OK so I'm not new to magic but figured this is the place to post it. I have wonted to be a illusionist since I was about 8. I got some cheap tricks and realized I wasn't very good (didn't like to practice before I showed). So I got out for a few years and went back and forth every couple of years. I stopped for about 10 years once I got to 24 or so. So then I got back into it at 34 and this time it wasn't practice that bothered me so much in fact I did a couple of FREE shows and just found that I didn't have a lot of new people to show so every couple of years started again for me. So now I am living in an RV and able to travel I have 2 wonderful kids and a wife that loves me to do magic. Living in an RV and traveling here and there allows me to find NEW test subjects both young and old.

SO now that I am BACK I have better situation to stick with it. Magic is a love of mine and now that I am older and much wiser I think I can stick it out this time. (You know your wiser when you realize how not so wise you really are LOL).

Now that I am 42 I finally realized I didn't need to worry about my week points in magic. I am finally not as self confident as I used to be and am playing on my strengths. Some of my weakness are my ability to do some palms (good at others), My fingers are not nimble, looking where I want the audience to look, money (better now then before though),Patter, wanting to show tricks more then once (very bad at this), and then I tend to want to show the secret to those who ask.

My strengths are Palming (some types), double lifts, some forces (need to practice a few), the fact that I am now willing to practices, love for the magic, my family (biggest one yet), and a bunch more that I cant think of right now.

So I will continue to practice on my weakness and just show the tricks I know/can do well. I am finding this is giving me such a boost in self esteem in my magic ability. This is why I am writing this. I want others to know that if you can only do a few of your tricks well don't focus on the troubled ones focus on the ones you do well, then practice the others slowly. Show off the tricks your good at and not the ones your not. I need to improve me as a magician not my tricks (meaning building my character). I can always find tricks I can do so why focus on the problem ones. I am a good magician that needs to get better.

So those who have problems and are getting discouraged please don't give up. Look at your self and your strengths. Do this in your life as well. I was diagnosed clinically depressed when I was younger and found I didn't like the medicine so I picked up hobbies that made me feel good. Rock climbing, scuba diving, and a bunch of others that pulled me into liking my self without meds. Magic is just one more to add to the list but It can have a negative effect if you let it. Give into the good aspects and not the bad. Love the magic you can do and improve the on the magic you cant.

There's a saying that shows up now and then in the Magic Café that's relevant to your post: "Practice at the edges of your skill set, but perform from the middle of it." It sounds like that's what you're doing. Thanks for the post!

That sounds familiar.