Category Archives: Influence Individuals vs Masses

BOLD Just Got Bolder.

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BOLD Just Got Bolder.

JOIN THE #DO1BOLDTHING MOVEMENT…

Action Inspiring. Positively Impacting Our World.

Our Mission:

Positive People Taking Bold Action – Big Bold & Baby Bold Steps – Creating A Bigger BOLDer Business, Career, Community, Life – Sharing Their Stories, Inspiring Each Other To #DO1BOLDTHING – Positively Impacting Our World! 

Courageous Is Contagious!

All Are Welcome.

JOIN US!

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2017: BOLD INNOVATION AT BOLD HQ:

The #Do1BOLDTHING Movement is new, starting strong and growing! Laying the foundation, shaping possibilities based on the BOLD inspiration, innovation, principles, content and body of work of Founder Ann Ulrich and her passion, persistence and perseverance in creating positively BOLD iterations over 20+ years to champion, encourage, empower, and inspire the BEST in people leading at all levels… business, career, community, life… since 1993!

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JUMP IN, JOIN US, BUILD THE MOVEMENT…

No purchase necessary!

Think about the courageous action you want to take… the positive impact you want to make… in your business, your career, your community, your life, our world.

You’re ready!

  1. GO DO 1 BOLD THING!
  2. POST TO SHARE YOUR STORY!
  3. HASHTAG #Do1BOLDThing on  Instagram
  4. Invite Your Friends To Post & Share Theirs!

OUR BEST BOLD FUTURE IS HERE.

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Go Ahead.

DO ONE BOLD THING!™

Courageous Is Contagious!

Together, We’re Positively Impacting Our World.

Even when it’s easier not to.

 

© 2018  Ann T. Ulrich  ANNULRICH.COM   #DO1BOLDTHING

Calibrate Your BOLD: Magnetic Charisma & Quiet Confidence

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“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.

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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.

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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.

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…. 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. 

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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!

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© 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.

Barbra Streisand’s BOLDest Of All

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photo-8I was looking forward to a great night’s sleep after fun holiday travels for Thanksgiving and before our big family wedding tonite…

And yet there I was, glued to the TV until 3am last night, captivated by Barbra Steisand’s stunning video concert, Back In Brooklyn.

A big fan of A Star Is Born, I later tried to replicate her tricky-nimble vocals of Queen Bee in our Summer rock band while getting that out of my system…

And I still love singing her passionate Lullaby For Myself, which drives my husband David nuts every time I do (if you know the lyrics, you’ll get why in our 34 years of marriage, well, he’s just never been a fan of that one ;)

I don’t watch much TV and especially not in the middle of the night… so what was it about this concert that pulled me in?

Her range is noticeably huskier now, which in a way makes her performance richer – still gigantic, enormous, powerful, soul-soaring, sky’s-the-limit-shattering range as ever…

And yet that’s not where her power lies…

The essence of Barbra Streisand comes alive in her quietest moments, where she takes all that big talent, her massive voice, her powerful wow, and laser-focuses it…

Drawing her own stark contrast… shifting on a dime to quiet… in an up close and personal kinda way… delicate, breathtakingly so, as tho singing and speaking only. to. you.

In her quietest moments, her voice, her impact… can be her richest of all.

Just as your Quiet Confidence can indeed be… your BOLDest of all.

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® 1993-2013  Ann Ulrich  THE BOLD! FACTOR®   BEST BOLD U™   AnnUlrich.com

PHOTO:  This purple bowl of red spoons are a favorite in our kitchen – they hang out next to a favorite soup cookbook authored by my friend, Paulette Mitchell. I am grateful every Thanksgiving (every day!) to have been so smart all these years to stay out of the kitchen, and instead sing the praises of my when-he-has-time hobby chef husband David ;)

3 Ways Your Quiet Confidence Inspires Contagious Excellence

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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!

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© 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

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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!

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© 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!

Fear And Your Non-Negotiable Dream You Will Make Happen Even If It Takes A Lifetime

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photo-35Sometimes, dreams really can take a lifetime.

After a few waves of *what the heck was that?!* of the recent past…

…one thing has become crystal clear:

No more waiting (for any of us!) before claiming and creating our next *it*. 

If you’re waiting until you’re, you know, just a bit further along… or a little more experienced… just that much more *ready*… before you go for it and make your next move… or if you’re holding off on moving forward until the time is finally just right… ask yourself:

Is FEAR holding you back from leading and living the work and/or life you crave?

Life is too precious to waste one moment by not exhaling out of fear.

Try this instead: Risk falling on your face – or stubbing your toe trying – by moving forward one step at a time directly into whatever you’re most afraid of… so you can stop that slowly-sinking-in-quicksand feeling called fear… and start breathing life into your life again… coming ALIVE again!

