Real Magic From Afar

Today a lady cried happy tears after I read her mind on Zoom. She sat stunned, in complete silence, while her coworkers silently clapped in their respective windows.

It's one of many amazing moments I've gotten to share with the tens of thousands of people I've interacted with online during the past 10 months or so. I've had people run out of the room, laugh hysterically, scream their heads off, and more. It's a wonderful feeling to be able to share a memorable moment, even from afar.

Today in particular reminded me of a post I wrote years ago about a lady who had been moved to tears during a show I did in Rhode Island. That performance has really stuck with me over the years because it felt like something different amidst all of my other shows around that time. I may have started that show as a variety entertainer but I ended it as a mystery artist. Everyone in that room left that show different than we had come in.

I'll be the first to admit I don't always capture that moment. Sure I give good shows but they often get lost in the hubbub of daily life. For a moment people are amazed and entertained, then it's back to their kids and their bills and their jobs...but every once in a while, I can break through all of that. In those moments, I look around from the stage and I can see it in the eyes of the audience. I can tell that they know what I know, that this show was something special. In those moments I know we'll always remember that moment.

It's easy for the virtual shows to blur together. Log on, un-mute, camera on, Ta-Da!, log off... But today was NOT one of those days. Today we shared something special. Today we found that next level - an 11 out of 10, a real connection, a diamond in the rough.

Today was one of those shows that I'll remember years from now. For a moment we weren't on zoom, we weren't in a meeting, we weren't living out our daily lives on the internet. In that moment we were just 150 people sharing an unforgettable moment together. It truly was real magic.

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About Mark Toland

Mark Toland is an award-winning mind reader and two-time TEDx Speaker. His mind blowing skills have been featured on NBC, ABC, FOX, CBS, NPR, WGN, Sirius XM, and more. Mark’s blog is a behind-the-scenes look at the life of a professional entertainer, full of creative thoughts for creative people. Sign up below so you’ll never miss a post.

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The Mystery Show Returns On Feb. 26th!

I've partnered with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to present another performance of The Mystery Show in February.

The best news? I'm donating 50% of the ticket proceeds to AFSP, so your purchase will be going to support a great cause. For full ticket info, see below:

The Mystery Show - Feb. 26th, 2021 @ 7pm CST

$40.00

50% of tickets sold for this performance of The Mystery Show will benefit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention!

WHEN: Friday, February 26th, 2021 @7pm CST
WHERE: Your Home
WHAT TO EXPECT:
The Mystery Show is an online experience for your entire household.
A week or so before the show you will receive a mysterious envelope in the mail.
DO NOT open the envelope until instructed to do so during the show.

Your secret link will be e-mailed to you within 48 hours of the show date.

(NOTE: Each ticket covers your entire household.)

Add To Cart

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About Mark Toland

Mark Toland is an award-winning mind reader and two-time TEDx Speaker. His mind blowing skills have been featured on NBC, ABC, FOX, CBS, NPR, WGN, Sirius XM, and more. Mark’s blog is a behind-the-scenes look at the life of a professional entertainer, full of creative thoughts for creative people. Sign up below so you’ll never miss a post.

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Out Of The Box

For several years running I’ve enjoyed presenting my work at a high school club in the north Chicago suburbs. It’s a fun group because they have a different person come in and speak about their respective career each week. The only requirement is that the careers are a little “out of the box” and mine definitely is.

Last month I spoke to the group again, only this time over Zoom. Each of the students was logged on from their own computer at home, along with their instructor. I spoke a little bit about what I do then shared part of the virtual show I’ve been presenting this year for my clients around the world. They were blown away.

However, the best part wasn’t performing for them. It never is. The best part was answering their questions and sharing advice about taking the path less traveled.

One student asked: “Why do you keep coming to our meetings?”

I paused and thought about it…

My mind raced back to all of the shows I’d done professionally over the past decade, back to my time at theater school studying acting, improv, writing, and more. I thought back to doing community theater and winning a state championship for improvised duet acting. I thought about all the people I’d seen perform growing up: actors, singers, speakers, dancers, magicians, jugglers, athletes, musicians, and more. I thought about every show I’d ever seen and how inspired they made me feel to pursue a career in the arts.

Those thoughts flashed through my mind in an instant, then I replied,

“I grew up in a small town and there wasn’t anyone that did what I do for miles. But occasionally when I did see someone doing it, it helped me realize that it was possible. It helped me know that it might be out of the box but it’s not out of the question. If you all can see me doing something unique and different then it’s a good reminder that you can do something unique, too. I don’t expect you all to be mind readers one day, but maybe you want to be an actress or make movies. Maybe you want to go to theater school or start your own business. Maybe you want to do something a little different…just like me. Well, that’s why I keep coming to share my story with you - so you can see that it’s possible.”

