Let's talk about what that journey looked like for you.

Katie Hoff Anderson: Yeah, it was definitely a long, hard road. I was so dialed into one thing for so long that I didn't diversify, like I didn't have this identity that was. Okay. When you rip swimming away, it felt like there was nothing left and that wasn't the case.  you know, actuality, there were so many pieces of me that had skills and wonderful qualities that didn't just rely on being a fast athlete up and down a pool, but I didn't know that. I didn't feel that. so when that was ripped away, and most people don't know, but I, I had a pulmonary embolism, which is a blood clot in my right.

And it really forced me to retire from the sport at a time when I was making a comeback for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and actually really enjoying the process. I just had the maturity, the perspective to really enjoy what was. What was happening, and I was in control for, for the first time in my career, honestly.

And so then to, to to not only like retire, but to retire. Not in your own terms. I ran, like, I didn't face it. I ran, I shoved down the feelings and I just was like, you know what? I'm just gonna reinvent myself and I don't need anyone to know about swimming or the Olympics or anything.

I'm just gonna, become this amazing business person. and I just, Dove into the corporate world, because at the time I'm like, okay, well, as an athlete, a coach tells you what to do. There's structure, you listen to the coach, and that's how you're successful. So, I mean, entrepreneur create my own business.

I always was super intimidated and I always just kind of self-proclaimed, no, no, no, I'm, I'm not an entrepreneur. Like in hindsight, I wish I had realized that that is not the case faster. But, everything, happens for a reason. I just went right into a, a corporation and bounced around, unfulfilled, a year here, a year there, and just couldn't really find my footing and fulfillment because I just didn't have this feeling.

Of, making an impact, feeling extraordinary. Like those are the things that swimming gave me and I just couldn't find it. that was five or six years of just going, what's wrong with me? why can't I be happy?  it was really, really difficult. And it was actually the TED Talk that was kind of this epiphany turning point where, I'd always not wanted to share kind of the darker parts of my career and the downs because I was like, well, no one wants to hear that. That's so negative. Like, why would I share that?

When in actuality, everyone has setbacks, everyone has curve balls, so the TED talk was the first time I had publicly just let it all out, and I got this standing ovation and I was like, wow. Like people. Actually relate to my story. people were coming up to me andand they say, Hey, like, you know, the, the piece in your speech where you went into this detail, like that really hit me because X, Y, Z.

And I just found this new calling. That's what prompted me to write my book and pursue a career in speaking and feel like I could really empower people to find their own extraordinary feeling and, fight past, all the curve balls that life throws at all of us.

And so it was a really cool, pivotal moment. That's also really rare in life that you can look back and say, oh, that moment, I feel like you only get a handful of those. And so it's cool to be able to see now that that was just such a monumental moment in my transition between Katie this summer and, and Katie, the person.

Tiffany Sauder: did you go through a period where you were just angry, like just mad?

Katie Hoff Anderson: I mean, I would say just like some, just resentment. I didn't even wanna go to swim meets. I didn't wanna, cuz a lot of times, the alumni or the Olympic team, you'll go to meets and I just was so angry at the sport. I was angry at the way that things played out.

yeah, I was irritated all the time. It was just really, just wasn't the best version of myself for sure. and it's one of those things that you can't speed that up. Like I always say to my husband, I'm like, I wish, like I feel like I lost two years or three years. I wish I had come to that conclusion faster.

And it's like, you can't, you just have to kind of keep putting one foot in front of the other and. you can't speed up that process of mourning. And, um, I'd say anyone in transition goes through that kind of that morning period, that loss that you feel. and I think the people that transition the best are the ones that just keep, keep moving. Like the second you stop, which I never did, it's not gonna be a good result. But I think because I kept doing that, and I never really felt like it was like I was quitting something. It was like, okay, I've done everything possible here. I've squeezed out everything. Nope, this is not the right fit. Move on. And it could have been four months, it could have been two years. Like I just kept moving. Um, even when it was extremely painful, I just kind of kept rolling.

