As a so-called expert on tinnitus and a professional concert pianist I often get asked, “How does tinnitus affect your ability to practice and perform music?” I’d like to answer this question in such a way that my response applies to everyone, not just musicians. Therefore, whenever I talk about music, you must substitute your own dominant creative talent. In other words, just replace music with the desire and creative activity which you aspire to the most.

So, let’s begin. Music is a huge part of my life, yet even though I make the major portion of my income from the music business it doesn’t seem like work at all. It seems more like “play.”

But, this was not always the case. I saw my life in music as a job and not a very enjoyable one at that. This was because the people who I was involved with in the music business were competitors instead of co-creators.

Then when tinnitus came along, it infected me to the point where I no longer enjoyed playing the piano at all. And, I can tell you that it was a very painful experience to not be doing the thing I loved the most. However, once I realized that my resistance to “what is”, in other words my resistance to tinnitus, was causing me to self-sabotage my piano music career, I stopped. Then, I started re-focusing on what I truly wanted, instead of what I didn’t want.

Once focused on music and how I could utilize my talents, experience and energy in a more positive way, my tinnitus no longer became a factor. It no longer kept me from what I wanted which, was a successful music career. Now, that I have it, it keeps growing and getting bigger and my tinnitus is continually taking a back seat to the things that really matter the most to me.

However, until I realized through learning, that I could change my reality by changing my thoughts, nothing would have happened because I didn’t know this was even possible. The key is ‘learning’. I went from being a know-it-all to a learn-it-all pretty much overnight. This drastically changed my perceptions of music and the music business altogether.

So then, I went out in search of people, places, circumstances and events that could support my new version of reality. Once I attracted those things naturally everything seemed to get easier. Opportunity seemed to be around every corner just waiting for me to acknowledge it.

My music career is already by most standards very successful. Have I achieved everything I’ve ever wanted to? No. But, that does not negate the fact that I live everyday as if I’ve already achieved greatness. I know it’s only a matter of physical time before I manifest most of my desires into reality where there’s proof, not only for me, but for everyone else as well.

I’ll let you browse around my website and see some of the things I’ve done. It’s quite an extensive site and you sometimes have to dig deep to get where you’re going but the information about my past experiences and successes are there. Most of these things wouldn’t have been possible without the jolt that tinnitus gave me. Tinnitus helped me realize that I was the only cause of everything around me be it negative or positive. All I had to do then was change my dominant consistent thoughts to include more of “what I want” and less of “what I don’t want.”

Learning the Law of Attraction helped me a great deal in this process. Like attracts like. If I’m constantly worried, afraid and obsessing about things, I get tons of unwanted results I’d rather not have. On the other hand, if I keep monitoring my thoughts and keep reaching for the highest thought in the moment, I tend to materialize with very little effort some amazing results. And, along with those amazing results comes a lot less tinnitus volume.

Music was the key for me. Why? Because, music is my true hearts desire. To succeed on any level in the music business is a bonus. The whole starving artist thing kept me safe but in a place of not having. I want my cake and eat it too. I want a life in music but I also want to be successful at it and if that includes more money, that’s a bonus.

So, to sum up, if I were to offer advice, which I do very rarely, I would say that focusing on your music will not only eliminate your tinnitus but, it will bring you more of everything you want. Reaching for the highest thought, in every moment where you are tempted to have a negative one, will have a tremendous impact on your life situation. You will be amazed at what you can accomplish just by focusing your attention and energy on what you truly want.

I’ll leave you with this thought. “Life is not about struggle, fear, worry and pain, it’s about easily manifesting in a healthy and positive way the things you desire the most. Once you figure out what it is you truly want, and then focus your dominant and consistent thoughts on getting what you want, you cannot fail to get what you want. In the process, your negative self-defeating habits will fade and be replaced with a completely new map of reality – one in which every island exposes a lost treasure that was just waiting for you to uncover it.”

Paul Tobey is a professional concert pianist who has performed worldwide and recorded several albums. He is also author of Tinnitus Free Living a Tinnitus Handbook Self Help Guide which helps people reduce their tinnitus volume.