What’s your story? What challenges have you faced and what you have overcome that made you the person you are today? Everyone has a story. I know there’s something about you that makes you the amazing, unique individual that you are. I know you have a passion, a purpose, and a message you want to share with the world. And I think that’s what makes us feel good about ourselves as human beings – being able to share our story and the things we’re most passionate about with others.
Through my personal development seminars, my programs like the 30 Day Challenge, and 
working in the fitness industry for so many years, I’ve met tons of people who want to turn their passion into a career. They feel as if they are not fulfilling their life’s purpose if they aren’t living their passion. While it takes work, yes, you can make a living doing what you love!
But the question I get the most is, “HOW do I turn my passion into a career?” People figure out what they WANT to do, but they get stuck figuring out HOW to make it happen. Well, I always say, “Don’t reinvent the wheel.” Take a look at what other industry experts, coaches, and leaders are doing. How do they make a living sharing their message?
Figure out what these people are doing, and then, apply it to you and your message. Ask yourself…
- What unique skills do I have?
- How can I help others?
- What is it that I have to offer that’s unlike what anyone else is doing?
Regardless of your industry, one leader you MUST check out is my friend Brendon Burchard – someone who went from bankruptcy to making over 4 million dollars in just 18 months simply by sharing his story to help others! He’s truly an expert at helping people share their message and actually make money doing it. In fact, he even helped me become a New York Times Best-Selling Author with my book PUSH.
Comment below and tell me what you think!
I love TurboFire, your energy and how positive you are Chalene!! Not only are you passionate, inspiring, but you also seem very down to earth which is rare for a celebrity!!
Great post! Simple and straight to the point, looking forward to checking out Brendon’s videos and message! I know that I’m approaching a crossroads and that I really do want to make my passion my livelihood. Thanks for always being so inspirational and for always sharing anything that you can to help everyone!
For as long as I can remember dance has been my passion in life. Nothing makes me feel as blissful as I feel when I am performing on stage to entertain an audience. At the age of three, my mother bribed me into beginning dance classes and now at age 31, I own and operate my own dance company–all because of a bribe to get her three year old to give up drinking out of a bottle at night.
My mother was my best friend. I truly cannot think of words to describe how close we were as I was growing up. She had me at the young age of 17 and we grew up together. As I was an only child, my mother was my closest companion. She once confided in me that I was her soul mate. Think of the one person you love in your life more than anyone and multiply it times 100. That’s how close my mom and I were.
When I was about 9 years old, my mother began teaching dance classes. Being the dance teacher’s daughter had some major advantages. We would spend hours dancing at the studio, on our deck, in the kitchen…wherever we could find a little bit of space. We laughed, we cried. These memories are some that I will never be able to forget. Our plan after I graduated college was to open our own dance studio.
When I was 19, my life changed dramatically. I had just begun my 2nd year of college and my mom was possibly starting to go through a mid-life crisis. She decided after 20 years of marriage, she was not happy. She left my dad and I to move in with a man whom she felt would provide her with a new, exciting life. Unfortunately, she was very wrong.
After not being able to reach her on March 22, 2002, I decided I needed to check on her at her boyfriend’s house. The image I saw is one you could never even fathom. Because of reasons that may have been related to massive debt, the boyfriend had shot and killed my mother, my best friend, and then decided to kill himself. Words cannot describe the pain I have experienced and continue to deal with on a daily basis.
The evening of her death, in the traumatic state I was in…one of the first thing I thought was–I just inherited about 25 young dancers and would have to be responsible for finishing up her dance season for her. Even after experiencing all of that, dance brought me joy and especially as I watched the passion spark in the little girls’s eyes.
Eleven years later I am proud to say I have been able to heal myself through prayer, exercise and a healthy lifestyle. I graduated college with a Bachelor’s degree in elementary education with almost a 4.0 GPA, I got married to the love of my life, I continued to teach my mom’s students, and I completed my Master’s degree.
And now I am living my dream. I have been an elementary teacher for 8 years and have a beautiful home.
In August of 2010 I opened my own dance company named GK Dance Company (my mother’s name was Gail). My studio has grown to almost 100 students in three short years.
And, in 2011, I gave birth to my new soul mate–Lennon Gail was born on Nov 15. She brings joy back into my heart and light in my eyes. Although I know how strong my bond was to my mom, I finally understand now what a mother’s love for her child is like. I miss my mom everyday but I look into my daughter’s eyes and I see my mom’s personality, beauty and love.
Every year I host a dance competition in my mother’s memory. All proceeds of the competition go towards college scholarships to participating senior dancers. The feeling I have when giving out the trophies to little bright-eyed girls and the scholarships to the teens, I see my passion for dance and the love in my heart for my mom. I have taken tragedy and used my passion to overcome the many obstacles associated with it. I am living my dream life because I did not surrender to depression, sadness or any negative feelings. I kept pushing forward and now am reaping the rewards. ~Kristen Kauffman