Tiffany Sauder: I, I think that's such great advice. I'm gonna export something to you and see if this feels true to your story too. I have found in seasons of transition, definitely you have to keep going, I think I'm 10 years older than you. I'll be 43 this year. I'm gentler with myself. Because in your mind you're like, I wanna go from excellence to excellence. you'd spent 15 years of your life becoming excellent at something, and you're like, okay, chapter closed. I'm moving to excellent tomorrow to new chosen thing and have all this pressure on these experiences that you find excellence.

And I'm observing this. you know, I have a lot of c e o friends and people who are in positions of influence and power and excellence, and when they're in these transitions, either of their choosing or not, to give yourself grace and be able to say, I'm in transition right now.

I'm giving myself grace that I'm finding, I'm searching, I'm listening to what my choices and environment and people are saying to me because I will find excellence again. It's who I am. But right now I'm searching and I'm uncomfortable and I will be excellent in showing up. Like, you know, being on time, taking a shower every day, whatever the things are.But I'm not excellent in my output yet because I'm not, I don't know what the thing is and. I just think there's like this personal grace that starts to come with understanding that I'm in a gap. and I am kind of hearing this, like your high performance, high achiever self was like, you have four minutes, Katie Hoff to find excellence again.

Katie Hoff Anderson: I, and it's so funny because like in the moment right, you're like, rationally, it took me over a decade to become an Olympian, right? It took me over a decade to break a world record and, it's almost. Rude to any craft I'm entering to think, oh, now I'm just gonna be a c e o of this, or now I'm just gonna have this, you know, thriving business. it doesn't make sense. It's unrealistic. But I think when you come out of that, you're so frantic to me, the feeling of being elite, unique, extraordinary, I always go back to those feelings because I, I truly believe that, that's why I was so addict. To swimming and that's why I loved swimming. it's also why I don't swim anymore. People always are so shocked by that. They're like, you don't swim anymore. I'm like, yeah, cuz it was the vehicle that gave me that, hopping in a pool and swimming laps does zero for me at this point.

Tiffany Sauder: And that's how we know you're human, because it does very little for the rest of us too.

Katie Hoff Anderson: exactly. Um, the same time, you're, you're an addict, right? Like, I'm an addict of that so when you cut that off and you suddenly, you're like, okay, well, like I need to get a hit again. Like, how do I get a hit? And when you, you know, go into a entry level job and you're, to be like, okay, but this is a building block towards that.

And I'm actually really about talking about that. if you watch my TED Talk, which is like one of my first times doing a speech like that, no speech coach, I don't know what why, but don't ask me why. But I didn't have a, I didn't have a conclusion. I didn't have a, a thing to leave you with because I didn't know.

Like I, what do you in a job that you absolutely despise? What do you do if you're starting over and. how this plays into the bigger picture and I lived that like, my, reaction or my instinct was, okay, well at least. Make sure that you're giving it everything possible. any sales job I was in, you know, I was, be like crying, working my pipeline, like following like bawling.  and I'm so glad in those moments. I just, I gained another skillset. I gained another quality that helps me to this day. And so it's always advice I give people that are feeling like, yeah, easy for that person.

They have some big goal that means everything to them. Like a lot of people don't, but like they're, if they keep going, they'll find it. It's just in the moment doing your job that maybe like. It's really hard to keep that perspective moving forward day to.

Tiffany Sauder: I think you also said something there too. You were talking about sales, job and pipeline management and follow up like that you hated, but even though swimming was your thing and you loved it. There were hard days in the pool, like there were days when it was raining. There were days when you were sore, there were days when you were hungry.

I think that we can. Wrongly assume when people are in the pocket of their life and what they were born to do, which in the early stages of your life you were born to swim. That every single day feels great, but you developed the habit of doing the thing whether you wanted to or not in the moment that followed through when you were like kind of hating what you were doing, but you had to show up because that was a practice that you

had formed.

Katie Hoff Anderson: but the difference and why it's, I still think it's so much easier. The, the reward is winning a gold medal or breaking a world record, like that's the reward verse. Working my pipeline is like, you hit your quota  when I was a little kid and I was just finishing a set and. The Olympics felt like it was miles and miles away, but it still sucked. But I was a little kid, so I didn't have the reference. And so I think when you start over with something, How can working your pipeline lead to becoming a C E O or whatever your goal is, like how, how does that play out?

