Michelle Obama: Why going 'high' when faced with a ... - CNBC

At the 2016 Democratic National Convention, Michelle Obama first uttered her now-famous catchphrase, “When they go low, we go high” while ... SkipNavigationLivetheDreamThis33-year-oldlefttheU.S.forBaliandliveson$2,233amonthMorganSmithSideHustlesThismomquittoworkonhereBaysidehustle—andmade$141millioninoneyearToriGerbig,ContributorOnTheJobWhatittakestoearn$70,000peryearpaintingrollercoastersinKentuckyAbigailJohnsonHessFirstLadyMichelleObamaspeaksattheDemocraticNationalConventioninPhiladelphiaonMonday,July25,2016.BillClark|CQRollCall|GettyImagesAtthe2016DemocraticNationalConvention,MichelleObamafirstutteredhernow-famouscatchphrase,"Whentheygolow,wegohigh"whilediscussinghowto"handlebullies"insupportofHillaryClinton'sbidfortheWhiteHouse.Hermottoquicklycaughton.EvenClintonherselfusedittodefendherselfagainstthen-RepublicancandidateDonaldTrumpafewmonthslaterduringtheirfinal presidentialdebate.OnSaturday,ObamatoldOprahWinfreywhat"goinghigh"reallymeanstoher atOprah's2020Vision:YourLifeInFocustourinBrooklyn,NewYork."Goinglowiseasy,whichiswhypeoplegotoit,"Obamasaid."It'seasytogolow.It'seasytoleadbyfear.It'seasytobedivisive.It'seasytomakepeoplefeelafraid."That'stheeasythingandit'salsotheshort-termthing,"Obamasaid."Forme,whatIlearnedfrommyhusband,whatIlearnedfromeightyearsintheWhiteHouse,thislife,thisworld,ourresponsibilityinitissomuchbiggerthanus.WhenIwanttogolow,it'sallaboutmyownego.It'snotaboutsolvinganything....It'saboutseekingrevengeonthethingthathappenedtoyou."Obamaaddsthatherpurposeinlifeisn'trevolvedaroundtakingcareofher"ownlittleego,"butinsteadtoensurethatsheisapositiverolemodelforthenextgenerationandiscreatingpositivechange."Thereisabiggerpurposeformeoutthere.SowhenIrespondtosomething,Ihavetothinkaboutthat,"shesaid.Ifherwordsarenotfixingaproblemoratleastmovingtheneedleintherightdirection,sheknowsthatshe'snotgoinghighenough."You'rejustbeingselfish,"shesaid."Ibelievethatwhenyouareapublicfigure,whenyouhaveanyleveloffameorifyouhaveaplatform,IbelieveandIalwaysbelievethatIhavearesponsibilitywiththatplatform."And"goinghigh"doesn'tmeanyouwon'tfeelthehurtorhaveemotionswhenfacedwithachallenge,she told TheNewYorkTimes in2018."Itmeansthatyourresponsehastoreflectthesolution.Itshouldn'tcomefromaplaceofangerorvengefulness.BarackandIhadtofigurethatout.Angermayfeelgoodinthemoment,butit'snotgoingtomovetheballforward,"Obamasaid.Obama,56,toldWinfreythatnowsheisveryfocusedonhernextchapter,whichistohelpthenextgenerationofleaders."ItakethewordsthatIsaytochildrenveryseriously.WhenI'mwithayoungperson,IwantthemtoknowthatIhearthem.Iseethem,"shesaid."It'simportantforthemtoknowthatthispersonwho'ssofamousandhasthisplatformthinksthattheyarebeautifulandsmartandkindandgoodineverysense."Correction:ThisstoryhasbeencorrectedtoreflectthatObamasaidifherwordsarenotfixingaproblem,sheisnotgoinghighenough.Likethisstory?LikeCNBCMakeItonFacebook.Don'tmiss:The1pieceofadviceMichelleObamahasalwaysgivenherdaughtersThebookthatimpactedSerenaWilliams'life:'It'saboutchangeandI'mnotgoodwithchange'From'TheAlchemist'to'Blink':BooksthatKobeBryantlovedtoread