When I became successful, I put up a caution. I didn't think it was fair to have the shadow of that kind of success thrown on my family. And I was cautious about being taken by things that could destroy you.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
With success came an ever-growing burden of responsibility. I lived with a near-constant low-level anxiety that I would make a mistake that would not only threaten my career, but also my brothers' - not to mention the livelihoods of many people who work with us or for us.
I was a guy who showed up for work and took the chance for finding out whether I could do it or not... I'd like to think I made my success not at the expense of anyone. Success was accidental.
Taking a risk is always frightening, but I gave myself a set period of time and had enough money to see me through. I operated from the belief that things would be okay, that if I wasn't successful I would find myself a job, but either way, I would be fine.
After 'Born to Run,' I had a reaction to my good fortune. With success, it felt like a lot of people who'd come before me lost some essential part of themselves. My greatest fear was that success was going to change or diminish that part of myself.
Someone once pulled me aside and said it was all right to succeed, and I realised that I knew what failure felt like, but I didn't know what success felt like. I've carried that with me ever since.
My family believed I could do no wrong. That's probably why I have utter confidence in myself even when I shouldn't have.
I didn't inherit any great success and the problems that came with it, and yet I was able to keep working and supporting myself and later a family. I'm crazy fortunate.
My family didn't have money, and I think it made me fearless. I'm willing to try everything and not be afraid because what's the worst that can be happen? It might not work out, but I can't be worse off than when I was a kid.
You can never be comfortable with your success, you've got to be paranoid you're going to lose it.
I think I was so successful, not because I was brilliant, but because I was so young. I had no fear of consequences.