How to Become a Mentalist
Your beginner’s guide to reading minds
So, you want to be a mentalist?.. Excellent choice!
While others pursue respectable careers or dedicate their time to the gym building their temples.
You’ve chosen a different path:
The mysterious art of bending perception like a spoon in Uri Gellers kitchen. This guide is your invitation to be weird and enter the amazing world of mentalism. By the end of this post you’ll know what mentalism really is. How to start performing it with confidence and how to pull off three simple tricks using nothing but your brain and a pen.
Let’s dive into a swirling fog of mystery.
What Is Mentalism?
Mentalism is the performance art of appearing to have extraordinary mental powers. We’re talking telepathy, mind reading, clairvoyance and predicting choices before they’re even made.
The thing is, you don’t actually need psychic abilities.
Mentalism is a cocktail of psychology, suggestion, observation, memory techniques, sleight of hand and showmanship.
For more info, see my post:
How to think like a mentalist
Being a mentalist isn’t just about having a script, it’s about developing a mentalists mindset. Here are a few principles to live and perform by:
1: Less is more
The fewer props you carry, the more real it can feel.
Many mentalists will work with nothing more than a notepad and pen.
2: Watch the audience, not just the trick
Your effects are only half the performance, reactions, body language and pauses are where your real magic happens.
3: Sell the lie beautifully
You’re not just doing tricks, you’re painting illusions.
Sell it with calm confidence and let mystery do the rest.
4: Practice misdirection
Attention is a limited resource, learn how to shift focus subtly and perform miracles under their noses.
5: Believe in the story
Every trick becomes stronger when wrapped in a good story.
Build an aura around what you do.
3 Simple mentalism tricks for beginners
Now it’s time for some: Action Jackson!
Here’s 3 beginner friendly mentalism tricks that you can learn today.
1: The number force
You predict a number your participant will choose.
Ask your participant to choose any number between 1 and 100.
Say: “Choose any 2 digit number between 1 and 100 but both digits have to be odd and both digits have to be different.”
By strategically adding these constraints, the performer reduces the number of possible choices and the majority of people will choose 37.
Tips for added impact:
Be casual, if it feels scripted, it won’t work.
Write the number on a note, fold it and leave it in their hand.
Let the surprise hit naturally, then smile and vanish in a puff of mysterious smoke or whatever!
2: Triangle inside a circle
You ask your spectator to think of a simple geometric shape in their mind.
You then draw something on a piece of card/paper.
Ask them to reveal the image they created in their mind and it matches your drawing.
Say: “Think of a shape like a square but don’t go for a square as I’ve already said that.”
Most people will think of a triangle.
Then say: “Now think of another shape to go around the first shape.”
There aren’t many shapes that can fit symmetrically around a triangle so they will most likely think of a circle.
Tips for added impact:
While you ask the person to think of shapes, casually trace the shapes in the air with your hands as you’re speaking, subconsciously you’re planting the image in their mind. This is called subliminal programming and it’s a common technique often employed by mentalists.
3: Grey Elephant from Denmark.
I’m sure we all remember this one from school? It’s a simple trick that you can do with an audience or even just one person.
First ask your spectator(s) to think of a number between 1 & 10
then multiply their chosen number by 9.
Example: 3×9 = 27
You then ask them to add the digits together.
2+7=9
Now subtract 5 from your new number.
9-5=4
Now… here’s the really cool part:
No matter what their original number was,
their final answer will always be 4.
It’s just one of those strange mathematical principles.
Next, ask your spectator to assign each letter of the alphabet a number:
A is 1, B is 2, C is 3, etc.
Tell them to stop when they reach their number… which you already know is the number 4, so they’ve got the letter D.
Then ask them to think of a country that begins with their letter.
(Remember, everyone’s letter is D) and because there aren’t many countries that start with the letter D, the majority of people will choose Denmark.
The next phase of the trick is just as easy as the first:
You ask them to think of the second letter in the name of their country.
Now choose an animal that starts with that letter.
Always clarify exactly what it is that you mean.
Say something along the lines of:
“So if you chose Spain, your next letter would be P.”
Obviously it’s impossible for them to have any other letter than D.
So their next letter would have to be E.
(Assuming they chose Denmark)
Then from E the majority of people will come up with elephant.
Ask them to think of the colour of their chosen animal.
Finally, reveal that they’re thinking of a grey elephant from Denmark…
TADAAA!
Tips for added impact
This mind reading trick relies on probabilities, meaning people will usually just choose the most likely answer.
Since you already know that most people will pick Denmark and elephant, you can make it appear as though you’re reading their minds.
The key to this trick (as with all Mentalism) is presentation.
You could ask your spectator to write down the country and animal and you could reveal a drawing of an elephant with the word “GREY” written above the Elephant drawing and the words “from Denmark” written below.
This will make your reveal seem so much more spectacular.
What to do if any of the tricks go wrong?
RELAX…
Don’t panic, either your instructions weren’t clear enough or your spectator(s) didn’t follow your instructions exactly as you stated.
Just jazz it out say something along the lines of:
“Ah I was sure you were thinking of 37 (or whichever trick you’ve performed) well you’re clearly not as easy to read as most people, never mind let’s try something different.”
Then move onto something else.
Check out my list: 5 BOOKS EVERY MENTALIST SHOULD READ
Performance tips for aspiring mentalists
If you’re performing for friends or thinking about performing your first stage gig. Keep these tips in your mentalist toolbelt:
1: Create a persona
You don’t need to be spooky but having a unique identity (like a behavioural expert, psychic, or thought decoder) helps your performance.
See post: YOUR PERSONA
2: Speak slowly, move deliberately
Mystery shouldn’t be rushed. Pauses create drama and silence can shout.
See post: THE HAUNTED PAUSE
3: Learn to read people
Body language, micro expressions, tone of voice, start studying them.
You’ll be amazed at what people reveal without meaning to.
4: Practice in real life
Try psychological forces in everyday conversations, try guessing choices. Build your intuition and confidence out in the wild.
5: Record your performances
Watch your own performances. See what works, what feels awkward and improve on it each time.
6: Less tricks, more impact
It’s better to perform 2-3 mind blowing effects than 10 forgettable ones.
Leave them wanting more.
7: Find your tribe
Surround yourself with like minded weirdos.
There’s plenty of groups on social media.
However if you’re really serious about mentalism, you might want to consider joining My Mind Rocks.
It’s a community set up by professional mentalist Looch.
My Mind Rocks has monthly virtual lectures as well as weekly live jams.
They’re a really friendly bunch of people and there’s folks from all walks of life in there. Professional mentalists and complete beginners.
You can find the website by clicking the picture below.
Fragmented Thoughts
Being a mentalist isn’t about knowing every trick in the book, it’s about knowing how to make people feel like the impossible just happened.
With just a few tools, a strong presentation and a whole lot of curiosity, you can start creating moments that people will never forget.
Carve your identity from smoke and silence.
Practice your techniques and your pauses.
Remember it’s not about what you do, it’s about what they think you did.
Welcome to the world of mentalism.
Stay Weird
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