THE MAGIC CHRISTMAS GIFT!

Real Magic Can Happen When You Least Expect It!

It was a typical first Saturday of December in Toronto. The air was cold and brisk, and I was overworked, stressed out, cold, cranky, and very, very tired. It was all from the almost impossible schedule of performances and appearances that fate had dealt me. However, the event that was about to transpire in the next thirty minutes would miraculously change all that.

Yes, this magical event would turn a typical Saturday morning into an unforgettable, emotional memory that would quite probably last a lifetime.

Every year during the Christmas Season, once many of my regular presentations are booked, I look for ways to use my magic to help others less fortunate. It could be performing close up magic at a hospital, performing at a charity Christmas Party, or making Santa magically appear at a special event. The possibilities are endless.

And while every year I try to help as many worthy causes as possible, it is never as many as I would like it to be. Also due to the nature of my work, sometimes these plans need to be somewhat shifted at the last minute. Such was the unpleasant case this Saturday morning, or at least so I thought.

I had made arrangements to help the Rotary Club with their annual Christmas Party in support for some Easter Seal’s families. It was not an overly complicated production on my end, simply providing some close up walk about magic (something I still love to do on occasion) for an hour or so. However a change in a prior pre-scheduled event had suddenly changed my timing for their event. And as earnestly as I had tried to find a last minute replacement, it was just not possible.

My Rotarian friend who had gotten me involved told me it really was not a problem; many events had been scheduled. However I still felt bad.

Somehow, I thought to myself, if I hurried at the other function and traffic was on my side; I might at least be able to do twenty minutes or so of magic for the early bird arrivals. So I crossed my fingers, said a silent prayer and rushed.

That morning I must had been blessed. I made it just in time to both my own, and my Rotary friend’s, surprise. And as the guests arrived, with one of my eyes carefully fixed on my watch, I was able to perform for many who were starting to arrive. Together we had a great time of magic, fun and surprises. That was until I met him.

He was about ten or so years old and sitting quietly in his wheel chair, surrounded by his family and friends. He was looking around at all the goings on, in what seemed to be, an eager anticipation of how he might get involved. Together we were about to change all that.

I approached him smiling and starting into a magical routine; having a small red ball appear from his ear, vanish, and then come out of his sleeve. His eyes widened brightly and a great smile appeared on his face.

Yes the sleight of hand worked its magic as it got him involved in the fun. But this in no way prepared me for the magic that was about to follow.

Finally I asked him his name. His mother replied that he did not speak. However I can tell you that even without the use of words, his eyes, his smile and his spirit communicated so much more. So together we spent a few more minutes making magic happen.

When the time was right, I wished him a Merry Christmas and prepared to move on; but he suddenly motioned for me to move in closer. I accommodated him, thinking he wanted me to repeat my performance. However what he did was quite different.

My new friend reached out, threw his arms around me and hugged me tightly; giving me an incredible “thank you” that I could feel in my very soul. He hugged me so tightly and yet so tenderly it brought a tear to both his mother’s and my own eyes. It was an indescribable moment of “real magic”.

He eventually did let go and I again, misty eyed, wished him a most Merry Christmas. However the magic of his heart and soul has stayed with me even to this day.

And to think this magic may not have occurred unless somehow we had come together at that precise moment. Yes sometimes God and fate work in very mysterious ways.

This is the real magic of Christmas; the caring, the sharing, and the taking of time for others that truly matter.

My Christmas wish for you is that you too will get the opportunity to share this magical spirit with those you care about. And to be thankful of how blessed our lives are in comparison to many.

P. S. From my family to yours Merry Christmas!

HARRY POTTER’S MAGIC SECRET

July the 15th will see the release of the last of the Harry Potter movies, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, which makes me very excited and yet sad.

My daughter and I have been waiting quite some time for this final chapter to come to the screen. In fact it has been over 10 years now that together we have shared the magical experience of growing up with Harry Potter and his friends.

And in those 10 years while much has changed with our Hogwarts’ family, as far as their lives and on going adventures are concerned, it is their underlying understanding of “how to make the impossible, possible” that has not.

Indeed the magic secret behind all that they can do, rings as true today as it did with way back when with the very first chapter sounded. And so to honour this occasion I offer one of the very first articles on this that I wrote (back in 2000). I hope you enjoy…

THE REAL MAGIC IS IN BELIEVING!

What The Mind Can Conceive And Believe It Can Achieve!

