WASHINGTON (Realist English). Former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris says that refusing to take “no” for an answer has been one of the defining principles of her career — a mindset that helped propel her from a young prosecutor in California to the first Black, South Asian American, and female vice president in U.S. history.
Speaking on Steven Bartlett’s Diary of a CEO podcast, Harris reflected on her early years in public service, describing her 25-year-old self as “fearless.”
“She didn’t hear ‘no, it can’t be done,’” Harris said, recalling her first case as a prosecutor. “It was a Friday evening, and a young woman with children had been arrested. All the courts were closing, and I begged the judge to take the bench again because she couldn’t stay in over the weekend. Everyone told me, ‘No, he’s gone for the day.’ But I refused to leave — and they called the case.”
Harris said that same persistence guided her throughout her political rise — from district attorney of San Francisco to California attorney general, U.S. senator, and finally vice president under Joe Biden (2021–2025).
“Not hearing ‘no’ has probably been a throughline of my life,” she said. “I don’t rest easy with the idea that something is not possible — not without at least trying to prove that it is.”
In 2024, Harris replaced President Biden as the Democratic nominee after he withdrew from the race, though she ultimately lost the election to Donald Trump.
‘A little humility is a good thing’
Harris also opened up about imposter syndrome, recalling the moment she was sworn in as district attorney in 2004.
“I remember sitting in the office thinking, ‘Oh my God, I’m now the elected DA of a major city in the United States.’ It was humbling,” she said.
But rather than seeing self-doubt as a weakness, Harris said humility can be a strength — especially for people in positions of power.
“There’s a lot that’s good about having a certain level of humility,” she said. “When people have vested you with great power, you must understand that it’s not about you. I think imposter syndrome often reflects that awareness — that the job is serious and about others.”
Harris said that overcoming other people’s expectations was also key to her success.
“When I mentor people, I tell them: ‘Don’t limit yourself based on other people’s limited ability to see who you are.’ That’s their limitation — don’t impose it on yourself.”