Life is funny sometimes. One moment you’re just a kid working hard and trying to do your best. You look up to the experts around you for help and advice and inspiration. Then all of a sudden you wake up one day and realize you aren’t a kid anymore and now people who need help are looking up to you. I’m no expert but I am proof that you can not only think out of the box but you can live outside of it, too.

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About Mark Toland

Mark Toland is an award-winning mind reader and two-time TEDx Speaker. His mind blowing skills have been featured on NBC, ABC, FOX, CBS, NPR, WGN, Sirius XM, and more. Mark’s blog is a behind-the-scenes look at the life of a professional entertainer, full of creative thoughts for creative people. Sign up below so you’ll never miss a post.

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How To Delete Your Social Media

The best thing I did for myself in the past few years is to delete my social media accounts. It made me happier and more productive. I have a much better relationship with my phone, the Internet, and current events now. Plus, my screen time is limited and I spend way more time working on creative projects than doomscrolling social media apps.

I'm not the only one. Lately a lot of people have been asking me about deleting social media. So I thought I would share a few tips that made it easier for me to bite the bullet and pull the plug so I could keep my nose to the grindstone and...use more idioms.

Let's get into it:

STEP ONE: Take a look at your screen time on all devices and face the facts. You're wasting a lot of time on social media apps. So get rid of them. Delete the apps from your phone or iPad. Sign out of them on your computer, too.

Now when you think about logging on, you'll see that they aren't there any more or you have to enter your log-in information before you can access it. You want to put as many roadblocks between you and social media as possible.

STEP TWO: Start small. Try to string a few days together, then a full week. Before you know it a full month will have gone by and you'll start to realize that social media isn't as necessary as you thought it was.

By the time I permanently deleted my social media accounts I was only logging on once every few weeks. I'd only go on for a minute or two, before thinking to myself, "This is pointless, why did I get back on here?" Once you get to that point, deleting the accounts will be much easier.

STEP THREE: Back up your files. Just because you're deleting your accounts doesn't mean you have to delete all of your photos and videos, too. Each network has a feature that will allow you to download those important files and store them somewhere safe.

Take a moment to find the files worth keeping and add them to the cloud or a hard drive so you will always be able to access them later, when needed.

STEP FOUR: Let people know you're leaving. Or don't. It's really up to you. But no need to write a status about it - that's just virtue signalling. It's the online version of "I don't watch TV!" Seriously, who would write dozens and dozens of posts about getting off of social media?

Instead, let your closest friends and family know via text, email, or phone call. That way you've let them know directly that you still value those relationships and want to keep in touch and you've also gotten them used to the idea that they'll need to resort to other means to contact you.

STEP FIVE: Walk away. Delete your accounts and reclaim your life.

Some of the networks make it hard to delete your account, so here's a good guide from Wired on how to do it.

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It may take a couple weeks or a couple months but sometime soon, not long after you've deleted your social media, you'll start seeing the world differently.

You'll find it weird that news organizations rely so heavily on Twitter or look strangely at people taking photos of their brunch for Instgram. You'll want to roll your eyes when you hear someone say "I saw on facebook that..." or you see a TikTok "star" getting interviewed on a talk show.

The world of social media is bizarre. It's all part of these companies ploy to keep you using their services. The more shocking, wild, and crazy stuff they put out the more you'll keep coming back for more. But once you get out you'll see it for what it is: a dangerous, addictive, and unnecessary part of life.

You may not be ready yet but here are a few things you should watch and read to help get you there:

• The Social Dilemma on Netflix
• "How To Break Up With Your Phone" by Catherine Price
• "Ten Arguments For Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now" by Jaron Lanier

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Standard Disclaimer: The above post may include affiliate links. Clicking on those links helps support this blog and future posts.

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About Mark Toland

Mark Toland is an award-winning mind reader and two-time TEDx Speaker. His mind blowing skills have been featured on NBC, ABC, FOX, CBS, NPR, WGN, Sirius XM, and more. Mark’s blog is a behind-the-scenes look at the life of a professional entertainer, full of creative thoughts for creative people. Sign up below so you’ll never miss a post.

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One Year Off Of Social Media

A few weeks ago I reached a small milestone in my personal life, a day that came and went with no fanfare or pomp and circumstance. Still, I took a minute to appreciate the positive changes I’d seen in my life.

The occasion? It had been a full year since I deleted all of my social media accounts.

At the time, everyone said, “Don’t do that - you need social media to have a career in show business! There’s no other option!” For a long time, I believe them. I thought about deleting my accounts off and on for over a year from late 2018 to late 2019, then finally pulled the plug in December 2019.

It’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

So after a year, let’s debunk some of the biggest misconceptions about social media, marketing yourself, connecting with others, and building your fan base:

• Myth #1 : It’s impossible to get work without social media

This is quite simply not true. It feels weird to say this since we’re in the middle of a pandemic and life is very hard for many people right now, but 2020 was one of the most successful years of my career thus far. I was able to bring entertainment to thousands of people in a virtual format, sell tickets to online shows, and work for major clients around the world. None of that work came from social media - it came from having a great product and letting other people spread the word.

