--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: [In my pre-success years] there was a…" description: "\"[In my pre-success years] there was a constant hunger, measuring myself against other actors, and there was sometimes fear. But, there was always a nee..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/532/john-goodman-16049_actors_in-my-pre-success-years-there-was-a-cons_3206845.png" --- # \[In my pre-success years\] there was a constant hunger… ![“[In my pre-success years] there was a constant hunger, measuring myself against other actors, and there was sometimes fear. But, there was always a need for self-improvement, to help with the struggle to make myself a better actor.” quote by John Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/532/john-goodman-16049_actors_in-my-pre-success-years-there-was-a-cons_3206845.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/532/john-goodman-16049_actors_in-my-pre-success-years-there-was-a-cons_3206845.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/532/john-goodman-16049_actors_in-my-pre-success-years-there-was-a-cons_3206845.png) > “\[In my pre-success years\] there was a constant hunger, measuring myself against other actors, and there was sometimes fear. But, there was always a need for self-improvement, to help with the struggle to make myself a better actor.” [John Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-goodman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker felt constant comparison and fear but was driven by a desire to improve his craft and become a better actor. **In simple terms:** Comparison caused fear, but self‑improvement motivated him. Key Takeaway Embrace competition as a catalyst for growth. Themes self‑improvement competition fear growth craft Mood determined reflective Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - audition preparation - career development - skill workshops - peer feedback Key Concepts psychology performance motivation Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance healthy competition with self‑acceptance? - What practices keep improvement sustainable? A Different Perspective Self‑improvement can become obsessive, leading to burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Hunger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hunger/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Improvement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improvement/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self improvement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-improvement/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [I am one of those people who cannot sit idle at home; I would get depressed. 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The way it stops and starts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orebela-gbenga/sometimes-im-terrified-of-my-heart-of-its-constant-hunger-for/) [Orebela Gbenga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orebela-gbenga/) > [“When you have been a victim of constant hunger, you learn how to stop wasting food.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/when-you-have-been-a-victim-of-constant-hunger-you-learn-how-to-stop/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [Sometimes I’m terrified of my heart; of its constant hunger for whatever it is it wants. The way it stops and starts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-i-m-terrified-of-my-heart-of-its-constant-hunger-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What is fear of need but need itself?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/what-is-fear-of-need-but-need-itself/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [I used to get in trouble with my old agent, because I've never been driven by fear or need or greed. I want my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-boyd/i-used-to-get-in-trouble-with-my-old-agent-because-i-ve-never-been/) [Darren Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-boyd/) > [The fear habit is very detrimental because you attract the things you fear. 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Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-n-harris/) > [There's always an element of fear that you need to work a lot until people get sick and tired of you or finally figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stiller/there-s-always-an-element-of-fear-that-you-need-to-work-a-lot-until/) [Ben Stiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stiller/) > [Democracy is not what we hate the most and what we fear the most. We need to stand up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/democracy-is-not-what-we-hate-the-most-and-what-we-fear-the-most-we/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [To be fearless is to be reckless. I think you need a certain level of fear because you need to respect the danger and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arwa-damon/to-be-fearless-is-to-be-reckless-i-think-you-need-a-certain-level-of/) [Arwa Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arwa-damon/) > [“And what is fear of need but need itself?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/and-what-is-fear-of-need-but-need-itself/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [Even though we must walk in the land of fear, there is no need to fear. The power of His resurrection comes before the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-carmichael/even-though-we-must-walk-in-the-land-of-fear-there-is-no-need-to-fear/) [Amy Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-carmichael/) ## More by John Goodman > [I don't need the bread, but it's nice to do something creative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-goodman/i-don-t-need-the-bread-but-it-s-nice-to-do-something-creative/) [John Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-goodman/) > [Giving up a lot of yourself isn't really that hard when you realize that you get more than you give up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-goodman/giving-up-a-lot-of-yourself-isn-t-really-that-hard-when-you-realize/) [John Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-goodman/) > [That was all Rose, and Rose knew what she was doing. Her main thing was story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-goodman/that-was-all-rose-and-rose-knew-what-she-was-doing-her-main-thing-was/) [John Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-goodman/) > [If you want to direct, you've got to work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-goodman/if-you-want-to-direct-you-ve-got-to-work/) [John Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-goodman/) > [I don't trust myself enough. When I write, I overwrite. Gingerbread. Too much gingerbread. Writing is probably the only hobby I have. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-goodman/i-don-t-trust-myself-enough-when-i-write-i-overwrite-gingerbread-too/) [John Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-goodman/) > [ If I don't trust \[in\] it, then it's worthless. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-goodman/if-i-don-t-trust-in-it-then-it-s-worthless/) [John Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-goodman/) > [Relax. Just relax and have fun doing what you're doing. Don't worry so much about being results oriented. Just commit yourself to the moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-goodman/relax-just-relax-and-have-fun-doing-what-you-re-doing-don-t-worry-so/) [John Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-goodman/) > [Like, every couple of months you read, they rewrite, you come back in, they've animated more stuff - they usually videotape you while you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-goodman/like-every-couple-of-months-you-read-they-rewrite-you-come-back-in/) [John Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-goodman/) > [Then I started checking out blues albums from the library and playing the harp along with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-goodman/then-i-started-checking-out-blues-albums-from-the-library-and-playing/) [John Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-goodman/) > [Pardon me for loitering in front of an orchestra.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-goodman/pardon-me-for-loitering-in-front-of-an-orchestra/) [John Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-goodman/) > [It was a fight for a very long time. After the end of the first season, all that was done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-goodman/it-was-a-fight-for-a-very-long-time-after-the-end-of-the-first-season/) [John Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-goodman/) > [If I could put my finger on it, I'd bottle it and sell it. 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It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kangana-ranaut/forget-the-credit-they-male-actors-take-all-the-money-as-well-we-don/) [Kangana Ranaut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kangana-ranaut/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [When we watch a film as actors, you have to understand that we always see much more than what's on screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kunal-khemu/when-we-watch-a-film-as-actors-you-have-to-understand-that-we-always/) [Kunal Khemu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kunal-khemu/) > [As actors, you become an expert at starting over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupita-nyong-o/as-actors-you-become-an-expert-at-starting-over/) [Lupita Nyong'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupita-nyong-o/) > [The whole concept of stage fright is fascinating. Actors get stage fright, but they wouldn't be on the stage in the first place if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/the-whole-concept-of-stage-fright-is-fascinating-actors-get-stage/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [No actor wants to choose - they just want all of the options available to them all the time; we tend to be pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/no-actor-wants-to-choose-they-just-want-all-of-the-options-available/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) > [A rapper is about being completely true to yourself. 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We all have pricks and cunts, or are you different from the rest of us?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-greenaway/american-actors-are-coy-we-all-have-pricks-and-cunts-or-are-you/) [Peter Greenaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-greenaway/) [Browse all 11,394 Actors quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "[In my pre-success years] there was a constant hunger, measuring myself against other actors, and there was sometimes fear. 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