The Book That Changed My Purpose as a Musician

There are thousands of personal development books out there.
But only one truly changed how I viewed my career as a musician.

• Not The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss.
• Not The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle.
• Not even Atomic Habits by James Clear.

The book that changed everything for me was...

The Second Mountain by David Brooks.

This book didn’t just shift my perspective — it redefined my life.

Let me explain.

The First Mountain: The Illusion of Success

When I was 24, I had it all — at least, on the surface.

• Awards for revolutionizing guitar education.

• Recognition as a trailblazer in modern music teaching.

• A growing social media following praising my every move.

But something wasn’t right.

I felt hollow. Disconnected. Constantly "on," but never present.

It’s what David Brooks calls living the “Aesthetic Life” — a life where everything looks perfect on the outside, but inside, it’s all performance.

Every day felt like a fight to maintain the façade.

My social media was a polished portrayal of my best performances and upcoming projects, creating an illusion of a perfect life.

I had forgotten why I started. I became a music educator to help people — but somewhere along the way, I became obsessed with impressing them.

As Brooks puts it:

I was chasing applause. Collecting trophies. But my life felt like a beautiful tree standing alone in a desert — impressive, but without roots.

Every day was a new challenge to maintain the façade of success.

Then something changed.

The Second Mountain: Finding Purpose

It didn’t happen overnight.
It didn’t happen when I hit 1 million followers or made my first $100K.

It happened when I realized my shadow was waiting for me at the beginning of my second mountain

My "aha" moment didn’t come with fireworks. It came with five simple but brutal questions.

1. What does being a musician truly mean to me?

At first, I wanted to be like Tommy Emmanuel or Eddie Van Halen.

But I missed the deeper lesson.

Eddie Van Halen wasn’t just a master technician — he was an original.
He played with authenticity, no masks, no pretense.

I realized that I didn’t want to be the best — I wanted to be myself.
I wanted to give misfits, outsiders, and underdogs a home.

This became my new focus.
My school stopped being about academic elitism.
It became a space where kids could be themselves, learn authentically, and grow with heart.

2. What does money really mean to me?

“Money doesn’t matter.” — People love to say this, but they’re lying.

For a while, I lied too.

I chased money, thinking it would give me freedom.
But money isn’t freedom. Money is a tool.

I realized I didn’t need $1M, $500K, or even $250K to feel secure.

What I needed was:

• Enough to sustain my vision for my school.

• Enough to support my loved ones.

• Enough to treat friends, family, and my girlfriend once in a while.

Most of all, I needed enough to sleep well at night.

Instead of chasing wealth, I started chasing meaning.

3. Who truly matters to me in life?

There’s a famous story about Marco Pierre White, one of the world's greatest chefs.
He returned his Michelin stars because he refused to let people with less knowledge than him judge his cooking.

I was doing the opposite.
I was chasing likes, validation, and feedback from people I didn’t even know.

I realized that the only people whose opinions matter to me are:

• My family.

• My closest friends.

• A handful of mentors I respect.

Here’s a tough truth I had to accept:
Clients, customers, and social media followers come and go.
Their likes, comments, and reviews? They won’t matter in 5, 10, or 15 years.

What will matter?
The people I love and the people who love me back.

4. How do I listen to my life?

Brooks has an idea called “Listening to Your Life.”

Here’s how I used to live:

• See a new opportunity.

• Make a snap decision out of fear of missing out.

• Regret it later.

I was constantly chasing something — but I never knew what.

But Brooks' idea of "listening" taught me to slow down and ask two questions before every decision:

1. Does this truly matter?

2. Will I be proud of my effort, even if nobody sees it?

This simple shift changed everything.
No more impulsive moves. No more chasing every shiny opportunity.

5. How do I want to be remembered?

At 26, it felt weird to think about my legacy.

But I didn’t want to wait until I was 50, slowing down, losing hair, and wondering where all the time went.

So I asked myself:

Do I want to:

• Endure pain that amounts to nothing (chasing followers, views, and superficial success)
  OR

• Endure pain that creates real, lasting impact (helping people, building a legacy, and staying true to myself)

Here’s how I look at it now:

Do I want my tombstone to say:

OR

I think you can guess which option I’m working toward.

The Shift From Self to Service

This shift from the first mountain (success) to the second mountain (purpose) wasn’t instant.
It was gradual.

Here’s the difference:

• Before: I lived for me.

• Now: I live for them.

Before, I thought success was measured in applause.
Now, I know it’s measured by impact.

Before, I tried to be “free.”
Now, I realize that true freedom comes from serving others.

Why This Matters to You

If you’re a musician, entrepreneur, or just someone chasing “success,”
this is your sign to pause.

Ask yourself these 5 questions:

1. What does your craft truly mean to you?

2. What does money mean to you?

3. Who truly matters to you?

4. How are you listening to your life?

5. How do you want to be remembered?

These questions saved me from burnout, regret, and endless chasing.
I hope they can do the same for you.

If you enjoyed this, share this with a friend who you know is struggling to find purpose in their career.

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