how tempted are you to stray from your "sets" or "types" as you collect

[Howe’s Hunter]

or CDO as my son refers to it, because it should be listed alphabetically.

But I have no trouble sticking to my one goal. I admire others sets and collections, and even specific examples, but always go back to that's not what I set my focus on, and my collection will mean more to me long run if I stick to the goal.

[steve B]

And.... I'm the exact opposite. I pretty much collect everything, with little focus. I have a few long term goals, but to me long term is a decade or more. Reality has meant setting a few of those aside, but that's not so bad.

Steve B

[jefferyepayne]

I have two levels of goals. One a high level set of goals I want to accomplish over time and the second a near term set of goals focused on particular sets or cards I want to obtain. That way I stay pretty much on point with whatever I am focusing on but if a great opportunity presents itself to fulfill a longer term goal, I don't pass it up and regret it later.

Put another way, I'll spend a bit more on near term items to make some progress but won't pass up good deals that are aligned with longer term goals.

jeff

[margoaepi]

I collect basically anything that catches my eye. There are some sets that I like more than others, but on the whole, I think there are great looking cards in most sets (besides Delongs, I hate those things). I wish I had some focus, it would make figuring out what to acquire a whole lot easier.

[gorrister]

I'm collecting a type set - 1 of every type of card made up to 1980. That way my scattered approach gives the appearance of focus. It's scattered in that I'm not doing it in any particular order, just whatever happens to come up that I can afford, but focused in that I'm not getting anything that does not "fit" into my collection.