--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: See, when you had magic in your life, it…" description: "\"“See, when you had magic in your life, it turned out, when you lived the double life of a secret underground magician, you paid a certain price, which ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a7/lev-grossman-747_double-life_see-when-you-had-magic-in-your-life-it-t_3174938.jpg" --- # See, when you had magic in your life, it turned out, when… ![“See, when you had magic in your life, it turned out, when you lived the double life of a secret underground magician, you paid a certain price, which was that your secret other life pulled at you always. Your magician self, that loopy doppelgänger, was always with you, tugging at your sleeve…” quote by Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a7/lev-grossman-747_double-life_see-when-you-had-magic-in-your-life-it-t_3174938.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a7/lev-grossman-747_double-life_see-when-you-had-magic-in-your-life-it-t_3174938.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7a7/lev-grossman-747_double-life_see-when-you-had-magic-in-your-life-it-t_3174938.jpg) > ““See, when you had magic in your life, it turned out, when you lived the double life of a secret underground magician, you paid a certain price, which was that your secret other life pulled at you always. Your magician self, that loopy doppelgänger, was always with you, tugging at your sleeve, whispering silently that your real life was a fake life, a crude and undignified and inauthentic charade that nobody was really buying anyway. Your real self, the one that mattered, was the other one, the one waving her hands around and chanting in a dead Slavic dialect on the busted-ass couch in the lime-green clapboard house on Throop Avenue.”” [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Living a double life forces a clash between authentic self and performed identity, causing inner tension and self‑doubt. **In simple terms:** Two selves conflict, leading to inner conflict. Key Takeaway Align actions with your true self. Themes identity authenticity conflict self‑discovery Mood conflicted reflective Type narrative psychological When to use this quote - career choices - relationships - creative pursuits - personal branding Key Concepts dual identity psychological tension performance Questions to Reflect On - What parts of your life feel performed? - How can you honor your authentic self? A Different Perspective The “magician” persona may also provide useful creative energy, not just tension. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Double life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/double-life/) [Fake life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fake-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Real life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-life/) [Real self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-self/) ## Related quotes > [“Your magician self, that loopy doppelgänger, was always with you, tugging at your sleeve, whispering silently that your real life was a fake life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/your-magician-self-that-loopy-doppelg-nger-was-always-with-you/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [“What's a life?! How do we distinguish between a real life and a fake life?! Am I wrong?! Am I wrong?! Or am I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minari-endou/what-s-a-life-how-do-we-distinguish-between-a-real-life-and-a-fake/) [Minari Endou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minari-endou/) > [Many people get fake when life get real!!!!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/many-people-get-fake-when-life-get-real/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“We are citizens who love to fake life than dig deep into our reality to discover the truth and make amends and correct our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nilantha-ilangamuwa/we-are-citizens-who-love-to-fake-life-than-dig-deep-into-our-reality/) [Nilantha Ilangamuwa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nilantha-ilangamuwa/) > [As such, anything is always possible, even if your protagonist is a plumber. But it's the possibility, the limitless possibilities, of any fake life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-julavits/as-such-anything-is-always-possible-even-if-your-protagonist-is-a/) [Heidi Julavits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-julavits/) > [“I have learned that if you fake your life it will kill you slowly, terribly and cause the most pain for everyone. You try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-d-arbanville/i-have-learned-that-if-you-fake-your-life-it-will-kill-you-slowly/) Mark D'Arbanville > [The influence of social media is unbelievable. It's sad to see - it's a fake life that some people live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil-van-dijk/the-influence-of-social-media-is-unbelievable-it-s-sad-to-see-it-s-a/) [Virgil van Dijk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil-van-dijk/) > [“He’d always known that Samantha Dark was like her name. She wasn’t meant for a normal life, that fake life of smiles and perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-eden/he-d-always-known-that-samantha-dark-was-like-her-name-she-wasn-t/) [Cynthia Eden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-eden/) > [“Fairytales are fake, life does'nt end in "Happily Ever After”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theemoqueen/fairytales-are-fake-life-does-nt-end-in-happily-ever-after/) TheEmoQueen > [I think