Lost Motivation

[Maaz Hasan]

Hey guys,
So as some of you may remember, I got a knee injury over a year ago that hasn't gotten better too much (yet). I've been on crutches for over 2 months now I think, and due to my lack of an ability to stand normally (due to crutches and/or the pain in my knee), I honestly have not been performing since Mid-Summer.

As a result, I really haven't found any motivation to practice. I was practicing long periods of time over summer, so that I could perform when my knee got better, but recently, I haven't even bothered to do anything. In fact, I don't think I have even touched on magic for longer than 10 minutes in over a month. I was reading some books and practicing for a long time, but I have even stopped that. The thing is, I looked to performing for people as my main motivation, and since I haven't performed in a while, I have lost that motivation.

Earlier today, I was moving something in my room and happened to pick up a mixed up pile of cards (different decks and stuff, ripped cards, whatever), and I tried to palm one. I just realized how rusty I've gotten. I'm kinda looking into getting back into at least practicing. But I just seem to keep getting frustrated that all the practice I've done isn't going anywhere anytime soon. I don't know entirely what to start with. Where else do you guys find motivation outside of performing?

A secondary problem: I loved coming up with my own stuff and made a pretty big list of ideas and things that I could make or do. Should I bother working with those if I can't practice them in performance?

P.S. Yes, I know I could focus on tabled magic, but I haven't seemed to enjoy that too much. Except for false deals and gambling sleights, which I find fun to do in my spare time (but am super new to). Maybe I should practice gambling moves.... they are fun.

 

[DavidL11229]

I worked in a magic shop for several years and performed tricks for people thousands of times, so I managed to get the 'do you want to see a trick' part of magic out of my system. I now view my card sleights as a form of juggling with cards. I enjoy seeing how well I can manipulate and control a deck of cards independent of being able to fool someone with an effect. I like to find things that I can practice for hundreds of hours over the course of the year. I work on aspirational magic, things that may not be possible or at least may not be practical. If I never master these things, that's okay. If I do, yay for me and I will be able to turn it into an incredible effect I can show people. My motivation is the mastery of the deck of cards, not the spectator performance. If I obtain this mastery I assume that will lead to renewed motivation to perform. Think big, the journey will teach you much even if you never reach the destination.

Beyond the conceptual stuff and specific to your situation, why don't you work on your tabled faro, Zarow and strip out shuffles? All quite useful seated moves. By all means practice gambling moves if you find them fun. It sounds like you are in the perfect situation to learn a second deal well, something I have never accomplished.

Much of magic is learned with the goal to impress others. What can you master that will impress yourself?

 

[ChrisJGJ]

The thing is, I looked to performing for people as my main motivation, and since I haven't performed in a while, I have lost that motivation.

You're implying either that you will not recover and never be able to perform again, or that you plan to never perform again once you recover. If either of those are false, and you do plan to perform again once you have fully healed, then that should be motivation enough to stay sharp and continue practicing.

This is really just a test of your mental fortitude. Malcom X copied the whole dictionary while in prison. He was confined to a space, but he really used that time to advance his knowledge. You can do the same. Take this opportunity to really focus on your magic and become better. Think about magic more. Think about your past performances. What was strong? What was weak? What can you do better even if you thought it was perfect? Read up on things outside of magic, but that could help your magic improve. Like books on sociology, psychology, physics, chemistry, mathematics (I know you're still in school). You never know what you might find to inspire you and help your magic.

Read novels, comic books, manga. Watch movies you never thought you'd like. Anything that may help you to improve the story you add to your magic.

You will recover and you will perform again. That's exciting. Especially when coming off of a long break. Stay sharp. Keep your skills fine tuned, and get in the lab and work on some new things or make some old things better.

 

[Al e Cat Dabra]

Matt,I am sorry to hear that you are undergoing this challenge with your knee. A physical injury can sap energy - a lot of your body's energy is being directed to the healing process. And you still have the ordinary commitments of your life to attend to, like school and keeping up there. When someone's energy level is significantly down, then that can affect motivation, as well. Don't be too hard on yourself and expect too much of yourself right now. People who know you through your excellent posts on here know that you love magic and want to be great, but you are young and have a lot of time for that.

You are just in a different phase right now - a healing phase. I suffered a knee injury a few years back while running and it seemed like it was taking so long to heal, honestly, to the point that I wondered if it ever would, and I just didn't feel like doing as much while I was injured. Thankfully, it did eventually heal, as will yours.

In the meantime, why not just set a very modest goal for yourself in the next several months. Just work on one routine especially to do while seated at a table - nothing more - and just work on it a bit each day, refining it, developing your patter or story. It sounds like a gambling routine (E.g. a poker demonstration, explaining how crooked gambler's cheat) would be something you would enjoy. Personally, I love 3 Card monte and that is what I devoted myself to when I was injured. And it really paid off. Before you know it, you will be an absolute master on the routine you choose because instead of skipping around a lot, you focused just on it. Don't force yourself - even 30 minutes a day can add up. Anyway, just a suggestion. ...

 

[Lord Magic]

Hey guys,
So as some of you may remember, I got a knee injury over a year ago that hasn't gotten better too much (yet). I've been on crutches for over 2 months now I think, and due to my lack of an ability to stand normally (due to crutches and/or the pain in my knee), I honestly have not been performing since Mid-Summer.

