The School of Greatness - 148 Julianne Hough on Finding Your Passion and Following Your Purpose

Episode Date: March 9, 2015

"When you think it and you believe it and you say it, you just end up doing it." - Julianne Hough If you enjoyed this episode, check out show notes, videos, and more at www.lewishowes.com/148

This is episode number 148 with Julianne Hough. Welcome to the School of Greatness. My name is Lewis Howes, former pro athlete turned lifestyle entrepreneur. And each week we bring you an inspiring person or message to help you discover how to unlock your inner greatness. Thanks for spending some time with me today. Now let the class begin. Welcome everyone to the podcast.

Thank you so much for joining me today. We've got a very, very special guest. Her name is Julianne Hough, and we were introduced by mutual friends, and I was so excited to get her on. One, because I wanted to learn about how she became so successful in her career. Julianne Hough and we were introduced by mutual friends and I was so excited to get her on one because I wanted to learn about how she became so successful in her career here's a woman who is a dancer a singer songwriter and an actress she's a two-time professional champion of ABC's Dancing with the Stars she was nominated for a creative arts primetime Emmy in 2007 for her choreography in season five of the show.

And she had her first leading acting role in the 2011 film remake of Footloose. And now she's a permanent judge on Dancing with the Stars currently. And she's just been super successful. And I wanted to learn how she became so successful, her mindset, her daily practices, her rituals, her habits, her practices of gratitude, which I think you'll find very interesting. But I also, for selfish reasons, a lot of you know I'm a big salsa dancer, and I wanted to see if I could keep up. You know, she's this big time champion. I wanted to see if I could keep up, if this tall white boy had any moves at all.

So if you're interested, make sure to check out the show notes at lewishouse.com slash 148. And we've got a little video of me and Julianne doing some salsa dancing from the first time meeting. So hopefully you guys enjoyed that. Make sure to check out all the show notes back at lewishouse.com slash 148. But without further ado,

let me introduce you to the one and only Julianne Hough. So welcome to the School of Greatness podcast. Julianne Hough, good to see you. Thanks so much for coming on. Thank you. Thanks for having me. I'm so pumped that we're going to salsa dance afterwards and hopefully get this on film because I just had so much fun dancing with you.

I know. That was so fun. I literally, because I told you, like, I do choreograph stuff or I try to teach people. But, like, the way that you just could lead me, that's, like, the greatest gift for a girl. Really? It's like when a guy can just lead you. Really? Yeah.

Because you've never really gone out into a club and just been like, let's do this. Like, non-choreographed. Yeah. Just improv, right? No, yeah. I mean, like, hey, when I'm out and I'm having a good time, like I'll just dance, but I usually dance by myself. You just do your own little choreography. Yeah. Very cool. So yeah, I'd love to go. All right. Well, we'll, we'll record afterwards and maybe I'll take you out in LA sometime. Get you and your boyfriend to come out. Yeah, for sure. Um, so I'm excited

to meet you and talk with you and, uh and your energy is just so magnetic and I know why people love you because of your smile and your energy and your passion and it comes across in all your dancing, your singing and your acting. So I just want to say thanks for the way you show up in the world because it's really powerful. Thank you. That's a lot of fun. That really means a lot because I feel like that's something that I kind of learned, I think, over the years. That I think that that's something that I want to give to the world. Like I want to be a light and I want to be like a light of love and joy to give to the world and inspire others. And so thanks.

Well, you're doing it. So let's start off with gratitude. I'm big on gratitude in my life and I live it constantly. So I want to ask you, what are you most grateful for recently in your life? Most recently? Wow. I'm grateful. Gratitude is a huge one for me also. So, I mean, the thing that I'm most grateful for at this moment, and I know that it's cliche to say my family, but that's what I'm really, really grateful for right now. That's cool. Yeah. And you're the youngest, right? that's cool yeah and you're the youngest right i'm the baby yeah me too i love the babies and there's five of you or four you there's five yeah there's four of us okay very cool um but i want to talk about

how this all began because you're you're you know movie star you're a celebrity you're dancing with the stars you're now a judge singer lots of different things happening. But how did it all begin? Was it all starting out with dance or were you actually singing and acting before then as well? Yeah, when I was a kid, my oldest sister, Shari, she was a ballet dancer. So we kind of were just dragged along, you know. My brother wanted to play sports, but he had to dance. And yeah, we started dancing, but then we would be in plays all the time where we were acting and singing. And I was always the youngest, so I wasn't technically allowed to be in any of the classes because it was, you know, I was too young.

But I would come home and I would know all the lyrics. I would know the dance moves and like, yeah, I would go and watch. And I'm very visual. Gotcha. So you would just go and watch in the corner, and just pretty much do the moves in your mind, and come back and do it. Yeah. So you're like an understudy. Yeah, exactly, like, but I am, I'm very visual, like, I would always say in school, I was not very, I wasn't my best in school, because it was all a lot of like, like audio or like I had to see it like, or write it down.

And like, for me, it's, it's, it's show me how it's done and I can do it. But I was exactly, that's funny. Cause I had a second grade reading level when I was in eighth grade and I just couldn't learn school. Like books were just so challenging for me to understand and comprehend. Yeah. Me too. But sports, I was like, let's be moving and active.

And I could pick it up, you know? That's me for sure. Yeah. Thank God for sports. Yeah. And dance. Well, hey, dancing is a sport in my opinion. Yeah, very cool.

So you got into it early, but you were living in the States. And then you moved to London to start kind of training more full time, right? Yeah. So we were at the studio in Utah, and my brother and I were there, and we were kind of... How old were you, sorry? I was like eight years old, and from like eight to ten, I was really into it, and I loved it so much.

