Learning: Some tricks
are self-working (e.g., mathematical card tricks), while others require
complex sleight of hand. No matter the method used, learn each element of
the trick as a separate unit, then work on putting them together. Repeat
all the elements of the trick until you can do it all the way through.
Practicing: Do the
trick 100 times—literally. Walk through every part of the trick, including
what to say, where to look, what to do with your hands, where your props
need to go—as if you were performing it live. Practice in front of a
mirror so you can see what your audience will see. So much depends on
angles! If you mess up, don't move on, start over. You build your skills
by repetition, doing the entire trick as one unit. Once you have done this
trick so many times, you can do it in your sleep, you are ready to perform
it.
Performing: Relax!
After all that practice, you are ready to perform. And if you think you
are not…STOP! Do not perform; it's not worth the risk of messing it up and
ruining your chance to amaze someone with your new trick. Once you feel
you are ready, have fun with it. Relax, act natural, and remember that
your audience doesn't know how it's supposed to go. So if you stumble a
bit along the way, don't panic; just continue on. Remember, if they are
having fun, you are a success!