What Is the Most Important Personality Trait?
You'll Love What Hillary Clinton Had to Say About Resilience
What's the most important personality trait a person can have? That's the question one curious soul asked the willing World Wide Web (Quora, specifically). And really, there are a ton of potential answers — kindness, control, patience, esteem, level-headedness, compassion, consideration. None of which are wrong, but perhaps some more interesting than others.
Hillary Clinton, particularly, gave an answer that's not to be rivaled. No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, anyone can appreciate the personality trait she values most, and why. Here's what she said:
Resilience.
My mother had a painful childhood. Her parents abandoned her and sent her off to live with relatives who didn't want her. She was on her own by 14, working as a housekeeper. Growing up, I didn't know any of that — I just knew she was a great mom who worked hard to give my brothers and me opportunities she never had.
She taught me that life isn't about what happens to you, it's about what you do with what happens to you. No matter how many times you get knocked down, you have to get back up and keep fighting for what you believe.
Oh, and one more thing: If you haven't seen my friend Sheryl Sandberg's fantastic speech on this subject, you're truly missing out.
There's no denying that throughout her expansive career under the American goverment, Hillary's weathered decades of the cutthroat political system. Hell, even candidates like Donald Trump (whom NONE of us took seriously when his campaign was first announced) have proven the value of resilience time and time again. The takeaway? Life's about overcoming the unexpected curveballs, no matter where or when they hit you.