Mark, I have to say, I can identify with your present situation, mainly because I have been through it, in some form or another, several times in my 40 plus years as a pro player...I am now 64 years old, and once again in the midst of change regarding my musical career. Strangely enough, I find it an exciting, rather than a negative, feeling.

Similar to what has been stated above in different forms, I have learned the way to longevity in the "business" is re-inventing yourself and/or your art.

Nothing wrong with taking a break and re-evaluating your situation...sometimes you have to surrender a little to win, but that shouldn't mean "giving up" entirely. In some instances, you have to step back to be able to see your future direction. But, and this is important, if you LOVE playing, you must treat this stepping back as temporary.

I will not share my own new direction at this point, but, needless to say, I have stepped back, and I have several related ideas I am considering pursuing. I go by the expression I learned from my martial arts master many years ago..."no one has ever had a filling, without an emptying to give it room."

Use your break time wisely...something that was, at one time, only a part of what you did, may be the beginning of a whole new direction. I was one of the first keyboard players in my area to utilize a polyphonic synthesizer...having that instrument, and a thorough knowledge of how to use it, led to work in CBC Radio Canada, doing "do-nuts" which were musical tone poems or phrases, before and after a particular show or anouncement. That led to recording work with visiting artists using the radio station's, then state of the art, 4-track studio, adding strings, brass and poly synth sounds, as well as playing the studio's grand piano. My experience with synths led to a early stint with Yamaha Canada when the CS-80/60/50 was introduced. That contact with Yamaha, plus my earlier years of Royal Conservatory training, became an opportunity for me to teach Electone Organ and some piano using Yamaha's method (I literally trained on the job). That eventually led to teaching the then newly emerging arranger instruments, which opened the way to clinician/demonstrator work with Roland and Yamaha.

In between, I worked in keyboard sales which helped strengthen my ability to work with the public, and to broaden my instrument knowledge...both very useful in other areas.

The point I'm trying to make is that somewhere in your musical skill set; you know, the one that you developed and invested in over the years, may be a useful ability that you can further develop and market. Why waste those attributes that you formulated over your musical career, such as playing proficiency, instrument knowledge, people skills, handling money, promotional knowledge etc.?

There is some excellent advice from the above posters, especially the heartfelt recommendation of not giving up too easily.

Only you can decide if you are totally done, or just temporarily between positions.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

Ian