Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band Austin Review

Well all I can say this morning is that I walked away from yet another Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band concert absolutely blown away. His nearly three hour twenty-eighty song show in Austin, Texas last night had to be one of the best ones I have seen yet!

My friend Chad and I had amazing seats ---- front row stage right! Front row...did you catch that? Yup....right smack in the action thanks to one of my fellow Ripplers Randy Cohen at Ticket City.

We had exceptional view of both the band and all of the incredible things that go on offstage. The seats were so close that we could almost reach out and touch The Boss as the energetic showman bounced around the stage like a kid half his age. He is one word....amazing!

As I watched last night's show all I could think of was how much of an inspiration Bruce and the band have been to me over the years. His music is an old friend telling a story that no matter what might be going on in my life, there is a lesson concealed below the notes and the harmony to which I can hear, understand and utilize. Bruce's faith and belief in the ministry of music and it's therapeutic power to cure much of what ails you couldn't be closer to the truth.

Based on the reaction from the audience last night, I am most certainly not alone in that assessment.

As I lay my head down last night I realized how truly exhausted I was and yet somehow magically I couldn't go completely to sleep. I drifted in and out of consciousness playing various parts of the concert over and over in my mind and feeling absolutely amazing!

Until next time Boss......I will keep the faith, live the passion and remember I was Born To Run Ripple Style!

In case you are interested, check out an article that I wrote a while back about what Bruce taught me on the power of passion: http://budurl.com/w7m5

Ripple Rewind - Power of Passion

I revisit a post that was done in 2005 when I was just discovering what passion meant to me. I had just come out with my book - no one knew me and I was scared to death. Now three years later...I realize it was the passion I had for an idea that fueled me back then...as it still does today.

What a ride! I haven't made it in front of 50,000 people but I keep swinging for the fences and know someday it will happen.

Enjoy this Ripple Rewind!

________________________
(originally published August 2005)

Have you ever seen Bruce Springsteen in concert? I have had the pleasure of seeing him perform three times live and I can still feel the chills on the back of my neck. The thing I love the most about watching Bruce and the E Street Band play is their passion for what they do. Bruce and his band play with such incredible energy that by the end of the concert you know you were just fortunate to be to witness it.

The excitement and energy that comes out of their show is simply amazing. Bruce is over fifty now and yet he performs as if he is still in his twenties. I recently read an interview with him where he was asked about how he has managed to keep up the pace for as long as he has. When most artists are turning into mellow old mockeries of their former selves, he seems to be just getting warmed up. He said one word which resonates with me today....PASSSION. He has passion for bringing the very best experience to everything he does, whether it's writing a new song or delivering a live performance. He knows that with just a few short hours and some well placed words in a song, he can take you away from your troubles, pull you out of the dullness of everyday life and excite you. Without passion for his job, he wouldn't be able to do that.

It makes me think about how many people are showing up to their jobs with little to no passion for what they do? Bruce drinks up the audience like a fine wine and savors it. He feeds off the anticipation of what the audience wants and expects and explodes at just the right moment to give it to them. He transforms people and brings them off their feet and into a state that is simply hard to explain unless you have experienced it first hand.

My point here is his passion is infectious. It turns a moderately conservation chap like me into a raving lunatic when the piano starts to pound with THUNDER ROAD or BORN TO RUN. I reach a level that I feel as if I am almost on stage with him, entertaining, changing 50,000 lives right there with him. Wow...what an amazing feeling!

Though likely none of us are ever going to be performing in front of 50,000 people we do perform every day, in front of the people that cross our path. Our co-workers, our friends and family and yes, the perfect stranger. What if we could find a way to tap into that passion and be on full throttle delivering ourself at a level 10, rather than the level 2 (or below) most of us put out there every day?

If you aren't in a job that is inspiring and filling you with passion, take a hard long look at your life. Time is something you can never get back but the experiences are what our stories will be made up of down the line. Do you want your personal or professional story to be one that is average or one that was brimming with PASSION and inspirational?

If you don't have it, go find it! Quit making excuses and holding yourself back. Don't wait until tomorrow for tomorrow may be too late!

