Jesse Bradley Of Grace Community Church On How to Go Beyond Your Comfort Zone to Grow Both Personally and Professionally
An Interview With Maria Angelova
Purpose — Be very clear about your why. Hone in on the reason and how it is redemptive.
It feels most comfortable to stick with what we are familiar with. But anyone who has achieved great success will tell you that true growth comes from pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. What are some ways that influential people have pushed themselves out of their comfort zone to grow both personally and professionally? As a part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jesse Bradley.
Jesse is a pastor, speaker, author, and former professional soccer player. He graduated from Dartmouth College and serves in Seattle now. Creating content, interviews, collaboration, interviews, and digital campaigns have resulted in over a billion people hearing a message of hope. His greatest love is Jesus.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we start, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood backstory?
I grew up rejecting the existence of God. My family is like Baskin Robbins spiritually, 31 flavors. In college, I was assigned to read the Bible in a religion class. I learned about the love and light of Jesus. I still have not found anything more satisfying than the living water He offers all of us. My childhood dream was to play soccer. That dream came true, but an illness left me fighting for my life for a year, and it took ten years to fully recover. Every day is a gift from God. I take risks because I want to see more joy for other people and transformed lives. It is worth it.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16). That grace is what changed my heart and life.
Is there a particular book, podcast, or film that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?
You probably guessed it by now — the Bible. It was nourishment for my soul that was starving. Success on the outside and emptiness on the inside. I encourage you to read the gospel of John. Receive God’s love.
Let’s now shift to the main part of our discussion. Let’s start with a basic definition so that all of us are on the same page. What does “getting outside of your comfort zone” mean?
Being willing to do something that is new, difficult, beyond your routine, unknown, uncommon, developmental, courageous, and loving. It will lead you to personal growth and reliance on God.
Can you help articulate a few reasons why it is important to get out of your comfort zone?
We are made to take new mountains and not go backwards or plateau. You feel alive when you advance. It is deeply meaningful when you know it has your name on it, it blesses other people, and it glorifies God.
Is it possible to grow without leaving your comfort zone? Can you explain what you mean?
I think you can grow a very small amount in your comfort zone. It’s not very exciting or rewarding. You really lower the ceiling of your potential when you insist on only playing it safe.
Can you share some anecdotes from your personal experience? Can you share a story about a time when you stepped out of your comfort zone and how it helped you grow? How does it feel to take those first difficult steps?
After graduating from Dartmouth College, I traveled to Africa to play pro soccer and tutor students. I took a risk when I asked my now wife out for a date for the first time. One of my very best decisions. I feel nervous every time I preach (graceinauburn.com if you want to connect with our church). Live interviews on national TV are a real stretch.
Here is the central question of our discussion. What are your “five ways to push past your comfort zone, to grow both personally and professionally”?
- Prayer — ask God for courage. I start every day with prayer. It is powerful.
- Accountability — ask a friend to journey with you and not let you shrink back.
- Inspiration — find a Bible verse or favorite quote that moves you forward.
- Rewards — remind yourself of what will happen if you accomplish it.
- Purpose — Be very clear about your why. Hone in on the reason and how it is redemptive.
From your experience or perspective, what are some of the common barriers that keep someone from pushing out of their comfort zone?
The number one barrier is fear. Fear of injury, fear of failure, fear of loss, fear of the unknown, fear of rejection just to name a few. Fear has many faces. The Bible says God’s love drives out fear.
There is a well-known quote attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt that says, “Do something that scares you every day”. What exactly does this mean to you? Is there inherent value in doing something that pushes you out of your comfort zone, even if it does not relate to personal or professional growth? For example, if one is uncomfortable about walking alone at night should they purposely push themselves to do it often for the sake of going beyond their comfort zone? Can you please explain what you mean?
I think there are times when God, family, friends, and our intuition rightly tells us to use caution. I am all for wise risks though, even when costly.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?
I want to encourage and empower as many people as possibly to receive and give hope locally and globally. It starts by receiving the grace of God, then opening up your front door more, and leads to generosity that extends to children around the world without food and water.
Is there a person in the world whom you would love to have lunch with, and why? Maybe we can tag them and see what happens!
I would like to have a conversation with Joe Rogan and Jim Carrey.
How can our readers follow you online?
Please connect with me on social media @jessejbradley or through my website jessebradley.org.
Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!
About The Interviewer: Maria Angelova, MBA is a disruptor, author, motivational speaker, body-mind expert, Pilates teacher and founder and CEO of Rebellious Intl. As a disruptor, Maria is on a mission to change the face of the wellness industry by shifting the self-care mindset for consumers and providers alike. As a mind-body coach, Maria’s superpower is alignment which helps clients create a strong body and a calm mind so they can live a life of freedom, happiness and fulfillment. Prior to founding Rebellious Intl, Maria was a Finance Director and a professional with 17+ years of progressive corporate experience in the Telecommunications, Finance, and Insurance industries. Born in Bulgaria, Maria moved to the United States in 1992. She graduated summa cum laude from both Georgia State University (MBA, Finance) and the University of Georgia (BBA, Finance). Maria’s favorite job is being a mom. Maria enjoys learning, coaching, creating authentic connections, working out, Latin dancing, traveling, and spending time with her tribe. To contact Maria, email her at angelova@rebellious-intl.com. To schedule a free consultation, click here.
Jesse Bradley Of Grace Community Church On How to Go Beyond Your Comfort Zone to Grow Both… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.