Commitment. Loyalty. Perseverance in spite of the odds. It doesn't take me to let you know times are tough for all of us.  Doors of opportunity are being closed. What we thought would be success now seems like failure. Disappointment now rides with us. Anxiety is close to follow. Yet in spite of how tough times can be, I was encouraged when I read this blog from Seth Godin (www.SethGodin.com). It talks about the 'Boss', Bruce Springsteen, and his loyal followers. I especially liked the last sentence.

"I saw it in action last night at a Bruce Springsteen concert.

Labels have trouble getting someone to pay 9.99 for a CD - yet someone - who traveled from NYC to Montreal to see his 100th + Bruce show - offered my friend $200 on the spot for a set list - a piece of paper made in MS Word that listed what songs Bruce intended on playing. Since it was from the "inside" - he just HAD to have it - and when my friend refused to sell - he was given a hug and a kiss on a cheek from this complete stranger for not giving it up - an unspoken understanding that possession of that set list - at that moment - in the afterglow of the show - was priceless.

On top of that, every second license plate leaving the parking lot was from somewhere else - Vermont, Pennsylvania - even I drove in from Ottawa to see the show.

At some point in the last 35 years, Bruce won over each one of those fans - one at a time - and began a relationship. One he respects highly. And every so often he throws a party and we're all invited to come over for a few drinks to celebrate that relationship - and for that, we'll gladly chip in about 2 or 3 hundred to help cover the cost.

I am a member of the Bruce tribe - and proud to be.

No one "likes" Bruce - they either love him or hate him. He's committed to what he does - and in turn - fans commit to him.

So I guess it comes down to commitment for me.

His first two albums we're commercial failures - he didn't walk away- and people stood by him - and for that he gave us Born to Run.

Almost every legacy artist we've ever loved has taken multiple albums to find their niche and grow. The Beatles were a 7 year over night success by the time they hit the US.

What was it you said? "the products and services that succeed wildly are the ones that everyone expected would fail..."

I need to remember that. This idea of commitment, not allowing setbacks to dictate my tomorrows, is not just true for products and services but for people. The Boss hung in. The Beatles made it. I will make it. So will you. As I heard several years ago, "Tough times don't last. Tough people do".

rb