The Myth of Talent and How to Avoid it's Pitfalls
I'd like to ask you to take 20 minutes out of your day and watch this lecture by Matthew Syed. He describes how many people fall for the myth of talent when considering learning a new skill. It has a powerful message for magicians that are practicing their magic.
Why you need hard work more than natural talent
When we see famous magicians performing, it's easy to think that they must have been born with an extra set of powers that we don't possess. Somehow, these magicians have skills that far exceed those that we could ever hope to have. We run ourselves down because we think we need to have been born with some form of special natural ability. It's totally understandable, as it makes sense to us about how the world works, and reassures us that our own shortcomings have roots outside of our control. We simply weren't born with the same chances as everyone else. It’s self destructive and makes magicians give up learning magic. We just say ‘what’s the point of even trying’.
Talent may be a myth and self defeating
Research shows us that talent is highly over-rated as the cause of success. Natural talent does exist, but it's a very bad indicator of future outcomes. Natural talent has a far smaller influence on our ability to master a skill than we imagine.
The greatest achievements can come from consistant, focused magic practice over time. Our culture makes us feel embarrassed about attributing success to hard work. Instead, we should be inspired by magicians that put in effort. We should focus on the journey they have taken to learn and master their skills.
Do This:
When you watch other magicians perform, think about the hours of work they have put in to get the preformance to that standard.
Focus on the effort rather than the success of the magician.
Set your own practice goals so you commit to consistant work.
View 'talented' magicians as 'dedicated magicians'. Use their performance as proof that YOU can perform to that standard as well. Decide that having those skills is important enough to you, for you to commit to the work required.
Practice your magic every day using a proven drill or program to give structure to your practice.
The things that matthew syed say is true with all things, you do need to put the time in if it means working on just one effect form 9 to 6 at night some time it may take up 12 minutes to learn or 60 days but why do you think the current classic are around and such ace to do and when you see top magician doing old effect why is it good it ? It because they look a about 10 effect of the same like the effect out of this world and work on each of them and ask them safe what parts do you like and what parts do the ones who seeing the effect like then for some reason that magician may just work on 4 ways of doing the effect befor coming up with his own one that he can do on the spot at any time .. performing magic can be harmful to someone who is learning it because if they not with great set of friends who loves the art it will not keep the to share new effecs why do you think magician say never do same trick the second time it because the second time you are looking what the magician dost and may work out how he or she dose it,. But good magician do repeat the same effect but they may say something new or + move or an effect that will make you think. ? But that magician on stage might get his effects wrong but the last right .. or that magician can do things on the the spot because he not no the trick he doing one stage he have about 5 set act that he can do .. so let say you need someone who like red but the one you going to get up on stage dose not like red you ask them stand close to some who they no who like red the you work out a funny way to get right someone who do have red on them on stage.. you might say man that was a long effect but by time you do some will have forgotten how you ask someone come on stage than just asking the some one who got red on.. . Sometimes longer of the trick looks the beter it can be .. but that can be said to learning the art of a major move you might get so good where you think you do not need that book or effect because you have a way to do it , but with new people and new history old or new top things come to light it like to live as a master you might need to focus more on things that sounds mad to learn or you may gave up on things work ing hard with good books and going the right places can help. ? Because we do not like old favourite to go thhat why good teacher work on things all the latest version ones that you got to have hope that each time you do an effect it is the 1st time you doing .. so never give up on something keep going back and relax and do not rush into learning you got all of the next 30 years or to learn them . Just have fub and put your mind to ..