Where do you get your inspiration from?

Nathanael463 · Feb 4, 2011

Hi all, I was wondering somehing. When it comes to the bad side of magic, when things don't seem to be going well, or when you perform a trick and no one seems to think it's as magical as you did. What do you do to keep your spirits up? I know that right now, I am struggling with keeping my spirirts up. When ever I freeze approaching people to show them something, I feel depressed that I passed up an opportunity to perform for someone. Any advice you could all offer me on what to do to keep myself inspired or even what to do getting over the fear of performing for people, would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks all.

BenTCM · Feb 4, 2011

I think what you said yourself could be used to inspire you. You are probably wondering what I mean, but I will tell you. Because you said you were said when you don't perform for someone, don't let that performing opportunity slip by! Let THAT be your motivation! Think to yourself "If I don't perform for these people, I will be depressed because I will let a good performing opportunity pass by". And the worst thing that can happen is that the group of people say "no". Technically, if they say they don't want to watch you, you haven't gained or lost anything. So take the risk, and have fun performing!

XabierL · Feb 4, 2011

For now almost all of my routines are version of tricks by other magician, but when I created a color change, I created a really cool move by accident. Then two routines came to my mind... and Ive created a couple of tricks that are amazing. Just think of what kind of things you want to create, and then just think about ways to do it.

e.g. i've also created a trick in which you drop a coin into a glass, but instead of falling into it, it falls into a glass on the other side of the table... i wanted to create that routine and I start thinking about ways of doing it. I use a very simple one-handed vanish and a duplicate coin, but is really cool.

cbmagician · Feb 4, 2011

One of my best ways to motivate and inspire myself is to watch and read from different creative performers. Every now and then on the internet we always come across amazing performers. I always enjoy watching footage of Alan Ackerman, John Bannon, John Carney, Dani DaOrtiz, etc. The list goes on and on. I encourage you to read alot of new stuff aswell. I recently read Card Fictions by Pit Hartling and literally a bomb of inspiration went off in my head. He has amazing stuff and so does Michael Weber(another one of my favorites.) Try not to overload yourself though with too much at the same time. Just even it out.

ATH · Feb 4, 2011

Music.

word count

Slicke · Feb 4, 2011

Different people have different inspirations for sure. What really inspires me to go out and perform is when I see someone else performing beautiful clean magic. Watching Derren Brown and the elegance he brings to his magic also inspires me ...

S.G · Feb 5, 2011

I don't do much magic but I would like to chip in for flourishes. When I look at a piece of art that I particularly like, such as modern graphics, I occasionally get bursts of inspiration for cardistry. Same with music. There are some songs that just have certain chords that strike imagination into me.

Honestly, sometimes, it is just me dreaming about....Pokemon (just kidding...kinda) and I will just have a brain blast (kinda like Jimmy Neutron) and I will have flashes of a new concept. Mind you, I don't have very good concepts but it is a start!

AceO'Spades · Feb 5, 2011

Slicke said:
Different people have different inspirations for sure. What really inspires me to go out and perform is when I see someone else performing beautiful clean magic. Watching Derren Brown and the elegance he brings to his magic also inspires me ...

Agreed. I'm inspired in different ways by different people. My list of inspires is huge, but when I see Gregory Wilson perform for example, I'm inspired to keep humor in my routine, as opposed to Dan and Dave Buck, who always inspire my flourishes and my practice of the effects and moves which belong to them.
But inspiration and MOTIVATION really comes from my audience, whether at the two restaurants I perform at, or wherever, I'm motivated to keep learning new appropriate material to continue to entertain my audience, and enjoy the smile on their faces

-Max