Being More Dedicated

Sep 1, 2007
1,699
1
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I recently noticed a trend. In the past few weeks, I have been posting less and less on internet forums. As a result, I've had a lot more time to practice. I have begun to practice in three two-hour blocks every day. My magic has taken quantum leaps.

Recently, I realized that a liberal arts degree is, in fact, entirely useless in the real world. I made a decision to do closeup magic full time when I graduate (unless I decide to do it before then).

I've always wanted to be good at magic. I want to be the next Ricky Jay. That is my dream. To be able to perform magic for a living, at the level of someone like Jay. And to be able to do that, I need to spend less time thinking and more time doing.

So, I may have had a point when I started writing this (it escapes me), but now I just want to go practice. I realize that I no longer want to be a part of this sort of community. I simply want to dedicate myself to my art.

My art.
 
Ben makes an interesting point!

I too have to make that leap and make miyself practise constantly 2 hours or so a day so i could get better and better. Dont get me wrong, i love doing magic i love preforming magic and i shure as hell like practising magic, but my lazyness just gets a hold of me and i just have no wanting to start. But when i start you need an army to stop me.

We all need to make a leap and get out of the internet, get out of tv and start practising. A crazy guy named Lenin(who was the started of the soviet union, gosh i hate the guy) sayd "Learn, Learn and Learn". I will take that and put it into another context "Practise, Practise and if your done practising practise some more".

It will not help your magic alot if you dont actually preform or practise it will just make you a know how.

Lets all practise!!!!


Mikk


EDIT// 300 posts yay! Thanks Ben for making me do a good reply in a while.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
May 18, 2008
807
0
I know what you mean. I am so lucky though in the fact that I NEVER get tired of it, and REALLY enjoy practicing all the time. I practice flourishes about 10 hours a week, and magic (including performance) usually about over 55 hours a week (no exageration).

I watch my magic DVDs as I go to sleep (as I feel having them on alllows me for more creativity subconsiously).

I legitimatly eat, breathe, and sleep magic.

And I feel posting here helps my magic too. I post on forums A LOT.
 
Aug 10, 2008
2,023
2
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In a rock concert
In the past few weeks, I have been posting less and less on internet forums. As a result, I've had a lot more time to practice. I have begun to practice in three two-hour blocks every day. My magic has taken quantum leaps.

First of all, Ben you are guy that post very intelligent stuff dont refrain to not do it anymore...

About the practice thing, on a personal opinion, I practice and a lot, I mean I always have a deck of cards in my hands(when Im typing I usally have them on my feet) the reason I still come back on a regular basis to the forums, its because I complement what I am practicing with what I am learning here, I mean we all now that the whole performance its 50% tecnique and 50% showmanship (I believe that it is more showmanship that the sleights themselves) and I know what you are thinking" well you can come up with your own patter, without the need of coming here...

Well, some of the guys here has helped me a lot, Morgician for example(its a shame he doesnt logs anymore) helped me a lot with patter issues, how to gain rapport, the use of emotional hooks during my routine, I mean things that has imrpoved my performances a lot, even Prae has helped me, I still remember my crappy gravity half pass, I asked him for advice and he give me a looooot of tips and things that helped me a lot.

So far the community hasnt let me down, and that's why Im still logging.;)
 
Sep 1, 2007
1,699
1
34
First of all, Ben you are guy that post very intelligent stuff dont refrain to not do it anymore...

About the practice thing, on a personal opinion, I practice and a lot, I mean I always have a deck of cards in my hands(when Im typing I usally have them on my feet) the reason I still come back on a regular basis to the forums, its because I complement what I am practicing with what I am learning here, I mean we all now that the whole performance its 50% tecnique and 50% showmanship (I believe that it is more showmanship that the sleights themselves) and I know what you are thinking" well you can come up with your own patter, without the need of coming here...

Well, some of the guys here has helped me a lot, Morgician for example(its a shame he doesnt logs anymore) helped me a lot with patter issues, how to gain rapport, the use of emotional hooks during my routine, I mean things that has imrpoved my performances a lot, even Prae has helped me, I still remember my crappy gravity half pass, I asked him for advice and he give me a looooot of tips and things that helped me a lot.

So far the community hasnt let me down, and that's why Im still logging.;)

Thank you, first of all. I appreciate that very much.

I'm not trying to say that the community has let me down. I am just personally in a place in my life in which I feel the need to separate myself from everyone else in terms of how I develop myself and my magic (if that makes any sense).
 
Sep 20, 2008
1,112
3
People are in the forums for different reasons. Some to teach, Some to help, others just to talk to other people about the art.


Its cool that you know what you want out of magic. Good luck with that man. Farewell.
 
Aug 10, 2008
2,023
2
33
In a rock concert
Thank you, first of all. I appreciate that very much.

I'm not trying to say that the community has let me down. I am just personally in a place in my life in which I feel the need to separate myself from everyone else in terms of how I develop myself and my magic (if that makes any sense).

And it does make sense, good luck buddy wherever you go:p
 
Jan 1, 2009
2,241
3
Back in Time
6 hours a day is way too long to practice. Seriously dude, your mind needs to take a rest and recharge every so often. Personally for me, I practice for maybe an hour or so and then pretty much go do other things.

I think even Eugene Burger has said that what you should do is practice at like 30 min sessions. Then take a break for a few days, then go back to it. Rinse repeat.
 