And we had our dance coaches from England. They would come to Utah at our studio, and they would teach like once every like three months. Like a workshop. A workshop. And we'd be with all these adults and my brother and I would be like eight, nine years old. And we'd be the first ones to raise our hands and we'd be in the front row. And like, we were so passionate about it. And then, yeah. And then like my parents were going through a divorce at the time. So it was kind of a good way to kind of get us out of the house for a little bit and like have us go have this amazing experience while they're figuring out their stuff. So we decided

that, um, we were going to go to London, live with our dance coaches. And I was 10 and my brother was 13. So you started when you were eight. Yeah. And two years later, you moved to London to dance coaches. Wow. Yeah. And I was doing ballroom dancing, tap, jazz, hip hop, whatever. But the ballroom in the Latin wasn't as refined. I was just, I guess, gifted in that. But I didn't really have the technique.

And so when we went to England, it was pretty cool because I was 10 years old. I moved there and I was like, wait, I thought there were going to be horse drawn carriages and like big dresses and little guys with spectacles. And it was like dark and dreary and bad food. And it was like people were wearing normal clothes. And I was going to be like Dickens or something.

But anyway, so I got there and yeah, I was like the youngest and I just, it was intensive because I was competing against older kids. It was like professionals, right? Yeah. Or semi-professional. Yeah, semi-professional, but they were all older than me. And so I would watch the girls and I would just, I would try to pick up everything that I could from these like really mature, you know, 16 year olds at 10. And then like 20 year olds and like, you know, and I would pick it up and it was, it was intensive. But I always say like, if you're the best in your class, then go to another class. Because like, that's not going to teach you.

That's just going to kind of keep you there. So, so yeah, so it was really intensive, but it was awesome. I really like that because, you know, I'm always looking to increase my circle of influence and surround myself with people in business at a different level than me. Not at my level, but really expand myself. So it sounds like the same thing. You know, and also in sports, we were always trying to play against the varsity guys. Yeah.

Just to get better. That's cool. So how long were you there for? I was supposed to stay for three months and I ended up staying for five years. Wow. Yeah, so until I was 15. And it was a really amazing experience because it taught me, like, to come out of my bubble, which was in Utah, which is a very, you know, very conservative community.

And then I would go to England, and it was just, like, the complete opposite. very conservative community. And then I would go to England and it was just like the complete opposite. And anyway, so we, we went there and, um, and like, I grew up really, really fast. And I think I was more mature at 15 than I am now. I'm a kid now, whereas like I had to really grow up really fast and I was really responsible and I, and I was always perfect and on time and, you know, like all those things. And now I'm kind of just more laid back and enjoy the moment and so anyway so I came back when I was 15 I was like I just want to go to high school I want to know what it feels like to be a normal kid and so I went to high school and after three days I was like all right I'm done but I had to obviously finish so yeah I graduated when I was 18 and I came out to L.A. with $2,000.

And I told my dad I had five. I don't know why $3,000 made more of a difference, but in my mind it did. So I came out with $2,000 and yeah. So what I'm curious about is at 10 years old, you're thrown into the mix of like this, you know, ballroom from my understanding is very sensual, very sexual, very like risque. You have to really be in the moment. Get in there. Get in the zone. Otherwise, if you're not convincing, then no one's going to be convinced in you. Completely.

If you're not enrolling, then no one's going to be enrolled in your performance. Yeah. then no one's going to be enrolled in your performance. So what were some of those experiences like, you know, when you're 10 to 15, having to be this sexual, sensual woman or perfect, like you said, and like have curves when you didn't have curves and all these things. Oh, yeah. What was that like and what came up for you during that time?

Confusing. Okay. That's like the best word that I can put for it because it was confusing because even at like seven, eight, nine years old when I was in Utah, people used to tell me like, she's really sexy. At seven? At seven, yeah. And it's weird because I didn't feel like I was doing anything wrong, but I just felt it, you know, and like I would just dance. And then, of course, that was heightened when I went to England because it was professional level. And, like, we're competing every week.

And I was performing and competing against people that were older than me. You got to show a lot of skin and, like. Oh, yeah. And, like, that part never really bothered me. I don't know why. I just, I don't know. But the part that I will always remember is being 10 years old and they had fake boob cups in the dress yeah and I would like poke them and they would stay

because I was like flat like I was 10 years old you know and so it was it was that same thing of like overly kind of sexualizing like a kid which I think there's good and bad to that I think like it's great for what it is and like it taught me a lot but at the same time it's confusing when I would have to go and be my 10 year old little kid self and go to school and like I'd have these long nails on and fake tan on and like makeup probably and that was what was kind of sad too is I was like well I look at pictures I'm like I don't think I have any pictures of me without makeup on wow yeah so it's like a 10 year old because I felt like I needed it when I when I was off the dance floor I was like oh I was like I have to wear makeup because you know like I have to I think it was all always like having to please people and like kind of fit in

and be accepted and so like I, I always wanted like the older guys to like me. I wanted the older girls to like me. And like, you know, it was kind of like, I needed to be more mature to fit in. When did that start shifting for you? When did you realize that you didn't need to be that way, that you didn't need to like?

Like two years ago. Yeah, it took a while to figure that out. How did it, what came about? How did that come about? I actually went to... Like two years ago. Yeah, it took a while to figure that out. What came about? How did that come about? I actually went to a Tony Robbins seminar. Yeah. And...

God, why is he so powerful? He's so great. It's amazing. I know. And I always say that to people. I'm like, look, I know it sounds crazy because I'm such a believer of Tony Robbins, but it's because he knows how to communicate with people and really knows how to with people and like what they go through. So I mean, it could be me, it could be my dog, it could be you teaching the seminar or whatever, but like

he just has a really great way to get it to connect with you. So anyway, so I went to the seminar and I didn't really even want to go. My, I was like in my single year i was like having a lot of fun but five full days yeah it's six yeah six full days nine to midnight 15 hour days and like anyway so my brother actually asked me to go and like all my sisters and my mom went and i was like okay well i know it's really important to you so i'll go for like two days yeah i'll check it out and then i'll go home well, I know it's really important to you, so I'll go for, like, two days. Yeah, yeah, I'll check it out. And then I'll go home.

