A great education.
What would you like to leave your children?
Question
What is the most important lesson life has taught you?
Time & hindsight
Question
When were you happiest?
Time & hindsight
Question
Aside from a property, what is the most expensive thing you have bought?
Money & investment
Question
What is the worst thing anyone has said to you?
Failure & regret
Question
What is the worst job you have done?
Craft & work
Question
Which trait do you most dislike in yourself?
Identity & self
Originally asked
The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A
Verbatim recurring item in The Guardian Q&A; two publisher-hosted respondent pages establish institutional recurrence.
You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.
The wisdom to become who they are in the truth of their spirit.
The Q&A, The Guardian, 11 July 2026 source ↗
Others on this question
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@aliabbasi
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I want to leave my children three foundational tools to navigate the world:
Life skills: The practical capability and independence to take care of themselves, solve everyday problems, and handle adult responsibilities with ease.
Confidence: A self-belief rooted in resilience, knowing they have worth, deserve to take up space, and can handle failure without letting it define them.
A sense of humor: The ability to find levity in life's absurdity, laugh at themselves, and keep perspective when things don't go according to plan.
If they leave home with these three things, they'll have everything they need to build a meaningful life.
A bushel of self-confidence.
A strong work ethic and enough wealth not to need it.
More from Ben Okri
View profile →Evolve or perish.
On a train journey to Arcadia many years ago while making a TV documentary.
A Dalí painting.
“You don’t stand a chance of succeeding as a writer in this country. The demographics are against you.” They were wrong. The only demographic that counts is the human heart.
Looking after the flowerbed on my windowsill.
Worrying at things.
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