Canadian conjurer Mahdi Gilbert was born without hands or feet, but the illusions he’s capable of would put most able-bodied magicians to shame. Back in November, he was invited to speak and perform at the Hocus Pocus Festival in Granada, Spain, which gathers magicians from all over the globe in a celebration of the art of prestidigitation.

In addition to wowing audiences with his card tricks, he also answered questions from members of the crowd. One person who works with children with similar disabilities asked what advice he would give kids who are feeling discouraged when people tell them they won’t amount to anything. His response? “The only person you have to convince is yourself.” Watch the full clip below:

You can also watch a performance of his Fool Us-winning routine ‘Oil and Water’ for an intimate gathering in Spain via the video below: