Nathan Minns Of Green Light Improv On How to Go Beyond Your Comfort Zone to Grow Both Personally and Professionally
An Interview With Maria Angelova
Be a good listener: Learn more about active listening. Soon, you will start to take others’ perspectives more easily and come up with new ideas together. Eventually, these minor actions of active listening in everyday conversation will help you feel more comfortable trying something new.
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 Nathan Minns.
Nathan Minns is the founder of Green Light Improv, a professional training company that cultivates resilience, enhances creativity, and improves communication, all while inspiring connection through improv comedy. Beginning as an actor in 2015, Nathan soon realized that his acting training was positively affecting other work skills, from creativity and confidence, to communication and decision-making. Ultimately, the change he saw in himself led him to create Green Light Improv. An Ohio State University graduate, Nathan has previously spent most of his career in the startup ecosystem as an employee and a 3x founder.
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?
When I was a kid, I wanted to start earning money through entrepreneurship, and many young people do this by starting lemonade stands.
But I wanted to do something a little bit different. I wanted to be innovative. I went into my backyard and gathered the coolest rocks and sticks that I could find. I set up shop on the sidewalk and I tried to sell them, with all of the energy of a 7-year-old.
Some neighbors did buy rocks; the sticks were not a big hit.
This first venture didn’t go very far. Pretty soon, I went back to selling lemonade, but I still don’t consider this a failure. I learned a lot about taking chances and seeing what happens.
After spending 12 years in Dayton, Ohio, I moved to Columbus, Ohio, and have called it home since!
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“As long as you live, keep learning how to live.” — Lucius Annaeus Seneca
I love this quote because it reminds me of improv. In improv, we do our best in the moment and then we move on. If we have a bad show, we learn from the experience and do better next time. If we have a good show, we can enjoy it and do even better the next time, still learning from the experience. In improv, nothing is permanent and we get to have a fresh start each time we get on stage.
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?
Turning Pro by Steven Pressfield had a major impact on me and on my life. In this book, I realized that I could make the decision to become a professional and that making that decision enhances my work product. A professional tends to act differently than a beginner, and professionals have a higher quality work product.
I also realized that I did not need to wait for inspiration or any external stimuli to motivate me to do incredible work. As the author writes, “The professional does not wait for inspiration. He acts in anticipation of it.”
Before I went full-time with Green Light Improv, I was splitting my attention into different projects. I finally decided to quit my job in July 2022 and concentrate on turning pro. I remember saying to myself: “I will try my absolute hardest to make this work. If it doesn’t, then I will have learned something and I can devote more time to my biggest areas for growth.”
Thankfully, I’ve turned pro, and Green Light Improv is going very well.
Starting and running a business can be difficult. If I want to succeed, it’s important to be brave and take risks.
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?
I think of it like this: we all have 3 circles. The first circle is where I’m comfortable and safe. The second circle is outside of my comfort zone, but I can always choose to return to the first circle. The third circle is a place with too much stress to be productive.
For me, getting out of my comfort zone means trying to go out of the first circle, and stay on the second circle where I can grow the most. It’s where I can still choose to do things outside of my comfort zone, but I’m not forced to do something I’m not ready for.
In our Green Light Improv workshops, we make sure everyone feels comfortable. We give participants the chance to do something new and different, but we don’t pressure them into anything in our workshops. We don’t want them to be too stressed to operate and learn. It’s important that everyone has a good time learning the life skills we try to impart.
Can you help articulate a few reasons why it is important to get out of your comfort zone?
When you step out of your comfort zone, you have the chance to learn something you didn’t know before. It helps you become more confident. While it can be scary, it can also help you feel proud of yourself for pushing through and succeeding.
Trying something new can help you learn how to take risks, learn from failures, and celebrate small wins. This way, you become more independent and comfortable with yourself.
