---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have been on stage on a few occasions…"
description: "\"I have been on stage on a few occasions where I felt I couldn't escape the interior of my - my interior thoughts. But Peter Wolf once said, what's the ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f73/bruce-springsteen-546_can-do_i-have-been-on-stage-on-a-few-occasions_2784809.jpg"
---

#  I have been on stage on a few occasions where I felt I…

![“I have been on stage on a few occasions where I felt I couldn't escape the interior of my - my interior thoughts. But Peter Wolf once said, what's the strangest thing you can do on stage? Think about what you're doing.” quote by Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f73/bruce-springsteen-546_can-do_i-have-been-on-stage-on-a-few-occasions_2784809.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f73/bruce-springsteen-546_can-do_i-have-been-on-stage-on-a-few-occasions_2784809.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f73/bruce-springsteen-546_can-do_i-have-been-on-stage-on-a-few-occasions_2784809.jpg)

> “I have been on stage on a few occasions where I felt I couldn't escape the interior of my - my interior thoughts. But Peter Wolf once said, what's the strangest thing you can do on stage? Think about what you're doing.”

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Stage anxiety can trap you, but focusing on the act itself helps break the mental cage.

**In simple terms:** Focus on performance to escape thoughts.

Key Takeaway

Stay present, let the music guide you.

Themes

performance anxiety mindfulness creativity

Mood

determined inspired

Type

practical motivational

When to use this quote

- concerts
- theatre
- public speaking
- rehearsals

Key Concepts

psychology stagecraft

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you anchor yourself during performance?
- What mental tricks keep you grounded on stage?

A Different Perspective

Audience pressure may intensify anxiety.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Can do](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-do/) [Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Interior Thoughts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interior-thoughts-3336394/) [Interiors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interiors/) [Occasions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/occasions/) [Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peter/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Said Strangest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-strangest-1532895/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) [Stage Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage-think-997048/) [Strangest Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strangest-thing-297365/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Thoughts Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thoughts-peter-3336395/)

## Related quotes

> [– Diana: “Christina said the strangest thing.” – Lyon: “Of course she did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-garwood/diana-christina-said-the-strangest-thing-lyon-of-course-she-did/)

[Julie Garwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-garwood/)

> [“i began to see that i had commodified myself… i created my interior thoughts as a means of production for the corporation that owned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-turner/i-began-to-see-that-i-had-commodified-myself-i-created-my-interior/)

[Fred Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-turner/)

> [“PS. Thoughts: To Peter We've been missing out on so much here, so very much, and for such a long time. I miss it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/ps-thoughts-to-peter-we-ve-been-missing-out-on-so-much-here-so-very/)

[Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/)

> [You just think lovely wonderful thoughts," Peter explained, "and they lift you up in the air.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-just-think-lovely-wonderful-thoughts-peter-explained-and-they/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“As Jim Morrison said, this is the strangest life I’ve ever known.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-clayton/as-jim-morrison-said-this-is-the-strangest-life-i-ve-ever-known/)

[Alice Clayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-clayton/)

> [“Mistress,” Wyndle said, “that was the strangest conversation I’ve ever heard, and I once grew an entire garden for some keenspren.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/mistress-wyndle-said-that-was-the-strangest-conversation-i-ve-ever/)

[Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/)

> [I think the strangest thing that exists, is how there are billion of people on the planet and yet, so many people can spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-joybell-c-2/i-think-the-strangest-thing-that-exists-is-how-there-are-billion-of/)

[C Joybell C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-joybell-c-2/)

> [Motherhood is the strangest thing, it can be like being one's own Trojan horse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-west/motherhood-is-the-strangest-thing-it-can-be-like-being-one-s-own/)

[Rebecca West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-west/)

> [“I have traveled in 201 countries, and the strangest thing I saw was man. - Robert Ripley”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ripley-entertainment-inc/i-have-traveled-in-201-countries-and-the-strangest-thing-i-saw-was/)

[Ripley Entertainment Inc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ripley-entertainment-inc/)