As a result, I really haven't found any motivation to practice. I was practicing long periods of time over summer, so that I could perform when my knee got better, but recently, I haven't even bothered to do anything. In fact, I don't think I have even touched on magic for longer than 10 minutes in over a month. I was reading some books and practicing for a long time, but I have even stopped that. The thing is, I looked to performing for people as my main motivation, and since I haven't performed in a while, I have lost that motivation.

Earlier today, I was moving something in my room and happened to pick up a mixed up pile of cards (different decks and stuff, ripped cards, whatever), and I tried to palm one. I just realized how rusty I've gotten. I'm kinda looking into getting back into at least practicing. But I just seem to keep getting frustrated that all the practice I've done isn't going anywhere anytime soon. I don't know entirely what to start with. Where else do you guys find motivation outside of performing?

A secondary problem: I loved coming up with my own stuff and made a pretty big list of ideas and things that I could make or do. Should I bother working with those if I can't practice them in performance?

P.S. Yes, I know I could focus on tabled magic, but I haven't seemed to enjoy that too much. Except for false deals and gambling sleights, which I find fun to do in my spare time (but am super new to). Maybe I should practice gambling moves.... they are fun.

First off, get well soon.
Second, I have yet to step completely away from magic. But after a long time while I was doing some other kind of magic, I realised that my coin palm had worsened! And of course, my muscle-pass muscles keep switching in and on so don't be afraid, all that time you put into magic won't disappear. It has just gathered some dust. It will require just a bit of practice to brush it off. This is the real world, things just won't vanish. You still have your magic with you...all that time WILL NEVER go into waste. Am not being inspirational, am being very practical.
I don't think you should try making your own stuff until you are get back your magic self pretty well...making your own trick successfully might be the motivation you need but remember, if you find in the process that you have forgotten old moves, it will make you more depressed.
First of all, I think you should remind yourself that magic ultimately is just a part of your personality. That holds true even if you are a professional magician or feel something like "Magic is my passion"...magic is just a part of who you are.
So, don't get to depressed, you just need practice like anything else. That's it.
However, I understand you love magic. We all do.
I feel that you should look at things you love other than magic. And remember, there WILL be something or the other you love, outside of magic. Or maybe, something you have extensive knowledge about other than magic. Incorporate that into your magic.
Like, I learn singing...so I try to bring a musical sense in my performances.
Also, I love Physics and Computer...so you will often find my patter linked with them.
So no matter what you are doing actually, if you manage to somehow connect your magic to something other than only MAGIC, it is easy to get out of boredom.
Also, that will help you develop a solid character for your performances. And then you can go and perform. What other great motivation is there in magic than seeing people scream with happiness over something YOU did?
Heck, I feel you can use your knee injury to make some seriously interesting patter too! If you have ever seen Brian Brushwood perform mentalism, you will see how he seldom prefers to use the patter we use, like body language, science, spirits helping, etc. Nope, he chooses to say, that one 'fine' day he was walking when lightning struck him and he got super-natural powers. Of course everyone knows he is joking. And then his tricks make people madder because they, after the performance, dunno what to believe! lol

If you have a visual proof of your knee injury, go ahead and use that to your advantage to fry some brains

Right now, I feel you should step aside from all these theoritical stuff and go ahead with practicals. And then see performances. And then you will see something or the other you feel you HAVE TO LEARN, it is so amazing. And then you will get your stuff out and practice. Presto!
You have got your motivation back in you

 

[RealityOne]

@Maaz Hasan, it sound like you are a bit depressed about your injury and the lack of healing. I'm with you. I had what I thought was a shoulder injury from swimming last April. Started to lose feeling, strength and motor control in my left hand. That progressed to the point where I was starting to have difficulty walking. Turned out the root cause was a herniated disc in my neck which was compressing my spine. That required surgery in July. Most of the problems went away right after surgery, but I still have stiffness and pain in my neck and shoulders and occasional tingling in my left hand and right foot. Will probably take a full year to recover and even that won't be 100%.

It is really easy to let something like that get to you. It is hard to forget about something that you are reminded of constantly. It is also easy to focus on what you CAN'T do rather than what you CAN do. Also, the daily struggle to deal with being on crutches, etc. puts a stress on you that makes it more difficult to devote energy to other things. So, simply put, what you are feeling is perfectly normal.

The key is to find things that you can do and that interest you and devote your energy to that. In many ways, focusing on things you like helps distract you from problems. That way, you direct the stress you are under toward something productive.

My first suggestion is to get a book called Illusions by Richard Bach. It has nothing to do with magic and everything to do with how you approach life. It is probably the one book that has influenced me the most in life. My second suggestion is to get a couple of other magic related books. The Magician's Elephant is a beautifully written fictional book. Its eloquence in language should be imitated in your scripting. Jim Steinmeyer's Hiding the Elephant (no relation to the elephant in the Magician's Elephant) and The Last Greatest Magician are great works about magic history. Also, Steinmeyer and Caveney's MAGIC 1400s to 1950s book is amazing with beautiful illustrations.

My last suggestion is to change focus a bit. Why not design a parlor, stage show or pure mentalism show? It is a great exercise in learning and imagination. You have to learn the methods for a variety of effects, select effects, develop presentations and scripts. Along the way, pick up some books on theory or presentation.

Good luck.

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

Illusions is an excellent book. Also, a very quick read. But profound.

 

[Justinquill]

I hope you get well soon Maaz. If magic is something you plan to keep pursueing I know not having motivation to practice or learn can be tough, that is where discipline can step up and help. You are young and hopefully will bounce back as young men and women do. Oh and I third picking up Illusions, great book.