Passion Conflicts with Impact!

[Armando Gutierrez]

My Impact

So my whole childhood I was afraid to speak my mind and express myself. I was in constant fear and guilt which helped me stay out of trouble with parents and teachers. After taking the Life Purpose course I realized that my impact statement is : "To teach people how to free themselves of mental limitations and expectations." In other words, show/teach people how to express their true, creative selves.

 

My Passion

I've always had a talent for music since I could walk. For example, I was able to dance with the rhythm of any song since I was about 4 or 5. I picked up the alto saxophone in 5th grade. In high school, I fell in love with jazz and found that to be my means of expressing myself. Without knowing it, I went down the path of mastery. I practiced harder than everyone because the better I got, the more I could express myself and enjoy the act of playing. I've always been that way lol.

 

The Conflict

Here lies the problem. I do not see how my jazz skills could lead me to the impact that I want to make on the world. My impact leads me to believe that I should pursue enlightenment and help other people see through their mental barriers and how their lack of awareness causes their suffering. That way, they are free to be authentic to who they really are.

I became really good at saxophone in high school, and I was hired out (along with some of my fellow band players) to perform at events. I have years of experience performing in front of hundreds of people. But this is where I noticed the conflict!

While performing, I felt that people didn't realize the message I was trying to convey: Self-expression is key to living a good life. Many times, I felt like background music or as just someone playing a catchy tune that they would soon forget about.

 

In short, I don't think being a musician is direct enough in me teaching people how to express themselves.

I could be missing something though.

 

 

So do I teach personal freedom through music or through, let's say, some kind of consciousness work?

 

Thanks in advance for the responses!!

 

 

 

Just for some background if it would help you

My top values are:

1) Self Expression/Personal Freedom (Almost synonymous to me)

2) Mastery

3) Wisdom

4) Connection/Love

etc..

My strengths are:

Perspective wisdom

Learning

Playfulness/Humor

 

Unique Ability:

The ability to deconstruct any idea I have (in verbal language, music, etc) and to communicate it to an audience in a way that they can relate to it.

In other words, I'm able to express my ideas in simple terms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest Mount Bananas]

@Armando Gutierrez

Take my advice with a grain of salt since I'm still in school and haven't started my career yet.

Maybe your music will not communicate your message to the majority of the audience. But that doesn't mean that it's not worth pursuing. 99% of the population doesn't do any personal development or follow any guru/teacher. Does that mean that these teachers/gurus should stop teaching? Should they stop because 7.5 billion people don't follow them?

In my honest opinion, I'd say follow your passion. Become a musician. And if you're dedicated, if you're amazing, if the music you play reflects your emotions, you will change people's lives. Visualize yourself changing people's lives before each show. Trust me, it's enough that you change one person's life.

I'll tell you a experience from my life. I was volunteering at a jazz festival. I saw Miles Davis' drummer play. And I was in awe the whole show. I was shocked. Went into a flow state by listening to him. I thought to myself THAT'S SOMETHING TO DO. Look at this man. How he's enjoying himself. IT CHANGED ME. I'm pretty sure that the majority of the audience didn't feel this way. But it was still probably worth it from his perspective. And he doesn't know that he changed me. So how can you be sure? I think your expectations of communicating with the crowd are too high. Most people don't even listen to music dude. They don't feel it. They don't go out of their way to find something that they like, so they listen whatever is served.

I'd love to hear your response.

P.S. I see on this forum that everyone gets the same life purpose. It goes along the lines of helping people raise awareness/consciousness/ or helping them change their lives. What's up with that?

[Ayilton]

We are probably be imitating a Leo's  life purpose  !  It might be because it's related to enlightenment and being good  ! 

give us examples of different life purposes  @Mount Bananas

 

@Armando Gutierrez  What if  , the contradiction is only a narrative that your mind is making  ? Just consider it  , what if it's all just fine  ! 

[Elisabeth]

Have you considered teaching music improvisation, more accurately, teaching other people how to express themselves through music?

There are levels of authenticity, most people will never arrive at enlightenment, but a good improvisation session could still be cathartic to many.  

[Armando Gutierrez]

@Mount Bananas

Thank you for your advice, but especially the story! Wow. That's amazing. I'll definitely refer back to that over and over again.

And yeah, enlightenment/consciousness is so popular among this crowd because that's what Leo has been doing. His vision is contagious. Also consciousness is what every human being is after deep down. So in that sense, it's really no coincidence.

 

@Ayilton

You're probably right. I'll sit down and think about it more objectively. I'm always coming up with excuses and overthinking stuff lol.

@Elisabeth

I guess I never thought of it through music lol. I've always thought that teaching people how to be themselves in general would be more meaningful to me. But that could work as well. I'll try it.

 

Thank you all for your advice. I haven't played saxophone in high school because I am an engineering major and have to pay for school and bills. But you guys have inspired me to register for the jazz band at my school.

I'm going to give it a go.