> [I think the strangest thing probably is when I went to Japan, and I don't know what the hell I was eating, but there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-peterson/i-think-the-strangest-thing-probably-is-when-i-went-to-japan-and-i/)

[Cassandra Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-peterson/)

> [God would be the strangest thing to exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kedar-joshi/god-would-be-the-strangest-thing-to-exist/)

[Kedar Joshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kedar-joshi/)

> [You won't believe how many people have congratulated me around the world for shooting a movie in 2D. It's bizarre. It's the strangest thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-kosinski/you-won-t-believe-how-many-people-have-congratulated-me-around-the/)

[Joseph Kosinski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-kosinski/)

> [The strangest thing about writing a sitcom, is never knowing if it will become anything but words on a page.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pippa-evans/the-strangest-thing-about-writing-a-sitcom-is-never-knowing-if-it/)

[Pippa Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pippa-evans/)

> [ The strangest thing \[to sign\] has to be parts of \[fan's\] anatomy. But mostly female. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-winkler/the-strangest-thing-to-sign-has-to-be-parts-of-fan-s-anatomy-but/)

[Henry Winkler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-winkler/)

> [In California, you want to have the strangest thing, be doing the strangest thing. People admire that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-hakuta/in-california-you-want-to-have-the-strangest-thing-be-doing-the/)

[Ken Hakuta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-hakuta/)

## More by Bruce Springsteen

> [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [When I die throw my body in the back and drive me to the junk yard in my Cadillac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/when-i-die-throw-my-body-in-the-back-and-drive-me-to-the-junk-yard-in/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [When you start talking about elections being rigged, you're pushing people beyond democratic governance. And it's a very, very dangerous thing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/when-you-start-talking-about-elections-being-rigged-you-re-pushing/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [I got Mary pregnant and man that's all she wrote. And for my 19th birthday, I got a union card and a factory coat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-got-mary-pregnant-and-man-that-s-all-she-wrote-and-for-my-19th/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [ I don't know if I know anyone, with the exception of the early inventors of rock music \[who wasn't influenced by something\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-don-t-know-if-i-know-anyone-with-the-exception-of-the-early/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [People see you onstage and, yeah, I'd want to be that guy.I want to be that guy myself very often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/people-see-you-onstage-and-yeah-i-d-want-to-be-that-guy-i-want-to-be/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [You know, my music utilizes things from the past, because that's what the past is for. It's to learn from. It's not to limit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/you-know-my-music-utilizes-things-from-the-past-because-that-s-what/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [From the town of Lincoln Nebraska with a sawed off .410 on my lap, through the Badlands of Wyoming I killed everything in my path.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/from-the-town-of-lincoln-nebraska-with-a-sawed-off-410-on-my-lap/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [I want a thousand guitars . . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-want-a-thousand-guitars/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [In America everything's about who's number one today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/in-america-everything-s-about-who-s-number-one-today/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [A pop song is a condensed version of a life in three minutes, whereas, when you go to write your prose, you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/a-pop-song-is-a-condensed-version-of-a-life-in-three-minutes-whereas/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [I walked a thousand miles just to slip this skin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-walked-a-thousand-miles-just-to-slip-this-skin/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [The moment you begin to depend on audience reaction, you're doing the wrong thing. You're doin' it wrong, it's a mistake, it's not right.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/the-moment-you-begin-to-depend-on-audience-reaction-you-re-doing-the/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [The name 'Boss' started with people that worked for me... It was not meant like Boss, capital B, it was meant like 'Boss, where's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/the-name-boss-started-with-people-that-worked-for-me-it-was-not-meant/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [The country we carry in our hearts is waiting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/the-country-we-carry-in-our-hearts-is-waiting/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

[Explore all 484 Bruce Springsteen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

## More Can do quotes

> [Changes before your eyes, things you can do and things you can't. My attitude is always let it keep rolling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-malick/changes-before-your-eyes-things-you-can-do-and-things-you-can-t-my/)

[Terrence Malick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-malick/)

> [The happy medium is television. And if you find a good suitor, you can do it for years. With movies, you roll the dice.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-happy-medium-is-television-and-if-you-find-a-good-suitor-you-can/)

[Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/)

> [If I had a million dollars, I just wouldn't just completely set back. I'd have to get out there and show my face to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muddy-waters/if-i-had-a-million-dollars-i-just-wouldn-t-just-completely-set-back-i/)

[Muddy Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muddy-waters/)

> [Anybody can be Prince Charming one day a year, with the dinner and the flowers and all that. But you know what impresses me?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-howard/anybody-can-be-prince-charming-one-day-a-year-with-the-dinner-and-the/)

[Ryan Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-howard/)

> [And if the mind thinks with a believing attitude one can do amazing things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/and-if-the-mind-thinks-with-a-believing-attitude-one-can-do-amazing/)

[Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/)

> [The amount of things you can do with a kettlebell is unsurpassed by any other training equipment - dumbbells, resistance machines, free weights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laird-hamilton/the-amount-of-things-you-can-do-with-a-kettlebell-is-unsurpassed-by/)

[Laird Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laird-hamilton/)

> [It's nice when you've done enough movies that you can do your own anthology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lithgow/it-s-nice-when-you-ve-done-enough-movies-that-you-can-do-your-own/)

[John Lithgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lithgow/)

> [If people don't have their own vision, all they can do is 'sign-up' for someone else's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-senge/if-people-don-t-have-their-own-vision-all-they-can-do-is-sign-up-for/)

[Peter Senge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-senge/)

> [The one thing that flies in the face of all human history and experience, is that the government can do a superior job than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/the-one-thing-that-flies-in-the-face-of-all-human-history-and/)

[James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/)

> [...what I can do is offer myself, wholehearted and present, to walk with the people I love through the fear and the mess. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shauna-niequist/what-i-can-do-is-offer-myself-wholehearted-and-present-to-walk-with/)

[Shauna Niequist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shauna-niequist/)

> [Whether that's speaking up in your job or asking for a promotion or saying, 'I think I can do that.' Using your voice in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-shriver/whether-that-s-speaking-up-in-your-job-or-asking-for-a-promotion-or/)

[Maria Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-shriver/)

> [The average ordinary citizen can do a lot of different things when it comes to the climate crisis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/the-average-ordinary-citizen-can-do-a-lot-of-different-things-when-it/)

[Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/)

> [A professional is a man who can do his job when he doesn't feel like it. An amateur is a man who can't do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-agate/a-professional-is-a-man-who-can-do-his-job-when-he-doesn-t-feel-like/)

[James Agate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-agate/)

> [The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, as it pleases him, for he can do all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/the-lord-gives-and-the-lord-takes-away-as-it-pleases-him-for-he-can/)

[Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/)

> [I'm not an educated man. I only know what I'm told, and I'm not told that much; I have no frame of reference for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-m-not-an-educated-man-i-only-know-what-i-m-told-and-i-m-not-told/)

[Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/)

[Browse all 5,673 Can do quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/can-do/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I have been on stage on a few occasions where I felt I couldn't escape the interior of my - my interior thoughts. But Peter Wolf once said, what's the strangest thing you can do on stage? Think about what you're doing.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Bruce Springsteen"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-have-been-on-stage-on-a-few-occasions-where-i-felt-i-couldn-t/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Can do"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-have-been-on-stage-on-a-few-occasions-where-i-felt-i-couldn-t/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f73/bruce-springsteen-546_can-do_i-have-been-on-stage-on-a-few-occasions_2784809.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f73/bruce-springsteen-546_can-do_i-have-been-on-stage-on-a-few-occasions_2784809.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f73/bruce-springsteen-546_can-do_i-have-been-on-stage-on-a-few-occasions_2784809.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I have been on stage on a few occasions where I felt I couldn't escape the interior of my - my interior…” — Bruce Springsteen",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Bruce Springsteen",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I have been on stage on...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-have-been-on-stage-on-a-few-occasions-where-i-felt-i-couldn-t/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-have-been-on-stage-on-a-few-occasions-where-i-felt-i-couldn-t/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
