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Having come back from a long break, I return fresh and inspired. I've not performed a trick for over a year and I've not maintained any skills in that period either. Here are some thoughts.

Disenchantment happens. I've been through it is a number of times and for a number of reasons. If it hits you, sit back and relax. Don't imagine that buying another trick book, gaff deck, DVD or even changing style will help. It's a lull, it's like writer's block. Don't try to fight it.

I sat, surrounded by a couple of hundred pounds worth of books, DVDs, cards and other bits and bobs. I wondered what the hell I was doing it all for.

I decided I'd read one of those old books which I'd bought because someone said to and it was totally uninspiring. I wondered why I'd got into this in the first place.

I felt I was a long way from being a good magician but I knew I was better than an embarrassing uncle. I felt flat.

So what was it that turned me back around. I'll tell you.

My Polish friend came back to the UK. She had a playing card in her purse in that bit where photos or ID cards go. It was a card I'd given her after a trick. It was a tricked I'd performed on her last day in England when we all thought she was leaving for ever. That was over a year ago. She'd still got the card.

The trick had that much of an impact on her that she'd kept it.

Also, I friend of mine's younger brother approached me and started nattering about magic and we spent about three hours talking about what magic isn't (just doing the trick) and what it is (wonder and entertainment). He was really inspired and consequently really inspiring. It reminded me how I used to feel.

I rooted through all my kit and found him RTCM and a couple of packs of cards. I found a pack myself and had a fiddle. I was rubbish, but it was good, simple, wholesome stuff.

So my advice if you're feeling disenchanted is to sit back and try to remember why you loved magic and the impact you had in the past. Don't force yourself to do something you're not enjoying.

What a fantastic story! Really inspirational!

I really do hope people remember this the next time they're feeling down about their magic.

It just goes to prove that we, as magicians do not always 'see' and experience what the spectator does.

It is very similar to when you purchase an apparently amazing, earth shattering effect, and when you get it and read the instructions you say' Is that it?' almost disheartened!

Just because we know how the 'magic' is performed it often detracts from the impact that the spectator experiences!

It occurs to me now that's I've done exactly the same with music instruments. I always end up coming back to them eventually. I regret selling my classical guitar though. So I won't be selling any of my magic bits and bobs.

I'm still going to sell mine, finally I've come to a decision (don't laugh or go ughhh) I'm going to stick with mentalism and I have until november to change my mind (again) for I'm going to sell a lot of my magic. I just realized how uninspired I feel towards magic after mentalism.

Ian, why sell?

If you can afford to keep your stuff, just put them in a box until you feel the urge to do 'magic' again nstead of mentalism!

Could work out cheaper in the long run! Especially if you come full circle and end up doing magic again!

My wife said once "don't sell what you can't afford to replace".

Marvell wrote:My wife said once "don't sell what you can't afford to replace".

Wise words from no doubt a smart lady!

When moving house once, she sold all her vinyl. She never replaced it. This was some 15 years ago and she still regrets it.

Marvell wrote:When moving house once, she sold all her vinyl. She never replaced it. This was some 15 years ago and she still regrets it.

Noooooooo, Nightmare!

I once went crawling around in the attic in the dark and managed to put my knee on on a bag full of my Dads vinyl records, and heard a multitude of 'Cracks'! I've never told him and that was about 10 years ago!

Oh well

But it's stuff that I can afford to replace.

It's not Rod or Todd it's a personal one I did that does look exactly like one of them now that you say that. (Plus I have the curly hair of the devil too.)

lol

Ian - have you ever thought about (and this may make me very unpopular in some quarters) combining your magic with mentalism? Keep the parts of magic that you do very well and introduce some mentalism in between them.

Or take a fresh look at your magic bits and bobs with the eyes of a mentalist, and consider how you could turn "pure magic" into a mentalist effect.

Hope this makes sense! It's late and I fear I may be rambling!

themagicwand wrote:Ian - have you ever thought about (and this may make me very unpopular in some quarters) combining your magic with mentalism?

Call the thread police, I'm being hijacked!

Marvell wrote:

themagicwand wrote:Ian - have you ever thought about (and this may make me very unpopular in some quarters) combining your magic with mentalism?

Call the thread police, I'm being hijacked!

In a further encouragement of this hijacking, why should magic and mentalism not be mixed (in some quarters)?


Marvell, that's a great story and I'm like that with many things I try, guitar too. It's hard getting over some hurdles, especially the first one which takes you from bumbling amateur to able novice. You at least want to get the basics right first but it can be difficult to begin with.

Not to say that you're a bumbling amateur! I'm talking about myself.