Hillary Clinton knows a thing or two about excelling in your career. Not only is she our best hope of quashing Donald Trump‘s bid for the oval office, but Hillary has also had an illustrious career as a law attorney, first lady, and senator.
As aspiring Career Girls, this incredible woman can teach us a great deal. Here are 5 lessons we can learn from the former first lady and (current presidential nominee) of the United States of America.
#1 Be active in your community.
I tend to spend a lot of time on Quora (If I could get engaged to Quora, I would.) One thing I’ve noticed is that Hillary’s Quora account is incredibly active. She’s always writing thoughtful, funny replies to political and non-political questions alike. You’d think someone of her status is too busy meeting political leaders and running her own campaign, but no. She somehow finds the time to reply to questions asked by fellow Quorans and give back to our community of information-hungry internet dwellers. I find this utterly humbling.
#2 Don’t be held back by other people’s criticism.
As a female candidate for the presidential election, Hillary has faced a huge amount of criticism. But has she let this stop her? Hell no! But has she let this stop her? Hell no! What we can learn from this is that, regardless of what’s being said about you, your own resolve will always get you through. Trust yourself and your career decisions, and don’t look back!
#3 Recognize role models and learn from them.
Hillary’s mother had an incredibly difficult childhood, she was abandoned by her parents and sent to live with relatives who didn’t want her. When she became a mother, she worked hard to overcome these circumstances. It wasn’t until later on in life that Hillary found out about the incredible sufferings of her mother. When she did, she learned a powerful lesson of resilience.
According to Hillary, “No matter how many times you get knocked down, you have to get back up and keep fighting for what you believe.” This willingness to recognize the people who have shaped your life and the struggles they went through is so important on your journey to success. Hillary’s support of policies that help children is a reflection of this.
#4 Charge what you’re worth.
Hillary Clinton charges over $200,000 per speech. You aren’t dreaming. Yet what is truly encouraging and inspiring about this is that she knows she’s worth every cent. And isn’t afraid to ask for it. If you’re thinking of charging high rates as a freelancer, starting out into entrepreneurship, or renegotiating your salary, always, always charge what you’re worth. Don’t let fear of rejection get in the way. If Hillary can charge $200,000 for a speech, you can definitely negotiate that $5k raise.
#5 Making a real impact
Hillary admits that she didn’t always think of running for office. Yet after years of supporting her husband in the white house, she decided to take her own advice. That advice? “If you think you’d do a good job, you should run.”
The moral of this story is that if you want to do something and you think you could make a real change, you should always, always go for it. As Hillary says, “Running for office isn’t easy. But when things get tough—and they will, especially if you’re a woman, a person of color, or anyone who is challenging the status quo—just remember what you’re fighting for, take a deep breath, and keep going.”
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