Category Archives: If You’re Going To Lead…Lead.

The Secret To Loving Work & Life: Nothingness

Posted on by

photo-123Funny thing, when I’m asked how I stay energized… what keeps me inspired to champion the best in others… what drives me forward after a disappointment, a speed bump or yes, now and then, even a flat-out-face-plant fail…

I stop to think, never quite sure what the one-thing answer would be.

Until now.

Now I know exactly what keeps me inspired, energized and loving my work and life – and it can work for you too – yes, even with trip-ups amidst triumphs along our way. 

It’s not what I expected – and maybe you expected it would be these, too?

For me it’s not only about eating well (ok, eating well 80% of the time ) it’s not only about getting enough sleep (at least more nights than not), or consistent exercise (if I’m dancing thru the commercials, at least that’s something!) it’s not only about fresh air (whether freezing or frying), and not only about doing rewarding work, connecting with close friends, date time with my husband, and fun family time…

It’s really not about any of those.

What keeps me on top of my game – and can keep you on top of yours?

Self-induced breaks to immerse in *purely blissful nothingness*.

Ahhh…. can’t you just feel the exhale in that?

My kind of *nothingness* is sometimes carefully – or creatively – scheduled, other times randomly enjoyed. Sometimes announced, other times quiet. Sometimes blocked out, other times welcomed in.

The beauty of choosing *purely blissful nothingness*?

It doesn’t require budgeting time or money as vacation does – it’s not about needing to hang on until the weekend – and it doesn’t require managing time differently because it’s actually time-freeing!

Passionately or fiercely protected, committed, and coveted moments of *purely blissful nothingness* make my heart sing.

Start by capturing moment-size doses of nothingness.

We can all grab a moment.

_____________________________________________________________________________ 

  1. noth·ing·ness
    ˈnəTHiNGnəs/
    noun
    the absence or cessation of life or existence.
    “the fear of the total nothingness of death”
    • worthlessness; insignificance; unimportance.
      “the nothingness of it all overwhelmed him”

_____________________________________________________________________________

I would love to have coined the word *Nothingness*. It is however, already here and already burdened with quicksandish descriptions (ugh!) as in absence or insignificance – and yes, it’s even been scientifically proven.

Guess I’m late to the party for starting a movement toward immersing in *nothingness*…

Ah, but *purely blissful nothingness* that’s entirely fresh, unoccupied territory, right? (she hopes as she zips over to Google and comes up with pages of already-out-there’s…)

So the idea of *nothingness* is not a new idea. And that’s OK.

There really are no new ideas – what is new and innovative is how we apply what we already know, in our own fresh new delightful or unexpected ways.

So in branding it to BOLD (you knew this was coming!) here I go:

DO ONE BOLD THING™:

IMMERSE IN PRACTICING THE PURE BLISS OF NOTHINGNESS. 

AND I WILL, TOO.

You in?

_____________________________________________________________________________

©1993-2015  Ann Ulrich, Owning It! at THE BOLD! FACTOR® Catalyst, Consultant | Success Confidence & Empowerment Keynote Speaker For Rising Stars & Motivated Professionals Leading Our Best Bold Future!

If you’d like your own now-and-then jolts of BOLD *!* inspiration like these, subscribe today at: AnnUlrich.com

PHOTO:  A favorite vase I love as much in Winter as in Summer.

3 BOLD Ways To Bring Your Best With Zest In Everyday Work & Life!

Posted on by

photo-120Have you ever thought about how the energy you bring impacts everyday situations in your Work and Life?

When it comes to success and happiness, bringing your best – with Zest – can become THE key differentiator – the One BOLD Thing – that sets you apart!

Do you ever think of the value of the energy you bring as, you know, where’s the *expertise* in that?

I used to. Not any more!

A very cool thing happened for me while speaking to inspire The BOLD! Factor®: Branding Your Best *!* With Confidence leading a client’s group to discover, develop and deliver exactly what you bring that sets you apart – so you can create more success:

I discovered the one thing that has set me apart my entire career (and it can set YOU apart, too!)  yet I’m not sure I ever realized the massive value of this ONE attribute: 

Energy.

Authentic. Real. Positive. Zestful Energy! 