It's like, first day, I was like, oh, my gosh. I was like, this is exactly what I need. So I ended up staying for the whole time, and it was like, you didn't even want to go to the bathroom or eat or anything because you wanted to, like, not miss anything. Well, he doesn't go to the bathroom. I know. Or eat. He's there on stage the whole time.

I know. That's almost the most impressive thing is watching him not leave the stage for 15 hours. It is. It is. But that's where, like, yeah, that's where my whole everything changed. What opened up for you during that week? Clarity and awareness of things that I did and the kind of person that I was being without even knowing it. And what was that type of person?

I was doing everything with the purpose and the meaning behind it, that all I want is love and acceptance, and I want to feel significant to people and important, and I want to feel all these things. I want to feel successful, and I want to do this, and I want to do that. But at the end of the day, I was doing it for everybody else to get. And so like I needed everybody else to fulfill me. And I was, I was thinking about it and part of the seminar helped me, but like, um, I was thinking about like why I wanted to be an entertainer when I was a kid and like why I wanted to be an entertainer now and the meaning was so different what was it when you were a kid when I was a kid

I was like it's so much fun I was like this is awesome this is so fun and like people are laughing and like we're just having a good time and we're being creative and then like as I got older I realized it was like I wasn't having fun anymore. I was just trying to get the next thing and what the next part of my career was going to do for my career and the success of that and being the most important person and all those things where I knew underneath I still loved to do everything that I did, but I was doing it for a different reason. A lot more pressure it seems like.

Oh my gosh. And I never felt successful in anything that I did but I was doing it for a different reason. A lot more pressure it seems like. Oh my gosh and I never felt successful in anything that I did and I was never good enough and like all these different things and and people would find that hard to believe and I'd be like well yeah but I'm not there yet and they're like but look at what you've done and I'd be like yeah but it's not it's not enough. So how would you feel when you would you know you won Dancing with the Stars a number of times or you come out with a new record how would you feel when you would you know you won dancing with the stars number of times or you come out with a new record how would you feel when you release something or you won something or you checked it off the list or the movie came out how would you feel what's next yeah so it was never like appreciating the moment like never being grateful for this and excited it was like this isn't enough

yeah well i mean the you know when i went dancing with the stars, trust me, I was on a high. I was like, ah, yes! Two days later, you were like, okay, well. A day later, I was like, okay, what's next? And like, I have to have my music career, and I have to have my acting career, and I have to have this and that and that. And when I got through all that and I realized what I was doing it all for, and then I kind of came back to my 10-year-old self, which was like, let's go have fun and enjoy it and like have a good time I ended up feeling like the most successful person and like I was

like wow look look at everything that I've done and like I'm so proud of myself and like and I think that's really hard for people to say because you know like it's hard to say that you're proud of yourself and one because you're like afraid of what people are going to think. Are they going to think that I'm cocky? And it's like, screw everybody else, but they think of me. I'm like, am I proud of myself? Yeah, I'm proud of myself. Yeah.

And everything is just better now. And I find that I'm getting more things that are just coming in. And it's that kind of energy where you're just you're just being and you're just living and you're just you're just enjoying things and and then you find that you're you're attracting more things that come your way and and more success or whatever however you define it but yeah life is just great right now amazing i'm excited for you yeah but it comes across that way too it doesn't seem like you're stressed or you have any weight on your shoulders. You're just like, let's have fun.

Well, yeah. And I would notice that a lot. I'd be like, and I'd always take deep breaths like, I'm overwhelmed and like, I need to do this. And like, why am I not that person that's that, you know, like I would compare myself to people all the time. Like, why am I not there? And they're there.

Like, I'm doing what I can and I'm trying so hard. And I'm like, that's the point. I'm trying so hard and I'm like that's the try I'm trying so hard yeah just be and like being authentic and real and like I know it's easy to say that but when you can find it and you feel that feeling you don't ever want that feeling to go away yeah like that's almost like the addiction now for me is like it's not the like it's not that I've lost my drive but like it's the like I used to hate sorry I'm all tangent to you do it all over the place but it's like I used to hate feeling satisfied I used to like I I

used to say that if I ever felt like I was you know content that was the worst thing in the world. And so then I would, like, last year, I started feeling content. And I was like, oh, does that mean my drive is gone? Your hustle is gone. Yeah, my hustle. And, like, you know, because I used a lot of, like, the negativity that has happened in my life to prove myself, to show what I've gone through. And I got rid of that. So I was like, is my drive gone?

Like, do I not have the same? You're like, I just want to relax on the weekends. Yeah. And what I realized was that, that like it didn't go away it actually just made me more calm and peaceful so that I was more able to go and be really passionate about the things that I loved when I needed to do that and then I could turn off do you feel like you're more in the flow every day now or with uh you know your work or. I mean, don't get me wrong. I mean, I still have my moments where I'm like. But but I mean, you know, I do.

I remind myself how grateful I am that, you know, I get to do what I do. Yeah. You know, so sorry. That was major tangent. That's perfect. But that's what everyone needs to hear, though. Yeah. And what would you actually say to someone, whether they're a busy entrepreneur or they've got a family and they feel like they want to make more money and they just feel like they have so much going on and they're never in the zone, they're constantly stressed, what advice would you give to them?

I would say find some rituals that you do to calm you down and put you in what Tony likes to say is a peak state. Yeah, of course. What are your rituals? My rituals are in the morning, like I breathe and I think about the things that I'm grateful for and I think about what I want to do that day and I think about how I can, not what I'm going to do, but how I'm going to be in that day.

