Hillary Clinton addressed her supporters in New York City Wednesday afternoon after her loss to President-elect Donald J. Trump.
"This is not the outcome that we wanted or we worked so hard for," the Democratic nominee said. She admitted that the defeat "is painful, and it will be for a long time."
But Clinton didn't leave the podium without preaching resilience to the younger generation and emphasizing that career setbacks are inevitable — for even the most successful people.
Take self-made billionaire Richard Branson, whose business partners called him "mad" when he proposed the idea of starting an airline. Or Ellevest CEO and co-founder Sallie Krawcheck, who was publicly renounced by her mentor when she started a new job.
The ability to bounce back from defeat is often what distinguishes an entrepreneur from an aspirant.
"To the young people in particular, I hope you will hear this," Clinton said. "I have spent my entire adult life fighting for what I believe in. I've had successes and I've had setbacks — sometimes really painful ones.
"Many of you are at the beginning of your professional, public, and political careers. You will have successes and setbacks too."
No matter how big the setback, or how painful the loss, "never stop believing that fighting for what's right is worth it," Clinton said. "It is. It is worth it."