Hi folks,

Just a thought exercise.

If you could start your magic career over again, with the wisdom you have now, what advice would you give your younger self? What would you do differently; what would you buy and not buy; what would you do the same?

Hello,

I'd do the same, the only thing I would say to my younger me is that the effect or trick itself is not the whole lot.

Regards

Prometheus

I would have told my younger self to go pro earlier and not to buy the latest and greatest, just use what you already have.

Quit buying so many tricks and work through the books I'm ignoring!

Ed

Buy that Lorayne Classic collection before it goes out of print! and stop wasting so much time on that ruddy Diagonal palm shift

Finally - great advice!!! My The Classic Collection, Vol. 1 is out of print. Vol. 2 getting there. Just published Vol. 5. You got a "ways to go." HL.

I would tell my younger self to start mastering magic in this order:

Coins (fundamentals of sleight of hand)
Props (apply fundamentals)
Cards (the hard stuff with a million possibilities)

Honestly I think I'd just ignore any and all gimmicks, props or expensive DVD's that are beyond my skill level and spend all my time with a few coins, Bobo and Roth. Would cost me a hell of a lot more money that way and make me more focused. I think the main "issue" for me has always been an obsessive need to buy more stuff in everything I do, and magic is definitely no exception.

It would take a lot to trade the life I have now. However if I did go back in time what would I do?

Id tell my self Imogene had the hots for me. I found this out far to late.

I would have bought magic posters.

I would have not change anything different . I see this whole learning experience as an adventure that made me the magician that I am today .

I would have started earlier. I'm sure the clip shift would be easier to learn with nimble fingers of youth. Now I'm fighting learning the nuances of techniques with carpal tunnel.

I would have learn spanish and collect all the possible recource on Tamariz, Ascanio, Gabi and Carrol

and bought all four of Apocalypse Volumes and Greater magic before they get out of print, and study only these for rest of my life

Learn few necessary slights and master them because you can use them always . It is better than wasting your time in trying to learn fancy things which you will use only one time in your show.

Do the kind of magic I love and not be so concerned about doing the magic I think I should do or ought to do.

That's a nice one, Magic Mason

I'd tell myself to read the same books I've read now, but at a much younger age. I believe I was 18 when I started to buy tricks from the local magic store. I didn't start to buy books until I was 30 (five years ago). Books made me so much better than MOST DVDs and tapes have.

I would start the way this forum usually suggests: with the classic books. When first starting out, I would just buy whatever the cool new thing was in the market, instead of actually sitting down and learning the basics. I ended up learning a decent amount, but not the way I should have. I recently have decided to start anew in my learning of magic and work through all the books I've bought through the years. A lot of the cool new things are actually very impractical and not suited to everyday and professional work. I wish I could have told myself to start with the books and the basics.

I am really very new to magic... I meddled with the odd trick - like nails through a coin - when I was a student, and have returned to it with a more serious intent fifteen years later, and inspired really by my daughter's interest in the old props that I had stored in a drawer.
With the luxury of an income to spend on such things, and the time for quite a lot of reading, I have blended the approach that seems recommended here and elsewhere:
I have bought quite a few packet tricks, and 'latest' gizmos, for the quick fix, but at the same time have been working through major books on various aspects of magic to see what really suits me. So far I have read through the first three volumes of Card College (and am unashamed of the fact that in terms of practical ability I have a long way to go to put much of that material into practice), I am approaching the end of Corinda, with Anneman next on my reading list, and then propose to have a good look at Bobo. The eight volumes of Tarbell should see me through the winter!
Discovering this forum has been an enormous source of inspiration and advice!

My advice to a ten year old me:
Don't buy the latest and greatest
Learn technique before trying to learn all 'cool tricks'. Give yourself time to learn the fundamental sleights and controls before you go on to impress someone with your newfound hobby.