Building Resilience Outside Your Comfort Zone with Ginger Naylor of Outward Bound

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Discover the secret to thriving outside your comfort zone with Ginger Naylor, CEO of Outward Bound USA. 

In this inspiring conversation, Ginger shares how wilderness adventures help kids and adults build resilience, face discomfort, and uncover their true potential. Learn why stepping into the unknown fosters personal growth, how Outward Bound uses outdoor challenges to teach life-changing lessons, and the transformative power of "threshold moments." Whether you're an outdoors enthusiast or seeking ways to stretch your limits, this video will motivate you to embrace discomfort and grow stronger.

We are particularly excited about joining Ginger for The Reset, happening on January 24th and led by Outward Bound. This is a nationwide invitation to step away from screens and schedules, get outside, move your body, and reconnect with the kind of challenge and perspective that only nature can provide. No apps, no optimization, no performance metrics. Just time outdoors, intentional discomfort, and the chance to reset your nervous system in the most human way possible.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why resilience doesn’t come from comfort — but from manageable challenge
• How outdoor education helps kids discover identity, confidence, and capability
• What “threshold moments” are — and why they drive real growth
• Why reflection matters as much as the experience itself
• How wilderness exposure shapes empathy, leadership, and perseverance
• Why being alone without distraction is increasingly rare — and powerful

Key Highlights: 

(00:00) – Intro

(00:31) – Wilderness Awareness and Why It’s Fading

(07:48) – What Outward Bound Really Is (And Isn’t)

(11:16) – Threshold Moments and Why Growth Starts at the Edge

(14:25) – Discomfort as a Skill, Not a Side Effect

(19:08) – The Cultural Shift Away from Wilderness

(23:04) – The Solo Experience: Being Alone With Yourself

(28:38) – What Happens After Students Leave Outward Bound

(32:10) – Why Reflection Turns Experience Into Growth

(36:45) – Technology, Childhood, and Rebalancing Attention

(41:22) – Wilderness as a Gateway to Conservation

(46:08) – Parenting, Protection, and Letting Kids Struggle

(51:14) – Resilience as a Life Skill, Not an Adventure Skill

(56:02) – Why These Experiences Matter More Than Ever

(1:01:10) – Final Reflections on Growth, Identity, and Independence

Connect with Ginger and Outward Bound

Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Take The Reset Pledge with us!