Personal Fear :: Feeling Limited By Age

[Krash]

I wanted to bring this issue up as it seems to happen to most from time to time especially when one takes up a hobby such as magic or music in which it takes time and dedication to be able to pick up a decent amount of skill.

Does anyone around here have that hidden feeling that they might have started a hobby such as ours too late in life? Do you think it's odd to have a fear such as that?

Do you think someone like me who started doing magic at the age of 18 could possibly contribute anything positive to the magic community?

Thanks,

Shane K.

 

[Travis]

I don't think it's odd to have that fear. But I personally, don't think it matters what age you start magic / flourishing / whatever hobby. Could you contribute to the magic community? If you keep into magic / flourishing then yes. I'm 13, and personally think I started magic early but then I hear about some other people starting at age 9 or 10. You could be 30, 40, and come up with an amazing idea nobody else has thought of and really contribute to the community.

 

[MitchellStafiej]

I wanted to bring this issue up as it seems to happen to most from time to time especially when one takes up a hobby such as magic or music in which it takes time and dedication to be able to pick up a decent amount of skill.

Does anyone around here have that hidden feeling that they might have started a hobby such as ours too late in life? Do you think it's odd to have a fear such as that?

Do you think someone like me who started doing magic at the age of 18 could possibly contribute anything positive to the magic community?

Thanks,

Shane K.

Every magician who is truly dedicated to the art can contribute A LOT to the magic community. Look at some of the big named magicians, they are a lot older then the young guns around the magic community. The older magicians are the MAIN contributors to the magic community. Why? Experience is one, but their maturity also helps them to be taken seriously. If you have the right attitude then it is entirely possibly for any magician, young or old, to contribute to the community.

Some might (and have) said the exact same thing you did about the younger magicians. I personally respect all magicians, young or old because of their dedication to the art.

Mitchell

 

[Anthony Bass]

You can never start too late or too early. I started when I was 5, and i'm 15 now. If you have a passion for it, and really try super dee dooper hard, you can make it anywhere at any age. Age should never be a limit to success.

 

[Pots54]

I think that it never matters what age you start at, but how much effort you put in to it. I think its fine that you started magic at 18. I, personally, feel that fear can effect magicians who started magic at a young age. I believe this because, sometimes, magicians who are young, haven't yet mastered the 'skill' of confidence. Where as people who start magic at a later age, have more confidence.

Thats my view on this point.
-|P54

 

[AceOfGears]

i thought i was starting too late at 13 X_x..

but i really don't think that it matters. hey, if you really love doing magic, then you'll hopefully be doing magic until you're an old man. I'm a magician because i love entertaining people and seeing bewildered looks on their faces. and if i can do that for as long as possible, then it doesn't matter how old you are.

thats my opinion, i dunno if it'll help you at all, but i hope it did.

good luck.
-Joe.

 

[Krash]

Actually, it really does help to know that my peers don't feel that there is a preferred age that one should start learning our art. I mean, I feel confident in what little skill I have attained over the past year since I started last Halloween.

I guess all in all I was just feeling like I was wasting my time with something that I started too late doing, but I understand what all of you were saying.

Sincerely,

Shane K.

 

[Avancer]

I have that feeling about skateboarding, especially when I see kids who are 11 or 12 doing amazing tricks. Magicwise, not so much, but I guess with some hobbies it's true, but you can still make the most ofthem.

 

[mattlee]

I started 2 years ago and I'm 27 this year.

I know how you feel. I'd like to think age is irrelevant, but its not.

The fact is that people who are older have much more responsibilities and have much less time to practice.

How do you make efficient use of your practice time? For me I set very defined goals and I practice to reach these goals. Once I reach there, I move on.

 

[Lynchpin]

If your still young and not at the age of 50+ you should be just fine. I tend to agree when some people say, if you start at a really young age, you will have a faster learning curve, which is true. just because someone starts at the age of 18, 20, 25, 30 etc etc, doesn't mean he wont learn anything, he will but it is possible that older people MIGHT learn slower.

 

[vipermagic]

hey if you have a passion for an art it does not matter what age you start at.

 

[Krash]

Thank you all so much for the support. I've made the decision to keep going strong, and just seeing where it takes me. I mean, it's not like my life goal is to have my name up in lights in Vegas. I just want to be the best I can be.

Shane K.

 

[JCwebs09]

check out the lee asher interview with David Stone
he started when he was 18 and look at him now!
http://www.leeasher.com/david_stone.htm

i started at 13 and i am already good at just 16 now

 

[Krash]

check out the lee asher interview with David Stone
he started when he was 18 and look at him now!
http://www.leeasher.com/david_stone.htm

i started at 13 and i am already good at just 16 now

Wow, thank you so very much for posting this. I must say, it does make me feel A LOT better knowing that even some of the greats in magic just started learning at or around the same age that I did.

It really is possible to do anything, eh?

Shane K.