How To Be Different From Other Kids Entertainers
In our first episode we discussed 9 benefits of creating your own routines. In this episode, I want to briefly discuss how to differentiate yourself from the competition. Now before you jump ahead and start guessing the answer, the most important that will tap into your creative edge is….
Your Life Experience
That’s right, what you bring to your presentation is who you are. You are not Chris Angel, Penn & Teller or David Blaine and neither is your frame of reference. What you have that is different from all your competition is your gifts, your disappointments, your triumphs, your dreams and achievements in life. You need to know who you are if you want any chance in conveying that essence in your work.
This simple step is what made me realize I wanted to go into educational entertaining it was my unique gift! Take a moment and look at what you have experienced in your life and look for a common thread. During the course of my life I have been a magician, counselor for children, firefighter, Director of Education at a Church and marketing consultant. The common thread in this very diverse background for me is a love of teaching!
“Identify the passion in your life”
What do you love, hate, worry about, obsess over? What keeps you awake at night…what loops run through your mind as you try to fall asleep? What thoughts greet you in the morning?
In the book, “The Enlightened Magician” by Michael Jeffries, Joe Givan is asked the question, “How did you come to the style you now have?”. Joe responded, “I figured if that’s where my heart lies that’s probably where my style lies.” This provides a very, very valuable insight. Where does your heart lie? Your heart harbors something genuine about yourself…follow your heart and don’t be afraid to trust your internal compass.
People have a preconceived notion of what a magician is supposed to be like. When I was a teenager my idea of a magician was a guy in a bad leisure suit (bad leisure suit is that redundant?) and leather driving gloves for a white corvette with license plates that read “SPIRIT”. For those of you who are too young to know… what I’m referring to was a very bad television series in the U.S. called “The Magician” starring Bill Bixby but I digress!
But that notion has very little to do with me and who I am and where my heart lies. Sure, I thought it was cool and it appealed to my ego but that isn’t what I wanted deep down inside of myself.
“What makes you unique?”
I am going to make this episode short and sweet because it really comes down to you reflecting on the accomplishments in your life. It’s time to be realistic when you look at yourself and who you are…what makes you unique? What exceptional skills do you possess that your client needs? How do you convey who you are to others and how do you mix that in with the effects/tricks you present?
Maybe I am asking you to bite off more than you can chew but this step is essential as you attempt to tap into your creative flow. What I want you to avoid is working long and hard developing something that in the end isn’t what you truly want! Your motivation has to be more than I want to be a full-time magician/clown/DJ/Ventriloquist/entertainer.
Let me offer you a resource that can be very helpful to this task. There is a wonderful resource out there written by Judy Carter called, “The Message of You!”. In it she teaches some wonderful techniques of turning your life story into a profitable product. Her area is
Time for me to close but in the next episode I will be sharing 3 creative presentations of 3 routines I do. During the process, I hope to identify some tools to help you do the same with your routines. Until then take some time to uncover your true passions!!