I was comfortable in my job and knew I would get paid every month, but I wanted something more. Quitting my job might have been daunting, but for me, it meant growth. How Green Light Improv has grown in the last six months is a testament that quitting my job and getting out of my comfort zone was ultimately the right decision for me and for the business.
Is it possible to grow without leaving your comfort zone? Can you explain what you mean?
You can grow while in your comfort zone, but I think you grow slower than if you are just a little bit outside of your comfort zone.
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?
The first time I facilitated a workshop, there were about five people who agreed to show up. I had no idea what I was doing, and facilitating was definitely outside of my comfort zone. The workshop did not go well because I ended up teaching pure performative improv for two hours, instead of applying those skills to participants’ everyday life. Today, we don’t teach pure improv anymore.
Looking back, I’m glad I took action, rather than waiting for the perfect opportunity or idea to come along.
It all worked out, as a CEO of a local business was in that first workshop, and his business became my first client.
There’s a certain rush that comes with taking a plunge into the unknown. It might be hard at the moment, but when you overcome it, it’s worth it. I typically have far less regret when trying something and failing at it, rather than being too afraid to take the first step.
All of this advice applies to becoming an improviser and starting an improv scene too. Improv is an incredible tool to learn to creatively blow through obstacles.
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”?
1 . Try improv: Improvisation is a great way to get out of your comfort zone and become more creative. Improv forces you to think on your feet and come up with new ideas quickly. It can be a great tool to help you be resilient when faced with unexpected challenges.
In my experience, as I improve on-stage, I also improve off-stage. I have become more creative, and I’m now a better communicator and team member.
2. Take small risks every day: Try doing something that makes you a little uncomfortable every day. Start simple, like trying new food, asking someone on a date, or taking a different route to work.
If you’re feeling stuck in a situation, push yourself to be brave. You’d be amazed of the places you’ll reach if you just find the courage. You’ll find yourself growing more confident in yourself and your abilities.
3. Be a good listener: Learn more about active listening. Soon, you will start to take others’ perspectives more easily and come up with new ideas together. Eventually, these minor actions of active listening in everyday conversation will help you feel more comfortable trying something new.
With improv, by listening carefully and being open to what other people say, you can also become more resilient, creative, and overall, a better communicator.
4. Give yourself time to learn: Embrace failures. I was a terrible improviser when I was starting. I had to audition seven times before finally being accepted to a group. Improv is a learnable skill. Not giving up on myself opened up a lot of opportunities.
Improv gave me a chance to improve my communication skills by thinking quickly and responding to changes and surprises.
5. Have fun and enjoy the process: When you’re learning something new, it’s up to you to explore your creative side. Don’t take yourself too seriously and enjoy the journey of experimenting!
Improv is a great tool to help me learn how to think on my feet and be more flexible when I’m faced with new or unfamiliar situations. It also helps me to be more resilient and come up with solutions to problems I face.
From your experience or perspective, what are some of the common barriers that keep someone from pushing out of their comfort zone?
Fear is one of the most common barriers: fear of failure, embarrassment, or even losing friends. Everyone knows it can be hard to take a step into something that is unfamiliar but don’t let fear stop you from taking risks and reaching your goals.
If you’re feeling “fear”, it just means there’s an opportunity for you to learn and grow.
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?
Every day, we should push ourselves to do something that makes us just a little uncomfortable, even if it doesn’t seem related to our career or life goals.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that you should do something dangerous. For example, if you’re uncomfortable walking alone at night, you shouldn’t force yourself to do it. Instead, try something like introducing yourself to a stranger or speaking up in a large group. Doing things that scare you just a little can help you become braver and more confident in yourself.
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 spread the idea that learning can be fun, experiential, & creative. Improv is a fun way to help students and teams learn new skills without realizing they’re learning!
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 love Tina Fey! I read her book, Bossypants and I loved it. It would be great to have lunch with her.
How can our readers follow you online?
You can go to my website Green Light Improv and my LinkedIn. Let’s connect!
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!
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.
Nathan Minns Of Green Light Improv 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.