And so I think as an adult you have way more awareness of, wow, this sucks so much. Like, what's the bigger picture? but in swimming, I didn't learn that, right? Like I had to, understand that because when I going through the entry level job, the, you know, swimming at nine years, I didn't understand. So I think that's the difference in why I struggled for so long and now why I understand I struggled because the first part of the mountain climb, I was just a little kid having fun swimming. So,

Tiffany Sauder: So in what ways are you intentionally growing now, Katie? What are you working on? What are you growing? Where do you feel yourself stretching?

Katie Hoff Anderson: I, I feel like I'm still, going through personal work and development with. the coming to terms with the way my career ended, like I still have days where have those regrets and fight through those things. And no matter what I'm doing, whether it's, you know,working with a company or it's my business with my husband or speaking, like I still have those days where I'm like, Ugh.

Like I wish this could have ended differently. And I think. I'm such a fast mover that I still haven't fully addressed those things, and they still come out in, moments when I'm not expecting it or being, you know, more frustrated with things than I probably should be. Um, so I work with therapists and I work through those things and talk through it, and it's, it's crazy because it's obviously something that happened so long ago, but, um, feelings and emotions manifest themselves.

Much more frequently than people probably realize and other people's past wounds. And so that's, right now my number one goal, in the next couple years is just feeling at peace with things. And I don't feel like I'm fully, fully at peace with,things that have happened in my past. Not to say that I'm not like full go forward into the future, but it's also when you're the type of person that's full forward, go into the future. Sometimes you don't take a second to make sure. Your house is in order up here, so

Tiffany Sauder: Yeah, I think that's so mature and wise for sure. Do you feel like you have felt that feeling of extraordinary again, yet since the pool?

Katie Hoff Anderson: definitely had moments when I've come close, that's for sure. I think. Being able to see our business thrive, uh, Synergy Dryland, um, you a ton of work with, brands. Like I worked with Omega and Visa and Speedo when I swam, and I loved that. I just felt so, Grateful to be able to be a part of a brand and, um, share my story and have it relate.

And so, being able to work with Lash Lounge, being able to work with, other partnerships that I have, has made me feel, extraordinary to be, like I am, able to spread my story and empower people, inspire people, and it's because of what I've accomplished.

And I feel very fortunate that I'vebeen able to come back around to that after I was like, Nope, buy everything. I'm just gonna reinvent Um, but being able to now bring that piece of me back into it, piece of, I say not the whole piece of me back has been, uh, you know, really, really.

Tiffany Sauder: You've mentioned a couple times that you didn't see yourself as an entrepreneur, like. Kind of maybe even repelled off of it.  I'd love to hear like what were your stereotypes about it? What did you, what was sort of the thing that started to pull you into it? And what have you learned?

Katie Hoff Anderson: Like I definitely repelled, I think because I felt like. Well, I can't be the one to create the structure and I can't be the one to say this or that or make these big decisions. Like I, think that because I was, literally the best robot ever, but a robot in swimming that I thought that meant that that's how I was always going to be the most successful part of myself or version of myself. even when I decided to move on from the corporate world and write my book and start working on speaking, I still never thought that I would have this business with my husband. And it was actually during C O V D where there was this shift, and people always say, Like, you don't sit at a table and go like, okay, let's create a business. You know, it just kind of, it, it meshes and flows the way it's supposed to. And, when the pandemic hit, athletes were out of pools. And, my agent at the time was like, you know, we should do like a series and, and have you speak to, athletes. Talk about how to kind of be positive and all this stuff. And I was like, no, no, if I'm out of the water, the last thing I want is someone to tell me to be positive because I would be the opposite. Like I would be frustrated, I'd be angry. I was like, I wanna do something where people can feel like they're at least able to do something.

