talkmagic.co.uk

Bruce Springsteeen was once asked, in the mid-80's, at his height of fame, whether he got nervous.
His reply?
"Hell no, I just shake a bit, sweat a lot and my throat goes dry"
Bruce

TDGinge wrote:I am going to print that last post. Thanks for that. Great advice.

You're very welcome. Glad I could help!

Thanks Barefoot Boy, that's really good advice.

Thanks to everyone who chipped in really, especially the thing about adrenaline and glucose. Thinking about it I do get an immense thrill from performance and the shaking I feel is similar to the way I feel when I've had a big adrenaline kick.

Also the best presentation I ever gave in university was bookended by a bottle of lucosade either side of it, so that's something I'm going to try.

Only been a member here one day and I'm already finding it incredibly useful!

-Stacy

The more you perform at different situations, the more used you'll get to it, and the less your hands will shake.

On the plus point, remember that audience rarely sees the same magic you see. You know what's supposed to happen. They don't. When your hands shook there, they thought it's intentional and it fit with the magic. Maybe there's a lesson there.

I know that a few months ago I was eating at a restaurant and was having fun with silly magic tricks in front of my wife. The manager came to our table and asked for a magic trick. I used Meskia's loop to demonstrate how a single card gets pulled out of a pack, and my hands were shaking like crazy (no idea why, really, since I did that before plenty of times). The shaking actually made it look like I was really exerting myself moving things with my mind, and left quite an impression on everyone around.

So sometimes it's for the best. You just need to know when and where.

Good luck with it!

themagicwand wrote:

Lord Freddie wrote:Failing anything else, a bottle of scotch will eradicate your inhibitions.

"Is thish your card? No, no, wait! Is thish your card? No, wait, thish is really cool, just watch! Is thish your card? Are you sure it's not cos thish usually works and it's so cool! Are you sure thish isn't your card? What's your name again? Is your boyfriend here? No? Great! Is thish your card?"

I think I have seen the fellow before!

I think I have seen the fellow before!

You were not meant to tell anyone...
I really thought the card was on the ceiling until I realised it was on the floor and I was too, staring at it....
Oh how we laughed...
Bruce

Brilliant advice in this thread. This is something I suffer from a lot!

I was recently in a local magic competition between my three local clubs. I was /incredibly/ nervous, so much so that I was struggling to handle the cards for my first routine. I asked a few friends after and they said they didn't even notice. I suppose these things often feel worse to ourselves.

I completely stuffed up the second effect and couldn't wait to get off the stage, but that's a different matter altogether!

R

Nerves and adrenline are what make performing magic so exciting.I think the day you're not a bit nervous is the day you don't really care about performing anymore.

Think of a layman doing a card trick for someone just for the laugh.Do they shake?No cause they dont care if they mess up.When we mess up we come onto this forum crying about it,thinking what we should have doing and trying hard to make sure it doesnt happen again.I sure know I do.Why?Because I care and love magic.

Having said that,nerves are a bloody wreck the head ad can be quite embarrassing too.I actually find it hard to give advice here.I've done countless gigs for absolute strangers and have being performing for years and it still happens to me.

As somebody else that suffers with shakings hands, there is some cracking advice on here!

As with others, my hands shake because of the adrenaline and then I begin to notice it and it turns to nerves! However, the lucozade tip sounds like a great idea- will definately be giving that one a go!

Since I don't get any financial benefit from it, I figure it's alright to link to my old blog. Since I am unsure though, I am going to copy/paste an article I wrote awhile back titled: Nerves and “Shakes” (“What’s Wrong with You Mr. Magician?”)

I originally wrote it when I started noticing the problem, and as I learned to overcome it for the most part. I'll paste it here with a link to the original format at the end. Hope it helps some...


Nerves and “Shakes” (“What’s Wrong with You Mr. Magician?”)

Having problems with nerves? Are your hands starting to shake while performing, and you think others will notice? I have one thing to tell you…

ITS NATURAL. Anyone who has ever performed will tell you this, and it’s true. Getting nerves and shakes is no kind of sign to worry about. If anything, it’s telling you that you are still alive, and a human being. Even practiced performers, working pros, and I’m sure even the big dogs (Copperfield, Angel, Blaine, and others from the past) still get nervous, and probably have some of those shakes too.

It is not necessarily bad, nor should it be thought of in that light. You’re standing in front of others, and all their eyes are trained on one thing…YOU. Who wouldn’t be nervous?

More specifically, lets take the “shakes” as some call them. Where your hands and sometimes arms, maybe legs, start to shake. This is involuntary, and usually is hard to control. Besides interfering with sleights and moves, some are afraid the spectators might notice. Well, they DON’T. In the off chance that they do, what do you think will happen? Are they going to laugh you out of the room because you are nervous, and shake a bit? No, I hope you have more confidence in your magic and YOURSELF than that. Let them try to get in front of people and do something that they have practiced time and time again, just to do this very act…of performing.

I’ll tell you one theory I’ve heard spouted around, and if you believe in it may help convince you of its normality. The theory is, that the shakes are really “energy” Coursing through your body. Where does this come from? It’s comes off of everyone around you, everyone CENTERED in on your hands, and your face…your performance. They put off all this energy and concentration your way, and you as the entertainer pick it all up, causing it to run through your body. Now, whether you believe in the “energy” theory or not, it kinda makes sense, and can at least me used as a metaphor of sorts. Their concentrating all their focus your way, and you feel a need to move, your body is a little uncomfortable standing there with all those eyes on it, and shakes a bit involuntarily “escaping” focus or the need to “move”.

Or if the shakes aren’t really a problem, it may be just plain nerves. You’re anxious about performing, you get the stomach fluttery butterfly thing, a whole flock of em by the feel of it, and you may even feel a bit nauseous. This COMBINED with those shake things can be quite some form of hell. But There are ways to control all this.

I believe most of it comes from self control, confidence, repetition and ease(being comfortable).

♣First off, self control. Many methods come in the form of positive affirmations. Or forceful affirmations in this case: “I will hold still. I will be fine. I can do this easily. There is no need for you (speaking to yourself) to be scared…its just magic.” And many others that you might suit to your own mind and needs.

♦Confidence…a big one among performers, and a problem among beginners in general. Many people have self esteem issues, and this can contribute to a lack of confidence, or vise versa. You must believe in your magic, you must believe in yourself, and your abilities. Think of it this way… You have practiced over and over, you know the moves, you KNOW the patter…there is no problem. You CAN and will do this. If it helps you more, even list each thing in your head: Patter…you know what to say. Moves…You have them down. Effects…You know the method, and when you want to do it. Routine…You may have one of these planned. And then, further more, you have dealt with people before, you know some crows control…what is there to stop you? What makes you scared, you need to rule that out and down at the first. Find what your fear is, and eliminate that first.

♥Repetition and Ease. I consider this a way of control. But really it’s more of a natural solution. What I mean by this Repetition… Is that you repeatedly perform, and go out and get the experience. After doing this so many times, you then gain the Ease and it all settles down. You become COMFORTABLE with the people around you, learn how to control them and your magic expertly, and feel great doing your magic. This is the ultimate stage, to feel so at Ease while performing, if you’re relaxed, the audience will relax, and you can all have a great fun time together. You may still have those natural shakes during this sometimes, but that’s life, they shouldn’t bother you without the nervousness.

So I have to say…Remember you are good at what you do, You can perform it without flaw for the most part, and that the people want to see what you have to show them…if not, they wouldn’t be there watching it would they? You want to come off good to the people, but in the end, if you try your hardest, give it your all, and put on your show and they still aren’t happy? Who cares? You can’t win everyone over, and you didn’t want to…you wanted to put on a show, and brighten someone’s day, and lift their spirits. Just give it your all, and remember that you have no reason to be scared, it works out…you are in control of your magic, and your audience. No losses.

Good luck performing, and as always I hoped this helped you. You can’t let nerves control your life.

