"Take the feeling of hunger out of your gut, and you're no longer a champion"
About this Quote
The line lands because it refuses the modern fantasy that confidence is the engine. Confidence is often the byproduct. Hunger is the fuel, and Lancaster implies it’s supposed to hurt a little. “Take” is the operative verb: hunger can be removed-by success, comfort, praise, a better trailer, a longer leash. The subtext is almost admonitory, the way an older pro talks to a younger star who’s starting to believe their own press. Once the belly is full, the edge dulls; the risks shrink; the work gets negotiated instead of chased.
Coming from an actor, it’s also a quiet rebuke to the idea that performance is soft. Lancaster built his reputation on physicality, discipline, and showman grit; he knew careers are won in repetition and lost in ease. He’s talking about sport, sure, but also about the creative life: the moment you stop wanting it, you start coasting, and coasting is just failure at a slower speed.
Quote Details
| Topic | Motivational |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Lancaster, Burt. (2026, January 17). Take the feeling of hunger out of your gut, and you're no longer a champion. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/take-the-feeling-of-hunger-out-of-your-gut-and-46606/
Chicago Style
Lancaster, Burt. "Take the feeling of hunger out of your gut, and you're no longer a champion." FixQuotes. January 17, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/take-the-feeling-of-hunger-out-of-your-gut-and-46606/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"Take the feeling of hunger out of your gut, and you're no longer a champion." FixQuotes, 17 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/take-the-feeling-of-hunger-out-of-your-gut-and-46606/. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
