If you look at my signature you'll see this quote:

"The map is not the territory"

You can click the link to read more about that quote but what it stands for has been very helpful to me in many areas. Not just in magic but since we're here on the Café I'll say that it's helped me with performing, creating and even confidence.

Now like I said you can go to the link and read more about it but for now I'll just shoot from the heart and explain what it means to me (Which is actually the heart of the quote). What it basically means is that we all see the world differently based on your experiences. The "map" being our opinion and observation of things. The "Territory" is what really is. This is nothing new to us but if you look deeper into that you'll realize how much of an edge just knowing this gives you.

Cretivity:
knowing that we view things based on our experiences tells us that there is more then one way to look and feel about things. This can be a huge help in creativity. Let me try to explain this in a kind of silly way but I think it'll help me in explaining what I'm trying to say. Pick up any object you have near you. I don't care what it is. Just pick something up. Now look at it and think what you could do with it. It could be a magic trick or it can be anything. I don't want to name any examples here. Just observe the object and think of things you could do with it or what it can be used for. It doesn't matter if it's something silly. Just think of as many things as you can that that object can be used for.

Now think of someone you know. What do you think that other person would do with it? Chances are you'll think of things that other person would or could do that you didn't think of for yourself. Because that other person presented a different angle. Better yet hand the object to someone and ask them to do what you just did. Ask them to think of what can be done with that object.

Looking at a situation or object from a different "Map" gives you more options.

Performing:
Let me share a story form a great book called, "Sleight of Mouth". I won't repeat it word for word but here's the basic story.

A female cop is called to a house for domestic violence. She knows from experience that these situations can be dangerous. She's the first officer to arrive and she can hear the guy in the house yelling and things being thrown around and crashing on the walls. She knows she has to do something and fast for someone inside is in danger.

Suddenly she hears glass breaking and a TV comes flying out the window into the yard. She approaches the door and knocks. An angry voice answers with, "Who the ____ is it?" To this the officer answers...

"TV repair man!"

The guy starts laughing and when he opens the door he's still laughing and gives no resistance when she puts the cuffs on him and puts him in the car.

This is an example of how knowing that we all see things differently and the simplest things such as saying the right words can completely alter a situation. This is very useful in planning your patter, dealing with hecklers and responding to unexpected situations in the middle of a performance.

Confidence:

Now this is the most important part of this to me. If you fallow the "Map"and "territory" line of thought. Every single time you are nervous it's because of your "Map". It's your own experiences that causes you to feel nervous while performing. You want to appear professional, you want the trick to work, you want them to laugh, applaud and be amazed. But the worry part of all that is just you. It's not the reality of the situation. NO one else is feeling your nervousness. It's all on your and your feelings. To you this performance could be very important. To the people you are performing for it's just a passing moment. You still hope it's a moment they'll enjoy and remember but it is still just another moment or, "Another destination on their map".

So when you need a confidence boost. Just realize that this is not a defining moment. In fact there are no defining moments unless you make it a defining moment. Here's a kind of radical example of what I'm trying to say. If you were to win a million dollars tomorrow that would likely be a very big moment in your life. But if a billionaire won a million dollars tomorrow it might be a nice moment but not nearly as strong because their "Map" is different then yours based on their experience.

So when you get nervous or something goes wrong. Just realize that the effect that has on you is determined by how you look or respond to it based on your own experiences. What's very embarrassing to one person can be no real big deal to the next. This is easier said then done and it takes practice. But if you make a conscious effort to try and see things for what they are and try to control how you respond to them it'll get easier and easier.

I doubt I was able to fully express what I hope to share here but it's a start.

Ron Jaxon

Great post!

and because we can only scratch the surface here, I would like to recommend the books "quantum psychology" and "prometheus rising", both by robert anton wilson. they deal with exactly this "philosophy" and provide exercises which can help archiving an "the map is not the territory" point of view. sometimes he uses slightly "esoteric" language, but that's just another tool or "map" to explain his point. you can either ignore that or choose to accept it for the time you're reading. this is where "real" magic starts. by understanding that you're living in your own realitytunnel and that you can change it anytime you want.

ps: no, these are not "self-help" books like "the secret" or other unsinn. they don't tell you that you can get everything you want by simply wishing for it.