Whoever said that you need to invest 10,000 hours to be good at something was probably under-estimating it when it comes to magic and mentalism, so I spend most of my waking hours either performing or planning how to make my next performance even better, whether it’s a wedding or a corporate event.

I’ve performed at literally thousands of gigs since watching that David Blaine TV special over 25 years ago, but it’s my first ever booking that sticks in the mind the most. I performed for a private 40th birthday party and was so confident of my abilities that I negotiated a fee of a whopping €50!

And though I may not have profited much financially from the experience, I got an even greater reward for my performance. People laughed and smiled throughout my act and were suitably gobsmacked at the appropriate points.

I’ll never forget the buzz that it gave me, and it took me weeks to fully come down from the experience. And today, decades later, it’s still the audience reaction that keeps me coming back for more.

I get to interact with people in a really positive and engaging way, put smiles on their faces and see them at their very best. Not too shabby for a job description, I think you’ll agree.