Make Your Own Magic: How Initiative, Experience, and Authenticity Shape Great Performers

Do what you love, work hard at it, and be proactive; go after opportunities rather than waiting for them to come to you. Momentum builds when you take initiative, so put yourself in situations where good things can happen. Creating your own opportunities not only moves your career forward, but also gives you valuable experience.

If something doesn’t go your way, learn and grow from the experience, understanding that setbacks are an inevitable part of doing something meaningful and worthwhile. If an opportunity doesn’t pan out the way you’d hoped, learn what you can from it to become a better performer, and keep that proactive, growth-oriented mindset.

Do lots of shows for live audiences. That performing “flight time,” as Lance Burton says, is incredibly valuable. There’s no substitute for being in front of people live and learning how they react to you and your magic in the moment. Pay attention to their feedback, both spoken and unspoken. By truly listening to your audience, you’ll gain insight into what resonated with them and what could be improved, shaping you into a stronger magician.

As you gain experience, you’ll also discover what makes you unique, so lean into that. Whether it’s your personality, your storytelling, your style of magic, or your perspective, your uniqueness is your greatest asset, and audiences can feel when you’re being authentic to who you are. When you combine that authenticity with a focus on your audience and their experience, you create moments of wonder and connection - and that’s the real magic.

-Jen Kramer