The political defeat of Hillary Clinton actually disguises a win.
In the case of Hillary Clinton it took the FBI, Russia led by a former KGB officer, WikiLeaks, and an American news media eager to trumpet the purloined e-mails along with the constant drum beat of partisan Republicans in Congress over Bengazi, a private server, and a misogynist blue collar working class who couldn’t hear her ideas and policies over chants of “lock her up,” encouraged by Trump until he didn’t need those chants any more. She still beat him by over 2.8 million votes. However, due to the modern machinations of an antiquated Electoral College, the popular vote doesn’t count and he wins. It certainly did take a lot to beat this girl.
Since the debacle of the election, many young women have asked me what to do next. There is defeat in their voices as they ask: if Hillary couldn’t make it how can they?
A woman with talent, drive and ambition is often vilified by many in this country. The benefit of the doubt is given to a man at every turn while a woman is constantly held accountable especially if men are threatened by her. “Threatened” meaning she might be more accomplished and qualified than they are.
Never give up. Never. Keep coming at them with your talent, drive and ambition. It drives them crazy. Never cut yourself any slack. Keep getting better at what you do. Keep learning and improving. Accept the challenge and find enjoyment in it. It is okay to get angry but channel that anger into something positive. Use it to make your performance better. Never let it turn inward because then it will destroy you.
Learn to keep your feelings to yourself. Don’t be baited into an argument. It will be used against you to make you look weak. Learn to cry in private. There are men and women who will offer real support so be careful to not build up so many walls you shut them out. Learn to accept defeat gracefully and remember it is not permanent.
Do not doubt yourself. That is the greatest weapon they have. How many times did we hear Hillary was a weak candidate? She was only the most qualified person to run for the presidency and she proved it time and time again during the course of the campaign. They wanted us to doubt her and they wanted her to doubt herself. No one who doubts themselves succeeds.
The ceiling might be plexiglass but one day we will break it. Nothing worthwhile is easy and when we do break it that victory will belong to every one of us who dared to try. Nothing scares them as much as a capable talented woman who knows her own destiny and is willing to fight for it. So keep coming at them. Do not quit and remember: only you can beat yourself by giving up.
Hillary put herself out there for us and took the blows with grace and dignity. Build on what she did for us. Learn from her. History will treat her kindly. She will be remembered as the first of us with the courage to try for the Oval Office and history will remember what it took to deny her.