Hillary Clinton delivered a powerful answer about how her ego influences her decisions

Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton delivered a deeply personal answer to a question about how she stays self-confident while being conscious of her ego and staying humble.

Responding to a question from a rabbi at a CNN town-hall event, Clinton seemed to allude to damaging past public scandals, saying she kept a parable from the Bible in mind during tough situations.

"It's not anything I've ever talked about this much publicly. Everybody knows that I've lived a very public life for the last 25 years. So I've had to be in public dealing with some very difficult issues," Clinton said.

She continued: "I read that parable and there was a line in it that became just a lifeline for me. It basically is, 'Practice the discipline of gratitude.' Be grateful for your limitations, know that you have to reach out to have more people be with you to support you advise you. Listen to your critics, answer the questions, but at the end, be grateful."

Clinton said it's a challenge to ensure that the process of running for president doesn't overwhelm her ego.

"I've had to deal and struggle with a lot of these issues about ambition and humility about service and self gratification, all of the human questions that all of us deal with. But when you put yourself out into the public arena, I think it is incumbent upon you to be as self conscious as possible," Clinton said.

"This is hard for me. I never thought that I'd be on a standing on a stage here asking people to vote for me for president," she added.

She then contrasted herself with her husband, former President Bill Clinton. Clinton said she initially did not know that she wanted to run for president. But, she continued, her desire for public service brought forth an ambitious side that she tries to keep in check.

"I am constantly trying to balance how do I assume the mantle of a position as essentially august as president of the United States, and not lose track of who I am, what I believe in, and what I can do to serve," Clinton said." I have that dialogue once a day in some setting, and I don't know that there's ever any absolute answer."