So for awhile now magic/mentalism has started to feel like a void. It has no meaning for me anymore and I have the urge to quit. I've quit before and that hiatus lasted for like 2 years. I really feel that I'm not cut out to perform. Have any of you ever felt this way?
Quitting?
- Thread starter JD
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J. PM me immediately, don't quit. I have felt this way before, then I went to the magic castle for my (what I was going to say) last time. It wasn't. Everyone has hurtles. Many feel like their skills are great and they can't perform. That was me. All I had to do was be myself.
PM me. Tell me your situation.
PM me. Tell me your situation.
Brother, life is like a roller coaster; it has its ups and downs, so please don't lose your faith. Magic can bring happiness to the audience and the performer. Just remember the times you make someone very happy with your magic, and that will enlighten your soul.
Tricky Devil
Remember why you did this in the first place. Don't give up because it got hard or something. You quit before..obviously you came back...remember why. Don't think down on yourself. If you want to talk more about it PM me.
I do not understand at all how in one thread you are discussing taking a potential gig and then in another thread you are ready to quit. Am I the only one confused here?
im totally confused here too...i just noticed that...i think in the other he said it was his 1st gig? i could be wrong here. but if it is..maybe after it he'll feel better and the spark will light again? maybe..i dont know. haha
Lose not your faith in magic, but ask yourself what drew you to it in the first place; and then seek to get back to that happy place.
Everyone hits lows every now, and again. It's life. Go see a few shows, go try performing for some people that you've never seen before, try and revisit what captivated your imagination in the first place. If that doesn't work for you, then it's okay to take a break too. Sometimes a vacation is all that's needed. Magic is like riding a bike. Just because you don't do it for a few years doesn't mean the ability leaves you.
The best to you and your career.
Will Draven
Rever: Perhaps he performed his first gig, and had a negative experience?
Everyone hits lows every now, and again. It's life. Go see a few shows, go try performing for some people that you've never seen before, try and revisit what captivated your imagination in the first place. If that doesn't work for you, then it's okay to take a break too. Sometimes a vacation is all that's needed. Magic is like riding a bike. Just because you don't do it for a few years doesn't mean the ability leaves you.
The best to you and your career.
Will Draven
Rever: Perhaps he performed his first gig, and had a negative experience?
Quit if you want. Not all who enter into the subject of medicine end up finishing and becoming doctors. Same for this situation. Not all those who dabble in magic will make anything happen with it. Others will. Doesn't make them any better as a person, just makes them different. And that's a good thing.
This may sound really harsh, but if you're not enjoying magic or the journey that it is taking you on, hop off and find a new one. Simple.
Ty
This may sound really harsh, but if you're not enjoying magic or the journey that it is taking you on, hop off and find a new one. Simple.
Ty
I too am puzzled by the other thread where you talked about taking a gig versus this one where you are talking about quitting.
That point notwithstanding, allow me to offer a slightly different viewpoint.
Sometimes it's good to take a break from something when you become too absorbed in it and it seems to weigh you down. Why not take a break from magic, with the idea that you will get back after a few months? See if that recharges your batteries.
Also, if you are having trouble because you are worrying about earning a living doing magic, you could keep magic as a hobby as opposed to a profession. Many enjoyable hobbies can become a drain if you try and make them your profession. You have to decide for yourself if magic is a suitable profession.
Same. I'd say maybe back down a bit. Maybe take a break, maybe read some theory, maybe listen to a ton of podcasts from magic 'greats' (I recommend Magic Newswire, best podcasts I've found).
Look, it's not the end of the world if you just lose interest in magic. I can't count how many things I've obsessed over then lost interest in. Knife throwing, juggling, acrobatics, parkour, Warhammer 40K/Necromunda, D&D, German, Spanish, French, Icelandic ... etc, etc. The list is stupidly long.
However, you may just need a break. Or maybe it's not meant to be your main profession. Plenty of 'big' names in magic were not magicians full time. I believe that many of the true innovators in magic were hobbyists and not pros, in fact. Pros are too busy looking for work to innovate.
If you're losing interest in magic, then it's counter productive to force it. Either explore different areas or just walk away. Maybe it'll be permanent, maybe it'll be temporary. Just do what you want to do.
Look, it's not the end of the world if you just lose interest in magic. I can't count how many things I've obsessed over then lost interest in. Knife throwing, juggling, acrobatics, parkour, Warhammer 40K/Necromunda, D&D, German, Spanish, French, Icelandic ... etc, etc. The list is stupidly long.
However, you may just need a break. Or maybe it's not meant to be your main profession. Plenty of 'big' names in magic were not magicians full time. I believe that many of the true innovators in magic were hobbyists and not pros, in fact. Pros are too busy looking for work to innovate.
