I am lucky to have met many, many people in my life from all walks of life. One truth I have learned is no matter the age or background, no matter how their life looks from the outside looking in, each of us have success and failures in our life. Each person carries a cross and very few of us knowing what is weighing on the mind or soul of another. Through my years, my mentors and role models have had a few characteristics in common. One of these great characteristics is the ability to have grace or humility, which I am writing about today. Another is grit, which my father has, and I will be writing about in the future.
Looking around me I realize that I am not a basketball player. I have started and stopped writing about grace and humility 10x (and missed each shot) before I came across the following letter sent by George H.W. Bush to Bill Clinton. After reading about this letter I felt it was a perfect representation (considering the current climate) of grace and humility.
The election between Bush Sr. and Clinton was a battle. Very similar to the current election between Trump and Clinton, it was a battle. Bush Sr. lost the 1992 election by roughly 5 million votes. After the election, Bush Sr. left the following letter for newly elected Bill Clinton.
January 20, 1993
Dear Bill,
When I walked into this office just now I felt the same sense of wonder and respect that I felt four years ago. I know you will feel that, too. I wish you great happiness here. I never felt the loneliness some Presidents have described.
There will be very tough times, made even more difficult by criticism you may not think is fair. I’m not a very good one to give you advice: but just don’t let the critics discourage you or push you off course.
You will be our President when you read this note. I wish you well. I wish your family well.
Your success is our country’s success. I am rooting hard for you.Good Luck –
George H.W. Bush
President Bush put the success of our great country ahead of his own personal success, and Bill Clinton took the torch honorably, gracefully, and humbly. I hope that when we are faced with success or with defeat we can show grace and humility and use the experience to push ourselves forward.
Push the Sled blog is written by Dusty Alexander, President & CEO of Global Shop Solutions, because no matter how good you get (at physical fitness, running a manufacturing business or being an ERP user) you can always work harder, get better, and be humble.