_____________________________________________________________________________

Here are a few ways I hold myself accountable for keeping my own brand of positive energy alive to set myself apart – and YES, these can work for you, and no doubt they already do!

3 BOLD WAYS TO BRING YOUR BEST WITH ZEST IN EVERYDAY WORK & LIFE!

1.  OWN IT. 

Success? It’s Up To You. Happiness? It’s Up To You. Bringing Your Best With Zest? It’s Up To YOU!

Want to build, maximize and sustain positive energy?

Hold yourself accountable for how you show up. Not just for the big stuff in life – and not just for the big meetings at work. Show Up in everyday work and life owning the energy you bring – taking responsibility for your impact – and you’ll never need to make another excuse when things don’t go your way.

Keeping it real: No one is on top of their game in every situation, every day. Relax. This is not about standing out in an obnoxious way. This is about bringing your best attitude, your own high expectation, and holding yourself accountable for what happens as a result. 

Not feeling your best? There are times rescheduling is smarter than dragging yourself thru it. And there will be times you’ll need to look in the mirror and remind yourself; Success? It’s Up To ME. And on that down day you pick an outfit that looks a whole lot better than you feel and get out there…

Show Up & Own It. And just like that you’re back on track, on top of your game!

2.  JETTISON WHAT YOU KNOW NO LONGER WORKS.

Ouch. I know. Jettisoning. It’s tough.

What exactly does it mean to jettison?

At The BOLD! Factor, I describe jettisoning as “eliminating what you already know no longer works”.

And yes, it’s tough.

And you know what’s tougher?

Living a life filled with commitments, situations, and/or people that no longer fit. UGH. I feel like I gained a few pounds of dead weight just thinking of carrying around all that non-essential baggage.

Keeping it real: There will always be work you must do, commitments you must keep, situations you must deal with, and people you must interact with. Get over it. That’s Life! Change what you can and the rest? That’s another discussion for another day.

It takes courage to jettison.

It take confidence to jettison with compassion.

You already know what works – it’s up to you to take action and let the rest go.

3.  BE A ROOKIE AGAIN.

Early in my career, I rose from Rookie to Executive in an industry where at first glance I didn’t seem to belong. It didn’t happen overnight – it took me 13 years to accomplish.

What kept my energy high and my success alive? Continually challenging myself in new situations. Yes, fear and all.

When it comes to Success & Happiness, experiencing a powerful jolt of Rookie-ism is good for us all!

Rookie has become one of my favorite words. And favorite roles.

Keeping it real: When it comes to sustaining positive energy, not everything we’re passionate about needs to become the work we do. In fact, I’m becoming more a *LOVE YOUR WORK* rather than *DO WORK YOU LOVE* because turning your passion into your work can render your passion, well, Poof! Evaporated! Has that ever happened to you? I digress… I get emails inviting me to pay big bucks for Rookie.com related domain names. No thank you, altho I do own a serious-hobby-level collection of domain names, TheBOLDFactor.com and AnnUlrich.com work for me ;)

Feeling accomplished?

The more accomplished we feel, the more we need to find or create a way to be a Rookie at something again – starting right where you’re at.

The Zest of being a Rookie again soon outweighs the angst of all that suddenly-unfamiliar territory.

When becoming a Rookie again is *their* choice for you (job loss, etc) and not your choice, what to do? Own it! See it as an opportunity to create success in a whole new way.

Let being a Rookie again help you be a better individual and a better leader – as you learn new, gain fresh perspective, build curiosity, embrace new situations and navigate unchartered territory in unfamiliar environments… with courage and confidence.

Being a Rookie again keeps us mindful, with empathy for others who face new, unexpected and challenging situations in everyday work and life.

Facing a Rookie challenge? Don’t get stressed out! Stress makes you old. What if being a Rookie again became YOUR secret weapon for feeling forever young! 

_____________________________________________________________________________

photo-84YOUR TURN: 

How will you / How did you bring your best energy today?

And when you did…

What happened as a result?!

DO ONE BOLD THING.™  Bring Your Best With Zest & Set Yourself Apart!

