Everyone often talks about their collecting goals, specific pokemon cards they want to acquire, sets they want to finish or grails they are working towards but does anyone kind of just go with the flow and wing-it?
I’ve found myself recently just browsing ebay and purchasing cards I think look cool with no goals or objectives in mind. It’s actually led me into researching the card/set more which has been fun.
Anyone else out there that does something like this?
I started like that and it eventually turned into goals. Collecting modern is also like that, Im not doing any sets just whatever I like. Some of that has turned into a full art trainer collection with goals.
I created goals to specifically stop that go with the flow attitude, I wanted everything and overspent like crazy. By focusing myself to a few goals it really helped curb what I was putting into the hobby. No more desire to just haunt the ending soonest page and try and see what I can snipe. I’ll occupationally step out and get something cool that catches my eye, but its a rare occurrence.
The only “goals” I have are long-term, unrealistic ones that probably won’t happen so the few actual purchases tend to be on the smaller, more spontaneous side.
When people start, the advice they’re often given is “collect what you enjoy”. To me that implies a pretty low threshold of consideration before you buy it. I think that often morphs into specific goals, such as wanting to complete a set, or even just one specific card.
Personally, I do have goals, but I regularly buy stuff somewhat impulsively because it seems cool. Those will just be cheaper items that I try not to let impact my longer-term aims, though that can be difficult.
All great points! I think @lyleberr made a great point that collecting without goals has led to collecting goals, if that makes sense.
Agreed with @lyleberr I came in guns blazing and realized I liked ALOT of cards. Once I started getting into the weeds I realized the capital needed to buy everything I wanted was more than I was willing to spend in a given month/year. I combated that by primarily collecting raw cards (which I prefer anyway), and focusing on short term goals.
I also find that focusing on short term goals can be more fun as well. Keeps you disciplined about going off on tangents, and when you’re looking for a specific card you become more aware and selective about the market for that card, and your approach to obtaining it. All this being said, I break my own rules because why not?
Having a clear idea of what you want to collect is important, whether that’s a specific goal or not. It took me two years to eventually figure this out, I was buying vintage cards, doing binders of new sets, opening Japanese boxes then picking up slabs from different eras. Just all over the place really, not the best way to collect.
Having a uniform and compact collection suits me, but everyone is different I suppose
I think a lot of people have already said exactly what I was thinking. I started without a goal but now am really excited that I have one or two! For a long while I didn’t have anything I was actually working towards, just collecting cards I liked. but when I sat down to look at my collection earlier this year something just clicked into place. I decided to actually organize it properly after thinking about it for a bit. And now I have goals to work on this year to finish my binders. 
My goals evolved as I got cards. The first card I got was a psa 9 1st ed Venusaur. After that I thought I needed blastoise to go along with it right? Then needed charizard, but it was too expensive so I moved to other WOTC stuff. Then all of a sudden I found Japanese Promos and started collecting those! Now I collect Japanese promos and charmanders because it’s my favorite pokemon. Neither of those were my original “Goals” but now they are after I’ve been i the hobby for 6+ years (graded, been collecting since I was a kid).
Goals are important for me to focus my budget. I’ll occasionally buy things that don’t meet any particular goals because I like the card, but if I did that too often, I’d burn through my budget 
If the card is cheap enough though, why not. I don’t get the chance a lot, but I love flipping through bulk bins at cars stores and just picking random stuff up.
I don’t really have goals, I have a vague “wishlist” but it constantly changes priority. I prefer going with the flow and just letting my whims carry me wherever. It’s supposed to be fun, after all!
I used to kinda go with the flow but it wasn’t fun. Now I have a specific goal to finish sets and that makes it more fun
My collecting goals are pretty flexible now that I have most of the cards I wanted. For example one goal I have is to collect every Cloyster card, but I haven’t bought any in over a year despite all of them being pretty affordable in LP condition.
Overall I think it’s good to have some sort of goal since not having one can make you lose interest in the hobby but that’s just me.
I have goals, but they’re more like neglected children at this point.
I’ve definitely narrowed down what I collect now compared to a year or two ago.
I never had goals that were set in stone. My goals are broad usually as well and can change depending on the budget i’m working with at the time. Most of my goals consist of just getting cards that have some historical, sentimental, or rarity significance. Since its so broad, it makes it easy to pick and choose what I would like to collect. One rule I follow in collecting that I always have followed is “don’t buy just to buy”.
Didn’t have a goal when I started collecting in the 90’s, and still don’t have one now.
I just generally collect any cards that appeal to me, be it rarer pieces, slabs or random commons from the XY era. If the card looks cool or there’s some background nostalgia, I’ll buy it.
I have an addictive personality, so goals keep me from spending too much on cards… Sometimes, it doesn’t work… haha. But it helps. I started out without goals, however, and that got me A LOT of great stuff in 2011-2018
For me, accomplishing objectives makes it more fun.
Having something (short term and long term) in mind and try to accomplish it is very fulfilling when you do.
I love having goals. In live and in Pokemon TCG.
Goals can mutate and evolve, but for me are essential. 
Most of my goals are complete so I sometimes feel like a lone and aimless Poe sitting atop a tall mushroom in the Hyrule underground