3 questions to ask yourself about everything you do | Stacey Abrams

Summary

This inspiring speech recounts the speaker’s journey of overcoming adversity and discrimination, from growing up in a low-income household to becoming the first black woman nominated for governor in U.S. history. The speaker emphasizes the importance of resilience, ambition, and social justice, stressing the need to fight for marginalized communities and equality. By sharing personal struggles, including financial challenges, fear, and fatigue, the speaker motivates others to stay committed to their goals, highlighting that progress comes through perseverance, self-reflection, and a clear sense of purpose.

Takeaways

• 😀 Stacey Abrams reflects on her high school experience as valedictorian and overcoming obstacles despite coming from a low-income background.
• 😀 She shares a moment when she was denied entry to the Governor's Mansion, being told she didn't belong due to assumptions about her social status.
• 😀 This experience of exclusion inspired her to want to open the gates for others who feel they don't belong, including marginalized communities.
• 😀 Abrams emphasizes the importance of being ambitious and not letting setbacks define one's future.
• 😀 She urges people, particularly women, to understand both their own mistakes and those of others, as success is shared.
• 😀 The speaker emphasizes the necessity of knowing what you want, why you want it, and how you will achieve it when pursuing your goals.
• 😀 Abrams shares the importance of knowing your 'why,' especially when facing obstacles and hardships, as it can drive perseverance.
• 😀 She discusses the challenges faced in her gubernatorial race, including financial constraints, fear, and fatigue, but stresses that these can be overcome with determination.
• 😀 The speaker highlights her campaign’s success in engaging marginalized communities, including African Americans, Latinos, and Asian Americans, showing progress toward inclusion.
• 😀 Abrams discusses how debt, fear, and fatigue are barriers that often hold people back from achieving their dreams, but urges people to keep moving forward despite these challenges.
• 😀 She closes by reiterating her commitment to justice, driven by a deep understanding of the immorality of poverty and her determination to move forward every day.

Q & A

What motivated the speaker to run for governor?

The speaker was motivated to run for governor after an experience where, as a high school valedictorian, she was told she did not belong at a private event due to her background. This moment inspired her to work toward creating a more inclusive society and open the gates for people from diverse backgrounds.

What does the speaker want to achieve through her campaign?

The speaker wants to create change and open opportunities for everyone, especially marginalized communities such as Black women, Latinas, Asian Americans, the LGBTQ community, and those impacted by gun violence. Her goal is to create a more inclusive and just society.

How did the speaker handle the obstacle of being denied entry at the Governor's Mansion?

The speaker and her parents were initially denied entry at the Governor's Mansion because the guard believed they didn’t belong. However, after a discussion with the guard, her name was found on the checklist, and they were allowed in. This experience left a lasting impact on her and motivated her later actions.

Why does the speaker emphasize the importance of knowing 'why' when pursuing goals?

The speaker emphasizes that understanding 'why' is essential because it drives perseverance and determination. When facing challenges and setbacks, knowing why you're pursuing something provides the motivation to continue, especially when things get tough or when others doubt you.

What is the significance of the speaker’s quote, 'going backwards isn't an option, and standing still is not enough'?

This quote reflects the speaker's commitment to progress. She believes that retreating or remaining stagnant in the face of adversity is not an option. Instead, one must keep moving forward, even in difficult circumstances, to create meaningful change.

How does the speaker suggest we handle obstacles like finances, fear, and fatigue?

The speaker advises acknowledging and addressing obstacles head-on. For finances, she emphasizes the importance of not letting financial challenges stop you from dreaming. For fear, she encourages confronting it directly. For fatigue, she suggests taking moments to rest but using it as a reminder to reevaluate why the goal is worth pursuing.

What impact did the speaker’s campaign have on voter turnout in Georgia?

The speaker’s campaign successfully increased voter turnout, notably registering 1.2 million African American voters, which was more than the Democratic voter turnout in 2014. It also tripled the number of Latinos and Asian Americans who felt their voices mattered in Georgia.

What is the speaker's perspective on the challenges faced by women in leadership roles?

The speaker believes that women are often made to feel responsible for their own failures, but she stresses the importance of understanding both personal mistakes and the mistakes of others. She encourages women to be aggressive in their ambitions and not to let setbacks define their worth.

What is the speaker's view on revenge as a motivation for action?

The speaker advises against pursuing goals out of revenge. While it may feel good momentarily, revenge is not a sustainable or positive reason to act. Instead, actions should be driven by a deeper purpose, something that is essential and urgent, not merely for the sake of retaliation.

What did the speaker mean by saying, 'finances are often a reason we don't let ourselves dream'?

The speaker is highlighting that financial limitations often hold people back from pursuing their dreams. She acknowledges that resource scarcity can be a major obstacle, but she stresses the importance of not allowing finances to be a barrier to taking action and achieving one's goals.