Rafael Nadal: What does happiness look like for you when life is going well?

The question

What does happiness look like for you when life is going well?

Originally asked

Vanity Fair, to its interview subject, The Proust Questionnaire

Verbatim recurring item in Vanity Fair's Proust Questionnaire; two publisher-hosted respondent pages establish institutional recurrence.

You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.

Rafael Nadal

Spanish professional tennis player, 2001–2024

Recorded said elsewhere, not written here

Playing tennis, competing, winning, but also being at home in Spain, in Majorca, with my friends and family.

The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, 1 October 2010 source ↗

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Dustin Hoffman

When the coffee kicks in early in the morning and I’m on the couch with my dogs, reading the paper.

Recorded The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, 1 February 2009 source ↗

Diane Keaton Actor and director

A glass of red wine with ice.

Recorded The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, 5 May 2014 source ↗

Gloria Steinem Writer and feminist organiser

I’m walking down a street in New York, the sun is shining, I’m on my way to see friends who are chosen family—and I’ve just written a couple of pages that I like.

Recorded The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, 24 September 2020 source ↗

Nancy Pelosi

No contest: seeing my grandchildren enjoying each other.

Recorded The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, 30 May 2019 source ↗

More from Rafael Nadal

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Question Who alive today do you admire most, and what draws you to them? Values & belief

Just normal people from my hometown, from my country.

Recorded Vanity Fair, The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, October 2010 source ↗

Question Which quality in your friends matters most to you? Relationships

The word says it all. To be a friend means that they are always there, for the good or the bad.

Recorded The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, 1 October 2010 source ↗

Question What are you unwilling to optimise? Values & belief

These tics do bother me. Could I play a match without them? Yes, without some of them. I don't have to touch my nose or put my hair behind my ears before I serve. That's possible to stop. Not putting the bottles in front of my chair, I could go without that, too. But adjusting my underwear, that I could never get rid of. It's impossible.

Recorded Town & Country, 1 January 2025 source ↗

Question When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do? Daily life

Sometimes when I'm in the first round or second round, and I'm not playing well, I say, okay, just accept it. Don't get frustrated. Just accept and focus.

Recorded Jon Wertheim, 60 Minutes, CBS, CBS News / 60 Minutes, 5 July 2020 source ↗

Question What trait do you most dislike in other people? Values & belief

Selfishness and no respect for the others.

Recorded Vanity Fair, The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, October 2010 source ↗

Question What do you fear most? Identity & self

I don’t think I have one in particular. I am pretty calm. Just some small things that I better not comment on :-).

Recorded Vanity Fair, The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, October 2010 source ↗

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