I'm sure all of us magicians go through different phases as we learn the art. I don't mean phases as far as how well you perform. I mean phases at how we think about magic. Let me share some examples of some of the phases I went through. I hope others will share some of theirs too. What I hope to gain from this is to let others who may be going through some of these phases to know that they can move forward. Some phases are good and some aren't so good but most of them are natural.

The new to magic phase
This is the very beginning and sometimes I wish I could go back to this phase. It's when everything was new and the simplest tricks where amazing to me.

Learning phase
This is when you'd make as many trips you can to the magic shop if you have one in your area. During this phase I started doing tricks for friends and family and getting great reactions from them.

Feel like a Pro
Because I was getting such good reactions from the tricks I knew I started to feel like I was a pro. People I performed for told me they felt I was too. I felt like I knew it all and no magician would be able to fool me. I felt that if I saw any magician do a trick I would know how it's done right away.

The wake up call
This is the phase when I realized just how little I really knew. I'd go to magic conventions or club meetings and see these other magicians, especially the old timers, do things that just blew me away. I felt like a beginner again.

The really amazing thing was that they where even blowing me away with things I already knew. This is when I learned that all these people who where giving me approval and telling me I'm the best they've ever seen weren't really reacting to me. They where reacting to the tricks but not to me. IN other words I knew how to do some tricks but I didn't know Jack about being an entertainer. So I learned that I have to learn how to not let the tricks do all the work. I want them to remember me not just what I did.

Life changes
I went through a phase for about 2 years where I hardly practice, performed or even thought about magic. Other parts of my life needed more attention then so it just kind of got put aside. The lesson I learned form this phase is that although I love magic. It's not the only part of my life. I have plenty of time to do magic. What I needed to do was set my life up so I'd have time to put into magic without sacrificing the rest of my life (such as family).

Re-inspired (That may not be a word.. )
This is just when I was inspired to start performing again. For me it was just a gathering of friends and I did a few tricks. This inspired me to pull out some of the props I haven't used in a long time. The next thing I know I have the magic bug again.

Getting some recognition
I started performing again but now I didn't really worry about things as much. I performed for the enjoyment of it. Where before I was to scared to perform for strangers or other magicians. Now I didn't worry about if they felt I was "good enough." I was enjoying the performing for the point of performing.

As a result I started to enter magic contests just to have fun. I ended up winning a few and some other magicians noticed me. It was about this time that I also happened to come up with a few original tricks of my own. After magicians saw me perform them they asked if it was mine. It was and I eventually ended up marketing them. Suddenly I have a name for myself and even though I don't feel like it. I'm one of the big boys that use to make me so nervous to perform for.

This is kind of shocking to me because sometimes I see some magicians point toward me and I catch a little of what they say. Things like, "That's the guy I was telling you about" or "He's the one who invented that trick." A lot of the times the magicians who are saying these things are magicians I've seen perform and admire. So it's a strange thing.

Almost like a newbie again
Above I said I kind of wish I could stay a newbie so I can have that feeling again. In a way I'm at that phase again now because I'm still learning. I'm learning how to be a better performer. I don't buy magic as much anymore because I have a better idea of what will work for me. So I spend more of my effort in thinking up or discovering different things that'll improve my acts. New tricks aren't what I crave anymore. New ways to entertain people is what I now look for. It's like an entirely different study and I get that feeling back again every time I find a new line to fit into one of the routines or a comedy bit that fits me.

There are more phases I can mention but this is a long post already. I'd love to hear the descriptions of some of your phases.

Ron Jaxon

Jaxon, you're so kind, always inspiring me by great posts.

I carefully read it line by line, feeling exactly the same when you write,

<quote>
The really amazing thing was that they where even blowing me away with things I already knew. This is when I learned that all these people who where giving me approval and telling me I'm the best they've ever seen weren't really reacting to me. They where reacting to the tricks but not to me.
</quote>

Seems like you did put the words out of me (is it proper English?).

I think I'm in the phase of "Wake up call" but I haven't gone through the phase of "Feel like a pro". How can one ever feel like a pro if s/he reads posts in the Café almost everyday, just 2 months after starting studying magic? I've to hide my ego under the bed.

Thanks you Jaxon, and the Café.

One more point.

I do feel like a pro sometimes, when it comes to the theoretical or audience psychology's aspect of magic. No, no, no, I'm not saying that I'm good, I know very little.

But deciding to learn a particular trick, I work hard on audience's psychology.

But when I come across with amatuer magician in real life, found out how little they know/care about theory or audience's psychology, I treasure the existance of the caf. Believe or not, when I asked, no one here (Taiwan) knows the caf. I know it's also a language issue (generally speaking Taiwaneses aren't really good at English), but it really can make a difference.

One more point.

I do feel like a pro sometimes, when it comes to the theoretical or audience psychology's aspect of magic. No, no, no, I'm not saying that I'm good, I know very little.

Every time I decide to learn and practice a particular trick, I work hard on the audience's psychology behind. I think it's a result of reading the posts here.

When I come across with amatuer magician in real life, I found out how little they know/care about theory or audience's psychology (they work hard on learning new tricks and sleights of hand), I treasure the existance of the caf. Believe or not, when I asked, no one here (Taiwan) knows the caf. I know it's also a language issue (generally speaking Taiwaneses aren't really good at English), but it really can make a difference.

Jaxon,

It's incredible how accurately you have reflected some of the phases I have gone through over my 35 years of magic. The only one I would add to the list is the Business Phase. This is where you start to approach the "business" side of the Show, by aggressively setting out plans and strategies to obtain paid bookings. The development of new tricks, routines and shows begin to revolve around your business plan and the events/occasions in which you seek to perform.

Kent

I'm firmly in the learning phase.

Ron - I really appreciate you taking the time to come here and post such thought-provoking messages.

They say an intelligent person has a lot of knowlege in his/her head, and knows it. Only a true genius has an idea of how little he/she actually knows!

I don't know exactly who fits as a genius, but I do know I still have a lot to learn... Even after more than 20 years do birthday shows and such.. Ron, I think your entire post hit the nail roght on the head.

Have a good day!

Louis Jutras

Mouliu

Oh yea, the business phase is a good one. I'm kind if there now too. In both marketing my tricks and performing. A lot of magicians who are in the "new to magic" phase would have a hard time imagining the feeling of performing feeling like work. Just last year I had a one month gig of 12 to 16 shows a day, four days a week. Not only did all the preperation feel like work but after the first five shows of the first day it didn't feel "fun" anymore.

Then there's the business side of marketing tricks. I know a few pretty well known magicians who rarely perform anymore because they are speding most of their time making their props they sell or promoting them. Then they spend the rest of their time in booths at magic conventions. I've only started to go through that part of it.

Ron Jaxon

Learning is life-long. Realizing that and being open to it is one of the best things you can do for your magic. That's where I'm at and I consider myself very lucky. Thanks for another great thread, Jaxon.

Another tremendously well thought out post Mr Jaxon.