It was mid November and Harry Potter the Movie had just been released. My five year old daughter Jacqueline, like so many other tots, was caught up in the TV promotions providing glimpses of the movie magic that was to be had; cats turning into teachers, magical delivery owls, and broomsticks that could fly a wizard anywhere.

Because of my daughter’s unique exposure to Daddy’s business with the art and science of magic, it was fascinating to study her reactions.

Please keep in mind that this is a young lady who has grown up seeing her father actually fly, magically turn people into tigers and even make Santa appear out of thin air; all in real time and with the ease that Uncle Joe might pull a quarter out of your ear. And she is now well aware it is a special family business.

One morning as I was driving her to school (St. Phillippe not Hogwarts) she pronounced, “Daddy… I am magic just like you.” “I know Jacqueline” I replied.

“NO DAD, I mean I am real BIG magic just like you do,” she countered. “Yes you are Jacqueline”, I reassured her.

We drove in silence for a few minutes with Jacqueline gazing out the window. Then out of the blue she quietly confessed, ” but Dad, I forgot how to fly. Can you please teach me how to fly again!” “Of course I can Jacqueline,” I smiled.

Oh to be 5 again and to believe that all things are possible! In this magical realm reindeers and wizards fly with the grace of gazelles, all stories have happy endings and nothing is impossible!

However contained in this childhood belief that nothing is impossible is the powerful, simple secret for actually achieving the impossible; for creating our own real magic.

It is the passionate belief that anything can be achieved. If you really want something badly enough; if you are willing to work at it and never, ever give up until you get it, you will achieve your goal. You will see your dream brought to life. You can turn the impossible into the possible!

“What the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve!”
Powerful words to live by.

The crazy part is we are all BORN KNOWING THIS, but somehow over the years as we grow (?) we can actually forget THIS!! Yes just like Jacqueline we can forget how to fly, how we can do the impossible, and that we can make our dreams into reality.

We started off learning how to crawl – then to walk – – feed ourselves – potty train (thank God) – speak – run – read – write – all monumental tasks at first encounter. However they were achieved as we stretched our muscles, taxed our reflexes, challenged our minds and will, went for the impossible, and never gave up!

To get our results nothing was too heavy to lift, no distance too long to go, no obstacle too great, and NO always meant YES!

Failure was not an option. We just simply never gave up. If you have ever been with a 5 year old who wants a toy or a candy YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN!!

We listened to the magical, powerful voice inside ourselves that always said “yes, you can do that!”

However as we grow, and achieve, so can we also become exposed to the negative influences that are out there. The little gremlins of negativity that hide in darkened closets, under our beds in the middle of the night, and haunt in the disbelieving parts of world…

“you can’t do that – nobody ever has”
“you’re too young, too old, not talented enough”
“don’t waste your time dreaming”
“be thankful you’ve got a job”
“that kind of success is for others”

Slowly they challenge our mettle. They question our belief in what can be done, and IF it can be done at all! Their disbelief can act as an evil sorcerer’s potion, which if enough consumed, can sour our own magical spirit!

Perhaps the real trick is to grow up without out growing our childhood belief for unrestricted achievement.

For us to know about, and especially constructively contribute to, the real world; but to use the world’s rules to help develop our own goals for achievement.

And to never, EVER give up.

Remember the “art of magic and achieving the impossible” is to use the existing limitations of life to help provide the answer. Every limitation and obstacle suggests and implies its own solution.

What results can you achieve in your life, vocation or business that at first may seem impossible? How can you help others and benefit yourself by growing out of your level of comfort? What childhood secret desire have you had that you never pursued? What can you do right now that can make a difference?

Follow your own path. Seek your own answers. Create your own real magic.

Remember Real Magic can happen only when people believe in themselves and are passionate about making a difference in their own life and the lives of others! Have focus! Be passionate about what you do! Create your own real magic!!

PS: I did teach Jacqueline how to fly again.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE MAGICIAN’S TRICK DOES NOT WORK?

How to turn your MISTAKES into SOLUTIONS, almost like magic!

Questions that always come up once someone discovers my magical background are, “Did you ever have a trick go wrong? What did you do about it?”

Magicians know a lot about making mistakes. We have to, because mistakes and magic do NOT go well together. Yes, I remember my third grade magic teacher Miss Mystic stressing, “Mr. Rossini, please remember, magic and mistakes do not work and play well with each other!” 

Think about it. The “art of magic’ is the only entertainment forum that is uniquely damaged by errors and mistakes. It simply is too specific a performance medium.

