A Day in the Life of a Professional Magician

A Day in the Life of a Professional Magician

(Yes, this is an actual job. No, I don't live in my parent's basement.)

Being a magician is one of those careers that sounds like it came out of a cartoon — like astronaut, dragon tamer, or professional bubble wrap popper. People always ask me what it’s like, and the truth is: it’s weird, awesome, chaotic, and sometimes involves glitter in places glitter should never be.

So, what does a day in the life of a magician really look like?

Let me set the record straight.

First things first: caffeine.

I’d love to say I wake up to birdsong and levitate out of bed like a graceful wizard. But in reality, I drag myself to the kitchen, make coffee strong enough to bend spoons (with or without magic), and try to remember what city I’m in — or at least what day it is.

Magic isn’t just magic — it’s also emails, gear, and glitter.

Once the caffeine kicks in, it’s time to do the part of the job no one thinks about: all the business stuff. I respond to emails from parents planning birthday parties, corporate folks organizing events, and the occasional person asking if I can make their ex disappear (answer: legally, no).

There’s also a lot of prep work. Tricks don’t reset themselves. I’m gluing, re-threading, recharging, repacking — and wondering where all my sponge balls keep disappearing to. (Seriously. I think they’ve unionized.)

Rehearsing = talking to myself like a lunatic.

If you’ve never tried delivering jokes, doing sleight of hand, and pretending to be surprised by your own trick — while staring into a mirror — you haven’t lived.

Rehearsals are where I tighten up the timing, test new material, and sometimes accidentally invent a trick because I dropped something. Creativity and chaos are basically roommates in this job.

The real magic? Performing.

Eventually, the spotlight hits, the music starts, and I get to do what I love: make people laugh, gasp, and believe in the impossible — even if just for 30 minutes.

There’s nothing like seeing someone’s face light up when they know something is impossible… and then it happens anyway. Whether I’m doing close-up magic at a dinner party or stage illusions in front of a big crowd, it’s all about creating a moment people won’t forget.

And let’s be honest — it’s also about kids yelling, “DO IT AGAIN!” 37 times in a row, and adults saying, “Okay, but seriously… how did you do that?”

I’ll never tell. 😉

The after-show crash.

When it’s all over, I pack up the props (hopefully not forgetting anything), head home, and do a quick mental replay of the show. What worked? What didn’t? Did anyone notice I did the big finale out of order? (If they did, they were polite about it.)

Then I eat a late-night snack like a raccoon and go to bed with glitter still stuck to my elbow.

So, yeah — being a magician is weird. And I love it.

It’s a job where I get to make people smile, freak out, laugh, and forget their stress for a little while. I don’t wear a cape (often), and I haven’t pulled a rabbit out of a hat in years… but I have turned a boring Tuesday into something unforgettable.

And honestly? That’s real magic.

Need some magic at your next event?
Birthday party, company event, or just an excuse to wow your friends — I’ve got you covered. [Click here to get in touch!]

I promise not to disappear on you.
(Unless it’s part of the show.)