I hope this favorite quote inspires you as it inspires me, everyday:

“It’s no longer about asking what our world needs. Ask what makes you come Alive and go do that. Our world needs people who come ALIVE!”  –Thurman/Ulrich

Put yourself out there and make something happen.

Claim your dream and make it non-negotiable.

Let us know so we can cheer you on!

What’s your non-negotiable dream you will make happen… even if it takes a lifetime?

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© 1993-2013  Ann Ulrich Inc.    THE BOLD! FACTOR®      AnnUlrich.com

Photo: I love noticing dreamy light fixtures. This lights up a favorite downtown Minneapolis restaurant, Zelo.

The Antidote To Your Rat-Race-Rush Life? Social Generosity.

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photo-7So where in this Rat Race are we all Rushing to?

And when we eventually get there… then what?!

An unintended consequence of our choice to live a Rat-Race-Rush Life (and yes, it is our choice!)

We risk misusing our personal power to get ahead of each other…

instead of helping each other get ahead.

The antidote?  Practice Social Generosity.

The beauty of practicing Social Generosity lies in its simplicity:

Do One BOLD Thing Today… To Help One Person Get Ahead.

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© 1993-2013 Ann Ulrich  THE BOLD! FACTOR®  AnnUlrich.com

Photo:  This wire art just looked like a rat race rush(!) to me when I wrote this post. It’s a wire bowl hanging in our kitchen – where it looks much calmer ;)

Earn The Relationship First

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photo-13Years ago, I was brought in to lead a turnaround.

My directive was to win back revenue lost amidst a volatile marketplace.

I rolled up my sleeves and focused on meeting with the right people to get an understanding what, in their minds, the real issue was.

As is often the case, the real issue was buried deep beneath the façade of perception.

My big takeaway in that career-defining project?

Winning back lost revenue is not only about revenue…

It’s about Relationships.

When you reach out to build trust – and grant trust – you begin re-building 2-way relationships…

…and from that point forward you never need to chase the money again.

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© 1993-2012 Ann Ulrich  THE BOLD! FACTOR®   ANNULRICH.COM

Photo: Love the metallic focus-inducing center of this simple silvery coaster I’ve had for over 20 years.

Your BOLD Exclamation Point

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IMG_1621What gifts, skills and talents do you bring… in your own unique way…

…that set YOU apart?

This is where you begin to discover Your BOLD Exclamation Point!

When you are willing to do the work to identify what YOU bring to the table (whether at work in the boardroom… or at home in the kitchen) to create and earn new success:

Your *!* becomes what you’re known for and remembered by.

Others are drawn to you, want to be around you, want more from you, and WANT WHAT YOU BRING!

How to get there from here?

First Discover.

Then Deliver.

Confidently. Consistently. Passionately.

When you can articulate Success… you can replicate Success!

What DO you want to be known for and remembered by?!

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© 1993-2012 Ann Ulrich,  THE BOLD! FACTOR®   ANNULRICH.COM

Photo:  There was never a doubt in my mind as to what my logo would be when I launched my own business. Having been forever marked-down by my teachers – in probably every grade – for overly-enthusiastic overuse of the !!! in my writing, reports, art… I colored one BOLD RED in 1993… and ever since use it to my heart’s content! (!!)

It Will Always Be Easier

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photo-24When is the last time you were so passionately committed…

that you were willing to climb to the top of the hill… stand alone…

silhouetted against the sky…

knowing you were in a position to be shot down?!

It will always be easier… to care just enough to toss your two cents in as you walk away to follow the crowd.

It will always be easier… to do just enough to get by, fit in, unnoticed.

It will always be easier… to fly safely under the radar where there are no headwinds creating ripples of new success, much less churning waves of inspired innovation.

WHAT IF you stepped up, stepped out in a fresh new way that forever changed your own view of you? and in that process, expanded your view of what’s possible, what could now be accomplished…

…by this committed, capable, compassionate, confident, courageous…

CONTAGIOUS NEW YOU?!

Go ahead.  Trust yourself.  Climb to the top of that hill.

YES, the one you are most afraid of.

It could be just the place to start!

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© 1993-2012  Ann Ulrich  THE BOLD! FACTOR®   ANNULRICH.COM

with appreciation to Dale Dauten, The Corporate Curmudgeon, for his permission to share in my work our conversation re: leadership and Dale’s powerful vision of *standing alone silhouetted against the sky in a position to be shot down*.

Photo:  Calligraphy art of a strong horse has special meaning honoring my amazing experience in Taiwan in 1990, the year of the horse.