A dancer could miss a step and the routine would still work. A comedian’s timing could be off and yet the joke could still be funny. A skater can make an error and the routine still a crowd pleaser. A speaker can mess up a line and it’s still a great oration. A singer can even go off key and the song still a hit.

However, with a trick or illusion if you make a mistake – the magic simply stops – the magic does not happen! It’s the very nature of our business. The overall illusion is destroyed, or even worse the secret revealed. Talk about pressure!! It may sound harsh but it is true. So in order to help limit the amount of drastic mistakes made, we have developed the magician’s performance rule #2.

The rule is simply this, “We know the game plan – the audience does not. We know what is supposed to occur and when, but we never reveal this until after it has been successfully achieved.” 

Thus if something starts to go wrong there is a strong chance we can detect it long before it becomes visible to the audience and make appropriate changes before the mistake becomes too apparent.

This is not to say that the overall effect does not look or feel slightly off. The end result is that the actual illusion is not blown and we usually can get back in sync with the rest of the performance. And most importantly, the audience forgets about what did not happen. In some cases the changes may even seem like brainstorms and actually work out for the better.

This is what has been called by the entertainment industry as “adlibbing” or “punting”; and contrary to what it may initially sound like, it is actually a carefully thought out and studied process. It has to be our very survival depends upon it!

Now wouldn’t it be beneficial if YOU HAD A TRICK like this that you could use when something starts to go wrong? Believe it or not most of you already do, you just may not be applying it the same way a magician does, day in and day out – one performance after another.

So how does one develop this knack, apply it to their vocation and get good at it? It’s simply a matter of analyzing what YOU do as a show or a performance model.

Start by getting a clear picture of what you want to have happen, and then work backwards to achieve it. Study all the elements that have to go together and how, and then REALLY look at what might or could go wrong in the process. Then simply develop “outs” that you can effectively use at any given point to help alleviate any mistakes.

These “outs” are carefully chosen bits and little modules that are relevant to what you do. They have been developed to the point that you can go to these at a moments notice.

This way you can relax and go on auto pilot if need be. You continue to present while your mind simultaneously searches for the answer to put you back on track. And best of all, when carefully applied, your audience never knows what happened.

The same applies for a sales, marketing or presentation situation whether to a group or one on one. Carefully plan in advance what you want to have happen, and then develop your own “ad lib’s” or “outs”. Really know your three most important presentation aspects – the close – the opening – what builds in the middle, and then develop these interconnected lifesavers.

Now obviously no one is ever going to be able to plan in advance for all contingencies; but the better prepared you are the greater the chance you won’t need to use them.

It starts with knowing your material inside out and really taking the time to develop a performance module (regardless of whether you think of your presentation is a show or not) that you want to have happen.

Great entertainers, speakers, executives, meeting planners, educators, politicians and service people do this all the time. They have their presentations planned well in advance and can move around within their structure to accommodate any changes that come up – AND still have these “ad lib’s” and “punts” in place when needed.

When you put enough of these contingencies into place and develop your performance module to this degree – you come off looking like a magician, or maybe the “super professional” you really are. You are prepared for almost any problems that may come up. You make problems go away! You can make magic happen!!

Remember Real Magic can happen only when people believe in themselves and are passionate about making a difference in their own lives and the lives of others! Have focus! Be passionate about what you do! Create your own real magic!!

PS: I have to go memorize my adlibs for tomorrow!

THE OTHER HOUDINI?

The Magical Power Of Belief!

If you are, or have ever been a pet owner, you know there is a special almost magical bond that develops in this kind of relationship. Such is the case with our dog “Houdini”.

At first glance, our lovable puppy seemed to be just like any other dog; affectionate, playful and carefree. However, as time and experience quickly marched on, a most uncanny “psychic” ability started to develop.

We acquired our Lhasa Apso “Houdini” as our older dog approached 16 in human years. The concept was that a puppy would breathe new life into our aging old friend and make the inevitable life expectancy transition easier to handle. In reality, it did even more.

And contrary to popular belief, it was not I who gave Houdini his name, it was his breeder. It seems the lady had been calling him “Harry”, and when she found out my profession pleaded with us to name him “Houdini”. A name, which I might add, he’s lived up to many times.

In fact, the first night he stayed over at the Vet’s, he escaped from his cage three times!! However, all these escapades could not prepare us for the magic that was to follow.

You see “Houdini” has developed a magical, almost psychic ability to open doors. Now before you think me mad, please hear me out.

Houdini can open a door by concentrating on it. How does he do it? He believes it will happen!!

