The Biggest Secret in my Magical Progress

[@jameswebb8338]

Great video. A top 5 books by a certain author would be terrific. Example: John Bannon -- Destination Zero, Dear Mr. Fantasy, Very Hush Hush, etc. Juan Tamariz, Darwin Ortiz, Joshua Jay, and so on. THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO!

[@EruditeMagic]

Great idea - thanks for sharing!

[@Davlavi]

Thank you for sharing.

[@Jonathan.B]

I always find it hard to know what to start writing to begin with. I know that's the hardest bit!

[@EruditeMagic]

Just jot down whatever comes to mind and go from there!

[@pyratemage]

Don is a magician, too. You give him your card number, and he not only makes your bank account go down but makes the books you wanted appear at your door!

[@EruditeMagic]

😄👍

[@sleepymaximus3275]

I haven’t considered journaling, but now I’m going to start it! Thank you!

[@EruditeMagic]

So glad to hear it! Let us know how things are going

[@FunkyFerret101]

Another great and insightful video Sir! Was wondering your thoughts / comparison of electronic journaling on an iPad say, simply for the ability to “control F?” This is something I’ve wanted to get back into… I’ve thought about going back and converting all my old random notebooks into something searchable…

[@EruditeMagic]

I think whatever you do, you shouldn't allow it to overwhelm you. Start where you are now with what's comfortable, then decide how you'll continue. Apps can be a great starting point!

[@twatmunro]

Can you tell Jeff is an magical accountant? (I kid.) The very process of writing stuff down seems to cram it into my memory. If I don't, it's just gone.

[@EruditeMagic]

😄👍

[@az7500]

Great Video! you inspired me to journal more systematically. It is much easier to keep track of progress as well new routines.

[@EruditeMagic]

So glad I've inspired you in some way. Keep us posted on how it goes 👍

[@hesspet]

Trained in my every day job as a senior software developer, journalling is something that is in my DNA. So when I started magic I used the same principles . But I never do paperwork. Over the years I write my "journal" into a very simple note-taking app (On PC and on mobile devices). I can collect text, images, links and such stuff in a very simple way. And I can search over all those information via keywords and full text search to get my notes back. and in this notebase there are also manuals, datasheets and simple every day stuff, like poems, news article. Or more simply, everything that is worth being written down. You search for eggs and you will find routines with eggs, receips, stories about chicken and so on. This is one of my strategies to create ideas - "Read'n mix" - Study your data collection is fun.

[@EruditeMagic]

So cool - thanks for sharing!

[@ScottRSmith1964]

I have found that journaling doesn’t work for me because after a few notebooks full it’s to hard to find anything. If we were all database experts, we could create great databases. I am not. I use composition booklets with about three pages in the booklet. I have some larger ones just in case. I take notes on the book that I’m reading and then I keep those notes in that book. When I remember something out of a book that I want, I can go to my notes. Maybe it’s because I just turned 60, but it’s easy to get frustrated when trying to remember where I put something. Lol

[@EruditeMagic]

That's a great tip, and a different way to do it - I love it! Thanks for sharing, Scott. 👍

[@pyratemage]

Wow. Journaling allows you to literally, read your own mind. 😮

[@EruditeMagic]

That's true!

[@GregPhillipsMagic]

Good stuff! Thanks for the input!

[@EruditeMagic]

Thanks, Greg!

[@francois-xaviercharpentier1214]

I have the same black little notebook. What are the odds 😁

[@EruditeMagic]

Pretty good when you have the background we have!! 🤣

[@tommarquette9706]

Jim Steinmeyer wrote keep a messy notebook.

[@EruditeMagic]

Seems like good advice!

[@tommarquette9706]

His article was in Popular Mechanics. We both watched Bozo's Circus as kids in 60S. It was a Chicago thing.

[@redchandler]

Do you have a way of keeping track of and finding things in your diaries? You may have said, but how many do you have?

[@EruditeMagic]

I don't, quite. Periodically, I go back through to look at ideas. It doesn't take long to look at the headlines to decide if there's something I want to explore. I have three or four journals at this point. It's not a perfect system, but it's better than losing the ideas all together 🤷🏻

[@redchandler]

@@EruditeMagic yes, I like hands-on books, paper etc as opposed to digital. I think I'll start a journal.

[@EruditeMagic]

Great! I think you'll enjoy the journey and what you find out about yourself through capturing your thoughts 👍

[@redchandler]

​@@EruditeMagicwhat journal do use? Do you try to use the same journals all the time for conformity's sake? Or do you just get what you can find. Also when you journal do you just free flow or fi designate certain parts of journal for specific things?

[@EruditeMagic]

No special journals - anything I have...I just freeflow. There may be better strategies, but it works for me

[@Jim_S.]

I ordered two large books that should be showing up this week...Collected Almanac and Marlo's Cardially Yours. I think that's about 800 pages, so taking notes might be a good idea..

[@EruditeMagic]

Definitely!!

[@AlecSchraegle]

Journaling takes discipline for me, but it’s rewarding. Who better to learn from than yourself. Reflection is an under appreciated process these days. GREAT VIDEO!

[@EruditeMagic]

Thank you, Alec!! 🙏

[@georgeyounts9391]

So much magic. So little time. I write notes on the Book's inside covers but my journalling is notes stapled and restapled together as new ideas come about. I also drop off one Magic Book (or other book) per month that I don't open anymore, or have gotten nothing out of, into my Public Library's Donation Bin for used book sales. I know, this is sacrilegious to many. But less guilt for me with it not just sitting there and I've done nothing with it. Limits make one creative. So it is something I've "lean into" to use you phrase. Another great post Sir!

[@EruditeMagic]

Very interesting! You're right, limits do make you creative 👍

[@RobertBallMagician]

This is a great thing to do. I am always writing stuff down. 😊😊😊😊

[@EruditeMagic]

So glad to hear that, Robert!

[@jerryRp90x]

I've been doing that lately. My main books currently are scripting magic 1 and 2, I read, sometimes 10-30 pages and enjoy the book, then the next time I return I go back and sift thru them and if there was something I had liked and was thinking about I'd go back and add those notes and page numbers. If I had time I'd read the next pages or so and continue

[@EruditeMagic]

Love that, Jerry!

[@jacka8404]

Great episode!

[@EruditeMagic]

Thanks, Jack!