I'm going to delete this account way too mmuch drama going on here I'm over it sick of being procrasinated for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamika-leeigh/i-think-i-m-going-to-delete-this-account-way-too-mmuch-drama-going-on/) [Tamika-leeigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamika-leeigh/) > [They say We got ya back and you're the real but they're the knife behind ya neck and when they could they would sell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donatt/they-say-we-got-ya-back-and-you-re-the-real-but-they-re-the-knife/) Donatt > [Many people get fake when life gets real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/many-people-get-fake-when-life-gets-real/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I might be able to pretend to be happy that everything is good to me but PLEASE understand I just can't fake my LIFE..…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junior-d-r-l-testament/i-might-be-able-to-pretend-to-be-happy-that-everything-is-good-to-me/) Junior Dè Rèál Testament > [I'm curious. Period. I find everything interesting. Real life. Fake life. Objects. Flowers. Cats. But mostly people. If you keep your eyes open and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-m-curious-period-i-find-everything-interesting-real-life-fake-life/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [For me, the only thing I had to look forward to was the ring because my personal life wasn't doing that great, so my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-hall/for-me-the-only-thing-i-had-to-look-forward-to-was-the-ring-because/) [Scott Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-hall/) ## More by Lev Grossman > [“It was about damn time something happened.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/it-was-about-damn-time-something-happened/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [We're wired to expect the world to be brighter and more meaningful and more obviously interesting than it actually is. And when we realize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/we-re-wired-to-expect-the-world-to-be-brighter-and-more-meaningful/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [“He was going to sign the papers and he was going to be a motherfucking magician.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/he-was-going-to-sign-the-papers-and-he-was-going-to-be-a/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [“Being brave was easy when you would rather die than give up. Fatigue meant nothing when you actually wanted to suffer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/being-brave-was-easy-when-you-would-rather-die-than-give-up-fatigue/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [As a writer I'm more drawn to villains who are just slightly mad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/as-a-writer-i-m-more-drawn-to-villains-who-are-just-slightly-mad/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [“He wasn't in a safe little story where wrongs were automatically righted; he was still in the real world, where bad bitter things happened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/he-wasn-t-in-a-safe-little-story-where-wrongs-were-automatically/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [I love rare books. Not that I own a lot of them, mind you. You couldn't quite call me a rare-book collector. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/i-love-rare-books-not-that-i-own-a-lot-of-them-mind-you-you-couldn-t/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [By now he had learned enough to know that when he was getting annoyed at somebody else, it was usually because there was something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/by-now-he-had-learned-enough-to-know-that-when-he-was-getting-annoyed/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [About as close you can get to the perfect cerebral thriller: searingly smart, ridiculously funny, and fast as hell... I defy anybody to read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/about-as-close-you-can-get-to-the-perfect-cerebral-thriller-searingly/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [“It's true," Eliot said. "Statistically, historically, and however else you want to look at it, you are almost never right. A monkey making life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/it-s-true-eliot-said-statistically-historically-and-however-else-you/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [“God, I hope we don’t have to use that,” was all he said out loud. “Oh, come on, Quentina. We’re not looking for trouble.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/god-i-hope-we-don-t-have-to-use-that-was-all-he-said-out-loud-oh-come/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [I mean, when you're tired of book reviews, you're tired of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/i-mean-when-you-re-tired-of-book-reviews-you-re-tired-of-life/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [My specialty as a collector is books that almost have value. When I love a book, I don't buy the first edition, because those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/my-specialty-as-a-collector-is-books-that-almost-have-value-when-i/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [I used to write in a local coffee shop, but there was another guy, another writer, who kept sitting in my favorite seat. