I have the skills, I have the patter. I have a plethora of magic tricks... I lack the confidence that I can pull them off. I have done dozens and dozens of magic tricks for strangers, friends and acquaintances. I always get the "wtf" or how did you do that or omg... once or twice I have had a trick go wrong but always had a stand by or a come back to deal with it. My problem... I think everyone is as smart as me... most magic tricks I can figure out, Chris angel, David Blaine, even fool us by the duo... so I assume everyone can see what I am doing... I know it isn't true but my ultimate fear is getting caught and losing my confidence to go on from there... I KNOW I am a good magician, I just cant get past the fact that if I can see what is happening, why cant they. I need help with this part as I am retiring and want to do this as a part time thing, we already do catering on the side but it would be stellar if I could do table side magic with the confidence I need. I don't know what is wrong, because in every other aspect of life I am confident beyond the realm of confident.
How do I become a real performer?
- Thread starter Gordon M.
- Start date
You can see the methods because you're looking for them. Same reason if you buy a blue car suddenly you see blue cars everywhere.
Here's the thing, though - only magicians really look for methods. When a performance is engaging laymen will not try to figure out the methods and they'll probably be annoyed with someone if the method is explained. They don't want to know.
If you want to be a 'real performer' just focus on making your performance entertaining and, most importantly, engaging, and you will never have to worry about people thinking about the methods.
Here's the thing, though - only magicians really look for methods. When a performance is engaging laymen will not try to figure out the methods and they'll probably be annoyed with someone if the method is explained. They don't want to know.
If you want to be a 'real performer' just focus on making your performance entertaining and, most importantly, engaging, and you will never have to worry about people thinking about the methods.
It's simple as just breaking that first hurdle. When I first started before getting paid I would just perform for friends, eventually it was something like a person on the sidelines not in the friend group getting interested in what I was showing them, then once that's there I move on and start performing for that group.
I used to have fairly large anxiety about performing but as soon as I started, that all went away and I'm just enjoying the moment.
Once you do that enough times then you can start thinking about marketing yourself of trying to get gigs
But that really should only happen when you get over the "will they know what I'm doing" phase.
Good luck and have fun!
I used to have fairly large anxiety about performing but as soon as I started, that all went away and I'm just enjoying the moment.
Once you do that enough times then you can start thinking about marketing yourself of trying to get gigs
But that really should only happen when you get over the "will they know what I'm doing" phase.
Good luck and have fun!
Magicians guilt is tough, I suffer from it myself too! I’m sure some pros will weigh in soon but your concern is addressed in Jeff McBride’s book; The Show Doctor. One of his fixes sounds simple but it’s the crux of the issue…and it’s just to perform. The more you perform the less those thoughts will intrude.
Good luck!
Good luck!