Most of us just do tricks

Most of us magicians do tricks. Only a very few selected ones in the whole wide world do Magic. The percentage of people that perform miracles before audiences is very very small. All the rest of us (me included of course) just attempt but fail to create a magical experience.

Audiences clap, they laugh and they show us signs of approbation, but that does NOT mean that they are completely fooled. I'm sorry to inform you that MOST of the times they know, let alone suspect, what's going on (Erdnase). They still like it, of course. And they love and thank the fact that you're entertaining them; but that is still miles away from the ideal situation where you, mr. magic, sweeps them away with a wonderful experience.

They see the bird coming out of the jacket, they can see the break, they detect the double lift, they know you've done something but most of them are NICE and won't let you know. They won't say that they saw something. Kids will. That's why performing for kids is in some way the 'acid test'. Do it for a kid and ask him how it's done. If he does not doubt for a second before giving his explanation, you're toast.
If after you finish your work you get phrases like: 'you are very fast' or ' i swear i did not see where you got that bird from', you have still have lots of work to do.

Remember that it's enough form them to suspect something for the illusion to be completely destroyed. Feel your audience. Get out of auto-pilot. How are they reacting? What's the look on their face? How genuine is their reaction? Are you feeling uncomfortable? Feel what's going on and you'll know if you're doing things fine or if you're fucking it up.

Being an excellent magician is a hell of a lot of work and a pain in the ass.