Aug 31, 2007
799
1
Very Good post.

I have the complete opposite story. During Last november I was doing, seeing and interacting with magic so much, it was overwhelming. I was taking in so many ideas at one time, I went o a magic shop every week, I did a couple of big magic gigs, which made me REALLY think about it.

So I decided to take a 1 month break. Me and my family drove to Florida for Christmas, like we do every year, and I decided to do absolutely NO MAGIC. No practicing, no performing. I needed to take my mind off of it. Then... I got a 12 pack of cards from my Aunt as a Christmas gift. It was almost like a test of temptation. After of couple of weeks I started back at it. I rediscovered everything, and it was just like when I first started, only I knew how to do everything-hahaha.
I discovered so many knew things I had never thought about before, and know I am back into the flow of things.

I'm not sure this relates too much to your story, but it just made me think of this.

~Zach
 
Mar 15, 2009
77
0
Minnesota
Very interesting point you have there, Ben.

My story is similar to that of Zach's, I am being forced to focus on many things. My magic is what I want to do, but my teachers are bombarding me with hours of homework and studying every night. The Army is contacting me relentlessly, telling me to "commit to service" (remember that I'm only 14); and I have gotten somewhat popular in my area, which you think would be a good thing, but in my current scenario, it is not. I have many people wanting to book me, but I am required to turn them away - I just can't handle the stress of putting on shows while attempting to have a good academic career.

That is why I'm taking a break from performing magic until school is out. I still practice, as it is very relaxing for me, and I find that if I don't do what I enjoy for at least a little while a day, I can't accomplish anything - I become miserable when I do my work, and I don't produce anything of quality. Hopefully I'll get back into the swing of things after school.

Well, I've gotta go read Macbeth, so I'm out.
 
Sep 1, 2007
1,699
1
34
This is the last thing I have to say (and I didn't even say it):

“I think there’s an association of magic as some sort of child’s entertainment. I really look at this as serious business. The fact that almost every kid of a certain age has done magic at some point in their life is fine, but if you’re going to persue this as your life’s work...” His voice trails off.

“What do we consider a standard job? 8 or 10 hours a day? Well, I spent easily that with a deck of cards in my hands for most of my life. It was both work and absolute pleasure.”

--Ricky Jay
 

Justin.Morris

Elite Member
Aug 31, 2007
2,793
888
Canada
www.morrismagic.ca
I think separating yourself from a community is good in some ways, and bad in others. It's bad in the sense you have people to give advice, support, encouragement, and point you towards different resources. That is very valuable. However one does need to separate oneself from the judgment of others. By this I mean, often times people can put their judgments on an effect in a review or whatever, and people automatically can assume that same ideology, ultimately limiting what they experience for themselves and not trying new things.

However what you said about an arts degree being useless in the real world, is simply dead wrong. ESPECIALLY when you follow that comment with your desire to be a performer.

Let me explain. If you are looking for work outside of Magic, many jobs simply require a 3-4 year degree. For instance a guidance councilor at the university requires a degree. It doesn't matter in what, you just need one. It shows you can be dedicated work hard, and you will bring some intelligence to the job. Many government jobs are the same. These sorts of jobs pay well and have great (health)benefits.

Now if you want to get into magic, an arts degree as a drama major will take your magic far beyond other magicians. learning and understanding how an actor controls an audience is huge. Then even the next level, how the director controls a live audience before they even show up. Learning how to script, how to read beats in a script, how to act those beats out. The importance of choosing the right colors to use (everything form your clothes to the silks you use). How to act. How to work with an audience that is interacting with you. When to laugh. How to make a joke. How to use a simple gesture effectively. How to use a pause effectively. Not to mention that this is just form the theatre classes you will take. There are others like psychology classes, history classes, English classes, that will all pour into your magic in ways that you can't just fake. The education and information you gain alone shapes how you speak, how you interact with others, and who you are as a person. Not to mention, the networks you build. I have had a number of people contact me who I went to school with, to do magic for them. Weddings, schools, parties, and corporate gigs. Because all these people went on to be successful people who can all use my services.
So if magic is your "real world" then you could not be more wrong about an arts degree and its usefulness.

Justin
 
I recently noticed a trend. In the past few weeks, I have been posting less and less on internet forums. As a result, I've had a lot more time to practice. I have begun to practice in three two-hour blocks every day. My magic has taken quantum leaps.

Recently, I realized that a liberal arts degree is, in fact, entirely useless in the real world. I made a decision to do closeup magic full time when I graduate (unless I decide to do it before then).

I've always wanted to be good at magic. I want to be the next Ricky Jay. That is my dream. To be able to perform magic for a living, at the level of someone like Jay. And to be able to do that, I need to spend less time thinking and more time doing.

So, I may have had a point when I started writing this (it escapes me), but now I just want to go practice. I realize that I no longer want to be a part of this sort of community. I simply want to dedicate myself to my art.

My art.
to be more dedicated...give yourself one month to do one effect.....i know its a logn time but if you spend one month on one effect every day, the next mont you can perform it with perfection....

and the next time follow the same pattern, is it a slow process??? maybe so, but it will benefit your performance...and 12 effects a year isn't bad...imagine being able to perform them as great as a Ricky Jay, thats 12 effects that you can do with precise details...and in two years, you are doing 24 effects....
 
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