Special thanks to my friend Paul Silk for asking me about this very interesting topic.
When it comes to motivation, Paul is a very fine example of someone who has no issue with motivating himself.
He background is competition ready Body Building. He understands the commitment to diet, training and resting. This procedure prepares him and ensures his body is in the best shape possible for a competition.
When you combine that level of of integrity with a strong work ethic as applied to Sleight of Hand, Paul is very talented and a capable magician with cards.
Now, the kiss of death for us Magicians is complacency.
My practice ethic is simply;
“If I don’t practice, I lose it”.
Simple as that.
I love practicing.
I don’t force myself, I want to practice, the polarity between me and my props/cards etc is truly powerful. Just like two magnets close to each other.
The force can be felt.
Another mantra that I keep in mind is;
“Practice is for me and my pleasure, the performance is for my audience and their pleasure”.
If you have to force yourself, just consider the possibility that magic is not for you. Nothing wrong; it just means your interested in magic, may be, just not passionate enough.
Passion is the spark plug that releases energy.
Energy is the fuel.
Fuel motivates us.
In fact, let’s look at the word motivation.
Definition: a compelling reason to act.
Definition: Complacency
Synonyms: smug, self-satisfied, pleased with yourself, resting on your laurels
This is a constant battle for us magicians because we have a business to run, other commitments, find the balance to practice and T.C.B – TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS.
This is tough and demanding.
If magic is your hobby then not so much. Some of my heroes were not professional and yet, they had a passion for the subject and they excelled. Edward Marlo is a classic case in this conversation.
So, how do we maintain our enthusiasm for our craft?
I can only speak for myself.
I have embraced an attitude of a never ending quest for progress and improvement. No matter how good I think a routine is, I know I can do better.
My mentor Alan Alan always stressed the importantance of finessing. Keep finessing – finesse the finesse.
So, I am always on the look out for improving what I already know. This can mean studying other subjects, not just magic.
I have other interest.
Would you believe my passion for Photography has improved my magic?
I love reading good books on different subjects. One of my favourite stories is The Godfather, The Book. This book taught me a lot about writing, scripting and characterisation.
So, I repeat, expand your mind, study life, get a life and enjoy your life.
This life is full and rich with adventurous opportunities.
Bring your life to your magic and share it with your audience.
If you do this, there will be no room for boredom.
Thanks for reading
Leave a comment.
Cheers
Mike