And what are the things that come up often for you? What are those ways of being? Kindness, for sure. I mean, being kind. I think there's a lot of anti-bullying, and that's an anti-thing. And I'm like, well, the only cure for that is by doing something. So instead of being anti-bullying before kindness so you know for me it's always about what can i do to to to inspire like and to love and like to just yeah so i don't

know that's i want to now be remembered for who i am as a person rather than what i've accomplished and it and then what i've accomplished is great because then it will be a platform to be that person you know and like help so that's cool what other rituals throughout the day or maybe at night do you do any something before bedroom music is really important to me because it gets me in a great mood and so when I'm saying yeah when I'm singing or I'm like moving around and I feel great like just life is wonderful I make sure I kiss my dogs every day and like we play girls the girls Lexi and Harley and and I think for me too I try to listen I think a lot of the times I in the past for sure and

and it still catches up with me but I I just I kind of just go on my day listen to what listen to yourself listen to others listen to people like a conversation like I think that sometimes I just am waiting for like the end of the conversation really yeah now or you used to be like that I used to be like that and sometimes that creeps in why are you wait to the end because i'm always again trying to what's next what's next and so present yeah and so i now try to like listen and like and and understand try to understand people so i don't know so my rituals are kind of like again the morning i breathe i think about the things that i'm grateful for i um i listen to

music and get in a good place. And then, and then before I go to bed, I don't know, I do the same kind of thing. Like think about what I'm grateful for. And yeah. How important is, um, learning new skills and constantly improving your mind, uh, for you? Are you, are you, are you going to more workshops or reading or listening to podcasts or? Yeah. I mean, mean like I said it's kind of addicting when you feel this good it is a high and so it's it's really fun because I feel like your community of friends it actually shrinks first and then it grows and it's really cool because you find that you have the same interest interest and talking about this kind of stuff is really fun.

And then you're like, let's go to a seminar together and, like, let's, you know, let's read this book together, you know. And so, yeah, I'm always trying to constantly fuel that. I think kind of what we were saying about, like, school, like, it didn't compute. Like, I didn't connect to it. And so I didn't understand it. Whereas, like, life stuff like this, I'm like, this is what they need to be teaching in school. I'm like, and I connect to this.

So like, I feel really smart, you know, whereas like in school, like it didn't connect with me. Whereas this really connects with me. And so, yeah, so I'm always trying to try, I don't know, find ways to be better, but not even be better to, to again, like prove know find ways to be better but not even be better to to get and like prove myself but to be better because it just feels better to grow and I always feel like you're yeah I always feel like you're growing and learning yeah yeah that's great I'm a big believer in mastering your body yeah

and having great health mm-hmm How important is it for you to constantly be on top of your health game physically? Obviously, I think I know the answer because of what you do, but how important is it? Actually, I think you're right. Really? Because I wish that I was more conscious of my health. And I think maybe I put a lot of pressure on myself because of the health thing, because I feel like that's what I should be. And so maybe I... Because everyone's always looking at you or judging you or pictures or whatever. Yeah.

And so I feel like I have a lot of pressure to show that I'm healthy. And I think that's one thing that I'm actually figuring out right now. Because, yeah. Because I think... Tell me more about this. Okay. So I dance because I think more about this. Okay, so I Dance because I have fun. Yes, and it makes my body better Yeah, but I don't do it for that reason really I do it for for the fun of it and working out

I would always do for vanity and To look good, which is a great thing you want to look good, right? But what I realized was that I was doing it all for vanity and so now to be healthy mean or not to be healthy move your now but I would feel great when I would do it so then I would get confused like why am I doing this and I realized that it was for all for vanity and like so now I'm trying to figure out okay how can I how can I work out and and eat right and do it but But because I, I want to do it for health and not for vanity. And so I know it's really challenging. Yeah. So I'm still figuring

that out. Cause by the way, I'm never going to not do it for vanity also, but like, you know, I, I want to do it for the right reason and I want to be healthy when I have kids and like, you know, and yeah. How many kids do you want to have? I want to be healthy when I have kids and like you know and yeah how many kids you want to have I want to have four wow yeah that was quick to answer right you knew that since you're like seven years old you're like I'm gonna have four kids I'm gonna hear wow I'm a planner what why four why three or four um I had a big family and I couldn't imagine my life without my siblings and they're my best friends. And yeah, yeah, that's cool. Yeah What is it about what is something about you that most people don't know that that would surprise them they knew You know, I think that like I love doing this interview because I'm being so real and so honest.

Yeah, I appreciate you. Yeah, of course. And I like that. Whereas I think a lot of people, and I think in the past, I've always been kind of, I know what to say and the limit to say. You have your PR team on you, like, who are the talking points? Well, that and also just to be positive and always happy and and and not show my weaknesses and I think that for people I want them to know that like I have insecurities and I have you know moments in my life that I'm not proud of or that I am striving to be better at. And so being in this world, your image is very important to protect

because you wanna make sure that you don't show the weaknesses. But for me, what I've learned is that your weaknesses, your vulnerability is what makes you strong. And to be able to, you know, have somebody relate to you is, I think, really important for that person. Because they see us here in this incredible world that is, it's abnormal. It's not normal. But yet, we're all still normal and real.

And, like, we don't usually show those things so I don't know I just would say that I'm just human and like I have my my moments and I have my insecurities and I cry like and then like I'm really weird like I have I have like these weird moments and Christy will tell you but like I have these weird moments where I get really like, like slap happy. Where like I get in this like weird mood and I just start doing these like really like operatic voices and I'll sing. Give me one. I'd be like. And like it's always when I'm really tired and I'll be like rolling on the floor and like

I'm just kind of weird um so yeah I don't know like I'm not I like weird weird's great it's great I love it how often do you feel like you allow yourself to be vulnerable whether it be in public or in private or yeah I'm I feel like I'm getting better at it for sure um I think that uh um I never used to be vulnerable I always used to be a tough cookie and you know look how strong I am never let them see you sweat never like oh that's a piece of cake you know um because I wanted to prove again that I was really strong and that I could do this and I could keep up and that I was meant to be here with everybody else. Right.

Whereas now I think that, like, I don't care. Sure, sure, sure. So, like, I'm not searching for people's approval anymore. I mean, of course, we all are here and there, but, like, that's not my main drive. And so I think now I'm just kinda like, eh, I don't care. If they like me, they like me. If they don't, they don't.