The mood is set, the crowd is chanting your name, the spotlight is illuminated and it's time for you to walk on stage!

Come on......

FEED US YOUR PASSSION!!!

Ripple On!!!

Gotta Laugh at Yourself

It's Friday! I don't know if that has anything to do with my especially good mood but I am certainly in one this morning. I woke up and could tell today was going to be a good day. Don't ask me how....just have a feeling.

So I grabbed my shower, hugged the family and off to the office I went. As I pulled out of the driveway I felt like a little rock and roll so I powered up the IPOD and got my wireless adapter to tune in perfectly for my car stereo. I scrolled down and found my man Bruce Springsteen. I have virtually every album he has ever made loaded on the IPOD but went to Born In The USA, the first CD my sister Sheri ever bought me way back in 1985.

As I drove to Starbucks to get my caffeine fix Bruce was in fine throat. A flood of memories came rushing back as I realized just how long it had been since I had played this particular set of tracks. It made me smile a little bit more and jam a little bit harder. I still remember jamming out to this cd and thinking I was so cool pulling into the high school parking lot.

So with my venti dark roast in hand I steered my 'horse' back into traffic somehow seemingly not irritated by the number of crazy drivers at such an early hour. I sipped my piping hot coffee allowing it to massage my singing pipes as I pounded out my best Springsteen voice impression. My free hand tapped the steering wheel in perfect rhythm while I charged down the trail and then it happened....

The song Glory Days came on. I love that song and for some reason I felt especially called to get into it this morning. So there I was blazing down having my own little Ford Explorer concert when I came upon the red light. I stopped with nary a worry about the minor delay and continued to jam.

I was digging deep for my best vocals and gyrating like Tom Jones in room full of women when I looked up and noticed. There to my immediate left was a car full of three women, eyes about as wide as humanly possible. One had her mouth open in total shock. One looked at me like I was the anti-Christ. And still the third looked at me with apparent pity and concern for my apparent altered mental state.

Two things could have happened at that point. I could have shrunk like a wilting violet and sulked back into my seat with embarrassment. Or I could follow Tom Cruise's advice in the movie Risky Business and say "Sometimes you've got to say what the f***" and go with it. I went with the second choice.

I just pushed down my sunglasses and gave them the biggest wink and smile you could imagine. I don't think Springsteen himself could have looked as cool. Each of them got this embarrassed red-faced look but couldn't take their eyes of me as smiles erupted on each of their faces.

The light turned green. I pushed my glasses back up and flashed them the peace sign with my left hand and off I went smiling to myself the whole way down the road. Sometimes you just have to laugh at yourself.

Maybe I made their day. Maybe they made mine. Either way....it's Friday and I suspect Bruce will be waiting for me when I drive home too. Can't wait to see who tunes into that concert.

Ripple On!!!

Steve

It's Easy When You Have Passion

Today was a great day! As some of you may know, I am in the middle of delivering my comprehensive 3 day customer service training program for the State of Texas tax assessors and collectors. Today was the first day of the course and after a power-packed couple of modules I was paid one of the highest compliments that I think I have ever been paid.

At our final break one of the students came up to me and said, "I have attended training courses throughout my career but this is the first one that I have actually enjoyed from start to finish. I know we have a long way to go but if tomorrow and the next day are as a good as today has been, then I can't wait to see what's next."

She then made a comment that ironically has some relevance to a BLOG post I had a few weeks ago on the subject of passion (click here if you want to check it out). She said, "Who would have thought a boring topic like customer service could be so much fun."

I was of course humbled by her compliment and appreciative of her assessment of the course as being fun. I work very hard at what I do to deliver a performance that will undoubtedly stick in someone's mind long after they have left my class. It is my sincere goal that the information and how I share it will hopefully serve as a compass which will guide and stir not only them, but those that they work with and ultimately serve.

As I left the Omni Hotel today I was both proud and excited to have such positive feedback on the first day of my course. As I drove home I thought about what she had said and some of the other positive comments that had been received by other students throughout the day and I just smiled. I know without a doubt that I am destined to do exactly what I am doing and that is one of the most surreal and incredible feelings you can imagine. My passion, my drive and ultimately my desire comes out when I am training, speaking and pontificating (yes, I do that from time to time) and I am having more fun than a person should be allowed to have. Obviously it shows...or at least it did today.

