Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

Amazing things happen when you get out of your comfort zone!  I recently experienced this reality while trying out for the hit TV show WIPEOUT and have learned a lot about leadership in the process.

Last Saturday, I showed up in full gear for an open casting call in San Diego.  Check out the crazy picture of me while waiting in line.  The entire experience was nerve racking, exciting and a huge step out of my comfort zone.

While I have a fun, exciting and somewhat crazy personality – I was nervous.  My body was soaked with sweat underneath my wet suit because my heart was beating fast and it was getting hot outside.  Would I actually make it on the show?  Would I even make it past round 1 of tryouts?  Would I remember what to say at the interview?  I mustered up all the courage I could find and started to shake as I got in front of the casting director. I funneled all my nervous energy trying to make a good first impression (I only had 30 seconds to stand out from the crowd).  They like high energy and enthusiastic people.  So, I gave it to them in full force!  A few random people even requested a picture of themselves with me afterward (a first for me).  I don’t even remember what I said or did, but they passed me to round 2 of tryouts  I was stoked!

Round 2 was an on camera interview at the casting company’s headquarters in Burbank, CA.  I had an entire week to prepare myself.  Life was busy, so it wasn’t till the day of the interview I started thinking of what to say and do.  I had my routine down and felt confident of doing a good job sticking out of the crowd.  I got my full WIPEOUT gear on again, but this time added a few swimming noodles.  Arriving super early, I had a few hours to kill at Starbucks.  While there, I got really nervous again.  I was out of my league.  Why would they pick me out of thousands of others?  I had to take the entire day off work and felt maybe it was a waste.  Fighting through those feelings, I felt ready to give it my best shot.

It was finally time for the interview.  I sat in the waiting room for over an hour and rehearsed over and over in my head what I was going to say and do.  Finally, they called my name and I entered a dark room with bright lights.  I could hear a voice behind the camera and could barely make out the person behind it.  I was asked a few questions like, “What is your most embarrassing moment?” and “What makes you unique?”.  I was prepared for those questions, but my mind went completely blank.  I forgot everything I had rehearsed.  I barely even got out my name.  I fumbled through the first question or two, but then sort of got myself together remembering some of the funny real life stories to share.

Then we got to final part of the interview, “Show us your victory dance.”  I knew this was a big part of the interview and purposely wanted to be spontaneous.  So, I just acted like my goofy self, dancing around while singing the WIPEOUT song (from the Beach Boys?) and swinging the swimming noodles all around.  Then, I shot a finger blaster that was attached to my elbow pad.  I figured it was a unique way to end the victory dance.  I aimed it near the camera, but slightly to the right so it wouldn’t be a direct hit.  I then heard a THUMP and the casting director yell, “OUCH!”.  I had accidentally hit the casting director on the forehead!  Yikes!  I apologized and hoped it wouldn’t take me out of the interview process.  I definitely stood out from the crowd!

They advanced me to the next round, which meant filling out a 25 page application and basically signing my life away to them if picked to be on the show.  If picked to be on the show, I could hear from sometime between now and mid January.  So, now I just sit and wait, hoping to get a call.  Wouldn’t that be cool if I did!

Here is a few ways things I learned about getting out of your comfort zone through this process:

1.  Decide to do something different.
I decided to do something different – tryout for a TV show I love.  It was both nerve wracking and exciting at the same time.  In ministry, it is easy to get stuck in the same old routine day in and day out.  Try something new.  Host a creative outreach for kids in your community.  Try new unique and fun methods to partner with parents.  Discover different ways to empower your team.  What is it that has been in the back of your head for awhile, but you haven’t moved forward with?  Decide today to go for it!

2.  Push forward.
Once I showed up for tryouts, I had a flood of negative thoughts come my way.  But with God’s help and my determination, I pushed forward.  When you begin to take steps toward a new goal, you will have roadblocks and negative thoughts come your way.  You might even have people who oppose the new idea.  Don’t let these things surprise you.  Expect them and keep moving forward with God’s help.

3.  The journey is more important than the destination.
Taking risks means sometimes you’ll mess up and make mistakes.  When you do, learn from them and realize it is just a part of the process.  You’ll also discover new ways of doing things that really work well.  Had you not taken the risk, you would not have discovered it.  Results aren’t the main benefit.  The journey, who you become through the process, is what’s most important.  Enjoy the journey.  Appreciate both the good and the bad.  Whether I get casted or not, I had fun.  Yes, I messed up and hit the casting director.  But I tried something new and got out of my comfort zone.  I experienced something most people don’t even get a chance to do.  I am more likely to get out of my comfort zone in other areas of my life as well.

4. Make it a habit.
As you begin to get out of your comfort zone, your entire world expands.  You feel the fear but push forward anyway.  Afterwards, you are proud of yourself and know it is possible to do it again.  Maybe in another area of your life.  The more you do, the more empowered you feel to be used by God in other ways.  Ways you’ve never even dreamed were possible!  Make it a habit to continually get out of your comfort zone.

God wants to use people who are willing to get out of their comfort zone.  David killed Goliath.  Moses parted the red sea.  Peter spoke and thousands became followers of Jesus.  All these legends were prompted by God to do amazing things that required them to do something a bit uncomfortable.  Trusting that God would show up, they stepped out of their comfort zone.

What about you?  How can you step out and trust God to do amazing things through you today?  What is God speaking to you?  What creative idea or program are you going to launch?