No Agony of Defeat for Hillary Clinton

On June 7, 2008, Senator Hillary Clinton made history. I knew it as I watched her deliver her exit speech before 2,000 supporters at Washington's National Building Museum. She wasn’t just endorsing presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama; she was leading by example.

In her speech, she exemplified how to be gracious in the face of defeat. She did not take “no” for failure. She remained ambitious, confident, and strong. There is much the entrepreneurial woman can learn from Senator Clinton, including the following 10 lessons about facing so-called defeat:

1. If there's an elephant in the room, talk about it right from the start.

"Well, this isn’t exactly the party I’d planned, but I sure like the company."

2. Be generous with your gratitude and appreciation.

"I want to start today by saying how grateful I am to all of you – to everyone who poured your hearts and your hopes into this campaign, who drove for miles and lined the streets waving homemade signs, who scrimped and saved to raise money, who knocked on doors and made calls, who talked and sometimes argued with your friends and neighbors, who emailed and contributed online, who invested so much in our common enterprise, to the moms and dads who came to our events, who lifted their little girls and little boys on their shoulders and whispered in their ears, ‘See, you can be anything you want to be.’”

3. Reaffirm your commitment.

"To all those who voted for me, and to whom I pledged my utmost, my commitment to you and to the progress we seek is unyielding . . . I will continue to stand strong with you, every time, every place, and every way that I can. The dreams we share are worth fighting for."

4. Remind people of why you do what you do.

"I entered this race because I have an old-fashioned conviction: that public service is about helping people solve their problems and live their dreams. I’ve had every opportunity and blessing in my own life – and I want the same for all Americans. Until that day comes, you will always find me on the front lines of democracy – fighting for the future.”

5. Let people know what's next.

"The way to continue our fight now – to accomplish the goals for which we stand – is to take our energy, our passion, our strength and do all we can to help elect Barack Obama the next President of the United States."

6. Unify rather than divide.

"The Democratic Party is a family, and it’s now time to restore the ties that bind us together and to come together around the ideals we share, the values we cherish, and the country we love."

7. Know what motivates and inspires you.

"I ran as a daughter who benefited from opportunities my mother never dreamed of. I ran as a mother who worries about my daughter’s future and a mother who wants to lead all children to brighter tomorrows."

8. Dare to be you.

"Always aim high, work hard, and care deeply about what you believe in. When you stumble, keep faith. When you’re knocked down, get right back up. And never listen to anyone who says you can’t or shouldn’t go on."

9. Keep things in perspective.

"Although we weren’t able to shatter that highest, hardest glass ceiling this time, thanks to you, it’s got about 18 million cracks in it. And the light is shining through like never before, filling us all with the hope and the sure knowledge that the path will be a little easier next time. That has always been the history of progress in America.”

10. Keep moving forward.

"So I want to say to my supporters, when you hear people saying – or think to yourself – ‘if only’ or ‘what if,’ I say, ‘Please don’t go there.’ Every moment wasted looking back keeps us from moving forward. Life is too short, time is too precious, and the stakes are too high to dwell on what might have been.”

Love her or hate her, Senator Clinton holds a vision for the future and keeps her eye on the mark. No moss will ever grow under her feet. Instead, she counts her blessings and moves on. She considers failure as nothing more than a stepping-stone toward success. She is resilient and determined, she never gives up, and she knows who she is. She is a woman getting it done. No agony of defeat for Senator Hillary Clinton!