Practice Makes Uhh… Perfect(?)

Shuffling and cutting cards, rolling coins across my knuckles, twirling a magic wand and speaking without moving my lips. These are things that take time and lots of practice. And I do practice these things.

I also practice guitar, and fitness, but I'm neither Bob Dylan nor Muhammad Ali. I get by, and I think I could hold my own in a jam session in a pub with other amateur musicians, and I could pass most required fitness tests for certain roles. With magic though, I don't feel it's fair to my audience to just get by.

Magic is my job, my career, my passion and I want to do the best I can for the people I perform for.

Here's the difference… practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect. So while I'm elated when I get good at a new chord on the guitar, it's only going to make me improve so much, because I'll stick to the same strumming pattern I always do, and even if not, I'll run through any song so it sounds good enough, but not perfect.

When I pick up a coin and practice making it vanish though, I really want it to go. Anyone watching me should be amazed at the magic. And they need to know that it is magic. So when I practice prestigiditation (love that word), I put everything into it.

No matter what you want to learn, practice it as well as you can. Perfect practice does take longer, and at times it is more frustrating, but the pay-off is so much stronger. Trust me.

Let me know what and how you practice, in the comments.