And so I started this series two times a week. Every Tuesday afternoon, every Saturday morning for like 10 weeks. For free, and I would just kick my own butt on a screen and we call dryland in swimming where it's like, you know, kind of strength and conditioning things on land. It was where you, water bottles and milk jugs and all this stuff.

And, theresponse was overwhelming. I mean, one point, we had like 2000 athletes on the webinar, but it, felt so good. Like, it just, this feeling of purpose and, um, impact and I'm like, wow, these athletes love this.

And then when they went back to the pool, they felt stronger and they felt faster. And made this shift of wow, okay, like that's great. We did this for free. It's time to, start monetizing this. And obviously with the athletes going back to the pool, they, go back to their team and, understanding that there needs to.alignment with the coaches. And so we moved to teams and so it just kind of just flowed where it just made sense. And in the sport of swimming, there aren't a lot of resources. So the coach has to be an expert in the water and then they have to be an expert outside the pool.

And then no other sport is that a thing? Like basketball, you have a basketball coach and then you're your strength coach. And it's almost unfair to these coaches that they're put in that position to be experts in two very separate things and. it kind of has really exploded. in the last year in particular and being able to like, go to these big meets and go to Olympic trials next year and watch some of these athletes go after their dreams, I never thought that, I would say like,that just gives me such an amazing feeling going kind of from athlete to coach, but it really genuinely and we've created the structure. We've created the Everything, right? We created the website and the name and all those things, and it, it feels thousand million times better to look at what you created and be like, I created this, and no one said, is what the structure should be and this is the pricing should look like but all the skills that I had, In my corporate life, So many of those things came back into play that if I had never done that, I wouldn't be nearly we are today. So it kind of all came full circle and all kind of made sense, which always feels really good.

Tiffany Sauder: That's such a beautiful story, Katie. Thanks for sharing that. I wanna anchor back. You said I was like the world's best robot, you know, coach telling you what to do, swimming in the pool, doing this stuff. was it a process for you to find and trust your own instincts as you've like matured as a woman and started to realize like, I don't have a coach telling me how to do all this stuff anymore.

Katie Hoff Anderson: Yeah. it actually still is one of my greatest strengths. Like I'm very process oriented, like, if there's something that needs to be done, and here's the structure. Like even like yesterday, we were on vacation and I was like, I'm getting up at three 30, I need to go do this, And like three 30 on the dot I got up and my husband's aunt was like, geez, you really stuck to that? I'm like, yeah, cuz I said it as an entrepreneur, like things don't always go according to plan.

Like you have to pivot, have to change those things. And so I think going from thinking that and telling myself that narrative that like, okay, someone else has to create the structure and the process. Like that's the only way I'm successful. And relying on that person also doesn't feel good. Right?

Like feeling like you of your own destiny. And that you're not,able to make these decisions that are impactful to, to drive success. It definitely stunts your growth in some ways. and so I think I had to kind of keep the piece, that's the good thing, right? The militant, obsessive piece that's like stay on the plan, but also know that like the plan can be created by me so I can be obsessive and militant with my own plan and not someone else's plan. I think that looking back, I realized that that was a big transition of, just trusting myself, Being able to trust myself, that I have the innate ability to trust my instincts and know that I'm gonna have my best interest in mind.

And, if I mess up, that's okay. And it's all part of it. When you do that for 15 years straight and you just are a robot and program in your times and wind you up and go, it's a big thing to peel back and, change those patterns.

Tiffany Sauder: so you work with your husband. How does that go? I realize probably not in all the things that you do, but not everybody can say that with a big smile on their face. I'm not gonna like Instagram highlight reel. It, it's um, it definitely, there's definitely challenges cause both work so differently, like that whole like, Militant, get it done immediately. Likehe's much more creative and like he worked right up until a deadline and like that drive me crazy.

Katie Hoff Anderson: So we've to kind of figure things out. I will say the nice pieces, you know, I'm definitely more like the ops sales side of things and he has a. Background, education certifications over a decade of experience in, in actual training, and actually trained me at the end of my career.

So he is the brains behind a lot of the programming and, and that aspect. And so we have strengths that compliment each other. Um, but in terms of, our styles of working very different and up now we've been in an apartment. That's been challenging.

