Why tunnel vision worked

Until it didn't

Today is Liner Notes’ 1-year anniversary!

To celebrate, I want to hear from you!

So please leave a comment - here’s how:

1. Go to the top of this email and click on the comment icon.

2. Tell me anything!

Ideas: A song I shared, a book I mentioned, maybe they resonated with you? Or maybe it was an experience, something about life in Argentina (I saw that some of you made pizzas after the post!), something about personal growth. Or maybe it’s been a long time since we chatted or crossed paths - you’ve been hearing all about me but I don’t know what you’re up to. Catch me up!

Thanks as always for reading. I can’t wait to hear from you!

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Some twenty-five odd years ago, I found myself on a subway platform in New York City, dressed in white from head to toe. Literally head-to-toe: white shoes and socks, white hat. The reason behind it (a Cuban gig) was fulfilling and fun, but I suddenly realized that this picturesque moment would be the last of its kind, because I was getting ready to make a big change.

I was in my mid-twenties, and my menu of activities included: classical guitar, flamenco guitar, tango guitar, Cuban music, teaching lessons, playing at weddings…basically trying to do it all. But a new concept had entered my mind just a few days earlier at a seminar for professional musicians: “Define what you do.” I couldn’t get this out of my head, so I did an honest analysis of my situation and made a change which would shape my professional life for the next 20 years: I chose one thing.

Where’s Waldo?

This decision brought me clarity and focus, and from a business point of view it was quite effective, because I had made a conscious choice to design a clear image and brand.

From an artistic point of view it was helpful because it kept my eyes on one prize. From that moment forward, if you asked me “what do you do?” my answer was: “I’m a tango guitarist.” I started to move through the world with an intense drive and a narrow focus.

All of this worked out great, for many, many years…that is, until it didn’t.

Focusing energy unidirectionally can be a powerful and necessary tool for developing an expert level of skill. And for me, in my twenties, living in an incredibly competitive city and hoping to make a career out of a niche art form, this was the perfect formula. It was extremely useful for a couple of decades, and then its usefulness slowly started to fade.

Single-mindedness had side effects, it turned out. There’s a price to living so intensely, and I was reaching burnout. I hit 40 and was still going full steam, playing out several nights a week, teaching, and even taking on a day job to make ends meet. I could start to feel that I was going to need a change of pace sooner rather than later. But at the same time, something new was in the works: I had started studying composition and felt a strong desire to start recording my own music.

Years later, I understand what this was: I was beginning to widen my focus, to branch out.

And branching out meant that I had to make more room. Little by little, my answer to “what do you do?” was getting longer.

When I moved to Argentina in 2016, I imagined diving right into the tango guitar scene with a renewed, laser-like focus. I did that, for sure. But life kept insisting, asking me to widen my horizons. New and interesting non-musical opportunities were appearing: First it was a translation gig, then a casting call for a commercial, then a chance to record a voice over. Curiously, I found myself enjoying these digressions.

Before I knew it, my “what I do” definition was turning into a full-blown list.

Fast forward nine years: I perform, compose, record albums of my music; I teach, translate music texts, do voice overs, and even act in commercials (!); I have two podcasts. And as you know, in the last year I’ve become a writer: twice a month in English, and twice in Spanish. My list has truly become long!

And of course, there’s the rest of life.

Wardrobe fitting for the latest commercial

It’s taken me many paragraphs to bring up my non-professional existence, which probably speaks to my cultural protestantism. But as I learn to cast a wider net around the “what I do” items, an entire reality comes into focus: I’ve been happily married for eight years, and we found our dream house. I love crossword puzzles. I’m improving as a cook and I’ve even started to dabble in carpentry.

And here’s something that changed my life two years ago: table tennis. Yes! After years of being sedentary, I found the perfect sport: it combines chess-like strategy with the physical demands of basketball. Plus, studying technique is extremely important, so for me, it was love at first sight. Now I train twice a week, go to the gym as well, compete in tournaments, and I feel better than I did at 20!

One final thought: I spent years getting my entire sense of identity from my work. I was ultimately able to see this tendency and start to dismantle it. Allowing myself to widen the net was what made this possible. The lesson I’m learning is a good one: what I do doesn’t always define who I am.

That’s all for today…now it’s your turn to write.

Looking forward to reading your comments!