DAVID DUCHOVNY

“My dad published his first novel, Coney, when he was about 70 years old. This was after a lifetime of identifying himself as a ‘novelist’ with no novels. It’s simply that: his will and his perseverance to be what he knew he was.”

Safety glasses

USE WHEN YOU ARE: Doing anything involving tools (except a manual screwdriver). Especially power tools. Even something as seemingly minor as driving a nail can send a splinter of wood – or worse, the nail itself – straight at your eye.

Work gloves

USE WHEN YOU ARE: Welding, cutting sheet metal, digging a hole for a fence post, collecting brush, or anything else that involves work that could cut, callous, or stick a bunch of thorns in your hands.

Earplugs

USE WHEN YOU ARE: Operating any power tool. (A drill is probably okay unless you’re particularly delicate.)

Work boots

USE WHEN YOU ARE: Working. Boots give you better traction and a lot more protection than sneakers. If you’re on a construction site or happen to be particularly clumsy, get steel toes.

Dust mask

USE WHEN YOU ARE: Stripping, sanding or producing airborne particles of any kind. And always open the windows for ventilation.

“Always be available to get out of bed in the middle of the night to help a friend who calls. Could be as simple as helping change a flat tyre or picking them up from a remote village. You always get up and do it.”