When Houdini wants to go outside, he does not bark, scratch or draw attention to it like most dogs. He actually does the opposite.

Houdini simply stands in the room and stares at the door. Regardless if there is anyone around or not, he just stands there silently transfixed, staring trance like at the door.

If you come in and ask him “want to go outside (?)”; there is no response. Houdini just stands there and concentrates even harder on the door. He does this to the point where someone (regardless of where you are in the house) will actually feel strangely compelled to go to the door, open it and let him out!! And time is not a factor.

He will stand there for as long as it takes. It is almost as if Houdini is mentally visualizing the door opening, his going through it, and then mentally projecting his image out into the world.

I can see my old Psychology Professors shaking their heads over this one, and yes, I do know better. Animals such as Houdini do not have “psychic powers” or “mental reasoning abilities” or even “a mind as we know it.”

However, as someone who has studied animal conditioning, behavioral sciences and personally worked with dozens of animals from doves to Bengal tigers I can tell you this; it looks like something magical is happening here.

Houdini may not be aware of it but he is actively demonstrating some of the key behaviors that anyone who has achieved “what at first seems impossible” knows. This knowledge is the real secret to creating “Real Magic”!

1) Know what it is you want to have happen. Be very clear about your end result and actually visualize it happening.

2) Believe that it will happen. There are no if, ands or buts; this will become a reality.

3) Be committed to making it happen, no matter what. Get prepared to do whatever it takes and for as long as it will take. Remember there are no unrealistic goals, just unrealistic time lines.

4) Do it, make it happen. Elicit whatever skills and help you need to turn your goals into a reality.

Yes, I know there are those who will say that Houdini’s story is dribble; that this whole door thing is just coincidence, fantasy or a dog gone, self fulfilling prophecy. To others its just fun to imagine and think about.

All I know is that there is magic in believing no matter who you are, and we are not reminded enough about this!

Please keep in mind that almost everything we take for granted today, was at one time impossible. Also, remember to look for the magic in the simplest things; it’s just waiting to be discovered. Dare to dream, smile and make magic happen! Create your own magic!

Remember Real Magic can happen only when people believe in themselves and are passionate about making a difference in their own life and the lives of others! Have focus! Be passionate about what you do! Create your own real magic!!

PS: I have to go now. Houdini is staring at the door.

HELPING JESUS SAW!

Learning From “Behind The Scenes” Magic Of TV!

I really love this magical business that I am in; the shows, the keynotes, and creating illusions for theatrical performance and specialty promotions. However there is another aspect of my work that can be an “out of the ordinary” real treat, even for me!

What I am referring to is working magic on television and in the movies. And over the years these experiences have been quite varied and unique.

I was the con artist hands in the original Shell Game movie, helped actors like Keir Dullea (2001 A Space Odyssey) and David Carridine (Kung Foo ) make on screen magic happen, magically consulted on TV shows like Friday The 13th, made dozens of celebrities from ex Toronto Mayor Mel Lastman to International Skating Star Kurt Browning magically “appear out of thin air” (in real time and without camera tricks), and appeared on far too many talk, news and variety shows to mention here.

However to be honest, it has been my “behind the camera” magic that has been the most fun and the most challenging. And this past month’s work on a new series pilot for TV is a great example.

The show is a new comedy entitled “The Altar Boy Gang.” And while I cannot let the premise out of the bag, I can tell you one of the bizarre scenes I was involved in.

Imagine this scenario. It is a beautiful August afternoon in a peaceful, historic cemetery. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping and there is a gentle breeze in the somber air. And yet if you look closely in the middle of this serenity is a sight your eyes just cannot believe.

For here in the midst of this tranquility is a twenty plus member TV crew filming “Jesus sawing a Priest in half”, just like a magician would in a magic box!

Yes this is one of the “fantasy/dream” sequences from this new show. The cameras, equipment and the crew are all real. The actor Todd Simon Witham is playing Jesus, and the Priest is marvelously portrayed by the legendary comedian and TV icon (and really nice guy) Jack Duffy. And where am I?

Well, you will never notice me in the scene, but you will witness my handiwork. I am the one orchestrating the sawing illusion and making it possible for this scene to be done without any camera tricks (yes we really did saw Jack Duffy in half). But there is even more to this magic.

The real magic here is how everything and everybody work together to turn a vision into a reality, and the pressure that they are under to do this.

A TV series has one week to shoot and edit, each and every week. That may at first seem like a long time, but when you look behind the scenes at what has to be done, it sometimes seems like a miracle it can happen at all.

