A 35-year-old Wharton graduate left her high-paying job to pursue her passion for breakdancing in the Olympics: "I took a leap of faith and believed in myself."

Despite having a six-figure salary, an apartment in New York City, and a job as director of global creative operations at Estée Lauder, Sunny Choi, at 35 years old, was not content.

Despite having a successful career with positions as a project manager at Juice Generation and Scholastic, Choi found herself growing tired of the daily routine. However, what truly brought her happiness was breakdancing.

"No matter where I went, I couldn't stand corporate," Choi recently told CNBC Make It. "I knew I wanted a way out, but I didn't know what that would look like or if I'd ever get it. I had resigned myself to thinking this might be my life forever because of the relative financial stability."

When breaking was added to the Olympic program, Choi saw an opportunity to turn her passion into her top priority. She had been practicing the sport in college and had become one of the best breakers in the world.

She believed this was likely the best timing opportunity for her to make such a leap, she stated.

Leaving Estée Lauder and her salary was a difficult decision, as she described it as "extremely challenging and very, very scary."

""At the age of 17, I was questioning whether I wanted to delay having children and purchasing a home," she stated."

For Choi, the chance to compete for gold in gymnastics was worth the risk, even though she had previously dreamed of representing Team USA as a teen and suffered knee injuries that hindered her aspirations.

"For the first time, I was truly confident in my abilities and decided to take a risk and bet on myself," she stated. "I believe I had always been playing it safe and not taking chances, even when it came to pursuing my passions."

Choi took six months to decide to leave her job and another six months to finally quit in early 2023. During that time, she focused on preparing financially for life without a steady income.

"I made sure I was saving enough to get me through the entirety of 2023 should I not secure any brand partnerships. Luckily, I did secure a number of partnerships that made sense for me."

Even with sponsorships, Choi stated that it is not easy to make a living by breaking.

The gold medalist at the Pan American Games hopes the Olympics will provide more opportunities for breakers to support themselves through sport.

"I hope that the increased awareness of the Olympics will lead to an influx of interest and more opportunities for our community to earn money," she said. "Only time will tell."

Although she is experiencing fear, stress, and uncertainty, Choi is more content now than she has ever been and wouldn't trade any aspect of the journey that led her to her current state.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," she said. "I don't think I could have appreciated it when I was 16 the way that I do now." Rewritten: "I wouldn't have it any other way," she said. "I don't think I could have appreciated it when I was 16 the way that I do now."

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