The Brazilian striker, 25, has scored 15 goals in 36 appearances since joining from Botafogo last summer, including seven in the Europa League which puts him joint top of the competition's scoring charts.
But his start was far from straightforward.
"Man, I'm really happy to arrive here in my first season and achieve all this, because it's not easy to come here and play like I have," Jesus told TNT Sports Brazil.
"I had two or three games on the bench, then Wood got a knee injury and the opportunity came. From that moment, I started confirming my place in the team."
The transition to Nottingham Forest was physically demanding in ways he had not anticipated.
"What impressed me the most was the speed of the game. It's very fast, and you have only small seconds to make decisions. Before the ball arrives, you already have to think what you want to do. In duels with defenders, I would hit them and they wouldn't even move. I thought: 'What is this? I need to improve.'"
A collision with Matthijs de Ligt in December became the measuring stick.
"I collided with him and he moved, and I thought, 'I'm improving'. That shows you have the ability to be here. It boosts your performance and helps you reach a higher level."
On head coach Vítor Pereira: "He has given us a lot of confidence and shows exactly what he wants us to do on the pitch. He has experience in the Premier League and understands how things work here."
And on what lies ahead: "It's a huge opportunity to crown the season. Avoiding relegation in the Premier League and winning the Europa League would be a dream. But we go step by step. We know we have the quality, but Aston Villa are also a very strong team."