Freediver Ant Williams holds the World Record as the deepest man under ice. An in-demand keynote speaker, Ant explains the value of positive risk taking to anyone in business. For over a decade, he’s developed the leaders of Blue-Chip companies teaching mental toughness to help them build courage, perform under pressure and deliver consistent results.
Ant worked as a Sport Psychologist coaching big wave surfers, motoGP riders, rock climbers and other risk takers on how to break through mental barriers when he realised, according to him, he was a fraud. He hadn’t done anything risky in his life. He wanted to know if anyone could learn how to become a risk taker. So, Ant decided to take up freediving and learn firsthand how to perform under pressure.
One of the deepest men in the world, Ant has pushed through both physical and mental barriers to hold his breath for over 8 minutes, dive to -100m and to swim 240m on one breath. In short, he knows how to overcome some of the most demanding and uncomfortable challenges a person can face. Ant teaches others how to “lean into discomfort” and take positive, calculated risk.
In his keynotes and workshops, Ant helps leaders take on the challenges of modern disruption. For over a decade Ant has held senior roles in Australian
consulting firms. As the Founder and Director of Modus Leadership, he sponsors all key accounts including AMP Capital, Thales, YMCA, Alinta Energy,
Sydney Trains, Fujitsu, Sportsbet, Epworth Healthcare, ASG Group & Dentsu Australia. He's an authentic presenter who offers a unique blend of
entertainment and interaction with a powerful message.
Talking Points
Keynote: Unlock your potential: Find your path to success
This is a high-impact, super interactive session, as we explore how to boost individual performance through taking on positive, calculated risk and by changing how to think about discomfort. I blend storytelling, from my competitive freediving, with some powerful imagery and video. My goal for each audience can be tailored to themes around leadership, sales growth, team performance, change management or health and wellness.Keynote: Unlock your potential: Find your path to success
1. What attracts me to compete in a dangerous sport
2. How mental toughness catapulted me into a top 5 world ranking
3. The importance of constantly evolving. Plus the need to take positive, calculated risks to achieve your goals.
4. Application activities to help us perform under pressure: correct breathing & energy management
Keynote includes option to share a 15min instructional video on correct breathing technique.
Workshop: Failing to adapt: Ice Dive case study
This is a table group problem-solving task on the Ice Dive World Record (2019) that took place high in the Arctic Circle. It is designed to explore what happens when a team fails to align around a common goal and create a performance culture. The elite team we pulled together to help me break the world record in ice diving fell to pieces within 24 hours of arriving in the Arctic Circle. With some jaw-dropping imagery to help me recount the story, I explain how even the best performers will deliver poor results if we don’t get the focus and culture right. Table groups will be encouraged to discuss and agree what steps they would take to turn around this under-performing team - in time to achieve their highly publicised goal. The interactive activities include having a performance conversations to team members in the ice dive team context. Strong links can be made to the performance or collaboration needs of the teams in the audience and where management want to see them evolve.Workshop: Failing to adapt: Ice Dive case study
Duration: 60 minutes
Video
Bravery begins with belief | Ant Williams | TEDxMelbourne
This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. By definition, Freediving is a life threatening sport, every single time it's attempted. What is your definition of "Stepping up to the Edge?" One of the deepest freedivers in the world, Ant can descend to the staggering ocean depth of minus 100 metres on a single breath of air. With a breathhold of eight minutes, Ant was ranked World Number Three for five years in one of the toughest disciplines of the sport. For two decades, he has studied the psychology of human performance, applying this knowledge to coaching both elite athletes and business leaders. He has undertaken the challenges of international consulting assignments with Super Rugby Teams, Olympians, World Championship athletes, and was director of a motorcycle racing team in the prestigious MotoGP world championship.ANT WILLIAMS - The Risk Taker's Handbook: How to Excel Through Positive, Calculated Risk Taking
Ant is an international keynote speaker on positive risk taking in business. For over a decade, he's developed the leaders of Blue Chip companies teaching mental toughness to help them build courage, perform under pressure and deliver results. Ant worked as a Sport Psychologist coaching big wave surfers, motoGP riders, rock climbers and other risk takers on how to break through mental barriers when he realised, according to him, he was a fraud. He hadn't done anything risky in his life. He wanted to know if anyone could learn how to become a risk taker. So Ant decided to take up freediving and learn first hand how to perform under pressure.Free diver Ant Williams on taking positive, calculated risks under pressure | Fearlessly Australian
How do you make the right decision when you’re under extreme pressure? It’s a question free diving world record holder Ant Williams has had to ask himself many times. Ant explains what free diving has taught him about taking positive, calculated risks and the techniques he uses to make the right decision when the pressure is on. Ant is a guest on the Fearlessly Australian podcast.Simply brilliant - what an inspiration. I could not recommend him more highly ... keep reading GE
Truly inspirational. The Global CEO and Executive Team referenced your presentation throughout the final session
Ant made a massive impact on our top performing sales teams
Your presentation at Macquarie yesterday was awesome I was absolutely enraptured as were my colleagues. You were able to bring us all on a journey with you, we felt your highs, lows, solitude and terror; it was amazing the way you did this. I found myself anxious before we did the holding the breath challenge and relieved once done. The way you seamlessly linked your rich experiences with our working environment and challenges was very clever, you left a very strong impression on me and on everyone else in the room
