Mental Rehearsal Hacks

I left the show feeling giddy.

I had just finished my first corporate holiday party in years. I was understandably nervous about stepping back into a market I had left behind years ago.

Most of the show was material I had been doing for years, including my own handling of the classic Confabulation. But one piece, in particular, was new. So new that this show was the first time I performed it.

Here’s how the routine looks to the audience: I ask for a woman’s help onstage. I explain to the audience that earlier when I was doing strolling magic, I asked her to call her mom on her cell phone and ask her to have her phone handy for the magic show.

After I explained all of this, I asked her to think of any word in the English language. After doing so, she wrote it down on the back of my business card and secured it safely in my wallet.

Then she called her mom. Once Mom was on the phone, I explained to her (and the audience) that I was going to see if Mom could pick up her daughter’s thoughts.

I told Mom I’d be hypnotizing her over the phone and that she may forget certain bits of our conversation. I then led Mom through a mild hypnotic induction.

After a few moments, I asked Mom to just say the first word that popped into her mind.

“Firehouse?” I said. “Okay, just repeat that to your daughter.” I then handed the phone back to her daughter, my volunteer.

Mom did indeed repeat the word “Firehouse” to her daughter, who confirmed that was indeed the word she was thinking of.

Later, after the show, the daughter told me she was so stunned that she was shaking.

It’s a wonderful effect made even better in that there were no apps or preshow involved. And the cellphone was the daughter’s.

It relies on some human psychology and one very bold concept. It’s a Docc Hilford creation, something I’d been wanting to do for years. (Unfortunately, I can’t tell you where to get it as once again, Docc’s website is down at the time of this writing. He’s brilliant, but a complete flake in business.)

While I wanted to do the trick, I was nervous because of its boldness. So I kept thinking about it. I mentally rehearsed it over and over.

When it came time to do the effect, I was smooth as silk. The trick felt like an old friend. All because of repeated mental rehearsal.

To learn new effects and seamlessly add them to your act, this kind of mental rehearsal is one of the most powerful techniques you can use.

It’s more involved than simply repeating your scripted lines. You gotta see it, feel it, hear it.

When you rehearse the effect, imagine everything you can see. See yourself on a stage doing the effect. (If you’re doing a strolling effect, see yourself at a table. You get the idea.) Imagine yourself performing the effect flawlessly.

Add as much detail as you can. What color is the stage? How many people are in the audience? What are they wearing? What are YOU wearing? Where is the event?

Once you’ve added the visual details, add sound. Hear yourself in your imagination saying the lines. Imagine what other people are saying. What do their voices sound like? Imagine the gasps, the applause. All of it.

Add in smells, even tastes. Maybe you take a breath mint before a show. Imagine the taste of the breath mint. Or maybe your show is after dinner like mine was. You could imagine the smells of dinner, too. Don’t underestimate the power of smell in an exercise like this.

Finally, imagine how you feel doing the effect. Maybe you imagine the excitement, the mini adrenaline rush. I’ll use that sometimes. But mostly I try to imagine a calm feeling. I want to be relaxed and in control when I perform.

Side note: When I arrived at the venue to do the show, I immediately recognized the venue as one I had performed at ten years ago. And when I met my client, he revealed I had performed for the company years ago, too. A co-worker reminded him.

I remembered the gig and the great time I had. Those feelings from the past flooded me, giving me the security I needed to get past my nerves and put on a great show.

After the show, my client (the owner of the company) told me he loved the show and wanted to book for next year. I happily agreed.

Lots of lessons and tools in this issue!

As always, if you have any questions, shoot me an email.

--Cris

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