Failure & regret

What has been your biggest disappointment?

383 answers answered between 1991 and 2026 one of 25 in The Q&A

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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 4 Arts and letters 317 Politics and public life 27 Business and finance 11 Technology 1 Sport 22

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

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Lily Allen English singer-songwriter and actress

The Brit Awards 2007.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 7 February 2009 source ↗

Speech Debelle Musical artist

Not doing further education.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 14 November 2009 source ↗

Shaun White American snowboarder and skateboarder

The first video game I was in. I was 13 and video games were the world for me, and my character was awful. He had this terrible orange 'fro, his voice was a man's and he was slow and didn't turn well – nothing like me.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 13 March 2010 source ↗

Danny Cipriani England rugby union player

Not getting picked for England.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 20 March 2010 source ↗

Nicholas Hoult English actor

I don't really have disappointments, because I build myself up for rejection.

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

Russell Tovey English actor

Never learning to play the piano.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 2 October 2010 source ↗

Alexa Chung English television presenter

Realising adults don't know everything.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 26 March 2011 source ↗

Jaime Winstone English actress

England losing the World Cup.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 17 August 2012 source ↗

Louis Smith English artistic gymnast

Not taking more time out from work for holidays.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 6 July 2013 source ↗

Abigail Breslin American actress

When I haven't given my all, like when I'm working and I feel I could have done better.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 11 January 2014 source ↗

Laura Mvula English singer

Not winning the Mercury.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 30 August 2014 source ↗

Rita Ora British singer-songwriter

I got dropped from two record deals when I was 14 and 17.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 22 August 2015 source ↗

Florence Welch British singer

Never getting the lead in the musical at school.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 6 December 2015 source ↗

James Bay English singer-songwriter and guitarist

My left foot. (I’m great with my right – I can bend it like Beckham.)

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 9 January 2016 source ↗

Jonnie Peacock British athlete

I try not to have disappointments, because a lot of the bad things that happen in life teach you things.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 27 January 2018 source ↗

Maya Jama British television and radio presenter

Probably missing out on roles I really, really wanted, but I’m a big believer that if it’s for you, you’ll have it. So those clearly weren’t for me.

Recorded The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 17 June 2023 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

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