Three New People: Make the Most of Your Daily Interactions and Stop Missing Amazing Opportunities

Because we can never think of a really good follow-up question when somebody says, “Boy, it sure is hot outside.”

Asking questions will only get you so far. Even more important is listening to the answers. And even more important than that? Listening to understand, not just listening to respond or reply.

Many kids and even adults get into magic as a sort of “revenge of the nerd,” or “revenge of the bullied.” Magic can be empowering in an addictive way and even become a coping mechanism that can have some rather unfortunate consequences, as I would eventually discover.

What is my biggest worry this week? This month? This year?

Aspiring entertainers often attribute their failure to the audience. Blame is a basic human instinct when things go wrong, and in the case of a live performer, it is incredibly easy to follow the logic, i.e., “Last night in this club at 8:00 pm with an audience of 100 people I had an amazing show. Tonight, in the same club at 8:00 pm with an audien

Perspective-taking is the ability to see the world from the point of view of another person.

one of the keys to the success of any magician is listening to the audience. Whether they cheer, scream, weep, or remain silent: what are they ‘saying’ with their response? How do they feel about the experience that I’m sharing with them?

When you truly understand yourself, you will be able to identify shared beliefs to bond over with others, and fundamental differences to overcome. Connection is not always about agreeing. It is about feeling heard, understood, and valued. Understanding yourself leads to others understanding you, which helps you understand them.

One of the oldest tricks for remembering someone’s name is to use it out loud three times in quick succession. In the context of my live stage show, it goes like this:

Asking questions is the single most direct and effective way to understand the perspectives, thoughts, feelings, and beliefs of another person.