When “The Dream” Ended
I still remember the night Tricked first aired on ITV2.
Dream. Come. True.
I’d done the impossible – my own TV show.
Three years later, it was award-winning, my life had changed, and then the phone rang.
“ITV2 are done.”
Gutted doesn’t cover it.
For months, people would ask:
“When’s the next series?”
“Is it coming back?”
And I’d smile and say, “It’s not. It’s cancelled.”
Each time, it stung.
If you’ve ever built your identity around what you do for a living, you’ll know that feeling.
I loved being “Ben Hanlin – the guy with the TV show.” The TV Magician.
When that label disappeared, I felt like I had less value – like I’d failed.
The Trap: When Your Job Becomes Your Identity
Here’s the problem. When your job is your identity, every wobble at work feels personal.
A slow quarter? A lost pitch? A project cancelled? It doesn’t just hit your diary – it hits you.
As performers and professionals, we all have high-pressure moments – product launches, keynotes, live broadcasts, board presentations.
If your sense of self is welded to those outcomes, the pressure becomes suffocating.
The Mindset Shift That Saved Me
I realised there’s a lot in this industry I cannot control.
If I let my identity be determined by things I can’t control, I’m setting myself up to be crushed.
So I made a change.
I stopped introducing myself in my head as “a TV magician.”
I widened the frame:
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I’m a dad, husband, and friend.
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I’m a magician and business owner.
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I’m a padel player (on good days).
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I’m a curious human who loves making people feel something.
All of those things make up me – Ben Hanlin – not just the current status of my job.
My job became a slice of the pie, not the whole pie.
That single shift gave me perspective in high-pressure moments and resilience in tough ones.
Whether I’m hosting a 1,000-seat awards night or delivering a keynote, I’m not betting my self-worth on 45 minutes with a microphone.
Practical Ways to Separate Who You Are From What You Do
1️⃣ Change Your Language
Catch yourself saying “I am [job title]” and switch to “I work as [job title].”
It sounds small – it isn’t.
2️⃣ Build Multiple Identity Pillars
Write down roles that matter to you outside work (parent, partner, teammate, friend, volunteer, athlete).
Then, invest time in those.
3️⃣ Control the Controllables
Preparation, practice, sleep, and simplicity.
On big stages, I only use material I know inside out.
Fewer moving parts mean fewer things to break.
4️⃣ Create a Post-Event Debrief That Isn’t About Ego
Ask: What did I learn? What would I change? What went well?
That’s it. No spiralling. No identity drama.
5️⃣ Schedule “Non-Work Wins”
Coffee with a friend. A run. Family dinner.
Moments that remind you you’re more than your latest result.
How This Changed My Work – and Why It Matters for Clients
I’m still the same Ben Hanlin who loves bringing people together through moments of wonder and laughter, but I work better because I’m calmer.
As a corporate magician, awards host, and keynote speaker, that perspective helps me serve the room, not my ego.
When you book a magician for corporate events, you’re not just booking tricks — you’re trusting someone with the flow, feeling, and focus of your audience.
The job is to keep people engaged, make organisers’ lives easier, and create a night everyone remembers for the right reasons.
That’s the craft I care about now more than ever.
Losing a TV show taught me something counterintuitive:
Your confidence shouldn’t come from titles or platforms – it should come from process: preparation, repetition, and presence.
That’s what I bring to every stage, from black-tie awards to leadership conferences.
If You’re in a “Cancellation” Moment…
Maybe your project hasn’t been renewed.
Maybe a deal fell through.
Maybe you’re staring down a tough quarter.
Here’s your reminder:
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You are allowed to be sad.
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You are not only your job.
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You can rebuild your confidence by changing your inputs, not your labels.
Your job is what you do.
Your identity is who you are while you do it.
Final Thoughts
If this resonated, share it with someone who needs the nudge.
And if you’re planning an event and need a magician or awards show host, get in touch or watch my showreel.