The one lesson I’ve learned from life

Patricia Hodge

tHe 72-year-old is one of the UK’s most popular actresses having appeared in shows such as rumpole of the Bailey, Miranda and, most recently, as Jeremy thorpe’s mother in a Very english Scandal. Widowed, she lives in South-West London.

BEING TIDY IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS

As A child I was provided with an interesting blueprint for life because my parents were hoteliers. They worked seven days a week, 50 weeks of the year. They were always on show, which meant always maintaining a high level of discipline.

I didn’t realise it at the time, but I think I absorbed all of that by osmosis. And, without necessarily being conscious of it, I must have passed some of it on to my sons.

The elder of the two, Alex, got married earlier this year. In his speech, he started talking about the flowers and how it had always been drummed into him — presumably by me — that you don’t simply accept what’s on offer; you stipulate precisely what you want and then make sure that’s what you get. The devil’s in the detail, he said.

I stood there, smiling, as it became clear I’d taught him this by example.

My discipline extends to the home. I’m a very tidy person. ‘A place for everything and everything in its place’ is my mantra (but hopefully not my obsession.) I do like order, and I’m a great forward planner. I like to know how the coming weeks are going to unfold so that nothing takes me by surprise.

I’ve also become a much better time‑keeper the older I’ve got. I used to be known as ‘the late Ms Hodge’ because I was always fashionably — but perhaps also irritatingly — a few minutes late for friends.

Using all of these strategies, I’m convinced you give yourself a better chance of success.

By thinking ahead, much less is likely to go wrong. It’s also the best way to wring as much as you can out of life and make the most of every single moment. Wasting time isn’t an option as you get older.

Patricia Hodge is in a day in the death of Joe egg at London’s trafalgar Studios (to November 30), atgtickets.com/trafalgarstudios, 0844 871 7632.