When my accounts were active I never booked a single gig from social media. Everything came from other sources, yet I clung to the idea that having a visible presence online was imperative to a successful, sustainable career as an entertainer. I was wrong. You do not need social media to get work - there’s always another option.

• Myth #2: You need to keep your social media up to date so you stay visible.

Yuck.

I can’t tell you how many hours I wasted brainstorming ideas for social media content, scheduling posts, and trying to stay current across all of my profiles. What a colossal waste of time.

If anything, social media creates the illusion of being busy. You’re updating it every day and getting constant interaction from likes, comments, retweets, and shares, so it must be helpful right? I don’t think so.

We’ve been tricked into thinking these things matter, so we spend time on our status updates instead of on our actual product. After I quit social media I suddenly found myself with a massive amount of extra time on my hands. At first I didn’t quite know how to handle it. It felt weird to not be doomscrolling at all hours of the day, but gradually my mind began to shift and I started asking myself, “What should I work on today?” I stopped consuming and started creating. Deleting social media let me reclaim my spare time for my own projects and I’ve seen a seismic shift in my creative output.

• Myth #3: You need social media to keep in touch with people.

When I deleted social media I only had a couple of people reach out to ask me about it. Other than that, no one seemed to notice or even care.

Chances are you already stay in touch offline with the people that really matter in your life. The other 99% of the people on your social media feeds don’t matter.

Seriously, those people suck. You don’t need to know what that classmate you only spoke to once during freshman year had for breakfast this morning. You don’t need to know that your high school math teacher is an expert on QAnon now or that your coworker whose name you forgot just had a baby. It’s weird to snoop on the lives of so many strangers. And, it’s weird that people feel inclined to share so much.

Our social circles are supposed to be much, much smaller. You should probably really only be friends with a handful of people. As a result, there’s no need for social media to keep in touch with the people that truly matter. Now that I’m off those platforms I find myself texting, e-mailing, or - god forbid! - even calling my friends much, much more often.

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Being off of social media has made me more productive, more creative, and just generally more happy on a daily basis. I have a lot more to say on this in the coming weeks but for now, if you’re interested in doing away with your social media, too, I highly recommend Jaron Lanier’s book “Ten Arguments For Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now”.

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About Mark Toland

Mark Toland is an award-winning mind reader and two-time TEDx Speaker. His mind blowing skills have been featured on NBC, ABC, FOX, CBS, NPR, WGN, Sirius XM, and more. Mark’s blog is a behind-the-scenes look at the life of a professional entertainer, full of creative thoughts for creative people. Sign up below so you’ll never miss a post.

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2020 Year In Review

2020 is over…FINALLY.

Honestly, it started off strong for me - I had a ton of gigs in January and February all over the map. I was on track to have my best year of shows ever, along with some special projects and opportunities on the horizon. And then, in March, it all came crashing down. I’m sure it did for you, too.

Within 48 hours my entire schedule of events was gone. I refunded clients, cancelled flights, and contemplated unemployment. But then, my agent said “Send us a reel for a virtual show as soon as possible…” and I said “Okay! But what is a virtual show exactly?”

Since then I’ve performed close to 200 shows for clients from all over the world. I’ve done shows for events on three continents and 40+ states, all from the comfort of my studio here in Chicago. I worked for a bunch of major corporations including Quaker, PepsiCo, Marriott, HLTH, Podium, and even Zoom itself.

As campuses shut down across the country, many schools turned to online entertainment to give students something to look forward to. As a result I was able to give thousands of college students a momentary escape from the misery of the pandemic with my online entertainment.

Additionally, I also wrote two completely separate virtual shows and sold tickets to them through my mailing list. (If you aren’t a subscriber go here to sign up!) The show back in July had such great reviews that I worked on another one for four months which is set to debut tomorrow. It SOLD OUT within 24 hours of being announced and I’m stoked to finally share it with people this weekend.

Being stuck at home so much this year gave me time to work on other interests. I got back into drawing and piano. I watched a ton of classic films. And, I’ve been working more on my writing and filmmaking than ever before. As always, I kept up with my “One Second Every Day” video project. So, here is my annual year in review video - a second of video filmed from every long, miserable, exhausting day in 2020:

Okay, enough about 2020. Time for a new year and a fresh start. And oh yeah, the blog is back.

See you tomorrow.

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About Mark Toland

Mark Toland is an award-winning mind reader and two-time TEDx Speaker. His mind blowing skills have been featured on NBC, ABC, FOX, CBS, NPR, WGN, Sirius XM, and more. Mark’s blog is a behind-the-scenes look at the life of a professional entertainer, full of creative thoughts for creative people. Sign up below so you’ll never miss a post.

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