If you're losing interest in magic, then it's counter productive to force it. Either explore different areas or just walk away. Maybe it'll be permanent, maybe it'll be temporary. Just do what you want to do.
well i know this is not the best answer but when i stopped istarted to do xcm instead now xcm is my main thing now but i still do magic a little
Perhaps there's a small feeling of "familiarity breeds contempt". Do something unique, out of the box, amazing. Otherwise, magic will just be "another hobby" for you, rather than a magical part of your life. Take a break, and do something else that might give your mind a rejuvenating rest. Perhaps then you'll be ready to delve back into magic, or go on to pursue some of your other interests.
Trust me , don't quit.Think about all the priceless friends you have made just because of magic , the reactions you have gotten , etc etc.
The confusion about the two threads: Yes I got the gig and it will be my "first" official gig but it doesn't mean I haven't performed for a lot of people before. I plan on doing the gig and taking a break. I spend so much on magic and for what? I get so nervous and think that hey, I'll just go and **** up because of my nerves. What a waste of money. It got to the point to where magic was my life. If I wasn't practicing, I was thinking about how to create the best possible experience for a potential performance, but then I would remember I would probably chicken out. It frustrates the hell out of me and I can't stand it. I feel like I have the potential to be good but at the end of the day it just comes out to being afraid to perform for large groups. For example, one of my favorite styles of magic is the type that is presented in The Garden of the Strange. However, I feel like I could not possibly bring those effects to their full potential. In actuality, I feel like I have not the capability to be a convincing performer. Therefore, the thought of, "Hey, I really suck and should quit." popped up in my head.
What you just described goes for just about any sort of performance art, as well as many MANY aspects in life. Sometimes you just have to close your eyes and take a step forward. backing away from fears of failure will only get yourself hurt in the end. If you want to be a certain type of performer... be that type. It may take work to become convincing, but hey, it's work. If everything were easy, it would not be worth achieving. Don't quit if this be your reason. Not to be rude... but it's not a good enough reason. Fear is never a good enough reason to quit something. The school of thought that you should perform immediately after you learn is wrong. As we all know. I've been doing magic for going on 3 years... I'm still fine tuning the effects I've learned on day one. The sleights are easy. The patter is really non existent. But I want it to be right. Sometimes it's like a wine. Keep up the work and don't let fear become the best of you. There will always be demons in your life trying to tear you down. Not just in magic, but with life in general.
My friend...fear is natural...but you should find the willpower to overcome it...
to be honest, even when I have been performing some time now..the fear never goes, even if it is a little bit is still there...
from this post I asume you don`t perform a lot...I feel that`s actually why I haven`t stop myself in magic, because that`s the reason to do magic after all...forget about your fear...focus on your magic...
I know how you feel J. Slade. I felt like that at one point and I thought about it. Well I with to Mexico during the time. I completely forgot about my deck of cards and started to hanging out with my family and friends. After a couple of weeks I finally grab a deck of cards and the love of magic came back to me. The problem was that I never had the chance to pratice cause of soccer and school. I came back from soccer around 6:30, I ate, took a shower, and do at least a couple of hours of homework and go to sleep. It was like that for a couple of months.
I guess I'm talking too much. My point take a break from magic and spent time with your family and maybe do a sport or something. If you don't want to do magic anymore well thats your decision and I can't stop you. Good luck!
I guess I'm talking too much. My point take a break from magic and spent time with your family and maybe do a sport or something. If you don't want to do magic anymore well thats your decision and I can't stop you. Good luck!
Your fear is good, it'll drive your magic to perfection. Just go out and perform.
Start off with something solid, and deceptively simple. If it goes well, just thank them and walk away.
One trick, 2 minutes, if it fails apologize and thank them for their time.
Eventually you'll get used to approaching people and successfully doing one trick. Then start doing two, and if you're feeling it, three tricks for small audiences.
Do this for a while and it'll will slowly help you overcome your nerves. They may never go away, but again, that's a good thing. The more nervous you are the more time you will take to prepare, making your performances that much better.
Start off with something solid, and deceptively simple. If it goes well, just thank them and walk away.
One trick, 2 minutes, if it fails apologize and thank them for their time.
Eventually you'll get used to approaching people and successfully doing one trick. Then start doing two, and if you're feeling it, three tricks for small audiences.
Do this for a while and it'll will slowly help you overcome your nerves. They may never go away, but again, that's a good thing. The more nervous you are the more time you will take to prepare, making your performances that much better.
Sounds to me what you lack is personal confidence. That's something you just have to decide for yourself that you have. Nothing worth having has ever been achieved by being afraid of taking a chance.