It's a kind of magic...

When you open your mind to the seemingly impossible, you begin to see the world through a prism of hope and positivity

- Richard Wiseman

There's something deeply mysterious about magic. People of all ages are drawn to it, and it's been present in almost every culture throughout recorded history. Magic has always played a significant role in my life. I saw my first magic trick when I was eight years old, worked as a magician in my teenage years, and became a member of the Inner Magic Circle. I eventually became a professor of psychology, and have studied the science of magic. Over the years I have worked with lots of magicians, including Derren Brown and David Copperfield.

I have recently teamed up with science journalist Marnie Chesterton to create a new psychology-based podcast called Richard Wiseman's On Your Mind. In each episode, we discuss ways in which people can change and improve their lives, and in one of my favourite conversations, we explored the surprising relationship between magic and well-being.

When you see a good magician, you experience something that is supposed to be impossible. Maybe a person defies gravity, or a coin mysteriously appears in thin air, or someone is apparently sawn in half. We grow up with so many assumptions built into our brains: that objects don't appear, disappear, or float. Magic expands our mind and provides a strong sense of awe and wonder. It inspires us to think of extraordinary things that might be possible in the future. Might it really be possible to float and to fly? Or could an object suddenly appear or disappear? I think the ability to think 'What might be?' plays a crucial role in progress and change. Without that sort of attitude, we would never have built amazing bridges, travelled to the moon, or created mobile telephones that allow us to speak to people on the other side of the world.