Reese Witherspoon was 'really competitive,' 'confused' before having children

(UPI) -- Reese Witherspoon thinks motherhood has made her a better woman.

The 37-year-old actress, who is one of the cover stars in Elle's November issue, opened up about how her kids completely changed her life.

"Somebody was saying to me the other day, 'Oh, people get less interesting when they have kids.' I just don't think that's true," the Oscar winner says. "I feel like I was so confused before I had kids, I almost got in my own way."

Being the mother of three children -- Ava, 14, Deacon, 9, and Tennessee, 1 -- has helped Whiterspoon realize who she truly is.

"Having kids made me clearer about who I was as a woman. I just wanted to exhibit good qualities for my daughter. I was a little competitive before I had kids -- probably really competitive, to be honest," the "Walk The Line" star admits. "It really made me let go of that."

This need to set a good example for her daughter is also what got Witherspoon interested in producing movies.

"I started noticing a couple years ago that I wasn't seeing women as the stars of movies," she recalls. "I'm seeing them as the guys' girlfriends, or so-and-so's wife. I just thought: God, if I don't start buckling down and start producing some movies, what's my daughter going to see in the movies?"

Elle's "Women In Hollywood" issue hits stands October 22 with four different covers featuring Witherspoon, Penelope Cruz, Melissa McCarthy and Shailene Woodley.

Reese Whiterspoon (Elle)