Kate Terentieva Of ‘Off The Record’ On How to Go Beyond Your Comfort Zone To Grow Both Personally and Professionally
Say yes before you’re ready. I know it’s scary because you may not have all of the information or pieces, but growth happens in a stretch zone, not a comfort zone. For me, this was starting a new business (having come from the service-based / freelance world), learning how to sell it, how to produce it, et cetera. This could also be saying yes to starting a family with the love of your life or booking a solo trip to Bali.
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 Kate Terentieva.
Kate Terentieva is the founder of Off the Record, a connection card game that revolutionizes how we communicate and build deeper, more impactful relationships. With a background as a creative & art director for some of the world’s most iconic brands, like WhatsApp, Calvin Klein, Converse, Justin Alexander, and Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts, Kate combines her passion for creative innovation with her love of authentic connections through Off the Record. While the game is fun to play, its true mission is to offer a supportive and enjoyable way to turn small talk into meaningful conversations that bring people closer together.
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?
Thank you for the opportunity — I’m honored to connect with your readers! Growing up, I was a social butterfly, a chatterbox, the girl who could talk to a wall. Making friends was easy breezy! As an only child of an immigrant parent and whose first language isn’t English, I was encouraged to get involved in extracurriculars to meet other kids, learn different perspectives, and ensure I’m not feeling deprived of friendships. Thus, I participated in many hobbies — most of which were creative, like theatre, choir, dance, art, and learning foreign languages. So it certainly is no surprise to me now that, after looking back, creativity and relationship-building are two of my greatest superpowers.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
A dear friend of mine once said to me that “self-made” isn’t real because you always rely on other people to get to where you are. I can’t agree more and am a total testament of that. Every single opportunity, job, and dollar I received was due to the relationships I formed with other people. I believe that there’s a reason we weren’t put on this earth one at a time, but as a collective. When we take the time to learn about, listen to, and understand each other, it truly is the gift that keeps on giving.
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?
How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. I first heard of it from my grandfather, who was a master at truly seeing and understanding people. A book published in 1936, its principles still hold true today. The greatest realization it gave me was that everyone is way more concerned about how they’re perceived. It’s a great book that helped me understand how to thrive on this planet with other people and get out of my head (and comfort zone) in social situations.
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?
To me, “getting outside of your comfort zone” means exposing yourself to experiences that will contribute to your growth. For instance, going to an event where you don’t know anyone, learning a new skill, or even discussing political beliefs with a friend who voted differently than you.
Can you help articulate a few reasons why it is important to get out of your comfort zone?
When we’re kids, we physically grow and change as we progress into adulthood. However, as adults, we have to make that growth now mentally and emotionally. “A snake will die if it doesn’t shed its skin” is a popular saying that illuminates the importance of getting out of your comfort zone. Learning new things, asking questions, experiencing something for the first time — these are all metaphorical ways that we “shed our skin,” so to speak, and it promotes our evolution as a person. Moreover, it rubs off on the people in our circle, challenging them to also evolve and grow with us.
Is it possible to grow without leaving your comfort zone? Can you explain what you mean?
Leaving your comfort zone is essential to growth and evolution. This is how we learn, and those learnings shape our experiences on earth.
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?
Starting my card game business, Off The Record, catapulted me out of a comfort zone I didn’t even know I was in. Previously, I’ve been advising and consulting on other people’s dreams, but I certainly didn’t imagine how uncomfortable it would be to pursue my own. I’m constantly in sales-driven conversations, where I need to ensure I’m considering what’s in it for, let’s say, a retailer to stock our product on their shelves or to customers on social media as to why Off The Record is the tool they need to build stronger connection habits. As someone who isn’t risk averse but is somewhat of a perfectionist, I was worried about the information gaps I had going into entrepreneurship, thinking I need to have it all figured out. Looking back on those initial difficult steps I took (and continue to take moving forward today), I’ve learned so much — both from the positives and the negatives. These lessons, derived from discomfort, have equipped me with so much knowledge that I surely wouldn’t have received if I prioritized being “comfortable.” Plus, it resulted in a lot of wins like hundreds of loving customers around the world, a feature from Jay Shetty & Radhi Devlukia, a pop-up opportunity at SXSW, and more!
