How to Be Magical
Here’s something you might have noticed:
Machines are kind of taking over the world.
You don’t need to ask for directions anymore. You can process millions of lines of data in a few seconds. Uber is test driving driver-less vehicles.
We don’t need to call in Schwarzenegger yet, but it’s getting close.
News flash: this technology isn’t going away. Anything that can be done automatically, will be. This may include your day job.
Luckily, humans still have the ability to do something computers can’t (for now):
Make magic.
Magic is far and away the most valuable asset of the Creative. Unpredictability is innately human. It cannot be replaced by a robot, no matter how good randomizers get. It is spontaneous. It is surprising. It is glorious.
There are magicians walking among you right now. They are not always conjurers, they are the everyman — bringing new ideas and creations where they never were before. The prestidigitator innovates, cuts corners, and shows a new path.
Here’s the best news — anyone can make magic. It’s not a game, it’s a necessity. Magic is as accessible to the engineer as well as the entrepreneur.
These things helped me:
Stop fighting the machine.
The greatest magicians don’t hide from cameras and mirrors. They use them. Don’t try and hold back the river when you could ride the wave instead. Use technology until it gets replaced. When the new thing comes along, use that instead. Repeat this process forever.
Level up every day.
If you draw, get better at strokes. If you write, expand your vocabulary. If you make videos, smooth out your animation. Whatever your thing is, level up.
Leveling up your existing ability is a good (and probably the easiest) way to grow your magic. Even if most people won’t be able to tell the difference between 95% professional and 99% professional, you will know the differnce. Mastery at your craft is something people take for granted.
And by “people” I mean “everyone but you.” Don’t you dare assume you deserve to be good. Creativity chooses you as much as you choose it.
Learn one new thing about the world every day.
Most people adapt to what’s in front of them and never look for anything more. The Creative, an easily bored creature, will quickly reach beyond what they can see and explore new ideas.
Magicians make tricks from all areas of life. Why do something with a card deck when you could do it with a bowling ball? Or an aquarium?
Dissect the masters
In the hands of a good author, you feel comfortable and safe. You feel like they would never do you wrong. You don’t want to study what they did or how they did it because you don’t want to break the spell. Everyone loves magic because, really, we love being fooled.
To take your magic to the next level, you have to dismantle your idols. Study all of their work. Why did they do things a certain way? How did they do it that way? How can you do it better?
Rip off the masters
I’ve been learning animation this past year. Almost every good thing I’ve done has come from shamelessly copying what someone else did. Steal, destroy, and start over.
Replicating the greats adds another card to your trick deck.
Learn new beliefs
Not just religious ones. Every single person on the planet has a different way of looking at the world. You can learn this by reading what they write. Books have been crucial both to my development as a person and a creative. It takes the author years to come to the conclusion they’re allowing you to access in a matter of hours (maybe days).
I’ll take that tradeoff.
Knowing different beliefs are critical because at his core, the magician knows everyone’s beliefs. Then he bends them to his will.
The one advantage the Creative has is her ability to come up with new magic all the time.
And magic will never be replaced.
If you liked this, you’ll like my friends who are making incredible magic with film:
- Here’s a chat I had with them about making great movies.
- You can learn more about their latest project at toddbrison.com/supportday7.
— TB