The Proust Questionnaire – 35 questions that have stood the test of time

A late 19th century parlor game was made famous after Marcel Prousts answers to these 35 were found after his death. Proust answered the questions at age 14 and 20.

What was once a past-time has turned into a prestige personality quiz. The Proust Questionnaire has been used in celebrity interviews, to flesh out literary characters, and to personally reflect.

Proust Questionnaire at work

For work purposes, it’s a great way to get to know your team beyond the surface level. Some of the questions might prove a little too revealing for some folks, so pick and choose questions at your discretion.

The Proust Questionnaire is great in a group setting, where everyone can take turns answering a single question or focusing in on a single person.

The Proust Questionnaire Questions

1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?
2. What is your greatest fear?
3. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
4. What is the trait you most deplore in others?
5. Which living person do you most admire?
6. What is your greatest extravagance?
7. What is your current state of mind?
8. What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
9. On what occasion do you lie?
10. What do you most dislike about your appearance?
11. Which living person do you most despise?
12. What is the quality you most like in a man?
13. What is the quality you most like in a woman?
14. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
15. What or who is the greatest love of your life?
16. When and where were you happiest?
17. Which talent would you most like to have?
18. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
19. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
20. If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
21. Where would you most like to live?
22. What is your most treasured possession?
23. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
24. What is your favorite occupation?
25. What is your most marked characteristic?
26. What do you most value in your friends?
27. Who are your favorite writers?
28. Who is your hero of fiction?
29. Which historical figure do you most identify with?
30. Who are your heroes in real life?
31. What are your favorite names?
32. What is it that you most dislike?
33. What is your greatest regret?
34. How would you like to die?
35. What is your motto?

If your team works in Slack, check out Banter, a slackbot that sends ice breakers to help build stronger remote teams.