And so, yeah, I don't know. That's cool. So tell me how you divide your time between all these interests you have. Again, you're like a superstar at everything. So how do you balance it all? Or is there no balance? Yeah, that's a really good question.

I'm working on the balance part because I feel like I have a lot of great ideas and I'm passionate about this and, oh, my gosh, this would be a great TV show idea or I need to sing or I need to go on tour. And so I would have so many things on my plate that I would never do them all really well. I would, like, be outstanding at all of them. I would kind of just be okay. Enough to make it work. Enough to make it work.

Kind of fake your way to being good. Yeah, exactly. And so I kind of, in the last couple years, I'm like, okay, how do I trim the fat, basically? Like, I need to prioritize and what makes me happy what makes me what makes me like like get super excited and if there's anything that doesn't make me feel that I need to get it away yeah and so um there's there was a lot of projects that I had that it would just overwhelm me but I was like but it's such a good idea I need to do this and and then I was like but I'm not even that passionate about it you know but I

I'm like but it could make a lot of money and it could be a success and it could be this and it could be that and then I'm like but I'm really don't even care about it like I do because I think it could be something but it's not that I'm like completely all in on it so what advice would you give someone who does have all these projects going on or has a new idea so many so many entrepreneurs listen, they always have another idea and they never follow through with it. Well, and that's, I think that was what was happening with me too. So it is, it's my advice would be to trim the fat, like literally get all of the things that you think you have that are important and literally just kind of like go like this and only put the things

that you are super passionate about. Like it's almost like clearing the table and then grabbing the things that you're like, okay, this, this, this. That is my priority. And then once this is kind of feeling like it's going, then I can trickle in something else. Got some momentum or you got a system in place or a team that's running it. Yeah. But if there's too much, I always feel like nothing's going to get done or it's going to be half-assed or it's going to, you know,

it's not going to be my full potential of what I know it could have been. Right. You know? So what is it you want right now? What do you,

you've done so much, but like, what do you want in your life? What I want in my life now is structure and stability. I think that for a long time, and just who I am, I'm all over the place.

And I love that about myself, that I am all like, you know, like, let's just go do this and spontaneity. But now I'm kind of wanting to be more calm and settled and a little bit more stability. So for me, I think the thing that I would really, I feel like I'm an entrepreneur. You are. Of course you are and i'm thinking about business ideas that aren't necessarily me being on camera um but that can run itself almost producing them or yeah producing or you know even i i have some ideas for my my brand that my brother and i are you know creating move. And we have some, again, some outside ideas that we want to establish and put into play. And, and that won't be me

necessarily being there constantly. Um, having to show up constantly. Yeah. Show up and be on camera. So like having a way to, to do that, I think I'm starting to think about now and, and think about like when I, cause I want to start having kids in five years. I'm not ready at all, but in five years. So how can I plan and set it up so that I can take time off and yet still feel like I'm involved in my business and my work, but I can be here. You've got the sharp for it, yeah. So I think that's where my brain is going right now.

That's cool. Yeah. What's the dream? The dream is to have fun. Throw you off guard there. Yeah, no, but it's true. The dream is I want to have a family. Yeah, yeah.

And I want to be married. I want to have a family. I want to be able to, I want to still be able to perform in any manner and it can be on a large scale like what I'm doing now or it could be something smaller it kind of just depends where my life is going but

I want to continue to make money because I want to be able to support my family and I think that it's just fun to find out ways like oh I can make money from this yeah it's great so I'm always trying to think of fun cool ideas but also I think my purpose has changed a little bit as well as far as instead of receiving and getting a lot of stuff, like how can I give to the world?

Wow. That's interesting. Yeah. And it makes, I don't know, it makes life, again, it makes life so much better because, okay, so I'm going to let you in on my mission statement. Let me hear it. So my mission statement is, let me get into my peak state.

It is. What's your move? Show me your move. My move, it's kind of funny. My brother makes fun of me all the time. It goes, yes. So like jazz hands? Yes. I like it. Jazz hands. Yes. Yeah, that's my move. So, um, so anyway, so the purpose of my life is to be an infectious light of love and joy, to celebrate the little things and to inspire others to embrace their true essence so and that last part inspire others to be their

true essence to embrace their true essence embrace your true essence and like to find that because i think that i had to find that in the last couple years and and we get so um caught up in what we need to do and what we need to get and all those things that like we forget like the 10 year old self and and like why we want to do it and because it's fun right and so to inspire somebody else to like break down those like layers of what they've just done to survive it's like let's break those down let's break those down you know's break those down, you know? And I want to be that kind of person to help people or to inspire people to, like, find that part.

I'm glad you shared your mission statement because I want to share with you mine and I'm going to ask you a question about it. My mission is to teach 100 million people to show them how to make a full-time living doing what they love. Wow. Because I believe if everyone is making a full-time living, it they love. Wow. Because I believe if everyone is

making a full-time living, it doesn't have to be millions, but enough to live and have a good life. Yeah. Doing the things that you're most passionate about, that's going to cause, you're going to heal yourself so much from so much pain. Yeah. And disease is going to be gone. Relationships are going to be better if people are doing what they love. Yeah. And they feel like what they do is matters. I agree. Make money for what matters. So matters so i agree how important is it to be clear on a mission and to have a mission statement like you just said and like i have yeah i think it's really important because i never had one before and i always thought like oh i want this i want that i want that but i didn't know why i didn't know why and then i figured out why and didn't know why. And then I figured out why.

And then I said yes. And I figured out why. And I have direction now. And I have clarity. And like what's important is important. What's not important is not important. Wow. And I used to, there was no filter before.

