The question
What is the most important lesson life has taught you?Originally asked
The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A
Verbatim recurring item in The Guardian Q&A; two fully readable publisher-hosted respondent pages establish institutional recurrence.
You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.
Know the things you are responsible for and the things you aren’t.
The Q&A, The Guardian, 21 February 2026 source ↗
That there is time. I doggedly prioritise and pursue tasks, and the day seems to open out and everything does get done. Chill.
That fear and excitement sometimes feel quite similar and you can misinterpret one for the other.
A close, loving family and work position in society which is meaningful, which is about making the world a better place rather than getting a bigger - having a bigger bank account.
That you’re stronger than you think you are.
Working in farming in Somerset at 18, there were elements that were awful, and they were all really edifying. I mean, feeding chickens in sleet was hard work but I am so glad I did it.
Rolling a quad bike.
Infinity. I can’t get my head round it.
One of the first TV appearances that our band made in America, on the Craig Ferguson show. I forgot the lyrics to Little Lion Man and then broke two strings.
I don’t care that much about legacy. Within family I do, but not externally.
Football player of the year 4th XI 2002.
Jack Whitehall, Rory Stewart, Akio Toyoda, Gregory Porter, Stockard Channing, Chaka Khan
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