Comments on: Derren Brown: A Brief Glimpse Into an Incredible Mind

By: Shane

Shane — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 19:59:10 +0000

Hi Aaron, thanks for your comment! I’m glad you liked this post. Surrounding oneself with supportive people is definitely very important for building this kind of confidence. With trusted friends, you can make mistakes without fear of their reactions.

By: Shane

Shane — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 19:56:17 +0000

Hi Diggy!
Thanks for stopping by. I’m a fan of the street magic stuff, too. I even have a bunch of different card-decks here and I practice a bit of sleight of hand with them from time to time. I’m pretty crappy at it, though. Even with basic knowledge about magic tricks, the stuff Blaine, Brown and others like them do is just mind-boggling. :)

Have a good day too, mate!

By: Aaron @ Harry Potter Costume

Aaron @ Harry Potter Costume — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 17:45:08 +0000

Hello, great post here! The video was informative and gives great advice. I have to agree that confidence does come from a sense of well-being and truly liking who you are. It’s easy to stray away from that, especially in the world we live in today. I feel it’s important to surround yourself with positive people who believe in you as well. Thanks for the post…great job!

By: Diggy - Upgradereality.com

Diggy - Upgradereality.com — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:55:54 +0000

Heya Shane!
Cool blog you have here man!

I am a fan of street magic, the real stuff, like David Blaine style. It is so mindboggling watching someone do something that seems impossible, yet you cannot spot the trick or how he does it, sometimes its just plain scary :)

Have an awesome day!

By: Shane

Shane — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 10:13:59 +0000

Hi Walter, thanks for your comment!
Yes, I too hope to get to Derren’s level of confidence/experience. He’s a bit of an idol to me, anyway since it’s not just his performance but his whole personality and style that is really outstanding.

By: Walter

Walter — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 02:17:15 +0000

What Derren did was not easy. It only shows the strength of his character. I try my best to develop such character, I know I’m far but I will achieve it. :-)

By: Shane

Shane — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 19:42:48 +0000

Hi Ben,

Thanks for your comment!
I agree that exposure, or practice in a sense, is probably one of the most sure-fire ways of learning to cope with failure. In the case of a stage magician, by the time you see them on a big stage, they usually have years and years of practice in front of friends and family, at small events, in bars etc. behind them. Many chances to screw up in relative obscurity and get some practice in.

Oh, and I’ll be making a fool of myself on youtube soon enough. ;)

By: Ben

Ben — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 18:54:32 +0000

Hey, I like the new site. You’ve got some good content going up.

I have by no means defeated my fear of failing (especially publicly), but I’ve come a long way. Perhaps I’ll write about the details sometime. Suffice it to say, like many other fears, it basically comes down to exposure.

As a child I was quite sensitive to failing. By failing often and sometimes intentionally, I developed the ability to more effectively overcome what fears remain, in the moment.

So I guess my advice would be to get out there and get used to making a fool of yourself. Feel free to post videos on youtube for our entertainment. ;-)