“Win or lose, living out what you were created to do the is greatest accomplishment there is.”
1. Tell us a little about yourself.
My name’s Kara and I’m from Tulsa. I first found my competitive nature when I started playing basketball around 9 years old. I quickly realized my love for the sport and set a goal of earning a college scholarship. The size was never there, but the heart was! In the end, I earned my division 1 scholarship and went on to play professionally overseas…..which I consider my biggest dream come true. When basketball was over, I set my sights on turning my love for design into a career, which I’ve been doing for 8 years now. I love it!!! Oh yeah…..and I do that CrossFit thing.
2. What’s a typical day look like for you?
May days are always different. Along with interior design, I do set design. So depending on the day you can find me working on a design project, decorating a set, renovating the bus/RV I just bought, and/or working out with friends.
3. How did you get started on your current fitness journey?
After my basketball career ended, I took a year off from any sort of organized fitness. When I saw pictures of a hometown friend doing this new thing called “Crossfit” my competitive energy resurfaced. I tried my first class out and did 100 pull-ups in the first week. I had T-Rex arms for days, but it hurt so good! 
I gradually worked my way into being more serious about competing and in 2013 I really started to go after my goals of being one of the best! I loved and still love how Crossfit provides an opportunity for traditional sport athletes to “get back in the game” after their careers are over.
4. What’s one goal you’re currently training for?
My goal is to be a regionals competitor. I’ll do plenty of competitions between now and then, but my training will be dedicated not to short term successes in local competitions, but to the end game of being ready for the open when March rolls back around. For me, that means developing strength, technique, and gymnastics skills in the off season.
5. What’s one life goal you’re currently pursuing outside of fitness?
I have big dreams for my design business, one of which includes renovating the bus I just bought and turning it into a rolling office/RV all on my own!
6. What does it mean to you to Compete Every Day?
CED means getting up everyday and pursuing your dreams with passion.
7. What is one obstacle you are proud you’ve overcome on your journey?
Besides overcoming a major height issue and still being able to play professional basketball, I consider getting through the renovation of my husband and I’s first home a major victory. We bought with the intention of flipping, but quickly realized we did not enjoy the cookie cutter design choices that called for. Oh, and we also realized that house should have just been torn down. From the electric to the plumbing to the foundation, everything needed to be fixed. So, we decided to look at it as an opportunity for hands on learning since neither one of us had a degree in the design field we hoped to enter. That house was a major challenge and presented struggle after struggle. BUT it provided me with the opportunity to start a business (by posting all our work on a blog and gaining clients from that) in a field that I have a passion for.
And in the end, it allowed me to cross off another goal of getting published when it was photographed for a few magazines. During it, I wasn’t sure if the month of backed up plumbing, or the giant 8 ft hole in my crawl space, or the endless list of to-do’s was worth it…..but after it was all finished, I realized how much growth and good came from taking on those challenges.
8. What/who do you compete for?
My biggest fear in life is being mediocre…. wasting my life accomplishing nothing of importance or value. I want to be great…. not at everything, but at something. I want to leave my mark on the world in some way. I compete because it pushes me to be the best version of myself. In my very favorite movie (“The Pistol”- the story of Pete Maravich) Pete says, “Why would you waste your time doing something if you’re not going to try to be the best?” I may never be the best, but I will most certainly try. I compete everyday for my goals because I know greatness comes through persistent hard work and a passion for your craft. I compete because going after life with your heart all in is the only way to truly feel alive. And win or lose, living out what you were created to do the is greatest accomplishment there is.
Connect with Kara: Instagram | Website
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