Everything just kind of blended and mixed. And I felt kind of lost. But I was like, I'm not lost. lost I'm good I know what I'm doing but I was lost completely because I'm like well yeah I think I'm supposed to be doing this I think I but having that direction you you have a you do have a purpose yeah and then every day it's not a it's not a battle or a or a um or pressure to live up to it it just kind of somehow happens because when you believe it and you think it and you say it like you just end up doing it yeah and it's yeah that's cool i think i mean when i was like a teenager i didn't have a mission statement of like what i'm going to do in my life i think when you're younger it's just trying to

like figure out how to get to the next grade or get to college or whatever it is. And for me, it was like, will a girl like me? You know, can I get a girlfriend? That was like my mission, right? So I think, I think it depends on where you're at in your life and your mission can evolve and change as the seasons change, new relationships, new, new things happen. But I think it's invaluable to have something no matter where you're at. I agree. And even if it's something that you don't necessarily believe fully, but you want, I think that's always really good to even have that. Because that, again, it gives you a reason and a purpose and a meaning behind it. Whereas there were things that I would tell myself that I wasn't fully living, but I wanted to be.

And so I would tell myself those things. And then I ended up becoming that. Yeah. You know? And, like, I used to say that, like, I remember going in for my Footloose audition. Did he just give it to you? No. I went in and auditioned multiple amount of times.

Wow. And when I went in, I was so insecure and I was so worried that I wasn't going to get this, that I could have done that and I would have shown that. Or I went into the bathroom and I was like, I'm fucking awesome. I was like, I am so good. I'm so going to get this. I'm awesome. Yeah.

Like, I deserve this. I'm going to do this. I did not believe that at all. Wow. But I just, I told myself in the mirror. You tricked yourself. I tricked myself into thinking it and I got it. Wow.

And like I've done that a lot in my life. Yeah. Because your energy doesn't lie. Yeah. If you show up nervous because you're thinking that constantly, it's going to come across very easily. Yeah. Completely.

I'm the fucking shit. I am. Yeah. And it's like, and i've done that in like a lot of my auditions or when i'm feeling like uh like then i'm like wait wait wait and and this is actually pre-tony so like i feel like i kind of did it anyway but i would pump myself up and i i would say things that even though i didn't believe it like i would just say it and then i and then i after i would be finished i'd be, thank goodness I told myself that, you know? Now, do you practice

visualization a lot? Do you like visualize what you want and think about it constantly or put it on a wall, like images or any type of visualization? When I was a kid, I definitely did. And I had like, by the time I'm 16, I'm going to do this. By the time I'm 19, I'm going to do this and this and this. And literally it was like, by the time I'm 19, I want to be a singer. And that's when I released my first record. When I was 21, I wanted to star in my own movie and that was Footloose. And, you know, and like there were certain things along the way that happened and they would come to fruition. Like it was crazy. And then I started, and then I stopped doing that because I achieved all those things

and I didn't have any of those. And I realized I made those up when I was a kid. Wow. And I was like, I need to be a kid again and make up some new ones. Some big dreams. Some big dreams. Yeah.

You know, and like, I forgot that I did that, but they kept coming true. And so I don't have, well I do now and so I don't have I do now but I didn't have any past 21 and so I was like oh I need to get some drinks you know and like and like really visualize like when and how and where and like the picture of what I want what's the process of this do you do you just map it up in your mind you Do you draw it out? Do you write it down?

How do you... I map it out in my mind because I am very visual, so I just see it. But then, I mean... Is there something you tell yourself or is there like... It's silly,

but every time an eyelash falls and I make a wish or every time it's 11-11 or like... I do... I think about those things and I wish for it and I think a wish or like every time it's 11-11 or like I do I like think about those things and I like wish for it and I think about it and I know it sounds silly and like it's not magic you know it's just but it is it's like it's a reminder like those little funny things but like I'll always think about those things I think it's brilliant because if you're not reminded to think about them,

that's never going to happen. It's not just going to fall on your lap. You're not going to get the role in the next movie you want because you just showed up and it just fell on your lap. You've got to set the intention every day. Completely. Multiple times probably. Yeah.

For years. Well, and it's so funny now that you say that because even my family has this weird thing where we always see either 11-11 or 2-11 or something 11. Same time? And we always text, we're like, 2-11, and, like, 10 will come in. Do you text, like, the photo of it? Yeah, totally.

And it's, like, the more you think about it, the more you're going to see it, right? And it's, like, before, I never would have even noticed that. But we see it all the time now. We'll go and like we'll see a license plate that has it or like we'll go to the grocery store and our change will be something 11. And it's like because you're focused on that, like that's what you see and that's what you get. And so I feel like that's the same thing in life. Like whether it's a dream that you have or if it's an idea that you have, the more you think about it, the more you focus on that, the more it's going to keep coming up. And then the other side of things, the more you focus on stress.

And the negative, yeah. And drama and whatever else, anger and frustration and resentment, the more you're going to be frustrated and resentful. Completely, absolutely. Tell me about your brother. How much of a support has he been along this entire process, from London to Dancing with the Stars to movies and singing? How much of a support has he been along this entire process from London to Dancing with the Stars to movies and singing? How big of a support has he been?

Oh, huge support. And I think, you know, I think in even just the last few years, he's been incredible because, you know, when you're kids, we're brother and sister. So like annoying. Yeah. And like we never really were that like annoying brother and sister with each other. we were just kind of like well yeah like we're brother and sister we look out for each other you know like it was always that kind of good thing but I think in the last few years as we've as we've grown up and we've had life experience has happened like relationships and breakups and you know we're now really working together

i mean trust me i've learned a lot about my brother you're like a tour bus going the other way yeah i mean we are emerged you're staying with him right now or yeah it's a lot but um you know you i used to hold my brother on such a pedestal and i think he did the same thing for me really and we're like okay we are human and we've seen a lot of each other's faults now and like our weaknesses and stuff like that and and you I think it's hard because we even put our parents on a pedestal it's all this stuff and then and then you see something and that disappoints you and you're like well wait you're supposed to be this person and then and then you're like well no they're human and like anyway so my brother and I have been really really a huge support for each other in the last few years because there have

been life experiences we have been immersed in each other's lives and you know there's things that if we didn't want to work to have our relationship, we could have split us apart. And so I think that he was the one that introduced me to going to that seminar that changed my life. And every day we send each other these really cool little messages with all my sisters on the chain. And my brother will always send these really cool inspirational things. And just keeping us, I don't know feeling good so he's he's he's our brother he's like our he's the only boy in the family so like he's like our we love him he's like our little brother even though he's my big brother but he's like my little brother sure that's very cool yeah what was the biggest

lesson you learned while being a dancer on Dance With The Stars? Yeah. What's the biggest thing that opened up for you? Patience, for sure, because you have to be sort of selfless when you're on that show because it's not about you. It's about the celebrity. It's about the celebrity. Yeah.

