"If I talk about something I either talk about it or I DO it... the minute I talk about it it's lost all it's drive and all it's fun"
About this Quote
The intent is bluntly practical. Either commit to action or commit to speech, because mixing them turns ambition into a cocktail-party anecdote. Underneath is a performer’s suspicion of the confessional impulse: narrating your dreams too early invites applause for the idea instead of the work. You get the social reward (attention, validation, the illusion of progress) before you’ve earned the artistic one. That’s why the “drive” disappears. The engine runs out of fuel once it’s been idled for public consumption.
Context matters. Channing came up in an era when actors were expected to deliver, not curate a personal brand in real time. Today, we live inside pre-announcements, soft launches, and identity statements that can feel like achievements. Her sentence punctures that culture with old-school pragmatism: keep the fun private until it can survive daylight. It’s also a tiny philosophy of pleasure - creation as play, not as a thesis - and a reminder that some motivations only stay alive when they’re allowed to be a little secretive, even from yourself.
Quote Details
| Topic | Self-Discipline |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Channing, Carol. (2026, January 15). If I talk about something I either talk about it or I DO it... the minute I talk about it it's lost all it's drive and all it's fun. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/if-i-talk-about-something-i-either-talk-about-it-169857/
Chicago Style
Channing, Carol. "If I talk about something I either talk about it or I DO it... the minute I talk about it it's lost all it's drive and all it's fun." FixQuotes. January 15, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/if-i-talk-about-something-i-either-talk-about-it-169857/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"If I talk about something I either talk about it or I DO it... the minute I talk about it it's lost all it's drive and all it's fun." FixQuotes, 15 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/if-i-talk-about-something-i-either-talk-about-it-169857/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.





