Maybe You Should Stop Doing Magic

It’s 6:00 PM – Better Do a Card Trick

Why do you do magic? Are you doing magic because it’s 6:00 on a Friday night? Or do you do magic because you love it and have a passion for it? Or some other reason?

There are only a handful of things that I’m passionate about and can spend hours talking about. Magic is near the top of that list. What about you? What do you talk about when you’re not at work? What excites you? What do you think about before going to bed and immediately after waking up?

What topics do you find yourself gravitating toward during dinner conversations, hanging with friends conversations, etc.? If magic isn’t on the short list, maybe you’re in the wrong profession. If you’re doing magic because you were told to, and it that’s how you get your paycheck, and no other reason, you probably shouldn’t be doing magic.

It’s 3:00 AM and I’m Still Awake Practicing my Presentation

Not everyone loves their job. I get it. However, if you work at McDonald’s taking orders and you hate your job, the customers notice, and it’s not a pleasant experience for them either. If you perform magic, but hate performing, or “only do it to bring in some extra cash” then your audience (i.e., your customers) will notice. This month’s Roots and Branches article is about showing your audience the respect they deserve by putting in the time to perfect your performance.

Well, poor performance isn’t the only way you may be disrespecting your audience. When you just “phone it in” rather than putting your heart and soul into your performance, you are doing your audience and yourself a disservice.

If you don’t enjoy your performance, neither will your audience, and neither will your client (i.e., the person who hired you for the venue). The No Stone Left Unturned column is all about the business side of magic. And my advice to you is that if you don’t like the business you’re in, then you won’t succeed in that business. There’s a great 1970’s song written by Stephen Stills of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. It’s called Love the One Your With. The chorus line says, “If you can’t be with the one you love, love the one you’re with.”

Basically, the message I get from this is that if you can’t be with the person (or thing) that you love, don’t let the person you are with be hurt by that. Give them all of your love . . . love the one you’re with. So let’s apply that to magic. Is magic the “One You Love” or is it the “One You’re With?” Either one is fine, but if it’s the “One You’re With,” then you need to learn to “Love the One You’re With.”

If it’s 3:00 AM and you’re still awake working on your script or figuring out that new routine you wanted to do, then chances are that magic is the “One You Love.” But if you’re dreading your gig tonight, or you don’t feel you need to work hard and/or late to get the script “just right” then maybe you’re not with the one you love. Maybe it’s time to move on. Maybe you should stop doing magic.

It’s Not Only About You

You not liking your craft impacts other people . . . like the people who watch you and the people who pay you. Many others are affecting by your love or lack of love for magic. If you want to be successful in this business, you must have a passion for it. You must have a contagious enthusiasm for it. When you meet with your client, they must feel that passion and know that they must hire you.

If you don’t see yourself as that kind of person, that’s totally okay. I’m not passionate about being a roofer. That’s why I’m not one. I’m not passionate about being a doctor. That’s why I never went to med school. I’m passionate about writing, programming, magic-ing, etc. That’s why I do those things. Think about my work in the magic fraternity. I publish a free monthly magazine. I publish free daily reviews. I don’t make a dime for these efforts, yet I spend countless hours doing them. Why? Because I love it.

If you don’t love it, you’ve got two choices: Learn to love, or leave it. Pick one, and do it. Your audience deserves it.

Until Next Month . . .