And like a magician working on stage there are no second chances; if the trick does not work the magic does not happen, if the show is not completed it will not air on time. And in television that can be very, very expensive (and bad magic).

Even more amazing than this is the technical aspect of what happens behind the scenes. In the final episode what you will see is Jesus sawing the Priest in half and the lines and appropriate action being delivered. However what is really happening is even more incredible.

You won’t get to see the two-dozen people holding lights, recorders, reflective screens and various other pieces of equipment; or the boom operator that holds a microphone just out of the scene and the sound operator that records the sound.

You also don’t get to see the writer, director, producer, camera operator and other specialists from departments that range from Art to Camera to Wardrobe to Electrics. Yes they are all there making sure this magic works.

And interestingly enough you won’t get to see myself, and a prop operator, on the ground just out of camera range, helping Jesus separate the two halves of the magic box. (Yes props don’t roll that smoothly on the ground in a cemetery). Again all part of what needs to be done to turn illusion into reality. But there is also much more at play here.

To my mind the REAL MAGIC is the TEAMWORK required to make this magic happen.

At first glance, each and every member of this TV crew seems to be totally focused on their own individual job, almost seemingly ambiguous to what else is going on and the final audience that will appreciate their work. They are very much master wizards, specialists in their own individual world and yet an overall, vital component to creating the ultimate, final magical experience.

However they are all still very committed to working together as a team and doing what needs to be done to make this magic happen and bring the story to the screen.

The writer and producer create the story, the director makes sure the story is told true to their vision, pre-production takes care of all those little details necessary before filming, and then the technicians work their magic behind the scenes as the actors use their art to suspend the audience’s belief and take them into a world which was magically created for their amusement.

When all these elements seamlessly work together, real magic happens. A vision is turned into a reality. That is the true power of teamwork. Being the best you possibly can be, and working together with all the other vital elements to make the final goal a reality. And never losing site of ultimate “big -picture!”

It is what every successful TV show, Movie, magic show, organization and business must do in order to turn its vision into a reality. And to achieve this, we need to continually remind ourselves just how important ALL the elements, customers and the people who work with us are.

What can you do in your life and vocation to remind the other members of your team of their importance? By helping others to remember the ultimate magic they are creating, you can get them to see the true magicians they are, and the real magic they create!

Remember Real Magic can happen only when people believe in themselves and are passionate about making a difference in their own life and the lives of others! Have focus! Be passionate about what you do! Create your own real magic!!

PS: I’ll let you know when the show airs!

THE TWO WOLVES

A Magical Story Of Wisdom And How To Apply It To Your Life.

There is a marvelous Shaman tale that has been passed down from generation to generation that truly speaks of the potential magic inside ourselves. It goes something like this.

An elderly Cherokee Native American was teaching his grandchildren about life. He said to them, “A fight is going on inside me, it is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves.

One wolf is evil—he is fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self- pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, competition, superiority, and ego.

The other is good — he is joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.

This same fight is going on inside you my children, and inside every other person, too.”

They thought about it for a minute and then one child asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”

The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”

I first heard this tale when I was in University and its impact has stayed with me ever since. How simple, true and powerful a lesson this is; we become what we focus on.

If we constantly focus on what is good and on our positive qualities, we will eventually take on and pass on those traits. If we let those elements that are negative and destructive take hold, well we all know what will follow.

However as simple and true an insight this is, it can be difficult to constantly feed the right wolf all the time. Yes unfortunately life does have a way of forcing us into situations that can negatively impact us and cause us to feed that negativity. We can see this happen in our life, our work and our relationships.

The real magic secret here is to “never stop believing and never stop trying”! When we encounter a set back or a negative situation, we need to simply take a step back, take a deep breath, and remember which wolf we need to feed.

An approach I use is called “pattern interrupt”, and I practice it all the time. I wear on my wrist a number of elastic bands. Whenever I encounter a negative situation I pull the elastic band and let it snap back onto my wrist. At the same time I think only the positive answer to the situation.

For example in your work if the thought or feeling comes up that something “cannot be done”, when you snap your wrist make the thought inside your mind “nothing is impossible – there is an answer”. You can use this approach in every situation in life and in business; it simply is a matter of following through and coming up with the right positive response.

Technically what is happening is the snapping is shocking your system to take the focus off of the negative, and the implant of the positive thought affects your conscious mind (current mental state) and subconscious mind (which over time will affect how you feel and look at things). I personally have used this approach to break habits, solve problems and constantly empower my mental state. Try it, it really does work.

