I love to break rules.
Vanity Fair, The Proust Questionnaire, Vanity Fair, June 2016 source ↗
The question
Which trait in yourself do you like least?Originally asked
The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A
The Guardian's The Q&A has retained this Proust-derived prompt from at least 2007 through 2026, and ABC independently put it to the Obamas in 2011.
You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.
Others on this question
View all 239 →
Olly Alexander
English singer and actor
I can be an overthinker and a vicious self-critic.
Julian Lennon
English musician, photographer, and philanthropist
Fear, anxiety and panic attacks.
I very often set my heart on things – and if they don’t happen, I’m not great at dealing with disappointment.
I’m judgmental.
More from Yo-Yo Ma
View profile →Very large bugs.
Those times when I feel equilibrium, maximum consciousness, and clarity.
When our children were born.
Perfection is always a desired goal, but it cannot be a primary goal. Expression has to be the primary goal, because otherwise, there is no need for an actual person to be there.
But part of practicing to me is actually an active enjoyment. When people ask, “How much do you practice and do you like practice?” Well, I think it’s always getting your mind to go from “I should” to “I want.” It’s like the magic button that only you can locate. When you’re doing the “should” thing, time happens very slowly. Ugh, I’ve been practicing forever! Fifteen minutes. But when you want to do something, an hour has passed. Your control of time depends on whether you should do something or whether you want to do something.
My inability to keep track of personal possessions.
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- What does happiness look like for you when life is going well? 158 answers
- How would you sum yourself up in three words? 114 answers
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Also answered this
Alice Waters, Lee Child, Andrea Martin, Charlie Higson, Mark Steel, Romola Garai
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