Victoria Bethlehem Of Jitjatjo On Your Game On How to Go Beyond Your Comfort Zone To Grow Both Personally and Professionally
An Interview With Maria Angelova
Don’t tell yourself what you can’t do and instead focus on what you can do / bring.
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 Victoria Bethlehem.
For over 25 years, Victoria has held executive management roles within the human resources field. She describes herself as an international citizen, having lived and worked in the USA, South Africa, Switzerland, Greece, Australia and Singapore. Currently, Victoria is the Chief People Officer with Jitjatjo, a high-tech company headquartered in New York,which solves human capital resourcing challenges for the hospitality, retail and healthcare sectors.
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?
Sure! I was born in Malaysia to New Zealand parents. After two years in Malaysia, we moved to Greece and then to Australia when I was around four. I call Australia my “home” country. It’s where I did all my schooling and my family and lifelong friends are based. It’s also where my two children were born. You can leave a country, but it will always have your heart — and that’s what Australia is to me.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Love what you do, do what you love.” I give my attention, energy and efforts to the things I feel passionate about. That includes my work, my friends, the companies I’ve joined, the teams I have built and the hobbies I have pursued. Life is short, so I choose to be selective about where I give my time and focus. As a result, people tell me it’s my passion that they really appreciate about me. And that it’s genuine. That’s feedback I am happy to receive.
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?
Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by journalist John Carreyrou was a great recent read. It’s the story behind the rise and fall of Theranos and its founder, Elizabeth Holmes. The reason it made such an impact?? Five years ago, I moved from the multinational corporate space to the startup world. It’s been one of the most exciting, challenging, rewarding and (at times) frustrating things I have ever done in my career. This book summarized how a startup can begin so strong and with great intentions, then lose its way quickly and for all the wrong reasons. I identified similar characteristics to Elizabeth Holmes with some of the founders I have worked with, thankfully not our CEO and co-Founder.
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?
Firstly, I love and thrive on being outside my comfort zone! It’s when I learn the most and feel (positively) challenged. But I am a calculated risk taker; I don’t just jump at anything or everything. I’ll give you an example. I always knew I wanted to travel and see the world — so I sought career opportunities that enabled me to live and work in the USA, Europe, Australia, and Asia. Each time I learned about a new place, I learned a lot about myself in the process. I am also an adrenaline junkie, so I have tried a lot of adventure sports — diving with sharks, skydiving, bungy jumping, and off-road motorbike riding. I like that feeling of overcoming physical fear…and it makes for great dinner party stories! I always try to find in my next role something I have never done before — and I am always honest about that pursuit. Great learning comes from daring yourself to try something new.
Can you help articulate a few reasons why it is important to get out of your comfort zone?
I always say, “the day I stop learning is the day I die” By this, I mean that being out of your comfort zone builds learning muscle, skills, and experience. It pushes you to see, do, ask, and adapt differently. Yes, it can be scary and daunting, which is why I always seek to find one person I can talk to and lean upon during those moments. I also think the older I get, the less fazed I am with saying “I don’t know, can you help me? What would you do?” Most people are more than willing to help.
Is it possible to grow without leaving your comfort zone? Can you explain what you mean?
It is, but probably not to the same extent. I learn from listening to and observing others, from reading articles and books and hearing others’ experiences. But nothing beats learning by doing — and that takes courage and self- belief. One of my favorite sayings is, “Back yourself, you got yourself here, you can take yourself there.” It’s a headspace, we can choose which one we want to live in.
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?
My first international gig was a big deal for me. While managing a regional HR team in Australia, I was offered a promotion to head up the global talent management function based out of headquarters in Zurich,. It was a big step on many levels — responsibility, seniority, stakeholder management. I was beyond excited about this opportunity and equally nervous! What if I was too junior for the role? What if I couldn’t connect with and relate to my internal clients based in Europe and the USA? The list went on and on. But there was no way I was going to say no. Instead, I spoke to others who had done it before me, sourced a local mentor to help me understand the cultural nuances of all the countries I would be working with, regularly sought advice from my manager, the global CHRO, I connected with people who had also gone from a regional to a global role and sought their advice. Bit by bit, I built my knowledge and know-how, until it no longer felt so overwhelming. It was one of the best things I ever did for my career.
What are your “five ways to push past your comfort zone, to grow both personally and professionally”?
- Be open to new and different opportunities.
- Seek out those that have gone before you (or done something similar) for their insights.
- Don’t tell yourself what you can’t do and instead focus on what you can do / bring.
- Ignore the nay-sayers.
- Be courageous!
From your experience or perspective, what are some of the common barriers that keep someone from pushing out of their comfort zone?
Fear! The fear of failure, the unknown, making an idiot of yourself, letting others down…. the list goes on! Fear is the greatest blocker to people taking a chance and pushing themselves and their abilities. I always tell my two teenage children that if something you have undertaken doesn’t make you nervous, then it means you don’t care enough about it. So, embrace the fear and keep moving forward!
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 my last response speaks exactly to this point. It’s where the “calculated risk” element comes in. A calculated risk is one where you weigh the pros and cons to determine if the risk (which includes pushing yourself to do something new or different) is worth it. Only you can answer that one for yourself. But note that with reward there is often some kind of risk. For example, this could pivot your career down a different pathway. It’s new, you’re learning curve is intense, you might take a step back financially initially — but in these moments you need to reframe the question and ask yourself, “what about the gains?” You experience success in a new field, gain new experiences, develop complementary skills, and extend your network. There can be many gains from taking a calculated risk. Of course, safety first at all times…if the job involves you jumping out of planes every day, you might want to reconsider!
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?
Wow! Great question. I would say that acceptance of others and their opinions would have to make the world a better, safer, and nicer place. When I look at how many wars are taking place around the world –be they political, social, religious or corporate — the vast majority stem from a sense of entitlement, self- righteousness and superior belief. One thing I have learnt from living and working in seven countries is that there is no one right way or only way to live, work, socialize and practice.
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 can’t answer with just one person. I am going to cheat and name two people I’d love to have lunch with. First up. would be Graham Norton, the Irish comedian, actor, and television show host. His sense of humor and comedic timing, modesty and down- to-earth style gets me every time I watch him interviewing his guests. He’s such fun and I know we would laugh a lot together, and laughter is food for the soul. The other person I would love to meet is Michelle Obama. I just love her style and grace, intelligence, and wit. She’s a mother, a mover & shaker, a wing (wo)man and entrepreneur. What’s not to love about her?!
How can our readers follow you online?
Please find me on LinkedIn.
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.
Victoria Bethlehem Of Jitjatjo On Your Game 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.