If you live in Boulder, you know. Saturday hit with hail out of nowhere. One minute—sunshine. The next—a sky full of ice.

Leadership moments often arrive the same way. Sudden. Unpredictable. Disruptive.

It would be easy to sit this one out. To wait for “better weather”—in your business, your team, your life. But here’s the truth:

Leadership isn’t about waiting. It’s about deciding who you want to be when the forecast shifts.

And a quarter is enough time to become that leader.

Think about it: thirteen weeks. That’s thirteen Mondays to recommit. Thirteen Fridays to reflect. Thirteen chances to show up differently, speak more clearly, or simply listen more fully. A quarter is a container—finite, focused, and full of possibility.

If your outer work mirrors your inner truth—if your decisions reflect your values, your vision, your actual care—then the next thirteen weeks can move mountains.

Say what needs to be said. Make one hard call. Rebuild trust where it cracked. Start the project that actually excites you. Show up more honestly in every room.

Authenticity isn’t performance. It’s presence. It’s you, unmasked and on-purpose. It’s when your being and your doing finally align—and you feel the energy shift because of it.

Want to explore what authenticity really means? The Wikipedia page on authenticity offers a powerful foundation for understanding this essential leadership trait.

So this week, instead of spinning in overwhelm, pause and ask: Are your people aligned? Is your vision clear? Are you rooted in data, or in assumptions? Do your processes serve you—or distract you? Is something unresolved pulling your focus?

You don’t need to fix everything this spring. But you do need to choose where to begin.

And here’s the good news: every leader has access to that kind of clarity. It doesn’t take a miracle. It takes presence. A moment to listen to what’s really asking for your attention.

The beauty of Boulder’s weather is it teaches you resilience. It teaches you presence. And it reminds you that conditions don’t need to be perfect for growth to begin. One day you’re caught in a hailstorm. The next, you’re walking under blue skies surrounded by fresh buds on the trail. The shifts are swift, the patterns unpredictable—and yet, they hold a rhythm you can trust. You learn to carry both layers and lightness. To lead through storms without losing your center. Boulder doesn’t wait for perfect. And neither should you.

As poet David Whyte says, “Start close in. Don’t take the second step or the third. Start with the first thing close in, the step you don’t want to take.”

This is your Motivational Monday.

Wake. Lead. Win.

This spring, what’s the step you’ve been avoiding—but know is yours to take?

Want more reflections like this? Come back to About Boulder each week to explore leadership, community, and clarity in action.

Want to Explore the Primal Way?

Kate Galt Primal Leadership Business Coaching

Kate Galt coaches and challenges leaders at all levels— from entrepreneurs to seasoned executives— to sharpen their vision, articulate key messages so they connect and inspire, and make decisive, strategic moves that drive real business growth. Based in Boulder, Colorado, she works with individuals and teams to strengthen leadership, improve team dynamics, and achieve measurable results.

Her coaching is rooted in Primal Leadership—because the strongest leaders move with instinct, command presence without force, and create unshakable trust through raw, real connection.

Like any driven person, Kate is always figuring out how to do it all—running a business, raising two kids with her equally involved husband, and still making time for the adventure that brought her to Colorado in 1998. Whether it’s snowboarding, mountain biking, or chasing an ultimate frisbee, she knows the best leadership isn’t just learned—it’s lived.

The bottom line? Kate makes good leaders great.

Curious about what makes her coaching style so impactful? Book a call and experience it for yourself at CoachTheLeaders.com.