The Magic Network Community Blog

So I go to perform a new trick. It's a card trick and I am nervous. I practiced 100 times so I know I can do the moves it requires, but it's the first time taking it to the public. I relax, put faith in my fingers, and finish the trick without a hiccup. The reactions are good and it opens me up to perform another. I pull out a very simple, practically self working, trick and botch it up - over confident on that one I suppose.

Point is, I am human. I get nervous when performing new material - hell I get nervous period. It's part of performing and it is something you learn to control over time. My way of dealing with being nervous is to realize how many times I made mistakes performing live, and think back how I was able to recover and move on - So, if I already made mistakes and messed up before and I am still here, what the hell do I have to be worried about now? With that said, I find it mildly ironic that, despite all my nervousness with my opening trick, I botch the trick I have the most confidence in performing.

Lesson to be learned: Life is unpredictable, why be nervous about what may never happen?