When things are disappointing, I know they are happening for a reason, so I try to find out why and learn from them.
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 19 March 2011 source ↗
The question
What disappointment has stayed with you longest?Originally asked
The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A
This exact question recurs in The Guardian's institutional Q&A pool.
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Others on this question
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Louis Walsh
Irish music manager and television personality
America – there are too many Americans.
Jonathan Safran Foer
American novelist
Growing older so quickly.
Not marrying the person I wanted to marry, but now I think it’s probably good that I didn’t.
I spent about five years living in Paris thinking I would become Kristin Scott Thomas, and it didn’t happen.
More from Hilary Swank
View profile →My mum, because I have seen how she has struggled and how she wants to continue to grow.
I realized that the biggest obstacle was my mind. It was the biggest obstacle, and if I could get out of the way of myself, I would grow. So every time I had that attitude, I changed it, and I’d say, “You can. Today you can, and take it one day at a time, and today, I’m going to get up and I’m not going to think about the other six days of this week. I’m going to get up right now, and I’m going to go to the gym, and I’m going to learn about my boxing, and I’m going to be in the moment.” You know, in anything, you hit a wall, and then you have to break through it, and I just had to get out of my own way.
Recorded
Academy of Achievement, Academy of Achievement interview, Los Angeles, California, 1 April 2006
source ↗
The one thing that I learned from Clint, of the many things I learned from Clint, is to always trust your instinct, and don’t think about it too much.
Being happy is not a constant. But I am very happy when I am spending time with my family and my friends, and going on hikes with my dogs.
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