By: Grant Horton


I also agree about the adrenaline. It is a natural process. I realize looking back through that I worded it a little silly. Hope that helps however...

http://granthorton.wordpress.com/2009/01/02/nerves-and-shakes-whats-wrong-with-you-mr-magician/

I sometimes get this same issue even performing the same effects I've done time and time again, normally if it's under new or unfamilier conditions. I get slightly worried that this may throw off a slight too, so normally what I do it push in a small trick before, that doesn't involve anything from me, one that the participate dose completely in their hands, that will then give me that little boost of "there, you're all good after all" and the shaking hands ease off.

Maybe that'll help you out. I'm sure that even the great magicians get nervous every now and then, but this may be a little trick that could just give you that little boost when you need it.

If you'd like to know what it is a actually perform then drop me a message, otherwise there are other good ones out there I'm sure if you want to find something yourself.

I've been on stage before. Its all psychological. Its just that people don't like seeing someone nervous on stage AT ALL !!! So the only way to go is to be confident and giving off positive energy. All of them are here to see you. Psychologically is your personality attracts people, they will wanna watch you.

I remember being at parties or church camps and they'd introduce someone I never heard of. However, some people I have remembered purely because of the way they acted. Wow.

Its not what you say, its how you say it.

Act nervous, you'll be remembered nervous. Act confident and leading, you'll be remembered strong. There's no way out for this on stage.

And if you are referring to close up. Remember the tricks you used to perform at first ? You wanted to show EVERYONE. I believe its just that taking it too seriously ( like over ) would cause you to think of failurephobia, and thus, performaphobia

Basem,
Very good description of the symptoms and the solution overview, it is just that the practical HOW is missing...
"Act confident and leading..." - there are several books in that one alone.
As well as all the "positive energy" stuff, the best way to get over this "nerves", (or at least reduce the signs), is by continously getting practice at performance, starting young if you can! The more you do, the less nervous you become. It is a new social skill and your body reacting to it in a perfectly normal "evolutionary" and protective way. Like any social skill, it can be learned, and practicing helps. Once you are in that state, of course, ad more and more of the "confidence" tips, but until then there's only one real way to reuce/stop it.
Even semantics can help. You use the word "confronted" in your title, try "when performing". Sometimes re-framing the smallest of things in terms of the words you use can help.
Remember - what you feel as nerves may also be completely missed by the audience that are watching you.
Bruce

What I usually do is a small effect to gain the audiences trust and the blow them away with something bigger.

Love the glucose idea!

Tjex

@Bruce... sorry about that, let me tell you my way around it. Let me give a life example of mine:

I remember when I auditioned for a contest 3 months ago, I was afraid because they might suddenly tell you "...thank you... NEXT..." I watched a whole lot of comedy series and lucky for me, that taxi driver was one heck of a funny one. That put me in a good mood. I had my patter known so well and the rehearsal was long enough.

I guess I was not afraid on stage because I was confident in what I will be showing, and what I will be doing and saying. And it went great
There was this stage adrenaline rush though, but it should be anyway.

When an effect is something new, apart from the regular "psychological" "Look at me... Count out loud...etc...", and if I know I'll have to follow an easy flowing script for a certain effect to not make it look weird, or if a vital move is involved, that will require this or that certain patter, I would go for a full rehearsal.

I just rehearse it over and over again. I talk to myself sometimes and imagine real people are sitting down. Sometimes I think they do exist on the couch in my living room. Don't take me word for word, but at the beginning, if you rehearsed it properly enough, you will feel like you have done it before, and at the beginning, it just manages to get you through. After that, when you have done it over and over again, it just becomes second nature to just talk it through.

I try to look at it from the audience's view. What do they wanna see ?? I kinda think of it in reversed, the audience's perspective, and then mine, and I try to match both. Its hard to explain but when you get it, you get it.

p.s. Rehearsal is kinda fun... You can screw up the effect totally in front of your imaginary audience members in the living room, and they still would applaude !!