What are your “five ways to push past your comfort zone, to grow both personally and professionally”?
- Meet 3 new people every week. This was a challenge I started post-pandemic, when I felt socially anxious, isolated, and lonely. I wrote this goal down for myself, and started seeking out both virtual and in-person opportunities to connect with new, like-minded people (many of whom I’ve worked with, hired, and now call friends).
- Say yes before you’re ready. I know it’s scary because you may not have all of the information or pieces, but growth happens in a stretch zone, not a comfort zone. For me, this was starting a new business (having come from the service-based / freelance world), learning how to sell it, how to produce it, et cetera. This could also be saying yes to starting a family with the love of your life or booking a solo trip to Bali.
- Surround yourself with people who challenge you. It’s going to sound harsh, but if you’re the smartest in the room, you’re in the wrong room. Learn from people who are ahead or have more experience than you with a certain skill; this will push you, resulting in your evolution both as a person and as a professional.
- Say yes to vulnerability. As someone who used to find it awkward getting deep with others, I’ve learned that vulnerability is how you truly understand another person. Asking questions that create a safe space for them to share their story will inform how your friend or partner thinks, acts, and what were the lived experiences that shaped who they are. It pushes your relationship to grow and develop, creating stronger memories for both of you to share with one another.
- Have hard conversations. Through my experience in management, these are some of my least favorite conversations to have because of how uncomfortable they can be. Whether it’s setting a boundary, expressing your feelings, or apologizing, difficult conversations, however, help you grow emotionally and strengthen relationships.
From your experience or perspective, what are some of the common barriers that keep someone from pushing out of their comfort zone?
It all starts with our fear being judged and, at times, perceived altogether. We think that people see us as harshly as we see ourselves. Generally, that’s not true. In fact, people spend most of their time thinking about themselves and their lives, as opposed to yours.
Ask yourself, “When was the last time that I truly felt unwelcome when joining a conversation with people I didn’t previously know?” or “When was the last time someone told me that the question I just posed was stupid?” If you really think about it, you’ve rarely experienced that — or perhaps, never. Yet your fear of that potentially happening has withheld you from meeting someone new or asking a question you wanted the answer to.
Remember, pushing out of your comfort zone rewards you with new information, new skills, new friends.
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?
As with everything, getting out of your comfort zone is a nuanced concept. Doing something that scares you, in my opinion, is something that will ultimately strengthen you personally, professionally, and/or emotionally. Maybe you want to start your fitness journey, but you have gym anxiety; conquering that and pushing out of that comfort zone will greatly reward your mind, body, and soul. However, going out for a walk at 3am? Maybe not the best idea. This is why it’s best to trust your gut and intuition, when considering what will and will not stretch you and benefit your growth.
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?
My hope is to inspire 1 million people to start and carry conversations that matter. That’s why I started Off The Record, equipping folks with a tool that builds strong conversational habits, including asking better questions, sharing more of who you are, and actively listening to one another. After all, when we talk, we share. When we share, we connect. When we connect, we have the power to change the world.
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’d love to have lunch with Radhi Devlukia — ever since Off The Record got on her radar through a customer of ours, I’ve been enjoying her content and think we share a similar priority for connecting people, starting substantive conversations, and she’s truly a testament of why it’s so important to get out of your comfort zone. So, Radhi, let’s link up!
How can our readers follow you online?
If you’d like to support Off The Record and keep up with us as we grow, give us a follow at @playofftherecord across Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn. To make your conversation meaningful one question at a time, check out playofftherecord.com and grab yourself a deck!
If you’d like to follow along with my own journey as a founder and creative director in advertising, drop me a hello on TikTok or Instagram @katarinaterentieva.
Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!
Kate Terentieva Of ‘Off The Record’ On How to Go Beyond Your Comfort Zone To Grow Both Personally… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.