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/i-used-to-write-in-a-local-coffee-shop-but-there-was-another-guy/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) > [I don't know if I've ever derived such an immediate sense of calm and well-being from any book as I did from 'Right Ho,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lev-grossman/i-don-t-know-if-i-ve-ever-derived-such-an-immediate-sense-of-calm-and/) [Lev Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) [Explore all 379 Lev Grossman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lev-grossman/) ## More Double life quotes > [“I couldn't stand the idea of a woman having to have a single pure life and a man being able to have a double…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/i-couldn-t-stand-the-idea-of-a-woman-having-to-have-a-single-pure/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [I live an artistic double life: one of classical realism and the other of aesthetic exploration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alton-tobey/i-live-an-artistic-double-life-one-of-classical-realism-and-the-other/) [Alton Tobey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alton-tobey/) > [Gay life in 1970 was very bleak, compartmentalized. You didn't take it to work. You had to really lead a double life. There were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-kramer/gay-life-in-1970-was-very-bleak-compartmentalized-you-didn-t-take-it/) [Larry Kramer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-kramer/) > [More than most people, the alcoholic leads a double life. He is very much the actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-w/more-than-most-people-the-alcoholic-leads-a-double-life-he-is-very/) [Bill W](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-w/) > [“So here I am with this double life, one where my grammatically incorrect writing is a nice success with tens of thousands of readers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-a-dumais/so-here-i-am-with-this-double-life-one-where-my-grammatically/) Christian A. Dumais > [Speech gave man a unique power to lead a double life, he could say one thing and do another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-harvey-robinson/speech-gave-man-a-unique-power-to-lead-a-double-life-he-could-say-one/) [James Harvey Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-harvey-robinson/) > [“Or take this girl, for example. At a meeting just outside Paris, a fifteen-year-old girl came up to me and said that she'd been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krzysztof-kieslowski/or-take-this-girl-for-example-at-a-meeting-just-outside-paris-a/) [Krzysztof Kieślowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krzysztof-kieslowski/) > [I would have met Jesus sooner if not for Christians who led double lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-green/i-would-have-met-jesus-sooner-if-not-for-christians-who-led-double/) [Keith Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-green/) > [All myth is an enriched pattern, a two-faced proposition, allowing its operator to say one thing and mean another, to lead a double life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-carson/all-myth-is-an-enriched-pattern-a-two-faced-proposition-allowing-its/) [Anne Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-carson/) > [In one way or another, every parent is curious what their children... what are they doing when we don't see?... What double lives are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-koch/in-one-way-or-another-every-parent-is-curious-what-their-children/) [Herman Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-koch/) > [My parents led this double life. They were in the underground movement to bring down the Nazis. My father was hanged for being a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veruschka-von-lehndorff/my-parents-led-this-double-life-they-were-in-the-underground-movement/) [Veruschka von Lehndorff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veruschka-von-lehndorff/) > [I live more than a double life, honestly. I have so many personalities, I live more than a double life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-curry/i-live-more-than-a-double-life-honestly-i-have-so-many-personalities/) [Denzel Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-curry/) > [Nothing spells shame like living what feels like a double life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-grant/nothing-spells-shame-like-living-what-feels-like-a-double-life/) [Angel Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel-grant/) > [I used to live on a reserve, but I went back and forth between my reserve and Ottawa where my father lived, so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaniehtiio-horn/i-used-to-live-on-a-reserve-but-i-went-back-and-forth-between-my/) [Kaniehtiio Horn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaniehtiio-horn/) > [Tell the hoes I got that Victoria Secret weapon. I hope you live a double life cause' you gon' need an extra.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/tell-the-hoes-i-got-that-victoria-secret-weapon-i-hope-you-live-a/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) [Browse all 76 Double life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/double-life/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“See, when you had magic in your life, it turned out, when you lived the double life of a secret underground magician, you paid a certain price, which was that your secret other life pulled at you always. Your magician self, that loopy doppelgänger, was always with you, tugging at your sleeve, whispering silently that your real life was a fake life, a crude and undignified and inauthentic charade that nobody was really buying anyway. 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