Someone once said:

"He who gets paid for playing has discovered the true art of living."

I don't know if that's true, but for me, it feels exactly that way.

There is nothing (well one thing) that gives me more pleasure than captivating an audience with a mystery...

The fact that it also pays my mortgage is like living in a dream.

For me, more than anything else it is the sense of wonder. I love to see effects, even when I know the method, whether it's me or someone else doing it.
I suspect for extroverts the public presentation is a big pull and that for critical, analytical thinkers the method is more of a draw. These things are interesting to me, but I most love the wonder of the effect.

alleycat

I'm not sure I would be doing it had my Grandfather not been a magician. As a kid he was the coolest "older" person in my life and I no doubt stored in my mind that the coolest people do magic.

Duke

Great post. Like others in this thread, I enjoy the sense of wonder and possibility from watching a great effect. I feel amazed at the creativity that went into the development of the effect and immediately set out to figure it out and learn it for myself.

I am predominantly an introvert and this helps, with the practice, research & learning... a great solitary pursuit. However, my challenge is getting the nerve to perform for others beyond my family and friends. It takes me out of my comfort zone. Whenever I do perform though, it feels great. I have come to realize too, that most people like magic but they like feeling special/appreciated even more; so it's really about the specatator. And I think that there's a real knack to making the spectator's feel special and involved. I guess that that's where the magic is... in the eyes of the spectators.

I've just got to remember that, the next time I get hung up trying to do the perfect palm...

:light:

Why do I do magic? Well, the first answer that comes to mind is why not?

The moment you pull a card out of the air...or vanish a coin....that look on their face....the amazement in the air....the astonishment in their eyes....it's like a drug....once you see it, you want more and more and more and......

A good friend of mine, and a magician to boot, opened my eyes to this;

"Life is a journey and magic is the carpet that moves me along the path.

Magic is a Living Growing being that is ALIVE and Expanding! Magic is an art form that is never the same. Each remember, and perceive it differently. To some it brings delight, to some Horror and the reality of nothingness. While others are unaffected.

Magic is more additictive than the most powerful drug. It surrounds us, is in us, and we draw from all sources of our lives, and the lives of others, for inspiration."

This had a great effect on me and I now am in a passionate struggle to control that which is without bounds. It is the joy in a childs face. The wonder as the impossible is accomplished. And the joy of learning and performing a new effect. That is why I am involved in magic.

Most magically yours,
WR

I am 28 years old, and have never had a real hobby in my life. I am intrigued and fascinated by the many, many areas in which to explore. I never get bored. There's always a dozen things on my magical to-do list. My wife doesn't understand that I could do magic for myself and be completely happy. Jeff McBride calls this 'meditainment'. It is a combination of meditation and entertainment, and is truly enjoyable. Of course, performing for others is wonderful, but I would continue to do magic even if there was no one to do it for. I love to pass the time with magic.

Jay

See my last post to see why I will loathe myself for this (resurrecting old posts) Anyway no one said my reason so I figured I'd add it since it's different. For me although everyone tells me I am a natural entertainer and I do love being center stage, I honestly don't care much about performing magic for audiences. My friends love my stories and my humor.

I practice magic because I love the challenge and the dexterity required in doing difficult sleights and flourishes and I like the feeling of accomplishment when I can do one. It's purely a contest of skill for me, my name is Dan and I'm a sleightaholic. <---Absolut magic

-Dan

Why do we do Magic?
I look at it as sharing of an experience that I once viewed as magical. When I was 10 a man showed me how to cut and restore a piece of string. It was fun and we shared an experience together. The more tricks I learned the harder it was for me to experience the effect and wonder of magic. The magic was gone. The only thing left was to share my earlier experiences with someone that would enjoy magic as I did. Magic ceases to become magic when you tell how it was done.

Dolini

As a kid, I've always wanted to be a hero...with idols like Batman and Spider-man...but dreams like that don't often come true...

I admired entertainers, mainly Michael Jackson, and how he could dance with such fluidity...it was amazing

But as I grew, I noticed a similarity between heros and entertainers, is that in the end, they all bring a smile to one's face

Heros, they help others and bring a smile.

Entertainers, they entertain others, and bring a smile...

I've always wanted to help people...and I guess I'm gonna do that as my profession, whether it be a scientist or whatever...

But my entertaining part has already been fulfilled, I'm a magician, and I'm doing my best, to make people smile..

Cheers,
Logan

Magic to me is the process. The simplicity of method coupled with the complexity of presentation is a never ending process. I get no thrill when I stand before an audience, except to enjoy them and interact with them as I share my art form.
My love for magic starts with the idea and its growth to a presentation piece. Once it makes it into my show, I have fun with it, but I have to "grow" a new effect to keep my love for the art sustained.

Simply put, it's part of what I do and in turn has defined who I am.

The voices in my head told me to do magic.

I've gotten back into magic because I enjoy giving people something to chew on. There is so much in this world that is either so obvious and heavy-handed as to be worthless (think most daytime television), or that is so obscure as to be meaningless (think any punditry). With magic, the plot is clear: a red ball turns white, an egg appears in and disappears from a bag. When I surprise people, I let them ponder away at something that happened right in front of them.

I have always liked the idea of being able to take the impossible and make it happen. Magic is fun and challenging. Also getting popular with the ladies is a nice bonus.

for me:

1. creative outlet. I usually am doing something: music, programming, now magic.

2. I love to watch magic. when simon lovell
did deck-to-pocket (except for my selection) I swear I saw the deck shrink down to 1 card, MINE!. That's the way my brain works and it makes me want to share those experiences with others.

3. It's challenging. I'm somewhat shy and performing magic is challenging.

4. I like to teach and I think there is a similarity there.

frank

I love magic on so many levels. The history, the modus operandi, the performance aspect. It's all so special to me. Performing magic literally makes me feel better about myself. It releases endorphins in my body. I always wanted to make people's lives better but I could neevr be a doctor, or a man of god, or a politician but I can still be that guy at the restaraunt that makes your day that much better.

I can think of few more noble goals.

--Christopher Carter