Right now put a couple of elastics on your wrist. Now for the next ten days whenever a negative situation occurs or negative thought pops into your mind snap the elastic band on your wrist and think the mantra “I am a good person – I am deserving – nothing is impossible – there is an answer”.

Or come up with something else that might be more applicable to you. But the point is try it. After all what do you have to lose? You may be surprised with the magic that it can create.

Remember Real Magic can happen only when people believe in themselves and are passionate about making a difference in their own life and the lives of others! Have focus! Be passionate about what you do! Create your own real magic!!

PS: Now remember you only have to do this for ten days, no longer. After all you wouldn’t want to work this kind of magic any longer, would you:)!

HALLOWEEN MAGIC

Three Spooky, Magical Lessons For Life And Business!

For those of you who may not know me that well, I have a confession to make. I have an addiction. It’s an addiction I have had for many years now, and it is not getting any easier to deal with. In fact it seems to have gotten a lot worse.

It’s not that I have not tried to ignore it. It is that I just can’t. And to make matters worse it seems my daughter is starting to develop the same addiction. It is an addiction to·

Halloween! Yes ever year when October rolls around my pulse increases and a ghoulish grin appears on my face. I find myself more and more fantasizing about Halloween night and the trick and treaters that will venture into my Haunted Backyard.

It started out fifteen plus years ago as a couple of mannequins with scary masks on my front lawn. Now it’s a month long preparatory process that stretches out over a quarter of an acre in our backyard, high up on the Niagara escarpment. It could only be described as Walt Disney meets the Blair Witch!

There are now dozens of different spooky, Halloween scenes featuring dozens of full size monsters, skeletons, ghouls and goblins. Here smoke machines, industrial lighting, robotics, live actors and special effects combine with a natural, eerie forest setting, theatrics and “twentieth century sorcery” to create a unique, magical experience.

And now my ten-year old daughter Jacqueline, who helps me in the set up, is so hooked on this that she would rather be home scaring others than out trick and treating. Well almost.

And as much as I enjoy the real fun and theatrics of this “SPOOKTACULAR event”, it has reinforced some powerful lessons about people, life and business.

The first lesson is that of the power and careful creation of the WOW experience!

One of the greatest emotions a magician can experience is when their magic makes an audience go “WOW” or “Oh My God”! It is an amazing feeling that one cannot describe, only experience.

And every year this is WOW experience is something that I work very hard to create for my Haunted Backyard guests.

But best of all, this WOW experience is a strategic technique that once learned and mastered can be applied to anything and any business.

The three-part magical formula is this, “give your audience much more than they ever expected, in a completely unexpected way, and without any extra effort on their part”!

So how can you apply this to what you do?

What add on to what you do and your service would make your customers really go “WOW” or “I DON’T BELIEVE IT”! Take it to the next level. And really take your audience by surprise with it. Do your phenomenal “great service” but then add even more. Make it in no way predictable or expectant on their part.

Then make this happen without any extra effort on your audience’s part. Let your audience truly enjoy this experience in a completely unrestrictive way and without any associated hassles, decision or worries.

But be warned! What is WOW the first time can quickly become THAT’S NICE the next time. Thus an incredible “add on” becomes “the expected”. The only way around this is to constantly be aware of the process, and constantly be seeking more ways to add value. And the rewards are worth it.

In my case, it’s more and different Halloween vignettes each and every year. I make it unpredictable and keep everyone guessing as to what might happen.

The second lesson I have learned is the incredible power of asking the magic question “HOW CAN I USE THIS IN WHAT I DO?” This applies both on the creative side and the practical side.

On the creative side, I am always constantly searching the web, watching horror and sci-fi shows, and life in general for ways to add scary effects to my backyard. When I see some piece of visual magic or an emotional frightening reaction that really stands out, I immediately ask myself how can I use this in my backyard? Almost always the answer is pure gold.

On the practical side, I am always on the look out for machines, technology and “things” that might be applied in the actual construction of my Halloween set up. And strangely enough usually the purpose that I use these devices for, is not the original purpose they were designed for.

So how can you apply this creativity to your business? Well only you can answer that.

But the next time you use a zip lock bag realize the creativity magic involved. The concept of a “zipper in clothing” reborn in the food freshness industry was pure magic. Prior to that it was all twist ties. All because someone asked “how can I use this in my business”?

Yes there is real magic in asking and learning from “how can I use this?”

