Rejection as Opportunity

Lieberman's Political Ideology

By Robert Ringer

Regardless of whether you're a Republican, Democrat, Independent, or nonvoter, you've got to be impressed with how Joe Lieberman ignored the Establishment and did things his way after losing the Democratic primary in Connecticut.

As you are undoubtedly aware, the Dems turned their backs on Lieberman, a longtime, loyal party member who has run for both vice president and president as a Democrat. The left wing of the party managed to get a staunch anti-war candidate, Ned Lamont, elected for incumbent Lieberman's Senate seat in the Connecticut Democratic primary. It was intended to be Lieberman's punishment for trading his democratic ideology for a more personal political ideology.

It would have been quite understandable had Lieberman chosen to accept defeat, pick up the pieces, and try to make a life for himself in an honest occupation. But he was smart enough to read the tea leaves (as in polls). So he tipped his hat and thanked the party bigwigs for their decision to give him the boot, then announced his candidacy for the Senate as an Independent … and won - easily! Bring on the Rocky music.

They say that living well is the best revenge, but being humble in victory does the job just as well. Lieberman has gone out of his way to remain calm and evenhanded since his dramatic win - a classy way of making the Democrats who turned against him look all the more pitiful.

To add insult to injury, in an interview with Chris Wallace, Lieberman said that he intends to wait and see who the presidential candidates are before deciding which one to support. He says he will then back the candidate whom he believes can do the best job - regardless of his/her party affiliation. Do you love it? You can just picture the party big shots gnashing their teeth. Political ideology meets statesmanship.

Lieberman's inspiring victory reminds me of many similar stories in the publishing business. When publishers turn thumbs down on a book, the entrepreneurial author merely sees it as an opportunity to publish and promote his book himself. If he can't do it the mainstream way, he simply does it his way.

The same applies to any other kind of business. The opinion of the Establishment is not what carries the day. What matters is the intensity of your belief - in yourself, your product, and your plan.

Never look at rejection as a dead end. On the contrary, learn to view rejection as an opportunity to do things your way. It's really nothing more than a mind-set, a mind-set that is sure to draw to you the things, people, and circumstances you need to succeed.

Politics aside, Lieberman's reelection to the Senate is a textbook case of not taking no for an answer. You would do well to extract this valuable lesson from the cesspool known as politics and profit from it throughout your life. The next time you're on the receiving end of a rejection, simply tip your hat, thank your detractors, and show them what a big mistake they made.

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