_____________________________________________________________________________

©1993-2015  Ann Ulrich, Owning It! at THE BOLD! FACTOR®

Want more BOLD *!* inspiration like this?  Subscribe: AnnUlrich.com & Let’s Connect:  LinkedIn.com/in/AnnUlrich  Twitter.com/AnnUlrichBOLD  

PHOTO: GLASS SCULPTURE ARTIST CREDIT: Dale Chihuly. I loved taking pictures to capture scenes I come across in everyday life that in some way inspire me, and I love sharing them here with you. I came across this STUNNING floor to ceiling glass sculpture in the art museum when David and I took a weekend trip to Milwaukee. Oh my, this colorful ZEST-filled art surely inspires!

DO ONE BOLD THING™: The Non-Negotiable First Step To Owning Your CONFIDENCE.

Posted on by

photo-22

On a quick dash thru Neiman Marcus in downtown Minneapolis a few years ago, I stopped just long enough to snap this picture.

What caught my eye was not the cashmere sweater collection it promoted.

Instead, it flashed me back to exciting memories of my former career as professional plus-size runway model, garment fit model and agency owner – when I amassed a smile-inducing collection of mannequins and fashion fit forms.

I smiled, snapped this photo, and then it struck me:

What stopped me in my tracks was how this display portrayed SO many aspects of the business of life we each lead as professional women…

The rich, colorful tapestry we each weave in creating what becomes our life story – as we lead and live our work and life – in our own special way. Every stage. Every day.

The layers that complicate us – confine us – comfort us – challenge us – complete us?

Our many shades beyond grey.

In that complexity, I want to help bring clarity to the often-exciting, often-overwhelming realities of achieving Success. And Happiness. As you define each for yourself.

The key to Success? (and Happiness?)

Owning It… With CONFIDENCE.

Where to begin? Start here:

photo-84DO ONE BOLD THING™: THE NON-NEGOTIABLE FIRST STEP TO OWNING YOUR SUCCESS… WITH CONFIDENCE:

1.  SELECT YOURSELF FOR SUCCESS!

That’s it! THE often-overlooked first non-negotiable step: Achieving the Success & Happiness you crave begins with Selecting Yourself!

The tough thing about Success? It’s up to you.

The GREAT thing about Success? It’s Up To YOU!

SUCCESS? IT’S UP TO YOU.

Know What You Want. Laser-focus it. Name it. Courageously commit by making it non-negotiable. Grab a quick break and get in front of a mirror and self-talk-it if you need to.

Realize goals worth reaching – the goals you value – are rarely achieved in one-fell-swoop of BOLD Success. Success happens in a series of baby BOLD steps along the way – some forward, and yes, some back. Sometimes more back then forward.

Success is a choice you make. As is Happiness.

What matters is that YOU believe in YOU.

CONFIDENCE IS Believing In Yourself(!) even in that moment – especially in that moment – when it’s easier not to.

(Or why would anyone else believe in you, if you don’t believe in fabulous you? When YOU believe in you, others believe in you, too!)

Thinking this advice applies only for young professionals, early in our careers? Think again.

At every age and every stage of your work and life, to GET what you want you need to KNOW what you want.

Achieving what you want begins when you commit, when you OWN IT with CONFIDENCE … by Selecting Yourself For Success!

DO ONE BOLD THING:

Select Yourself For Success! 

OWN IT… WITH CONFIDENCE.

Achieve The Success (& Happiness) You Crave.

_____________________________________________________________________________

© 1993-2014  Ann Ulrich, Owning It! at THE BOLD! FACTOR® Award-Winning Leader, Trusted Advisor & Women’s Empowerment Conference Speaker, Encouraging & Inspiring Women To Lead With CONFIDENCE.  AnnUlrich.com

PHOTO:  I snapped this shot at Neiman Marcus, downtown Minneapolis (before NM left Mpls) as an inspiring reminder of the fit form collection I owned in my former career as professional plus-size model and agency owner – and how it applies in so many ways to the business of life for professional women… whose success & happiness I passionately champion at THE BOLD! FACTOR®.

I APPRECIATE YOU!

