If I’d Been Less Successful, I’d…’

Harrison Ford is best known for gallivanting across a galaxy, far, far away in “Star Wars” or adventuring through hidden caves and temples in the “Indiana Jones” films, but he’s appeared in a handful of fascinating TV shows over the years. Not only did Ford appear on TV’s longest-running Western, but he also guest starred in classic crime dramas like NBC’s “Ironside” and ABC’s “The F.B.I.”

More recently however, he joined Taylor Sheridan’s “1923” with Helen Mirren on Paramount+. But Ford also proved his versatility as an actor by working on the gritty Western drama and, around the same time, playing Dr. Paul Rhodes on the comedy series “Shrinking.” It’s one of the best shows streaming on Apple TV, partly because of Ford’s chemistry with his costars Jason Segel and Jessica Williams.

Ford and his wife, Calista Flockhart, made headlines recently when it was announced that they’re getting a joint award at the Women’s Guild Cedars-Sinai Stardust Ball. It’s in celebration of their “extraordinary careers and longstanding commitment to philanthropy,” according to THR. So, to celebrate Ford and Flockhart’s latest achievement, here’s Ford’s quote of the day.

“I can tell you this: If I’d been less successful, I’d probably be a better parent. I accept my flaws and my failures—I don’t accept them, I own them. And certainly, the more constant gardener is the better parent, and I’ve been out of town, up my own a**, for most of my life.”

The quote by Harrison Ford comes from a 2023 profile of the star by Esquire to promote “Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny.” The fifth film in the franchise follows an aging version of the titular adventurer, who looks back at how his life has changed as he got older. 

It’s fitting, then, that the Esquire piece also painted a picture of what Ford thinks about his personal life away from the spotlight. The star has five children in total, four from two previous marriages, and one he adopted with Calista Flockhart.

Harrison Ford’s self-aware quote is a valuable lesson to everyone, not just parents. Sure, it’s a reminder for those with children to make sure they are top priority in life, but more generally speaking it’s about ensuring work doesn’t overshadow everything else. While maintaining a career is important to many people, we don’t need to be defined by it. Obviously, that can be difficult for people whose work and personality are intertwined, but creating boundaries between our personal lives and work is healthy.

There are only so many hours in the day — so it’s easy to see why work takes up so much of our lives. But if you consciously make an effort to still make time for those closest to you, at least you’re safe in the knowledge that you’re doing the best you can. 

In situations where that isn’t possible, then Ford’s mentality about accepting your failures and learning from them is vital. We’re only human and we do make mistakes, it’s about what you do afterwards that matters.

“I am not the first man who wanted to make changes in his life at 60 and I won’t be the last. It is just that others can do it with anonymity.” — From a 2005 interview with Saga Magazine (via Independent)

“What’s important is to be able to see yourself, I think, as having commonality with other people and not determine, because of your good luck, that everybody is less significant, less interesting, less important than you are.” — From a 2010 interview with The A.V. Club

“Without my work, I really wouldn’t know what to do with myself. I really do love the work. … It constantly changes, and the people change, and the mission and the opportunity change, and it just makes for an interesting way to live your life.” — From a 2026 interview with Texas Public Radio

“Old people can love, too. You know, you think about falling in love and all of that business, you think it’s the business of youth or something. Staying in love is the issue. Maintaining, nurturing, basically, not f***ing up.” — From a 2026 interview on the “Wild Card With Rachel Martin” podcast