It's about the celebrity. Teaching constantly, right? Teaching them, watching them grow. But it's very rewarding. And I think I didn't really understand that until recently, that the reason why it was really fun to be selfless is the reward that you would get to watch somebody grow in front of your eyes and physically, dancing-wise, but then emotionally, too,

and seeing them come out of their shell and like feeling confident and sexy. Like that's, I mean, I was, that was obviously Apollo coming out and feeling sexy, but, um, but that, like that fulfillment on the other side, like it's okay that it's not about me because it's, know being in service yeah giving and like being able to um have a task and you have to fulfill it and you have to you have to um achieve that otherwise you're not going to be prepared and you're going to look silly so i loved that it taught me discipline for sure i mean i i was taught that in england as well but but like it taught me discipline for sure. I mean, I was taught that in England as well. But like it taught me discipline. It taught me how to commit to something and that I can't flake.

Like I have to be there. I have to be reliable. And be prepared. And be prepared. Yeah. So I loved it. Right. That's cool.

And now you're judging. Yeah. Now tell me what's the biggest lesson that you've learned being a judge, being on the other side? Yeah, biggest lesson that I've learned being a judge is that... After you've been judged for so long. That you want to give critiques, but with an encouragement behind it. Because I think that there's been times where you just kind of say what you think and then you run out of time and you're not allowed to say what

you want to say for the encouraging part so you have to like for me like I'm sorry I know and so it's it's really making sure that whenever I say what I have to say there's always something that is is a good part to it that I can always see something good in whatever that is but but I also I'm not just gonna say oh that was great cuz like that's that's not helping them that's just keeping them where they're at so I want to be able to give some you know criticism that helps them get better for the next week. So I don't know. It's just, it is, it's about being authentic,

but with a thought of encouragement, you know, like, so, yeah. With, you know, the exposure to ballroom dance with Dancing with the Stars and more shows and all these dance shows coming out, and I feel like more and more parents putting their kids in dance, especially in the U.S., I don't know about around the world. Yeah. What advice would you give to either parents or kids at a young age about ballroom dance, specifically going into it,

knowing what you've been through? Yeah, I think that, wow, it's a really, it's a really difficult question because I went through a lot of stuff that was pretty difficult. And like, you know, I've spoken out about it, but know there were there were times where I felt completely alone and like I like nobody understands me and like the overly sexualized type thing but I didn't understand that as a kid until now I'm an adult and I can look back and understand what it was. But those things made me a really great dancer. Made you driven? Extremely driven.

Made me really passionate. Made me a fighter. Made me strong. And all of those things. So it's hard because I'm like, I would never take it back. Yeah. Because this is why I'm like I would never take it back because this is why I'm here but it's a very I would never want anybody else to go through some of this you know

so so for for my advice for young kids I think it's an incredible I think it's an incredible sport where you you learn you learn how to interact with a girl or a guy, I think, which is maybe a good thing and a bad thing. But I think the gentlemanly feeling of taking care of a woman, I think, is really... Escorting. Yeah, it's very prominent in that world. And being a female dancer definitely brings out the sensual sides. But it's being able to balance that and being able to, like, that's what I do, but that's not who I am kind of thing.

So I don't know. I mean, hey, I'm a huge fan of dancers and there's all sorts of dancers. Dancers are amazing. They're really incredible. And it's so much about the emotion that like, oh man, like when I dance, there's not there. I mean, really, there's nothing greater than what I feel. And I'm so emerged and I'm present. It's the one time that I really, truly feel present.

Yeah. So I don't know. I mean, I'm not really answering this question at all. I would just say like, you know, give it your all and never forget why you wanted to do it. Because when you lose sight of that, then, like, what's the point? You know, why are you doing it? So just to keep doing it for, yeah, for the fun and the right reasons.

That's good. Good answer. I don't know. Do you feel like without struggle that you would be able to have success as well? Or do you feel like because of the struggles you've been through, the challenges going to London, coming back, just like all the different confusing times because of that, you are successful? And if you didn't have that, would you be where you are now? For me personally, I don't know the other. So where I'm at, I do think that that made me who I am and the struggle was necessary and the drive,

whether it was because I felt I needed to prove myself or to show how strong I was, what I've done, what I've accomplished because of what I've gone through like that that was something that I needed but now I don't need that anymore and so it's a different kind of drive and passion and I know others my boyfriend he didn't have struggles and he is so passionate about what he does so I think in the past I would have been like yeah you know you know, to have struggle really helps you get somewhere. But I've seen the opposite. Like somebody who is so supported, so like, like his family was there through and throughout, like, and he just was passionate and

he loved it. That's great. And like, he wouldn't have it any other way. Like, and so you can have it both ways. I think you just have to have that passion. And I think that, yeah, I don't know. I mean, I've seen it both ways now, so I don't know. That's good. A couple questions left for you. The first one, a friend of mine asked me, he said I should ask this question in my interviews from now on. So my question is, and you're kind of seeding it with how you want to be of service and give to the world as opposed to get.

So if I gave you a billion dollars right now, what would you do to serve the world? How would you accelerate your service? Wow. Off the top of my head, I can't think of one place or one community or something that I would do to give it to or something like that. But I would definitely do something.

