Who on earth would WANT to be a Magician?

Why do we do what we do? I mean honestly, what is the motivation of the average magician? As for the full time workers, It is a means of income, it’s how we feed our families, it’s how we pay the rent or mortgage. It, in short, is a job. For others, the “part timers” it is simply a fun hobby that can be used to make extra money. These are only 5% of “magical practioners” 95% are novices, or enthusiasts. Simply put, those who just love doing magic, whether they make a dime or not. Those, to me, are the ones who have an unadulterated love of our art. They do it for the love of the art.
I ask again, why would anyone WANT to be a magician? We practice for hours, days, weeks, even months to perfect a sleight, a move, or a technique that will , at best, end with a brief moment of amazement for a friend, family member, or complete stranger.
I got into magic as a small, very sick child with nothing else to do. It later became a love of mine, then I found a way to make money doing it. I always knew I wasn’t cut out to have a real job, so I had to make the best of what I liked and was good at. I was, and continue to be “stuck” in the magic world.
But there are those who are sicker then me. Those of you who will save your money for weeks, do odd jobs on the weekend, even pick up cans to earn money to buy the next cool trick on the market, that you have absolutely no intention of ever making any money with. It you hard-core magic heads, smelling of fanning powder, with sore fingers from doing the hot shot cut and coin rolls that I would LOVE to hear from. So, if you don’t mind, let me have a glimpse inside your sick twisted heads.

Curtis “Miles of Magic”
 
Sep 4, 2007
31
0
why do Olympic runners train thousands of hours for a 10 second race? why do musicians practice a rhythm hundreds of times for a few performances?

some magicians (like myself) love to perform just to unleash the moment of astonishment, a moment they are likely never to forget. thats what theory11 is all about, unleashing the moment of astonishment. to me, its worth the hundreds of packs of cards i've gone through to perfect a routine or a sleight. magic is also fun to just sit there and practice. but thats just me
 
Sep 1, 2007
234
0
34
Calgary
At first it started out as a little hobby on the side to fill in for the extra time I had, now its a obsession because I love seeing peoples reactions to some illusions. Its awesome.
 

wpt1031

Elite Member
Aug 31, 2007
65
1
Toledo Ohio
So far its a hobby and yes i'm one of those hardcore magician dudes that loves to buy the newest and greatest trick on the market. Its not always the smartest thing to do but I love doing it. Everytime I buy something new it gives me further respect for the art known as magic.
 
Aug 31, 2007
185
0
hobby for me. Nonetheless a real big hobby. I actually wanna be a heart surgeon. Magic is all about the reactions for me so in my opinion, those short moments of astonishment by the spectators are totally worth the long, tedious and occasionally painful hours or practice
 
It just gives me something "different" to do rather than just the average sports, and the thrill of creating a moment of amazement is just aamzing, like Wayne Houchin's theory 11 demo video said, "It's what drives us."
 
If I said it was a hobby, it would be true, but wouldn't be how I started. After a few years of forgetting magic existed. Seeing how a person posted a simple UFO card effect online, I said to myself and my friend. "Hey, I should learn magic and put a better magic trick than him." As a way of a competition, after buying a couple of my first magic effects from "E".

After a couple months, my friend introduced me to her cousin who had been doing magic for years and had been to the Magic Castle. He thought I had been practicing over a year, but I corrected him that its only been about 2 months, he was shocked and amazed by the progress and told me to keep it up. But after awhile I was getting tired of some of the first magic effects that I had bought, probably because I chose ones that were not practical for me.

Later that month, a friend of mine showed me a clip of Cyril Takayama performing his magic at a market. I was puzzled and amazed at the kind of magic he presented to spectators, the magic that I had been learning was almost nothing compared to what he had done. I thought to myself, "He is my new competition!" But to this day, he is more of a person to look up to than competition, of course I still want to be on par with what he does though, he is one reason why I continue magic till this point.

There are probably other reasons why I stay learning magic, but I just don't realize it except for one and that is the smile on a person's face when I do an effect for them. Good days or rough days, magic puts a smile on their faces.

Hows that for my sick and twisted head Curtis? :D

-Charles :cool:
 
It definitely is my drive to amaze spectators, to get their lives out of the norm, for a couple of seconds or minutes. For them, that might inspire them to do something, to maybe increase the expectations in their life, to buy a new window that they've been procrastinating about, who knows.

For them, it's like having something of themselves fulfilled, to see something that is not normally seen.

For me, it's the dopamine* rush that I feel, to receive that ecstasy of accomplishment and astonishment, it truly is amazing for us to have this opportunity to choose this type of...whether it be a hobby, lifestyle, etc.

brian.