Now we're in a house which way better. Um, so we have our own workspaces and all of that. the positives far outweigh any of kind of the cons or the negatives. Just being able to build something and develop something with your spouse is, is definitely very special. And it's been something that's been really coolthat I never imagined would happen.

Tiffany Sauder: That's very cool. I think that it is sweet when you're doing something hard. When the people who you love the most can be close to the peaks and valleys and you don't have to explain it to them, and they're right there in it with you. So yeah, it can be really

Katie Hoff Anderson: Definitely. he was an elite athlete himself, so I have always felt that way. It's like there's this understanding and,language that we speak to each other without even having to say it right there. There's already that level of, I get it, like, okay, like I don't have to explain myself. I can express these feelings that maybe someone else wouldn't understand, but you do. And just really carried through. Like from from when I swam and he was playing the N F L to now having a business and, and just getting it.

Tiffany Sauder: Very cool. Um, so the title of my podcast is called Scared Confident, and, one of the things that I'd like to ask guests is like, what does fear say to you? you have done a, seemingly from an outsider's, Perspective, a very good job of just like charging through any barrier that came, like Katie was gonna make it happen. but there's been season in my own life where my fear could take hold of decisions in my life instead of my goals. and so I'm just curious, does fear play a role in your mind? And when it does, what does it say to you and how do you manage that so that you can stay really present and.

In the journey for your goals and the relationships that you care

Katie Hoff Anderson: Yeah, that's a great question. for me, the biggest fear, is like fear of the unknown. I think a lot of my, O C D and wanting to plan things presents a lot of day-to-day anxiety for me, and part of, why I am talking to someone and, and working through those things.

Like I have this feeling even now of the unknown of things are now going really well, Like things are going too well, which is such a messed up feeling. But when you put risk out, you go for it. Like, Things have happened in my life, right? And said that I can't plan for the future, I have always, this feeling of like, I'm so fearful that. It's gonna go away, you know, which is definitely a little bit of imposter syndrome, right? But like, I have this fear of, well, what if something comes my way and suddenly I, I can't overcome it. Right? I am pretty bulletproof, but like, who knows? You know? And so I for me, I'm not. Skilled yet at living in the present? As much as I wish I could be. I would say so. From yes, the outside looking in, it looks like, yeah, everything's great. But I really struggle with that, with the unknown and I struggle with I'd say the tools to that, uh, as well as I would it's part of why I was so pumped for my comeback for 2016 because 2004, 2000. I mean, it was just like, what's next? What's next? What's next? Like, what's gonna happen? I didn't actually enjoy the experience, which sounds kind of crazy, but didn't, it was days nonstop in Beijing, and it was just a d it wasn't in the present. Um, yeah, fear,that I'm gonna finish life and not have lived fully in the present and fully enjoyed it, which I have a lot of time left, but I need to get better at that.

Tiffany Sauder: I appreciate you sharing that So vulnerably, I think that, one of my goals with this show is to normalize the fears in our minds. I find it as disarmed a huge amount when we can just say it and we start to feel people come around us and say, I feel that too. And how can I speak that away for you? And how do I help you see evidence in your life that that doesn't have to be true?

And how, how do I help you feel worthy of. The outcomes that your work and your dreams that you have in your head. How do I help, how do I support, how do I walk into space with you in that? Because I, I live so long, like not even telling my friends, it's like they actually really care about me.

Like we don't need to just have fun together. Like I can tell them the stuff that's in my heart and I can share my fears. And, so I appreciate you stepping so vulnerably into that and. I just encourage you to like continue to find vocabulary around it so that people can help you with that. I think it's really powerful, like you said, to be able to live in the present, not in bondage of the things in the past and not so hopeful for the future that we can't just rest and like what the day has to offer and what our relationships today have to bring. That's really powerful.