On days like this my passion can't help but shine through and burn with such intensity that it (hopefully) leaves an indelible mark on the people I am lucky enough to serve. I feel absolutely blessed to be to be able to impact someone (hopefully many people) in some way. Talk about the ultimate Ripple!

I guess this is what Bruce Springsteen feels like as he holds the microphone as the first notes of Born To Run begin to play and the crowd goes absolutely nuts. Man....what a rush!!!

Ripple On!!!!

Steve Harper

P.S. If your organization sells a product or service and has customers....you might be interested in what my course has to offer. I promise your people will walk away with a truly refreshing approach to servicing both your internal and external customers. This ain't your typical blah blah blah boring same old customer service training....I can assure you of that. No organization can get enough education when it comes to serving the customer so why not learn how to service those customers...Ripple style?!? If you're interested in learning more about my course, please email at steve@ripplecentral.com

Perform With Passion

I had an insightful meeting yesterday in which a colleague of mine asked me where I seem to get my endless supply of passion and drive. It seems that her and several of our joint acquaintances were talking recently about how infectious my drive and desire to help people can be. Apparently they all wished they could plug into me for a "passion and drive fix" from time to time. Needless to say I was very humbled by her comments and proud.

And of course, I reminded her, like I might remind you, plugging in with me is easy! It's the only way I know to coach and I am very, very good at my job!

Anyway it made me recall a BLOG post I did way back in 2005 just after launching my book on the very subject of passion. I thought it might be worth a revisit. Hope you enjoy it and will post a comment or drop me an email.

Click here for the Power of Passion Post

Ripple On!!!

Steve Harper

Power of Passion

Have you ever seen Bruce Springsteen in concert? I have had the pleasure of seeing him perform three times live and I can still feel the chills on the back of my neck. The thing I love the most about watching Bruce and the E Street Band play is their passion for what they do. Bruce and his band play with such incredible energy that by the end of the concert you know you were just fortunate to be to witness it.

The excitement and energy that comes out of their show is simply amazing. Bruce is over fifty now and yet he performs as if he is still in his twenties. I recently read an interview with him where he was asked about how he has managed to keep up the pace for as long as he has. When most artists are turning into mellow old mockeries of their former selves, he seems to be just getting warmed up. He said one word which resonates with me today....PASSSION. He has passion for bringing the very best experience to everything he does, whether it's writing a new song or delivering a live performance. He knows that with just a few short hours and some well placed words in a song, he can take you away from your troubles, pull you out of the dullness of everyday life and excite you. Without passion for his job, he wouldn't be able to do that.

It makes me think about how many people are showing up to their jobs with little to no passion for what they do? Bruce drinks up the audience like a fine wine and savors it. He feeds off the anticipation of what the audience wants and expects and explodes at just the right moment to give it to them. He transforms people and brings them off their feet and into a state that is simply hard to explain unless you have experienced it first hand.

My point here is his passion is infectious. It turns a moderately conservation chap like me into a raving lunatic when the piano starts to pound with THUNDER ROAD or BORN TO RUN. I reach a level that I feel as if I am almost on stage with him, entertaining, changing 50,000 lives right there with him. Wow...what an amazing feeling!

Though likely none of us are ever going to be performing in front of 50,000 people we do perform every day, in front of the people that cross our path. Our co-workers, our friends and family and yes, the perfect stranger. What if we could find a way to tap into that passion and be on full throttle delivering ourself at a level 10, rather than the level 2 (or below) most of us put out there every day?

If you aren't in a job that is inspiring and filling you with passion, take a hard long look at your life. Time is something you can never get back but the experiences are what our stories will be made up of down the line. Do you want your personal or professional story to be one that is average or one that was brimming with PASSION and inspirational?

If you don't have it, go find it! Quit making excuses and holding yourself back. Don't wait until tomorrow for tomorrow may be too late!

The mood is set, the crowd is chanting your name, the spotlight is illuminated and it's time for you to walk on stage!

Come on......

FEED US YOUR PASSSION!!!