"Heart and Soul"

I often like to say, and too often others agree: “Ya know, I’ve been called a lot of things in life, but smart has never been one of them.”

Well, I got smart recently, thanks to my wonderful girlfriend’s insistence, and attended my first Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band concert. Wow, what a show.

“Is anybody alive here in Denver?” the musical superstar demanded often as the sold-out Pepsi Center rocked to the band’s amazing sound. What blew me away was the enthusiasm the New Jersey native and his team brought to the show. “We’re gonna bring the music and the passion,” the 59-year-old warned the crowd early in the evening. “You gotta bring the noise.”

In each and every Run to Daylight presentation, the Comeback Coach encourages audience members to put fear and self doubt aside in the constant pursuit of our dreams and goals. The point being, true fulfillment in life comes from understanding who we are and what makes us tick. What are you passionate about? Then, it’s critical that we must do our best, despite life’s changes, challenges and adversities, to stay in alignment with those dreams and goals.

It’s not easy. Life throws us many curveballs. We wonder, “How the heck did I end up here?” But refuse to be a victim of circumstance, instead become a student of experience. Learn, adapt and move on.

No doubt, in the creation of Springsteen’s band – it started in a New Jersey house basement on “E” Street - there were challenges. Many, including the Boss himself, might have questioned whether the endeavor would be a success. But determination to focus on courage and wonderment won the battle against fear and self doubt.

Springsteen’s a legendary rock star. We’re not. However, we all have one thing in common: we’re human beings on a journey filled with unexpected and unwanted, twists and turns. The question becomes, “What are we going to do about it?”

Let’s learn from the Boss. Don’t give up on dreams and goals. It won’t be easy and will, at times, require incredible perseverance. But the glory days you’ll experience, as reward for your effort, are worth the sacrifice.

It starts with enthusiasm. Pour heart and soul into your endeavors – at home, work and community. Bring the music and passion, the world will return the noise in ways that honor you, nurture those dependent upon you and add value to the communities you serve.