Magic
May 18, 2025
Chris Jones in Storytelling is magic :
“Sometimes magic is just someone spending more time on something than anyone else might reasonably expect.” Teller spends years on a trick. Shadows he has done since he was 18. He spent years perfecting these tricks, and that’s how you get the payoff: To get great at these things takes time. You see someone do something amazing, and you think it’s magic. But really it’s the product of hard work and study and all these important things.
This rings true for so many things touched by deep attention.
My partner’s family, for example, thinks a lot about food. One of their favorite podcasts is Off Menu, where guests are invited to share their dream menu. A lot of the conversation is around meals: favorite food memories, what to eat throughout the week, how to pair different flavors. I often feel out of my depth to fully engage but I admire the time and thought they put into it.
It shows in the meals we share: whether it’s a perfectly curated takeout order that lets us try everything, a quiet Tuesday night dinner, or their disappointment when something doesn’t quite hit the mark (even if I think it’s fine). The magic is unmistakably there. You can always feel the labor of love.
This magic is everywhere. All of these are often the result of “someone spending more time on something than anyone else might reasonably expect.” John Collison put it eloquently:
As you become an adult, you realize that things around you weren’t just always there; people made them happen. But only recently have I started to internalize how much tenacity everything requires. That hotel, that park, that railway. The world is a museum of passion projects.
It’s an important reminder when I’m feeling insecure or inadequate. To properly assign the weight of my time and effort. And when I’m somewhere things go smoothly, it’s worth remembering that someone likely put in quiet, intentional effort to make that happen. The success of a party, a good road trip, a clean section of the block, a dog park that functions or even a friendship often rests on someone behind the scenes putting in the time and care.
More importantly, it’s a question worth reflecting on regularly: What is worth “spending more time on than anyone might reasonably expect”?
The answers can help me prioritize what I truly care about. Whatever I choose, I should try to make sure my attention and time reflect alignment with those priorities.