Failure & regret

What has been your biggest disappointment?

369 answers answered between 1995 and 2026 one of 25 in The Q&A

Originally asked

The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A

This exact question recurs in The Guardian's institutional Q&A pool.

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

Add your answer

On the record

Public figures who have answered a question like this elsewhere. Quoted from the source shown, not written for FLAPSS.

Read by field Everyone Science and medicine 2 Arts and letters 310 Politics and public life 25 Business and finance 11 Technology 1 Sport 19

Read by age Any age Before thirty 16 In their thirties 58 In their forties 82 In their fifties 81 In their sixties 73 Seventy and beyond 54

Order Earliest first Most recent Surprise me

Erin O'Connor English model

Not becoming a ballerina.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 1 March 2008 source ↗

Joseph Fiennes English actor

I haven't seen a ghost yet.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 18 October 2008 source ↗

Michael Sheen Welsh actor

Welsh rugby since the 70s.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 27 December 2008 source ↗

Mike Skinner English rapper

Realising that success wasn't going to keep me happy all my life.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 24 January 2009 source ↗

Charlize Theron South African-American actress

I can't think of anything.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 28 March 2009 source ↗

Perez Hilton American blogger

That I spent so many years being overweight and out of shape.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 23 January 2010 source ↗

Mary J Blige American singer and actress

Myself, for having such a lack of love for myself at times.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 10 April 2010 source ↗

Annie Mac Irish broadcaster and DJ

Not getting into drama college in Dublin. I cut all my hair off as a sort of self-punishment for being crap.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 29 May 2010 source ↗

Enrique Iglesias Spanish singer

Trusting someone that was a fake.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 21 August 2010 source ↗

Joshua Ferris American author

My failure to come to grips with all these disappointments.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 29 January 2011 source ↗

Hilary Swank Actor

When things are disappointing, I know they are happening for a reason, so I try to find out why and learn from them.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 19 March 2011 source ↗

Cee Lo Green American singer

The death of my mother, when I was 18.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 24 June 2011 source ↗

Rufus Wainwright Singer, songwriter and composer

Not getting proper dance lessons as a young person. I was a serious flamer.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 8 July 2011 source ↗

Sally Hawkins British actress

Realising that I wasn't a fairy changeling child and that David Bowie wasn't the fairy king.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 29 July 2011 source ↗

Benedict Cumberbatch English actor

Not being a dad by the age of 32.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 6 January 2012 source ↗

Ashley Walters British actor and rapper

Not being part of the Transformers franchise.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 27 January 2012 source ↗

Elisabeth Moss American actor

I don't dwell on disappointments.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 31 March 2012 source ↗

Jonathan Safran Foer American novelist

Growing older so quickly.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 22 June 2012 source ↗

Beth Ditto American singer

When Justin Bieber's management kicked us out of his rehearsal because they were afraid we'd laugh at him. I was actually super-excited.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 6 July 2012 source ↗

Nicola Adams British boxer

Losing in the 2012 world championships final.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 14 December 2012 source ↗

1 answer from members

Not being able to start my own company

What has been your biggest disappointment?

On the record

1 answer from members

More on failure & regret