I love being a professional magician but as with every job there are downsides. However, doing magic as a hobby is brilliant! Here’s five reasons YOU should become a magician.
- Stand Out From The Crowd
If you can do something genuinely amazing for someone you are much more likely to be remembered and viewed in a positive light. This can come in handy in both social and business situations. At a party with people you don’t know? Impossibly put a coin inside their bottle (make sure it’s empty first or you might actually make yourself UNpopular)! At a networking event? Get someone to impossibly guess your phone number. Work at a bookies? Turn someone’s losing ticket into a winning one! Okay that last one might get you fired but the punter would love you! Whatever the situation magic can set you apart from the rest of the crowd.
- It’s Cheap
Admittedly there are props which cost thousands of pounds but they are really aimed at professional magicians. An amateur magician can get away with a pack of playing cards, some elastic bands and the change in their pockets. You might have to occasionally splash out on the latest magic book, DVD or download but compared to most other hobbies the price is a pittance. For example, one of my hobbies is rugby, for that I pay a club membership fee and subs every match that I play plus travel to the games, boots, pads etc. For the same money you could easily get yourself a couple of good magic books and maybe a couple of props too which would be enough to keep you occupied for most of the year! If you spent as much as golfers do then you’d have to invest in a storage container to keep it all in (seriously, why are they spending so much on a bag of sticks and a walk around a field)!
- It Can Actually Make Money
If you get good you can make a bit of extra cash from doing magic without going full-time professional. It might just be a bit of spending money for doing a few tricks at someone’s party, wedding or an event they’re putting on but, to quote the Italian philosopher Tesco: ‘every little helps’. With most other hobbies you actually have to win a competition to get any money and, even then, you’ll probably just get a plastic trophy!
- Anyone Can Do It
You don’t have to be super-fit or even able-bodied to do magic. Sure, it helps to have a certain level of dexterity but there have been plenty of people with physical barriers who have been great magicians. One of my heroes Wayne Dobson has MS which severely restricts his movement but he is still inventing and performing magic and should be an inspiration to anyone who thinks they can’t do magic just because their hands are too small to hide things in! Magic even helps keep the brain and hands agile as you get older.
- It Makes People Happy
This has got to be the ultimate reason to do magic and is what makes it so addictive. The first time you see someone’s face light up with wonder and amazement you’ll be more hooked than someone who’s just had their first Pringle!
Can you think of any other reasons to take up magic? Or do you think there are down sides to becoming a conjuror? Let me know in the comments and as always please like and share. Finally, remember: all sweeping generalisations are wrong…
facebook.com/scoopmagic1
twitter.com/scoopmagic1
07903 269387