The Tim Ferriss Show

#679: Simon Coronel, World Champion of Magic — Quitting the Day Job, The Delights of the Magic Castle, Finding Glitches in Reality, Learning How to Use Your Own Brain, and Worshiping at the Altar of Wonder

Jun 28, 2023

Simon Coronel, a World Champion magician and performer at the Magic Castle, shares his journey from corporate life to embracing his magical passion. He discusses mastering time through 'radical earliness,' the profound emotional connection in magic, and his experiences with mentalism's ethical dilemmas. Coronel reflects on overcoming personal challenges, including neurodivergence and imposter syndrome, all while balancing creativity and business. His insights illuminate the transformative power of wonder and the joy of conjuring extraordinary experiences.

02:29:48

Episode guests

Simon Coronel

Highlights

AI Chapters

Episode notes

The Balance of Ambition and Satisfaction in Podcasting

01:21

Lessons from Fear and Enthusiasm Battle

01:21

Transition from Magic to Creative Product Design

01:21

Mixing Drinks and Unpacking Magic

01:22

Intro

4min

Mastering Time: The Strategy of Radical Earliness

4min

Enchanting Journeys: Magic, Mystique, and Memories

12min

The Journey of Magic and Understanding

14min

Journey from Mundanity to Magic: Embracing the Extraordinary

5min

Balancing Magic and Career

25min

The Thrill of Competition: Magic Unveiled

24min

Embracing Vulnerability at the Moment of Triumph

5min

Magic, Milestones, and Mentalism

25min

10.

The Ethics and Artistry of Mentalism

20min

11.

From Magic to Puzzles: Crafting Joy through Innovation

4min

12.

Embracing Change and Creativity

5min

13.

Ultimate Travel Comfort and Coffee Brewing Excellence

4min

Brought to you by AeroPress 3-in-1 coffee press for delicious brews, Allbirds incredibly comfortable shoes, and LinkedIn Jobs recruitment platform with 900M+ users.

Simon Coronel (simoncoronel.com) is legally classified as an “Alien of Extraordinary Ability” by the United States Government for his skills as a magician and illusionist. Simon discovered magic in 1999 as a first-year student at Melbourne University. He then spent five years working full time in management consulting while juggling his “secret” performance career.

He’s currently a jigsaw puzzle designer for The Magic Puzzle Company, which has the #1-backed puzzle on Kickstarter of all time, and is a regular performer at the Magic Castle in Hollywood.

Simon has appeared twice on the hit TV show Penn & Teller: Fool Us. He has won over a dozen international awards for magic, including being crowned the World Champion of Magic in 2022 at FISM, the Olympics of magic.

Please enjoy!

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[06:12] Radical earliness.

[08:23] The Magic Castle.

[17:27] Catching the magic bug at age 18.

[19:56] Acknowledging neurodivergence.

[28:16] Glitches in Reality.

[30:53] The road to winning the 2022 FISM World Championship of Magic.

[53:04] Workshopping out the kinks before the competition.

[57:59] The muse and the Shoot seal of approval.

[1:01:31] Gauging audience perception and finding balance pre-game.

[1:05:49] The big day.

[1:18:45] Categories of stage magic.

[1:20:15] Ugly crying through victory.