Oh, man. Like I work with Kind Campaign. Yeah, I saw that. And I love that they have it in the school now where it's an outside program type thing. But, you know, it's something that people want to be a part of. So I would want to do something where, whether it's something in schools with kids about moving, and, you know, because I say the way that you move directly affects the way that you feel. So, like, doing some sort of activity that is movement

and positivity and, like like lifting that person up. So it would be something like that, whether it's in schools or like opening a facility like all around the states that had that, where like people could come in and learn how to like, not rebuild their lives, but like strip and, and, and, and be their true essence. So like, so, but like having tools and people that also is in a fun environment. So like, I don't know if that made any sense, but, um, but yeah, like if I could maybe build some sort of like facility, like a, like a, not a dance studio, but like a, a wellness studio where a center where like you learn, you learn life lessons and you learn like

kindness and you learn this and you learn that. And like, because it's not about, it's not about again, like taking stuff away, but it's how do you cure that? So like by being that kind of person. So I don't know, like you, you't know like you stop the badness in the world by being good so I would teach people that I don't know like get a lot of people to come and teach that I like it bring Tony in and teach him yeah exactly I like that um one more question yeah and before I ask you the last question I want to want to see, is there anything you want to talk about that you're up to, that you're really excited about, that you want to promote out there? Yeah. Where can we find you online?

How can we connect with you? How can we be a part of your dream? Absolutely. Well, the way that you can connect with me is I'm launching actually a blog website type, you know. I'm launching a blog. um i'm like i try to anyway and it's um it's obviously lifestyle all the things that i'm really passionate about but it's also like a space again for like challenges that i i want to put out in the world to to be kind or be you know be loving or being grateful and and so it's a space

where I really want to have a community of those types of people. Are you writing it or is it your content? Yeah yeah. What's it called? It's just it's just my name juliannehuff.com Okay cool. So when is that coming out? It's like end of March. So perfect yeah so go there subscribe Yeah. And to be connected and feeling like we're, I don't know, we're in this community together. I like it. Yeah. And then going back on Dancing with the Stars. Amazing.

Got a movie I just finished that will come out next year. Amazing. So yeah, just love and life. Subscribe to you on your website. Yeah. What are you, Instagram more, Twitter, Facebook? I Instagram that connects to Twitter. Okay, cool.

And Facebook, actually. But it's Instagram that I do. All right. I'm a big Instagram fan, too. Cool. So make sure to go there. Before I ask you the final question, I just want to again acknowledge you, Julianne, for your joy and your love. Aw, thanks.

I know you have love written right there. Yeah. your joy and your love. I know you have love written right there, but it just comes across so powerfully and so gracefully. That's the word that's coming up for me. It's like graceful in this ease. So I acknowledge you for being the light and being so joyful in the world and for bringing that energy to this interview.

It's been so much fun, so thank you. Thank you. Appreciate it. Final question is, what's your definition of greatness my definition of greatness wow that is a that is a tough question but i think that um it's kind of what i've been saying is just being authentic and and um and achieving what you feel feel is great not what not what I think the world defines as great I think that greatness is very personal yeah so I don't know achieving greatness I'm just thinking about my stepsister who's having a baby right now like she's

literally in the hospital like that is achieving greatness right there. Or like, I don't know, like anything. This interview is greatness. It's the way that you look at it. Yeah. Awesome. Well, Julianne, thank you so much for coming on. Thank you. I appreciate it.

Thank you. Thank you. And there you have it, guys. I hope you enjoyed this interview as much as I enjoyed interviewing Julianne. She was such a sweetheart, so lovely. And I loved her attitude of gratitude and her thought process along her entire life's journey. It's such a privilege to be able to interview people like Julianne who are constantly working

hard, constantly giving back and understand the power of a team and having a powerful team around her. So just a great example of someone that you should really be watching, following and emulating how she's been successful. Make sure to follow her everywhere online on Instagram and Twitter and Facebook. Check her out on Dancing with the Stars as a judge and support her tour. We'll have everything linked up at the show notes back at lewishouse.com slash 148. Also, again, make sure to head there to check out the full video interview with Julianne and also the dancing of me and Julianne

doing some salsa dancing as well. We'll have that linked up on there so you can check us out. And give me a rating. Go ahead in the comments box of the show notes at lewishouse.com slash 148. Give me a rating, just like Julianne would rate people as a judge on the show. One through 10, how would you rate my performance of salsa with Julianne? Again, no practice, no warmup, just straight into it. So one through 10, leave a comment in

the comment section at lewishouse.com slash 148 would love to think about what do you think about my skills as a salsa dancer? I was a little intimidated being with a pro like her, but hopefully I was able to keep up and make it fun. So thank you guys so much for listening. If this is your first time on this podcast, thank you from the bottom of my heart for coming and being a part of my movement. And I'm so excited for all the interviews that we have coming in the future.

We've got 147 incredible guests on from the past and other interviews and episodes we've done. So make sure to check out some of those with Tony Robbins and Jack Canfield recently, Marie Forleo, a lot of incredible individuals that you can learn from. And that's my intention is to bring

some of the brightest minds in the world in every industry and field possible and let you know what it means to be great and what it takes to achieve success and great results in your life. So thank you guys so much. If you enjoyed this, please share it with a friend. You can message someone via email, tweet at someone, post it on your Facebook wall.

I would love all of that support. And thank you again for showing up. You guys are incredible. You're the reason why I do this each and every week and why I want to continue to bring on amazing guests. It's all because of you. So you know what time it is. It's time to go out there guys and do something great សូវាប់បានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបានបាូវាប់ពីបានប្រាប់ពីប្រាប់ពីប្រាប់ពីប្រាប់ពីប្រាប់ពីប្រាប់ពីប្រាប់ពីប្រាប់ពីប្រាប់ពីប្រាប់ពីប្រាប់ពីប្រាប់ពីប្រាប់ពីប្រាប់ពីប្រាប់ពីប្រាប់ពីប្រាប់ពីប្រាប់ពីប្រាប់ពីប្រាប់ពីប្រាប់ពីប្រាប់ពីប្រាប់ពីប្� Outro Music