Posted on by

Slide17

© 1993-2014  Ann Ulrich,  Subscribe to receive BOLD blog posts at:  AnnUlrich.com

In My BOLD Opinion: The Unintended Consequences of Sheryl Sandberg, Beyonce & Girl Scouts “Ban Bossy” Campaign: More Bullying?

Posted on by

photo-28In response to these powerful Leading Ladies, including Sheryl Sandberg, Beyonce, Girl Scouts, and more… on their latest *Lean In* bandwagon inspiring Women and Girls to ban the word Bossy and claim they are not being bossy… they are *leading*…

STOP. EXIT THIS TRAIN.

(Per my comment posted on Mashable today, sharing my BOLD opinion as Counterpoint. As always, interested in your thoughts, please comment below, as you wish!)

Before YOU consider whether you want to be part of *Ban Bossy*… please consider the potential impact of Unintended Consequences of this Campaign: 

How many YOUNG GIRLS will misunderstand this complex leadership message… if they’re being told to see themselves not as bossy, rather as: I am a Leader! This is what it means to be a Leader!

How many MID-LEVEL WOMEN will start seeing Kindness as Weakness?

AND how many BOOMER WOMEN (my age, and yes, I’m shouting us out here!) will use this campaign as yet another force, another excuse, for blaming MEN for somehow holding back their own Confidence, Success & Happiness?

How soon before THIS Unintended Consequence becomes reality:  Bullying At ALL Ages INCREASING(!) as otherwise-wonderful Girls & Women start trying their best to practice what they’re now being advised by these influential women role models… believing, for example, *this is not being bossy – this is what being a Leader is all about – Sheryl Sandberg, Beyonce and Girl Scouts KNOW!*

YIKES. Respected leaders? For sure. Mis-directed message? You decide.

How will YOU respond to this newest wave of supposed Women’s Leadership?

Men, interested in your thoughts, too – as you know I believe any change requires us ALL being in this game of business and life together!

I’m going to keep encouraging, inspiring and championing as I have been since 1993:  BOLD Confidence & Success & Happiness… thru Self-Leadership & Ownership.

Instead, try this:

DO ONE BOLD THING.™

CLAIM YOUR CONFIDENCE WITH CALM & CLASS. 

It’s YOUR Success, YOUR Happiness, YOUR Life… And It’s Up To YOU.

OWN IT With Calm, Classy, Courageous, Contagious, Calibrated(!) CONFIDENCE.

BRING YOUR BEST. BOLD. YOU!

Your Turn! Are you onboard their campaign? If so… If not… Which & Why?

_________________________________________________________________________

© 1993-2014  Ann Ulrich, THE BOLD! FACTOR® Catalyst, Strategist, Leader, Keynote Speaker & Mentor: “Navigating Success With Confidence! Self-Empowerment For Emerging Leaders & Motivated Professionals.” Subscribe to receive blog posts at:  AnnUlrich.com

PHOTO:  I like to take my own photos for my website and blog – professional or not it’s a passion of mine. I took this photo in a hotel last year, and wondered when will be the first time I use it to signify to readers: EXIT THIS GAME NOW. This is the Topic & Today is the day!

Calibrate Your BOLD: Magnetic Charisma & Quiet Confidence

Posted on by

photo-84

“SUCCESS begins with CONFIDENCE. Your Calm, Classy, Courageous, Contagious, Calibrated(!) CONFIDENCE Is Key To Achieving The Success & Happiness You Crave.”

– Ann Ulrich, Owning It! at THE BOLD! FACTOR® and BEST BOLD U! Keynotes. Live Events! Trusted Advisor To Motivated Men & Women.

________________________________________________________________________

Whether you bring your best with the external energy of Magnetic Charisma… or with the inner strength of Quiet Confidence…

Calibrating Your Confidence is critical in achieving the Success you crave.

Calibrating Your Confidence maximizes your personal and professional effectiveness.

Calibrating Your Confidence anchors your resolve when impostor syndrome strikes.

UNcalibrated Confidence gives your BOLDness a bad rap, and deservedly so.

UNcalibrated Confidence can leave you picking up the pieces of your solid reputation potentially unraveling in nanoseconds.

UNcalibrated Confidence risks unintended consequences, sabotaging your Success.

