fire in the belly
Intense inner drive
Fire in the belly is intense drive, ambition, or passionate determination.
The metaphor suggests an inner burning that compels action: She has the fire in the belly to make it in politics.
Often used to distinguish those with genuine hunger for success from those merely going through the motions: The young boxer has talent, but does he have fire in the belly?
- moxieSpirited boldness under pressure
- passionIntense emotional drive
- burning desireIntense emotional craving
- ardorIntense emotional warmth
- determinationFirmness of purpose
fighting spirit · feistiness · drive · initiative · aspiration · grit · never say die · fervor · enthusiasm · persevering · intensity · zeal · competitive spirit · fueled · resolve · intestinal fortitude · ambition · tenacious
- fire idiomsfan the flames, spread like wildfire, go up in flames, go up in smoke, up in smoke
- success idiomshit the jackpot, strike gold, make it, rags to riches, come out on top
fire in the bellycomplacency
Uncritical satisfaction with oneself
apathy · indifference · lethargy · passivity · laziness
fire in the bellyburnout
Chronic occupational depletion
dispassion · spiritlessness · exhaustion · weariness · coldness
fire, belly, fiery, fired, firing, fires, misfire, fireman, firefighter