Katie Hoff Anderson: Yeah, I mean, I think I would say that's one thing. that I'm not fearful of, of is just being vulnerable and putting it out there, like I'm fearful of, of the other piece of it, but just like just putting it out there just because everyone is feeling that way. It doesn't matter how successful you are, it doesn't matter where you are in life. everyone is having those feelings and I'm such a believer. The more you share it, the more it humanizes it. And I think, um, I've heard so many athletes be like, well, like, this athlete or this Olympian, like up on a pedestal. I'm like, are you kidding me? Like, I'm about to throw up right before the blocks when I'm walking out the Olympics. Like, everyone gets nervous. Everyone feels those emotions all human. It doesn't matter who we are, what we do. Uh, so I'm, I'm extremely passionate about, Being naked and like sharing it all out there because I just think it's so important for all of us to be truly the best versions of ourselves.

Tiffany Sauder: Yeah. That's awesome.  I will ask you two parting questions and then if there's anything else you wanna add, we'll go there. One, because we talked a little about the lashes. It doesn't have to be that, but I would just ask for like one self-care hack, what are the things that Katie does to really feel confident and strong in who she is? What are the things that you do?

Katie Hoff Anderson: Yeah, Going back to your original question, when we first started talking, about not caring, I always had this feeling as being an athlete of wanting to have this like feminine side. So I always had to have earrings in no matter what when I was swimming. Cause I was like, well, I have a cap on.I have my hair out. I wanna feel feminine like a and I always had to wear waterproof, eye line. And I always had like a brush, like right before I went to the metal stand, like people would make fun of me hardcore. I think sometimes people  feel like it's bad to talk about, like, well, I wanna look pretty or I wanna feel cute, you know? like, no, but both matter, right? Like beauty and being a really good human matter, but waking up and looking in the mirror and feeling like, oh, like I feel confident today. Like, I look good. that is real. Look, look good, feel good. And so, I was always definitely about that. And so, when you talked about the lashes, I, when I swam, always wanted to have the eyeliner. Cause I liked the, the kind of the easy quick out the door feel good, at least for me. Right? It's not for everyone, but for me. And when I heard about lashes, I was like, oh my God. Like, it's literally perfect cuz I can, I'm also at the same time I like. Look a certain way, but I am no patience for it. I wanna get up, I wanna go, I wanna get my workout in and I wanna start the day. I'm not gonna spend, three hours on my hair. Likecan't do it. and so I started working with the Lash Lounge and it was the second that I got them done. It's every two weeks, it's 45 minutes, they do the fill. And then I don't have to really wear makeup on the day to day because I look in the mirror and I. Happy about how I look and gives me more confidence. And so when I'm on a call or I'm giving a speech, I just am I would say, the best version of myself. And so my tips are find something that you can consistently do daily. That's not gonna take up a lot of time, you talk about the, and I wanna work and I wanna look cute with my lashes and I wanna go fit in my, all my buckets, right? And so that's what I love about the lashes is because it's not this thing that's gonna take a, a huge amount of time outta my day. It. On the go. And it doesn't take very much time to upkeep either. So that is, um, the number one thing. Find things that make you happy when you look in the mirror, both internally and externally, and know that you have the time to fit it in in your busy schedule.

Tiffany Sauder: I love that. I'm actually gonna try it. I have never tried lashes. I, I feel like on your recommendations I might try it. cuz I love to move fast.I've got about 22 minutes to get ready.

Katie Hoff Anderson: When I work out, I'm training for a marathon, so like I'm sweating, I I cold plunge, so I get like the cold water all over them. I kind of love this oh, like I'm gonna have voluminous, lashes, but then I'm also gonna like, kick your butt and get in a super hard workout and get down and dirty and like, I kind of love this like two sides of. which is pretty cool. And I mean, it's, it's very much what they're about, empowering women to just be strong and powerful but at the same time, likejump from tennis shoes to boxing gloves to high heels, six inch stilettos. So

Tiffany Sauder: I love it. The ultimate life of, and I love it I think we're gonna be done on that, Katie. Absolutely perfect. Love it. Love it, love it. Well, thanks for joining me today. This was really fun. I really enjoyed a peek into your life. Appreciate your vulnerability that you brought. Thanks for coming

Katie Hoff Anderson: Yeah. Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.

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