Michelle Obama: Barack gave me the 'forward push' I needed

Michelle Obama credited Barack Obama with encouraging her to take some of the earliest "uncomfortable steps" in her career.

In a joint interview with People on Wednesday, the Obamas reflected on their marriage and careers. Michelle said her husband has always challenged her to dream bigger, pushing her toward roles she might have avoided on her own.

"He gave me that forward push I didn't always have," she said.

Barack Obama said he saw his wife's potential before she fully recognized it herself. He described their dynamic as one where he urged her to take risks she was qualified for but hesitant to pursue.

The former first lady pointed to her early years as a lawyer, when Barack encouraged her to take on assignments that felt outside her comfort zone. Those moves, she said, shaped her professional confidence.

"He saw something in me that I didn't always see in myself," Michelle said.

The interview covered their post-White House lives, including their work with the Obama Foundation and their approach to parenting. Both said they try to model the same kind of mutual support for their daughters.

Barack said the key to their partnership is honest communication and a shared sense of purpose. Michelle agreed, adding that the push he gave her early on remains a foundation of their relationship.

"It's not about one person carrying the other," she said. "It's about both of us showing up."