And finally, don’t forget the basics. Don’t get so caught up in the day-to-day grind that you lose sight of the real magic of what you do. Or even worse, don’t go so over board in the bells and whistles that you lose sight of what you are supposed to do.

Every year I end up constructing only a small fraction of the Halloween effects I dream up. I just run out of time and resources. And that’s fine, because it is not the number of effects I produce but the quality. And that’s what truly makes it memorable.

And I also learned the important lessons years ago that nothing beats an actor with a mask jumping out of the blue and yelling “BOO”, and that the point of my Haunted Backyard was to create “good fun” in a scary, but not terrified way. After all my audience will not come back if they do not enjoy themselves.

So there you have it, some magical insights that I use not just in my job, but in my Haunted Backyard as well!

Apply these magical lessons to what you do and you will soon hear your audience go “WOW” and will be well on your way to creating a powerful experience, a magical memory, a phenomenal referral, a life long friend and customer, and making Real Magic happen!

Remember Real Magic can happen only when people believe in themselves and are passionate about making a difference in their own life and the lives of others! Have focus! Be passionate about what you do! Create your own real magic!

PS: If you are in the area on Halloween night please drop in! You might just be in for an entertaining scare.

WAND, JAMES WAND

A Magical Motivators take on the hidden, magical secrets of Ian Fleming.

“…Bond, James Bond.” That line was first spoken by actor Sean Connery in the original James Bond Movie Dr. No. The year was 1962. Since that time it has been uttered by 6 other actors, and in well over 20 featured length films. (Making it the longest running movie franchise of all time.)

In fact according to the Guiness Book Of Films it is the #1 most recognized movie quote of all time. Yes, even beating out movie classics from Casablanca and Gone With The Wind.

And apparently over half of the world’s population has heard of James Bond. Not bad at all for a fictional character first penned by author Ian Fleming in 1952.

If you have not guessed it by now, I am a James Bond fan. I have seen every movie at least once, and many more than 3 or 4 times.

In fact one of my best Christmas presents of all time was a 007 Spy Briefcase I received when I was boy. It featured all the James Bond gadgets including a special spy decoder I still treasure to this day.

I have also extended this “spy fascination” into the magic that I do. I created a character James Wand who was a “magical spy” in a number of illusion vignettes. And today one of our specialty shows is a “spy illusion show” called ESCAPE – A Behind The Scenes Look At The Magic Of A Secret Agent Training School!

But to me, there is a further “hidden magic” to 007’s appeal.

No, it’s not the fancy gadgets, the beauties or bullets. Nor is it the fast cars, glamorous locations or extravagant lifestyle. To me there is a deeper fascination.

To me James Bond’s real magic is HOW he makes his magic happen. The answer?

He thinks and acts like the ultimate magician! He understands what is needed to make the impossible, possible.

First, he knows that nothing is impossible. He understands that real magic is nothing more than coming up with simple effective solutions to complicated problems, and then taking action.

He visualizes his mission’s end result and then takes the necessary steps to achieve that result, just the way a magician creates a piece of magic, by working backwards.

Every piece of the puzzle is put together in the proper sequence until the final picture / secret mission / illusionist’s magic are achieved.

He also knows to watch what he is doing very carefully. He monitors his results and if what he is doing is not working, he will try something else. And if that doesn’t work, he will try something else. But he will stay with it until he achieves his end goal.

Next, he is a firm believer in the magician’s creed, that “every problem contains and suggests it’s own solution”.

How many times have we seen 007 in an impossible situation ö definitely no way out? And then he uses one little piece of the environment or situation to give himself the upper hand and turn the tables on the villain.

Sure in some of the later films there could be some pretty amazing gadgets involved, but more often than not it was the James Bond’s mindset that Ian Fleming created that was responsible for saving the day.

And finally, James Bond never, ever, ever gives up, and definitely strives at being the best at what he does.

He knows to learn the basic skills needed to do his job, and he has made great effort to master these skills. His has passionately mastered weapons, social skills and himself in a same way a magician masters sleight of hand, presentation skills and mindset.

And he continually feeds this passion.

So how can you apply this to what you do?

Use the same magic formula.

1. Create a vision of the end result you want to achieve, no matter how impossible it may seem. And make it as detailed as possible. Then fill in the blanks with simple actions needed to make you vision real. Study your actions, and change and tweak them as necessary to get you closer to your end result.

2. Remember that every problem contains and suggests it’s own solution. The obstacles that stand in your way truly do contain the answers to lead you in the right direction. Take a negative aspect of something that you currently see as a limiting element, and imagine it to instead be empowering. How can this element work to your benefit to achiever your goal?

