10 Lessons to Learn from Your Mistakes

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The “Wilyonaryo” controversy (which aired eons ago) teaches some lessons that magicians can take to heart.

For the benefit of those who have been living in caves, here’s a video clip of that episode:

Willie Wilyonaryo Controversy.

Having viewed the video, you are now ready to learn the 10 lessons. Engrave them in your brain, etch them on your forehead, so you will never ever forget them:

Lesson 1: Before breaking in a new trick, practice, practice, practice…

Lesson 2: If you are a mentalist and have inadvertently shown the wrong “prediction”, don’t show the “other” prediction, unless you want to look stupid. The audience shouldn’t know, or even have a hint, you have multiple predictions hidden somewhere.

Lesson 3: Think ahead of an “out” before you perform, so if an accident happens you don’t panic.

Lesson 4: Don’t think your audience is stupid. Respect their intelligence. Don’t cover your mistake with a mere joke, or you will just sink into a quicksand trying to redeem yourself.

Lesson 5: Build a better prop. (Hire me as consultant.)

Lesson 6: If you make a mistake, don’t blame somebody else. The magician is responsible for everything that happens in the performance—even the mistakes of the assistants, the sound man, stage crew, etc., are his mistakes.

Lesson 7: Treat your audience volunteers with respect. This does not mean that you treat them reverently like a visiting diplomat. Rather, it means that even when you horse around with the volunteers and have fun with them, you don’t humiliate them. Don’t ask them to do something that embarrasses them, or make them look silly—unless they want to.

Lesson 8: Don’t be a crybaby, especially in public. Learn the lessons of your mistake and move on.

Lesson 9: Don’t call attention to your mistake with histrionics.

Lesson 10: Don’t let Leodini know about your mistake, or he’ll critique you and write a post titled “10 Lessons to Learn from Your Mistakes”.