Becoming an expert in your field.

Recently I was asked by a major (maybe the biggest in the industry) Magic company to fly out to their studios in Columbus Ohio and present my a lecture on my material. This wasn't in front of a small audience, this was filmed and is to be purchased by hundreds of thousands of Magicians around the world! So needless to say, this was quite flattering!

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I'd by lying if I wasn't a bit nervous. Most lectures I have done before were held at local clubs, restaurants, or some type of private venue and probably in front of 30 people or so. As I mentioned, this will be seen by hundreds of thousands of Magicians that will be learning as well as judging you. But I slowly realized that this is the 3rd product I have released, one being Treasury and the other which was nominated for trick of the year, Random Odds. This was produced from a company known as Penguin Magic. Magicians and laymen alike seem to really like my Magic, ideas, and personality so I had no reason to think I would be negatively judged. The truth is, you can't make everyone happy ever, in any scenario!

What does it mean to become an expert in your field?

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Well I never thought I would be on this end of Magic, teaching OTHER people when I have spent a large part of my Magic career learning from others. But the truth is, there is a point where you take everything you learn and apply in other ways, different ways, and more importantly, your own ways. And when that moment comes, you go from being a student to being a teacher. That simply means you have become an expert an a portion of your field and others turn to you for knowledge.  But like a lot of things in life, Magic is a set of tools that I have gathered over the years and place in my tool shed. After acquiring so many tools, you can sit back, look at what you've got, and decided to build something yourself! This mentality should be applied to any industry and whatever you do.

Now, that's not to say that you should stop learning and you have completely figured it out, because that couldn't be further from the truth. Never stop learning, practicing, and keeping an open mind, because the moment you do, someone else will not. No matter how much I perform and how many times I have performed a specific effect, I always learn new touches, better ways of doing it, funnier lines, or better ways to handle my audience.

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How will this help your career?

When you come up with your own material, a unique way of presenting something, or even a unique character; this makes you more valuable to the end client. People want things that are not easily attainable, they want something different and unique, and something that is better than other things on the market. So no matter what you do, figure out how to make what you do stand out from the crowd! We are in a time where branching out and having people support that or starting your own business is easier than ever! With the internet and people really gung ho about supporting local craft ideas and products, you never know where it will take you!

I'm not sure when my Lecture will debut, perhaps in a few weeks or a month, but I sure am excited!!