Kim Kardashian Admits She Was 'Embarrassingly Obsessed' with Fame: 'Money Was Always the Goal'

Kaitlyn Frey

After more than a decade in the spotlight, Kim Kardashian West has become one of the most recognizable faces on the planet. But long before the Keeping Up with the Kardashians star, 38, had hundreds of millions of fans following her every move on Instagram, television and Twitter, she admits she was “obsessed” with becoming famous.

During a candid interview with husband Kanye West, 42, for the September cover of Vogue Arabia, Kardashian West opened up about her feelings on fame.

“Money was always the goal but I was obsessed with fame, like, embarrassingly obsessed,” Kardashian West said. “I do agree that fame can be addictive. But now, my focus has shifted.”

With 16 seasons of KUWTK under her belt (and the premiere of its seventeenth season less than two weeks away), Kardashian West has shared marriages, babies, breakups and a messy divorce with the public — and doesn’t regret any of it.

Kim Kardashian West/Instagram
Kim Kardashian West/Instagram

“Even in my darkest of times I don’t regret putting myself out there for the world to see,” she said in the new interview. “People have shared with me over the years how much it has helped them to feel less alone when dealing with their own adversity.”

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The star added: “I love having a voice and I appreciate the platform that I have been given, even though I do wish I could have more privacy at times.”

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“I do agree that fame can be addictive and it took me a long time to recognize how lost you can become when you put too much focus on it. Before, I was obsessed with fame, like, embarrassingly obsessed, but my focus has shifted.” @kimkardashian opens up in her most honest interview to date as she stars on her first-ever #voguearabia cover. Interviewed by husband #kanyewest and art directed by Manfred Thierry Mugler, the debut offers an intriguing glimpse into the surreal world of the entrepreneur and reality TV queen. Head to Vogue.me for more about the shoot, as well as more candid quotes from #KimKardashian about her family and relationships. Cover 1 of 3. Kim wears @muglerofficial by @cadwallader "نعم أوافقك على أن الشهرة يمكن أن تسبب الإدمان، وقد استغرقت وقتاً طويلاً حتى أستوعب حجم الضياع الذي يمكن أن يصل إليه المرء إن ركز عليها أكثر من اللازم. كنت مهووسة بالشهرة هوساً محرجاً، ولكنّ تركيزي تحوّل". #كيم_كارداشيان_ويست تفتح قلبها في أكثر مقابلاتها شفافيّة حتى الآن، مع ظهورها للمرّة الأولى على غلاف موقع ڤوغ العربيّة. أجرى معها هذا اللقاء زوجها النجم #كانييه_ويست وأداره إبداعياً المصمم #تيري_موغلر، كاشفاً للمرّة الأولى لمحة مثيرة للاهتمام في العالم السريالي الذي تعيشه سيّدة الأعمال وملكة تلفزيون الواقع هذه. شاهدوا المزيد من جلسة التصوير، واقرؤوا بعضاً مما قالته كيم كارداشيان ويست عن العائلة والعلاقات في موقع #ڤوغ_العربية. الغلاف الأول من ثلاثة. Editor-in-chief: @mrarnaut Photography: @txemayeste Art direction: @manfredthierrymugler Fashion director: @katieellentrotter Hair: @joeygeorge Makeup: @hungvanngo Set: @cristinaramosatelier Production: @glamprcom

A post shared by Vogue Arabia (@voguearabia) on Aug 26, 2019 at 3:57am PDT

Now, Kardashian West is focusing all of her energy on prison reform as she prepares to take the bar exam in 2022, with the ultimate goal of making criminal justice her purpose in life.

“My dad always taught me that hard work is really important and to really commit to things,” she said during an episode of KUWTK . “So my goal would be in like, 10 years, to give up being Kim K and just focus on this and be an attorney and fight for so many deserving people.”