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Cara Stawicki

Cara Stawicki

beBRAVE

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          headspace

          Free live monthly mindset Q∓As on Zoom where athletes, coaches, parents, and lifelong learners come together to explore performance, growth, and the challenges we all face along the way.

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          Small-group coaching with Cara helping you build the clarity, confidence, and self-trust needed to pursue meaningful goals and perform at your best.

        • Student-Athlete Mentoring

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          Mentorship and mental performance training for athletes and teams designed to build confidence, elevate performance, and support the path to and through college.

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Unlock Peak Performance & Thrive

Unlock peak performance & thrive.

Helping leaders, athletes, and teams push boundaries, build confidence, and sustain high performance.

Let’s Start the Conversation

Cara Stawicki rower mentor coach

Hi, I’m Cara.

I’m a World Champion athlete, ICF Certified Coach and co-driver of change. Why a co-driver? Because in coaching, the chief visionary is YOU—the one driven to reach peak performance in leadership, sport, or life. Welcome! I’m happy you’re here. I’m all in and ready to help you take your next step with confidence, courage, and purpose. Let’s go!

 Cara has an enormous heart and is truly dedicated to helping others achieve their goals. She’s put in the hard work to master her craft, grounding her coaching in both research and personal experience as a gold medalist athlete. 

Steve H.
Super Bowl XLVIII Champion

coaching for
athletes

coaching for
current & emerging leaders

coaching & consulting
hybrid

How it all started…

In 2015, I started a blog called “Be Brave,”

with an underlying desire to serve the rowing community by sharing my experiences through writing. I was training on the historic Boathouse Row in Philadelphia and aspiring to make my first US National Team.

My first blog post, “Secret Dreams, Random Facts,” gives insight into the mindset of a young athlete who struggled with confidence yet deeply desired to race for Team USA.

Today, Be Brave has evolved into a high-performance coaching platform serving athletes, coaches and industry leaders. It’s mission: To facilitate peak performance and well-being in athletes, coaches and industry leaders through mindset training and personal development in the context of sport and career.

be Brave


Ready to live out your peak performance vision?

the journey starts here

“It’s been an incredible honor to walk alongside @carastawicki for the past five years. Sustained world class performance is its own kind of hard. Be Brave is the embodiment of how she lives + competes. Love that she’s stepping into the coaching space to pay forward her many gifts + serve others. It’s hope-giving and a gift to sport.”

Samantha Livingstone
olympic gold medalist / high-performance coach / mental health advocate

Work with a
world-class athlete

to achieve world class results.

Book My Free Discovery Call

on the
Be Brave Blog

10.8

Competitive Fire: Born or Built?

Beach sprint rower launching into the surf during a trial race

09.26

uncertainty & mental skills for athletes

06.14

mindset & beach sprint racing in Costa Rica

05.29

student-athlete mindset & mental health

Focus and intensity is key to optimize mental performance in female athletes.

05.17

5 keys to unlock fire in female athletes

07.21

whey protein: surprising facts

What people are saying about the Be Brave blog:

The Change blog resonates with me, especially in a period of introspection for navigating big changes in my life. Cara authentically shares an optimal blend of her personal journey of challenges and triumphs that is inspiring, paired with professional wellness education that is digestible and actionable to boost my performance! The takeaways are of immense value!

Ciera G.
Certified Health Coach, Exercise Instructor, Entrepreneur

Quality. Integrity. Evidence-Informed. Fact-Checked. Balanced. Cara checks all these boxes when writing and coaching. She understands that performance, health and longevity are not achieved through restrictive food models, over-taxing workouts or sleep deprivation. Cara’s skill is grounded in real life experience. She has a keen insight for supporting clients on their journeys to true north!

Tammera J. Karr PhD, BCHN®, CNW®, CDSP, CGP
Author, Wellness Educator, Clinician, Food Historian

How to Rise stood out for its sourcing. Cara is obviously a subject matter expert, but calling upon others to help support her points gave the specifics even more credibility than they would have had independently.

Chandler Smith
Five-time Individual CrossFit Games Athlete and Army Veteran

keep up with cara on instagram
Some reflections stand the test of time. I wrote Some reflections stand the test of time.

I wrote these words 👆 in 2021 after an unexpected end to my racing season. The World Rowing Championships were cancelled in an unceremonious press release. World Championship Trials were replaced by Summer Nationals. And a subpar performance at Nationals meant the season ended both early and not exactly on a high note. 

I had a lot to process after that championship. 

Words by Laurie Wagner helped: “It’s all in the frame.” 

So did Anne Lamont’s metaphor of “putting an octopus to bed.” 

If you’re trying to make sense of an outcome or tie a bow around a season, project, or race, I hope this excerpt offers something useful and encourage you to read the full post. 

Search “USRowing Summer Nationals” on the blog (published August 3, 2021).
One coaching insight: Leadership development isn’ One coaching insight:

Leadership development isn’t only about learning new skills. 

It’s also about expanding the way we see ourselves. 

This is true for leaders. For athletes. And for anyone aiming to grow. 

Question 3: 

How do I need to see myself to more fully embrace my ability to... 

Lead? Compete? Create? Speak up? 

Fill in the blank with what matters most to you right now. 

It’s a question worth sitting with. ✍️
At USRowing’s Toast in the Tower last month, I was At USRowing’s Toast in the Tower last month, I was genuinely struck by our interim CEO Peter Roby’s leadership presence and the way he delivered one simple idea. 

Thank you for inspiring this reflection. ✨
How were you brilliant today? Drop a comment. I’ How were you brilliant today? 

Drop a comment. I’d love to hear it. 

Or share this with someone who might appreciate the invitation to notice their own unique brilliance — and let it shine. ✨
My battery was depleted after an intense four-day My battery was depleted after an intense four-day event last month. In its wake, one word was clear in my mind: 

Recalibrate. 

There were aspects of rest and recovery that I needed, but this was something different. 

I learned H.A.L.T. in the context of decision-making: 

Hungry? Angry? Lonely? Tired? 

No big decisions during this time. 

It’s also a tool that can help you let go of judgment when you don’t feel quite right. 

Hungry? Angry? Lonely? Tired? 

Meet yourself with care. Or love. Or understanding. Or grace. 

Then start fine-tuning. Lean into: Recalibrate. 😉

Be Brave HP Gear

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Rise and Row Tank, Vintage Light Orange
Rise and Row Tank
$33.95

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Be Brave Classic Tee, Women's Fit, Orange Triblend
Be Brave Classic Tee, Women’s Fit
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Be Brave Classic Tee, Berry Triblend
Be Brave Classic Tee
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Be Brave Hat in white
Power Ten Classic Cap
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Be Brave Notecard Set
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Cara Stawicki Train With Purpose decal
Train With Purpose Decal
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Cara Stawicki Signature Wheel Decal
Be Brave Signature Wheel Decal
$5.00

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Cara Stawicki Be Bold Be Brave Specialty Decal
Be Bold Be Brave Specialty Decal
$6.00

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Be Brave Signature Decal
Be Brave Signature Decal
$4.00

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