The question
What lesson has mattered most in your life?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.
Don’t answer every question you’re asked.
The Q&A, The Guardian, 8 August 2026 source ↗
That it’s impossible to persuade other people of the value of the lessons that life has taught you.
Be true to yourself.
Never ever think that things are going to turn out all right.
I'm convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance. It is so hard. You put so much of your life into this thing. There are such rough moments in time that I think most people give up. I don't blame them. Its really tough and it consumes your life.
“Let’s face it, you’re not Ingrid Bergman.” I was 19 and he was a potential boyfriend. My only thought at the time was: “I’m not?”
Fifteen years ago, I totally forgot my lines on stage and was mortified. We skipped two pages of dialogue and took three minutes off the play – to the delight of the audience!
Climate change.
At the election of Joe Biden, thinking we were out of the woods. Wrong.
A dress designer.
Not keeping off the last 5lbs.
Brandi Carlile, Arlene Phillips, Pauline McLynn, Justin Hawkins, Monica Dolan, Guz Khan
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