_________________________________________________________________________

WHAT DOES *Calibrating Confidence* MEAN IN REAL BUSINESS? REAL LIFE?

When you bring your BOLD with Magnetic Charisma: You have an opportunity to Calibrate the external energy of your Confidence anytime you choose(!) by mindfully observing what’s happening around you… how you’re responding or reacting… and adjusting accordingly. Start here:

Get your antennae up, get dialed in, and get interested in the people and situations surrounding you. With courage, awareness, authenticity and practice, you can maximize your influence and positive impact – earning trust, respect, and top-of-mind positioning – as you build new Success! All that and more, simply by shifting the focus and intensity of your powerful external energy… with the peripheral view, vulnerability, and other-focused compassion of EMPATHY.

When you bring your BOLD with Quiet Confidence: You have an opportunity to Calibrate the inner strength of your Confidence anytime you choose(!) by mindfully observing what’s happening around you… how you’re responding or reacting… and adjusting accordingly. Start here:

Get your antennae up, get dialed in, and get interested in the people and situations surrounding you. With courage, awareness, authenticity and practice, you can maximize your influence and positive impact – earning trust, respect, and top-of-mind positioning – as you build new Success! All that and more, simply by shifting the focus and intensity of your powerful inner strength… with the peripheral view, vulnerability and other-focused involvement in CONNECTING.

_________________________________________________________________________

…. Calibrate Your MAGNETIC BOLD with Courage!

And you’ll stop the self-sabotage of opportunities lost due to Annoying, Avoiding or Repelling… when your goal is to Attract.

… Calibrate Your QUIET BOLD with Courage!

And you’ll stop the self-sabotage of opportunities lost due to Imploding, Derailing, or Flatlining Into Invisible… when you want to be Seen & Heard. 

_________________________________________________________________________

READY TO GET YOUR BOLD ON?

DO ONE BOLD THING.™

CALIBRATE YOUR BOLD WITH CONFIDENCE.

CALM. CLASSY. COURAGEOUS. CONTAGIOUS. CALIBRATED(!) CONFIDENCE. 

SUCCESS? IT’S UP TO YOU.

OWN IT… WITH CONFIDENCE!

________________________________________________________________________

© 1993-2014  Ann Ulrich, THE BOLD! FACTOR® Catalyst, Strategist, Leader, Keynote Speaker & Mentor: “Navigating Success With Confidence! Self-Empowerment For Emerging Leaders & Motivated Professionals.” Subscribe to receive blog posts at:  AnnUlrich.com

PHOTO:  I created (author!) DO ONE BOLD THING.™ & SHIFT YOUR OLD TO BOLD!™ 2-in-1 Inspired Action! Success Cards, having a blast igniting thought-provoking Confidence- & Success-building conversations with inspired people using these cards, available at my BEST BOLD U!™ Live Events & THE BOLD! FACTOR® Keynotes.

We Need You To Come ALIVE! Right Where You’re At

Posted on by

photo-84

WE NEED YOU TO COME ALIVE! Right Where You’re At

Figure out what makes you Come ALIVE!
Do more of that. Be more of that.

Come ALIVE right where you’re at!
Now… not maybe, not later.
Here… not when you get, you know, there.

When you do, you inspire us to Come ALIVE too!

Your Success?
Your Happiness?
In Your Career, Your Business, Your Life?
It’s ALL Up To YOU!

Are you surrounding yourself with people who are as ALIVE! as you want to be?

DO ONE BOLD THING:  Promise yourself you won’t Sleepwalk thru another moment of this fleeting hour… another hour of this great day… or another day of your precious life.

Go BOLDly. Confidently. Success? Happiness? It’s Up To YOU! Own It.

_____________________________________________________________________________

© 1993-2014  Ann Ulrich, THE BOLD! FACTOR® Catalyst, Strategist, Leader, Keynote Speaker & Mentor: “Navigating Success With Confidence! Self-Empowerment For Emerging Leaders & Motivated Professionals.” Subscribe to receive blog posts at:  AnnUlrich.com

PHOTO:  Title card in my 2-in-1 Inspired Action! Success Card Set: DO ONE BOLD THING.™ and SHIFT YOUR OLD TO BOLD!™ I lead thought-provoking table discussions with these cards, which feature favorites from my trademark strategies shared in BOLD… as round table topics in my interactive Keynotes, and in-depth strategy conversations.

