I wanted to share an event that just happened yesterday. I had one of my students come over for a lesson. He has been improving nicely and using a video camera to tape his rehearsals. For some reason during our last session he seemed liked he improved dramatically and had confidence like never before. So I let him know that I noticed a great improvement in his performance. I asked him if has been rehearsing more than usual. No, about the same as usual he said. I asked him what could have made him change so much since the last lesson three weeks ago. All he could think of is that he did his act at his school's annual christmas show before the christmas break. He said the act went over great and he was the hero of the school. That was it! He finally did his act in front of a live audience. What a difference it makes performing for a live audience. I always say that video taping your rehearsals is the best way to improve your act, but I must say that nothing beats getting out there and really doing it. Of course the act must be in decent shape first. So, get out there and just do it. Hearing that sweet sound of applause will do wonders for you and your
confidence!

You're absolutely right, Tony.

I'm an amateur and I keep pushing myself to perform more often because I know how much it helps. And that is the whole point, after all (at least for me)--to perform magic for laypeople.

Thanks for the extra inspiration.

Good for you! Keep it up!

Hello Tony!

I completely agree with you but....

Let me tell you a short story: Right now I'm not working with magic, but I already did. I used to do at least 2 shows per week, and I was very good. One day I moved to another country for personal reasons and I stop doind shows for about 1 year. but I continued rehearsing. but for some reason, lately I did 2 or 3 shows and they were really bad, not technically, in audience managment, and now I feel I lost my self-confindence, I'm not the same who I was before. Can you help me how can I get my self-confidence back?

Thanks Tony!

The best thing to do is use your memory of the greatest shows you've performed. Once you get that image in your mind, start thinking like you did back then. Stand as you did and speak as you did. Your mind is very powerful. It has been proven, if you visualize something vividly, the body reacts as if it is actually happening. So think back to that time and feel it. The bottom line is, you know you've done a good job before, so you have what it takes, now all you have to do is bring your thoughts to the same level. I will leave you with a quote that I came up with some time ago that fits you perfectly - "You have nothing to acquire, just light the fire!!!

Thanks for these words of motivation Tony. I am just getting to the point in my Kids Show where I am ready to perform for some small groups. I felt stuck in a catch 22 of sorts for a while. I felt like I wanted my show to be better and I wanted more confidence before I performed for a group, but at the same time my show wasn't gonna get any better UNLESS I performed for a group. The feedback and interaction with a live audience is invaluable. No matter how many times I went through my entire show alone in my guest room, performing for an invisible audience, it just wasn't gonna improve my volunteer interaction or my audience management. It's not an easy thing to do, but taking the plunge and putting yourself out there is the only way to build that confidence.

Congratulations! Keep it up!

I have to say being a part-time magician that getting up and performing a new act in front of a real crowd really makes the act gel. you can rehearse for months and feel that somthing is not flowing well or working well.but when you get out their on stage for the first time and everything clicks that's the best feeling in the world. and if something does not get the reaction you want ya go back and rework it. but most of the time those fears you have are for nothing.

Very True. I always ask my students if they are nervous about brushing there teeth....they look at me like, are you kidding, I can do it with my eyes close. Really I say, why do you think that is?. They respond "Because I've been brushing my teeth everyday for most of my life...............Interesting................Just a thought about confidence and stage fright...