Permissionless Magic: How To Live A Profound Life
Insights from my interview with a lifelong magician
When I was 10 years old, a professional magician named Gary Savard performed at my birthday party. Fascinated by his illusions, I asked for a magic lesson.
What began as a single session evolved into years of mentorship that shaped not just my childhood, but my entire approach to life’s possibilities.
I retired from magic at age 15. That's half my life ago now.
Yesterday, I reunited with this influential teacher of mine to host him on my podcast!
Spotify link:
Or for the visual experience, here it is on Youtube:
Here are the most important things I took away from this conversation:
A/ The Illusion of Security
Gary worked as a postal carrier for stability while building his magic career on the side. He told me something that perfectly captures the modern employment dilemma:
“The post office used to be like any government job. That used to be THE job. You started there, you finished there. Nowadays, the starting wage isn’t good… People come in and after a couple weeks they’re like, ‘Well, Joe Blow just offered me $3 more, I’m out of here.’”
This reality check highlights how the “safe path” isn’t what it used to be. The social contract between employers and employees has fundamentally changed. Companies expect loyalty while treating you like a number.
B/ The Magic of Following Your Passion
Throughout our interview, Gary revealed how pursuing his passion created opportunities that a conventional path never would have.
“If I didn’t need money, I would still do this anyway because it’s very enjoyable.”
When you love what you do, the challenges are just part of the adventure.
C/ Discovering A New Character
When COVID hit and traditional performances disappeared, Gary invented a new character:
“The Grinchy Grouch” became wildly successful, competing with the well-worn Santa costumes that come out every December. It evolved from a simple mask to an elaborate character that earns him bookings throughout the holiday season.
D/ Experiencing Awe Together
While AI and digital entertainment flood the web, Gary believes people will increasingly crave authentic human connection.
“Maybe when technological magic is too available, we want to put that genie back in the lamp and have the real magic of experiencing awe together.”
For those of you feeling trapped in conventional career paths, here are the key insights about how to live a profound life:
Find Your Mentors: When you discover someone doing what excites you, don’t just admire from afar. Reach out. Gary became my mentor because I showed genuine interest in learning the craft, not just the secrets. Who in your field might take you under their wing if you demonstrated real commitment?
Be an Entertainer First, a Technician Second: Gary emphasized that technical skills alone won’t sustain a career: “If you’re technically really well but a bad performer, nobody’s going to watch you, nobody’s going to care.” This applies universally. Focus on the human connection and impact of your work, not just technical proficiency.
Learn to Recover Gracefully: In live performance, things inevitably go wrong. Gary shared stories of equipment failures and embarrassing moments but emphasized: “The thing is not to bring attention to a mess-up and move forward.” This resilience translates to any creative pursuit. Mistakes will happen, but recovery defines professionals.
Start Before You’re Ready: Gary’s recent evolution from basic Grinch masks to the elaborate Grinchy Grouch character shows how creativity develops through iteration. You don’t need perfection to begin. Start with what you have and improve as you go.
Create Multiple Income Streams: By maintaining his postal job while building his entertainment business, Gary protected himself from financial insecurity. This hybrid approach offers freedom to grow your passion without the crushing pressure of immediate financial success.
Now, The Real Magic?
The most profound lesson from Gary’s life isn’t about card tricks or illusions, it’s about creating meaningful experiences in a world increasingly dominated by digital noise. “There’s so much garbage in this world… just for an hour of having fun with them and seeing those kids just go crazy…. it’s joyful for me,” Gary explained.
While my magic career only lasted from age 10-15, the mindset of creating wonder, connecting with audiences, and continually evolving my craft has informed everything I’ve done since.
The conventional path promises security but delivers despair and mental decay. The unconventional path guarantees nothing but wide open possibility, and that’s where the real magic happens.
What’s your magic? The thing you’d do even if it didn’t pay? And more importantly, what small steps could you take this week to begin pursuing it, even before you’re ready?
The greatest illusion is believing that you need permission to begin.