*If you are roller-coaster fanatic like myself, you should know what this word is, if not. Dopamine is that sudden rush of adrenaline & a feel of pleasure after or during you've accomplished something.

Official Definition: A neurotransmitter present in regions of the brain that regulate movement, emotion, motivation and feelings of pleasure.
 
Sep 4, 2007
1
0
north Carolina
Not everybody "gets" Picasso or Jackson Pollock. Not everybody is entralled by Rodin or Mozart. Not everybody is moved by Les Miserables or The Glass Menagerie. Magic is an artform that is appreciated more than others. It's immediate, it's moving and thought provoking. And it's enduring. Take, for instance, "The Birth of Venus" by Botticelli. Nice painting but it does not evoke the same emotions of the masses as when it was first revealed. That said, magicians of today are doing things that have been done since the beginning of time. Have the techniques improved? Yes. Have alternate methods been conceived of? Yes. Has the result of the presentation changed. Whole heartedly - NO! We still reach the inner child, the portion of the soul where anything is possible - the place where the the unexpected is met with delight and adoration. How can one NOT want to be a magician?
 
Aug 31, 2007
308
0
California
Why wouldn't you want to be a magician?

You get to see the side of people that some people may never see. The emotions of wonder, astonishment, truth.


People are hard to understand. They are angry. They are sad. They are happy. Anyone can be in any mood at any given time. YOU can be one to change someones bad mood into a mood that they may have never felt before.

Don't you notice that people are happy when they see your magic? They don't leave sad, mad, etc. They leave with the sense of wonder. It is was I strive for. I love it.

Magic is an art. It takes people into a different world. A world of happiness, wonder, astonishment, that child like feeling of not knowing what is real and what is not. Anyone remember seeing cartoons or movies and wanting to be able to fly, or seeing someone fly and believing it? Remember how great it felt to see and hear about those things? That is what we do.

Sure, we practice a lot. It is worth it in the end. I don't care how long it takes to get down a move, or how much a gimmick costs or a book, I don't care about how its done, I care about what it looks and feels like to the audience. If it is going to give the sense of real magic and will make that audience feel what I want them to feel, I will buy it or come up with a way to do that.

Love what you do as a "magician", you are one to make people feel something... good.

Keenan
 
It's definately the idea of showing up and looking right at a perfect stranger and knowing you can ask them, if they want to be amazed... With confidence. I love using magic to meet people and to make money. It's not exactly a hobby... Or a way to make money... It's a way of life. I think a lot of people understand that single moment when their eyes bug out and you almost feel anxious FOR them when you're getting ready for your next trick. Who can honestly say, without a doubt, that you can amaze? Magicians have the life of glory, but well earned glory. I spent 6 months practicing and not showing anyone anything... And that's when I was still working on my Ambitious Card Routine. I wanted things to be pretty so I could feel that connection. I love the psychology of it too! Take Dan and Dave's Card To Mouth! That's a perfect example of misdirection that is flawless in it's own way. The reaction you get, from a simple move like that is just amazing... I love the feeling. It's such a rush.
 
Sep 3, 2007
7
0
I love being the center of attention. I covertly give others the spotlight when I'm performing and love to amaze people. However, it still gives me the attention that I'm always seeking. Magic is a hobby for me, I don't ever see me making a living from it.

I have numerous hobbies, some put money in my pocket such as kickboxing and some don't...such as sunning myself on the beach.

The actual drive for me doing magic is because I want to put smiles on people's faces. Knowing that I brightened my little corner of the world is my inspiration. Do the best with what you have!!

John
 
Aug 31, 2007
16
0
Michigan
i really enjoy it because it gives me something to do that is both mentally and physically stimulating. i use my hands for tricks, and also am always attempting to think of new ideas. this really helps me take my mind off of other things and its of course something to do to pass the time. i also enjoy magic over some other hobbies like it because there is always something to work on or perfect or learn. i enjoy the challenge of always elevating myself to a higher level.
 

Bizzaro

Elite Member
Sep 1, 2007
464
10
Vegas
www.smappdooda.com
It is the human condition to create. Everyone has their own voice inside of them that drives them be it song, dance, painting or.. entertainment.

SOme prefer magic as a hobby. A way to express themselves without having to step terribly far outside their comfort zone. Other strive to create art while others are in it for the money. There is no right or wrong answer. To each their own.

I do this because I like to make people happy and I like to screw with their heads at the same time. It does my heart good to see other people smile. Also my other forms of income and amusement are mired with many others who do the same thing. My magic is one thing that sets me apart and will get me where I need to go. Magic is my vehicle.

Find yours and you can go anywhere.
 
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