3. And finally, remember to go after your dreams with passion. Take the time to learn the basics of what you need to do, and passionately master these skills. Become the best at what you do. Stay the course when things get bad and then passionately move on again toward your dream.

Apply this to your life, your vocation, your work and you too can become the James Bond of your vision. You can use Ian Fleming’s secrets to make your own Real Magic happen.

Real Magic is nothing more than coming up with simple, effective solutions to complicated problems, and then doing something about it! But Real Magic can happen only when people believe in themselves and are passionate about making a difference in their own life and the lives of others! Have focus! Be passionate about what you do! Create your own real magic!

PS: I have to go know. I am taking my wife to see Casino Royale with Daniel Craig as 007. I hear it is fantastic!

MAKING THE IMPOSSIBLE, POSSIBLE

How NOT Knowing How David Copperfield Made The Statue Of Liberty Disappear Can Benefit You! 

(NOTE: This was my very first article – originally published May 2000)

It’s a question I am always asked once people find out about my magical background. “I saw this magician once do this trick, do you know how it’s done?”

I usually respond, “If I tell you how its done do you promise, REALLY PROMISE not to tell anyone?” “Yes, YES”, they answer. “Well… I promised the same thing.” I politely reply.

There is nothing wrong with people wanting to know how illusions are done, unless of course you are the Masked Magician! In fact I rather enjoy being asked those questions. Questions like these show that something “really made enough of an impact” for someone to remember the trick, in most cases long after the event.

And I am always fascinated regarding “what tricks” they ask about. It really is free market research! It’s a chance to find out what stands out in a person’s mind about a performer or presentation.

But without a doubt the one question I have been asked more than any other over my twenty years experience is “How did David Copperfield make the Statue Of Liberty disappear? Did it really happen? Was it trick photography? Do they make mirrors that big?”

My answers are, “I don’t know – yes – no – I don’t think so, but don’t quote me on it!”

Yes David Copperfield did indeed make the Statue Of Liberty disappear and it was done without trick photography. David is probably one of the greatest performers and illusionists of the 20th Century and a genius. He made the magic happen and always “thinks outside the box!” The mirror idea… I don’t think so.

The real secret here, and how it can directly affect your business, is the questions that are asked.

I said that I don’t know how David Copperfield made the Statue Of Liberty disappear and it’s true! I don’t know because I wasn’t there. I did not see first hand what happened, I only saw it one TV like millions of other did.

Now, do I have ways of achieving that same effect and have it look the same? Yes! Is there a chance they could be the same method? Possibly, but that is not the important issue here. The real trick is HOW TO LOOK at achieving the result!

Magician’s Rule #1 – “Never ask how it is done!”

Magicians never ask, “How is it done?” That’s too limiting a question. The question they ask is “here is the effect I want to create – the result I want to achieve. How can I make it happen?” Do you see the difference? It really is a subtle change but a very powerful one. It truly becomes a paradigm shift.

The question now does not limit us as to the methods for achieving our results. We now no longer have to think under the restrictions imposed by a set of rules or limitations that we have no control over. We get to truly think and play “outside the box”, just like David did!

Do you really want to make the Statue Of Liberty disappear? The process is very simple. Not easy, but simple…

1) get very clear on the result you want to happen,
2) take into account all the limitations and restrictions you have to perform under – every possible obstacle, every angle, every factor, and then
3) dream – imagine – come up with every possible method to achieve what you want to accomplish regardless of how ridicules or far fetched it may initially appear. This is your opportunity to get rid of “but its never been done this way before”, and other limiting clichés,
4) work it out – find out what works – what doesn’t – plan & dream even more, and finally and MOST IMPORTANTLY,
5) do not give up until you have achieved your desired result!

This is the real secret for making the Statue Of Liberty disappear!

Does this work? Ask David Copperfield!

Or maybe Bill Gates, Henry Ford, Pierre Trudeau, McDonalds, Thomas Edison, Mother Theresa, AOL, Tony Robbins, Stephen Hawking, Steven Spielberg, Mrs. Fields and Jim Carrey to name but a few more.

As in all things in magic, in business and in the real world, “knowing how something is done is easy – making it happen is the challenge! Believe in making the impossible possible and the power of you own inner magic!”

Remember Real Magic can happen only when people believe in themselves and are passionate about making a difference in their own life and the lives of others! Have focus! Be passionate about what you do! Create your own real magic!!!