Recently I've been pondering processes. You know, like a computer. Processes as in how to process information. How to process events. How to take something in, absorb it, use it, and then expel a product out on the other side that is useful to us, and what we do on the daily.

I don't know how other people's minds work, but I've noticed as I have gotten older how much I like developing my process for doing just about anything. I want to know the landscape. I want to know the realm of whatever I am doing and whatever I do will be functioning in. Then I want to exploit the environment and find the shortcuts. I find the places and areas that are lacking and try my damnedest to see if it can be improved.

I enjoy this constant mental challenge because I see the world as very dynamic. No two people or things are exactly alike. No two situations are identical. No two collections can do the same thing. Even if 99 cards out of 100 are the same, what if the one different card is an Alpha Black Lotus? All of a sudden, there's a whole new facet to work with. All of a sudden, I'm doing my best impersonation of a jealous lover: "How many people are you talking to!?!"

Often times though, process get bogged down in the trial and error phase. There are too many moving parts and the results are just not what you anticipated.

Here's the easiest way to break it down into chewable pieces.

Step #1) There Is No Perfect Solution

Do you know how often I have to tell myself this?

It's typically a hard truth to swallow. Just remember that, though. This does not mean that your first attempt at buying a collection, buylisting, floor trading et.al. was a perfect success - there's more than likely a key point somewhere in there that you missed. And it's okay to miss it. Especially on your first attempt. Even on your 500th.

It just means that as long as you are swinging for the fences, you won't always make proper contact with the ball. There will be times you strike out and miss. When you do though, just get back up. Stand in at the plate, and try to make contact again. If you're playing your bankroll correctly, it shouldn't be life or death this time around either way.

Step #2) Know Your Limitations

Know the boundaries of the area you are working in. The worst thing you can ever do is attempt something with a final outcome that serves no purpose for you. Or, the results can't even be used to move you in an upward motion.

Why do we buylist? We buylist extraneous, surplus, or whole collections for quick turnarounds. Liquidation can be one of the best tools we have, but typically it's the most costly. Why? Because time is money. Time is also our boundary. Know how to work within time constraints. This means making a plan.

Step #3) Keep Expectations Realistic

Once you're within your limitations, you should then know what to expect. Rome was never built in a day. Remember this. Dreams and passions aside, understanding what is possible, what you are capable off, and what the most likely outcome is will also manage your expectations, motivations, and hopes.

We often are the ones that dash ourselves, bloody and broken, onto the rocks. Don't be the one to sink your own ship if your expecations are set to high. Plenty of people will either openly or secretly hope or try to do that for you. Don't give them the satisfaction.

Let's face it: We live in a world that loves to tell us that you can not do something. We build things up in our mind and live or die by the acceptance, recognition, or praise we get from others. Do your best to listen to your own voice. Your own voice is the one that is telling you what you want. This is what should drive you. Not their voices.

Step #4) Make a Plan

Knowing there is no perfect plan will often just get you moving. Sometimes we wait for the perfect solution to come about, before we try anything. This is simply to give us the best chance at succeeding. But you will make the most progress, be able to go farther, and be able to survive the greatest nuclear blasts if you just start. It takes time to build up momentum anyway, in any scale of venture. Just starting though is the crux for many. Once you do make the conscious decision to start though, you must formulate a plan of going about your business.

How are you going to strike up conversation with the opposite sex? Just go up to them and grope? Well, that's a plan--but certainly a poor one at best. More than likely, you're at least going to need to say, "Hi."

Working backwards from the desired result is a great way to figure out the steps that will get you there. At the worst, it will allow you to understand what it will take to get there. The next question will be simply how bad do you want it? Then you simply have to sit down, realize what you are and aren't willing to do to get the results you want. There are many ways to go about things, many with pros and cons that have nothing to do with Magic finance. Once you have set the parameters of what you can do and what you are willing to do, then you must work within those capabilities and just put in the work.

Connor: "How far are we gonna take this, Da?"
Il Duce: "The question is not how far. The question is, do you possess the constitution, the depth of faith, to go as far is as needed? "

Step #5) Act

Take action. Seriously. Do something.

"An object in motion tends to stay in motion unless acted on by an external force." - Sir Isaac Newton 

I can not even begin to communicate how true this is. Just take my word for it. Take action. Any action. It really does not matter what, you will have an opportunity to correct things, as long as you're starting with small moves, and you have followed the other steps.

Step #6) Reassess, Make Changes, and Continue

Not many things will work out the first time around. Or the second. Or 400th. Sometimes the 1,000,000th. If you knew the 1,000,001st time would pay off 4,000,000 : 1 would you do it? If you knew, without doubt, that the combined effort of all other attempts would be worth it, would you still do it?

If you said no, you need to find another avenue to pursue. You're just don't have the correct frame of mind to make it. In this venture, you could do it 1,000,000 times the same way or 1,000,000 times for each 1,000,000 ways to do things. There's going to be change. You will be required to adapt. You can possibly get away with not adapting for a time, but let me tell give you a secret right now:

You're not the first person to do this. You're not the last. This "venture" has been done for ages. Providing something someone needs but does not have the time to fully invest has been the backbone of business for centuries. If you think you are doing something other than that; if you think you are the only one that can provide the cards for your local area to play Standard; if you think you're the only one that is doing XYZ, I would love to show you how wrong you are--just so I can see one more person that understands what this business is really about.

It's about people. It's about time.

It's about doing things better. There is no right or wrong, just better or worse. It's about finding the best way that works for you because there is no one else that can stand in your shoes. Your unique skills have value to someone--yourself, if no one else. Your unique outlook is unique because no one else is you. On the flip, remember that you're the only one that will stand in your shoes, for better or for worse.

But if more people would contribute their unique skills, ideas, processes, and perspectives--in a constructive, non-combative, open manner--I truly believe we can become anything. The human ability of adaptation is just that remarkable.

-Till Next Time