5 Ways To Friend Your Fear & Create Your Next Success!

Posted on by

cropped-background-boldstripes.jpgWhether the fear you’re facing is your next presentation, client meeting or difficult conversation… no matter how accomplished an executive or how rookie a rising star you are… whether you’re navigating unchartered territory or familiar ground… start here:

1.   Breathe. Exhale. Smile.

Smile?! Yes. Trust that you’ll get through this. It isn’t the first time fear held you in its vice-like grip, right? And it won’t be the last. So why not take a little pressure off! Smile to yourself – as a powerful positive nod to believing in yourself – trusting that soon you will be looking back on this whole thing with a smile at how fear could have incapacitated you – rendering your impact nothing more than a past al dente spaghetti noodle. Picture yourself looking back and realizing sure, it could have been worse, and yet, it wasn’t. Smile.

2.   Re-Think *Immobilized* To Stop The Quicksand Feeling Of Fear.

We all have times we’re stopped in our tracks – immobilized – in fear. When no matter how strong we are, how experienced in business and life we are, the time comes when we simply cannot take a single. step. forward. Worse yet, the downward spiral of sinking in quicksand, engulfed in fear. In the moment it can all feel like eternity. It’s not. Being immobilized is real, for sure. It’s also temporary. You will get through this! And right about now you may want to repeat #1 above and focus on believing in yourself again.

3.   Friend Your Fear.

Trying to slay that dragon called fear? Friend your fear! Let fear be the fuel that helps you find the strength and energy to soar, back on top of your game again. Fear is a sign of vulnerability; your honest vulnerability helps keep you real. Fear helps guide your decisions, interactions and actions, and helps you consider how you might approach, prepare or execute differently next time. Fear teaches. Fear inspires. Fear reminds you how much you care. There’s a lot to friend in fear!

4.   See Fear As Getting Caught In The Rain. OK, A Downpour.

Both fear and downpours can take your breath away. Both can startle you with unexpected timing and intensity! Both can feel relentless, inescapable… yet both are often fleeting. Both can render your moment, your day, your life… wrecked. STOP. Shift your thoughts, actions and outcomes from Old to BOLD! Even when caught in a downpour, drenched to the bone, you didn’t melt, right?!

5.   Don’t Buy Into Fearless.

When someone claims to be forever fearless – or advises you to be – don’t buy it. Work with your fear. Accept fear as a natural and necessary reality of your work, your life, your growth. Let fear fuel your next success!

Next time you find yourself facing, creeping into, or fully immersed in, fear…

Do One BOLD Thing. 

Own It Like You Own It. 

It’s Up To YOU!

_________________________________________________________________________

© 1993-2017   Ann Ulrich    AnnUlrich.com

Photo:  Like a warning sign, fear can alert you to be aware. I prefer to think of my own fear as stopping me in my tracks momentarily, alerting me to new possibilities. It took me years of being afraid of the dark to realize it’s much more fun to friend my fear, than fear my fear.

3 Ways Your Quiet Confidence Inspires Contagious Excellence

Posted on by

photo-24Your quiet confidence and quiet leadership can be BOLDest of all. 

I was blown away the first time a smart professional told me she didn’t think of herself as a leader because she was not charismatic and not extroverted. She felt those were pre-requisites for being a great leader. Or in fact, for leading at all.

Ah, I smiled. Our conversation ended with a smile on her face too, as she saw for the first time how her inner strength, her quiet confidence *can be BOLDest of all*.  

Since that conversation years ago, when speaking or leading inspired team retreats I often include a segment I created on Valuing Others’ Expressions Of BOLDness.

In reflecting inward, and ultimately broadening our peripheral view to others, we begin to see the beauty in how we each bring BOLD differently… positively impacting our own success, as we create more success (and have more fun!)… individually and together.

3 Ways Your Quiet Confidence & Leadership Can Be BOLDest Of All, Inspiring Contagious Excellence! 

1.  When you step back to shine the spotlight on others, you inspire others forward. 

Be sure you don’t step so far back as to slip under the radar or become invisible. We need to see you. In shifting the spotlight, you’re offering others the opportunity to get known for – and remember by – their positive impact. Inspired by You. You’ve just magnified the impact of your positive leadership by inspiring another to lead, and in turn, inspiring the leader in others they lead…

2.  When you listen closely as you typically and beautifully do, people know you care.

When people know you care about them, they begin to trust that you also care about what matters to them. Imagine the possibilities! Your quiet confidence in listening to others – with genuine interest – can shift the frustration, malaise or disengagement in your team by inspiring them to start tuning in to each other, creating contagious excellence – and new success – as you build a team of people who actually care. About each other as team, customers, clients, community… translating beyond work to home, families, friends…

3.  When you speak, people want to hear what you have to say.

Your quiet confidence is shared in less words. Your select messages inspire what’s needed in this situation, meeting or conversation. The example you set can inspire and build a team of people willing to share their point of view, encouraging others to share theirs, too. Allowing people the opportunity to courageously build new confidence as they practice, develop and share their own points of view… whether quiet or not so quiet… is a gift that lasts a lifetime, contagiously rippling waves of excellence as new success. 

Do you consider yourself a Quiet leader?

Do you bring your BOLD by leading Quietly?

Here’s an important last (or first?!) step for you:

Do One BOLD Thing.

OWN YOUR SUCCESS WITH CONFIDENCE. 

It’s Up To YOU!

________________________________________________________________________

© 1993-2017  Ann Ulrich   AnnUlrich.com

PHOTO:   While keynote speaking in Taiwan, after my sincere effort yet seriously-lackluster results learning to speak Mandarin Chinese, I was rendered helpless on stage if not for the calm confidence of kind Taiwanese Translators. This is when and where I envisioned creating my speaking business, back in 1990, in their year of the Horse. If you’ve been to our condo, you may think I love horses… what I really love is the vision that was born in me in that one experience of a lifetime, in the year of the Horse. And maybe being a Taurus gave me the guts to actually make it happen.

Inspired By The U.S. Open: When Under Stress, We Forget The Simple Things

Posted on by

photo-72Did you watch the U.S. Open on Father’s Day?

David and I enjoyed a sunny Sunday afternoon date on our deck cheering Phil Mickelson on to his would-be so-deserved first U.S. Open win.

Alas, Phil retains his spot as THE classiest U.S. Open second-place winner. Again. Darn.

While focused on Phil, it was actually a quick comment made on Saturday by Golf Channel host and Hall of Fame golfer, Colin Montgomerie that caught my attention and stuck:

“When under stress, we forget the simple things.”

The simple things – getting back to basics – can be a smart way to do business – an inspired way to live!

Next time you want to earn trust, get remembered, make the sale, win the win, be selected, land your next Success… or maybe just have things come a little easier when it all starts feeling more like a setback than soaring…

Get back to basics.

One Of My Favorite Ways To *Get Your BOLD On… By Getting Your BOLD Back!*™ Creating Success By Getting Back To Basics:

LET OTHERS IN.

You got where you are with the help of others who know you, learned about you or experienced you in action, and now trust you.

In the race to success, have you stopped letting others get to know the real you?

Let others in so they can discover too, just how great you are.

Next time you’re in a conversation, posting a social media update, positioning your business, or delivering a critical message… listen carefully to the conversation underway, understand what’s happening around you, and add to it by letting others know something that lets them in, to get to know you in a keep-it-real genuine way.

I’ve seen huge shifts when leaders I’ve worked with toss their piles of slides and statistics and share a personal story instead. Now what you say matters. Because you matter. You just became real. And relatable. Someone worth listening to. Tell us more.

Now we know you’re not selling us… or telling us… or repelling us.

You’re inviting us in.

When it comes to creating or re-igniting success… building your brand – building business – and building a life you love…

Let others in so they can discover too, just how great you are.

It’s Up To YOU!

________________________________________________________________________

© 1993-2017   Ann Ulrich   AnnUlrich.com

Photo:  Ah well, rather than simply sitting idle again this Summer, apparently my golf clubs (golf cubs?) struck up a new friendship at the lake!