When I was in high school, Bruce Springsteen was topping the charts with hits like Born in the USA and Glory Days. I enjoyed these songs but never became a die-hard fan. Even his incredible good looks couldn't lure me into investing in one of his records. Fast forward to 2010 and I found myself not just enjoying his songs when they came on the radio, but cranking the volume, singing along and contemplating actually buying a CD.
I want to direct readers to one particular song that I came across a couple of months ago - the title track from his Devils and Dust CD (2005). Now the music itself is incredible with its powerful building and Springsteen's beautiful harmonica playing. But it's the lyrics that ultimately captured my attention when I first heard it. He wrote the song in 2003 at the start of the Iraq war and his lyrics about the darkness of fear are profound: "Fear's a powerful thing It can turn your heart black you can trust"... "Fear's a dangerous thing It can turn your heart black you can trust".
I've included a you tube link to the video that was made for this song. I encourage readers to watch it and really listen to the words and reflect on fear itself and the incredible and usually negative impacts it has on our lives. Fear can paralyze us or lead us into actions that have unintended consequences. As Caroline Myss writes in "Anatomy of the Spirit" (Three Rivers Press), "Even when choices made from fear lead us to what we desire, they generally also produce unwanted side effects."
Consider all of the actions you've taken or haven't taken because of fear. What were the unintended consequences that you're aware of because fear was the driving force? Fear can both propel us into action and hold us back from doing the things we know we need to do in order to achieve our potential. I encourage you to listen to the song at the link below. Whether you're a fan of Bruce Springsteen or not, I hope the lyrics will give you pause to reflect as they do for me.
ReViVe Career Services is a full-service career coaching company. Owner Ruth van Vierzen provides expert advice and support to her clients in career planning and job searching. From personality assessments to coaching and action planning, to creating top notch resumes and cover letters,Ruth empowers her clients with the tools needed to land a fantastic job that is right for them. Ruth is the author of "How to Change Your Job for a Better Life".
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