How to Be More Creative in Your Magic

Just like in many artistic disciplines, every magician eventually faces The Big Question.

What's that Big Question?

Well, it usually goes something like this: Do I keep performing other magicians' tricks, or do I start creating my own versions and adding my own ideas?

Today, I want to share some insights from magician and visual artist Joaquín Durbán, drawn from his lecture “Creative Magic.”

What's his take?

Here's a breakdown of some of his key ideas.

First off, creativity isn't something that just appears “out of thin air.” It usually sparks while we're working, studying, or actively engaged in something.

As Einstein once said, "the creative process follows a very specific quantitative formula: it's 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration..."

So, how do ideas actually emerge?

New ideas often hit like sudden flashes of insight, springing from a wide variety of places and experiences.

What helps boost creativity?

Living a calm, worry-free life... if that's not your reality, keep reading! 😄

The author shares 3 principles to supercharge your creativity.

Accumulate positive influences.

Act as if you were the most confident and self-assured person in the world.

Unleash the adventurer within you to try new things.

Silence your inner critic, and shut down those voices that tell you you can't do it.

Cultivate a hungry curiosity and a thirst for “all” knowledge. Always remain a student.

Have a clear direction and pursue it obsessively. What kind of magic do you want to create?

Originality. Pay attention to what most magicians do, then try doing the exact opposite. You never know where that approach might lead you.

Eliminate negative influences.

Get rid of the mindset that everything's been invented and that you can't contribute anything new. That's simply not true.

Understand that your fear of not measuring up is completely normal, and it's precisely what drives continuous improvement.

Be wary of believing that you already know everything, because that's impossible. We're lifelong learners.

Not sharing your ideas means missing out on the power of collective intelligence and ultimately stifling your own creativity.

Being in a rush to get results often leads to settling for mediocrity.

A relentless pursuit of success at all costs: the key is moderation.

Seek out supporting factors.

Start setting yourself magical challenges and puzzles and learn how to solve them.

Seek collaboration, ask for help, consult experts, or start a new discussion in the Club.

Work as part of a team: 'two heads are better than one.' Share, debate, and so on.

Be consistent: don't get discouraged by small failures... success is built on failure after failure!!

Clear criteria: know what you want and be critical of the quality of your work.

Healthy ambition to evolve and grow.

Watch all types of magic—the good, the bad, the mediocre... knowing how to identify what you *don't* like will help you define your unique style of magic and artistic vision.

CREATIVE METHODS.

Inductive: An idea strikes you, and you bring it to fruition.

Deductive: Starting with an existing technique or trick, you develop a new idea.

Tactile: Inspiration hits while you're working with your hands, practicing, or just playing around... new possibilities emerge.

Imaginative: (Inductive) Solving a real-life problem sparks a magical idea.

Imperative: The need to find a solution to a specific situation (creative tension).

Linked: Brainstorming, where one idea leads to another.

Comparative: An idea emerges by analogy with a possibility achieved through a different technique (e.g., drawing inspiration from other creative disciplines like photography).

Reversal: Doing the opposite of what's typical, turning it on its head.

Transformation: Replacing old, familiar elements with new ones.

Variations and Enhancements: Continuously seeking improvement, varying what's given, taking it a step further.

FINAL TIPS:

If you get a new idea... WRITE IT DOWN SOMEWHERE!

Start developing that idea; don't let it just live in your imagination. Find ways to bring it down to Earth. Practice it. Take it into the real world, and you'll clearly see what needs improvement, adaptation, removal, or addition.

Have you tried any of these creative methods?

What challenges do you face with creativity?

Do you have any new magic ideas brewing?

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