Every year, I think it’s important to reflect on the lessons learned in Magic and make goals for the next year. This year has really included a lot less Magic playing then previously, and while I don’t think I’ll be changing too much in the next year, I’d still like to possibly discuss some reasonable goals for next year. By setting goals, I have something to play for and something to achieve instead of just wading through each tournament.

Top 8 a Major Event

Since I have decided to mostly take a step back in terms of the amount of Magic I’m playing, I want to make sure I focus on performing well in the events I do play. I’d like to make the elimination rounds of a Grand Prix or an SCG this upcoming year since my results this last year were lacking, to say the least. This means that for those events I am going to have to really test better than I have. Spend more time testing on Magic Online and if I can in person with people to learn the deck and the format. Watching coverage is great for getting a handle, but it’s very easy to tune in and out of streams when there’s so much going on. Mostly though, I’d just like to prove to myself that I still have the skills to perform. It used to be about performing because of what I wanted people to view me as. Top 8s translate into skill, but that isn’t always the case. It is important to convert, I think, but it shouldn’t be what defines me. I want to ensure that I’m performing for me instead. So for the next year, I’d like to Top 8 one major event. Starting small can’t leave me too disappointed with my results over a year; and, although I’d like to do better, it’s important to stay slow.

Travel to the Events I Want To

This is a major issue I’ve had in the past. I’ve gone to many events I’ve had no desire to play in simply because it was extremely convenient. This has caused a lot of extra stress and needless money spent because I wanted to slake my desire for Magic. I need to approach this better. So, instead of trying to just take events where I can, I’m going to pick and choose where I want to go and what I want to play instead. In doing so, this will give me the ability to be happier about my decision making process and lead to events I feel more comfortable in. If I’m more relaxed, I’m going to play better, have a clearer head at events, and be able to manage expectations more reasonably. Attitude can help in a game, so I’d like to try and lean more toward enjoying and relaxing myself. This could lead to some neat vacation-esque tournaments instead and that is an exciting proposition. Magic should be fun, and I’m going to try and have more fun with it instead. I think a part of that is definitely traveling to places I want to.

Visit Somewhere New

There’s been a wide swath of places I’ve visited because of Magic over the years. Las Vegas, Dallas, Orlando, Providence, St. Louis, and even scenic Somerset, NJ. This year, I’d like to travel to somewhere I haven’t been before. I talked above about traveling to events I want to versus events that I go to just because I can and this is a prime opportunity to visit somewhere new as a vacation-esque type event. Go on a Friday and explore a new city. Maybe eat some new food. I’m a big fan of food and I would love the chance to try somewhere new. I’ve written reviews of food places here for events I’ve travelled to and I’m ecstatic about the possibility of getting to eat new food. Some cities have interesting museums or places to see and I’m looking forward to exploring somewhere new and exciting. Even if the place ends up being boring, I’d rather try to enjoy a new experience in a new place.

Test Better

One of my biggest faults has to be involved with testing and practice. I don’t spend enough time testing and instead waste time messing around chatting with friends. On occasion, I’ll be on Skype and playing MTGO but not discussing anything ever. While it’s important to have some difference between time spent on Magic and other things, I don’t make full use of the resources at hand. I’m leaving money on the table, as it were.

I’m certainly a person who gets better with a deck the more I play it. I can understand certain things but can’t see complicated lines through to the end because of inexperience. So, for this year I’m going to dedicate more time to playing before tournaments and in my spare time as well. This will lead to better in-game decisions when I have more reps.

Play better decks

I have a long standing history playing cute decks and making poor choices for a weekend. I may have a better idea what to play, but I always enjoy doing something different. For this year, I’d like to focus on making better deck and sideboard selections for the events I do play in. There’s a library of information out there and it’s important to use that tool. It’s available to me to help figure out the best choice, so might as well take advantage. Being able to understand where a format is going is a good key to unlocking a better result in tournaments, but it feels like it all starts with playing the better decks and understanding them more.

Be More Cognizant of What I Say and Do

It’s really easy to see what’s happening in the Magic world and think that you just shouldn’t say anything at all for fear of backlash. That is not the case. That is the case if the only thing you have to say is mean, rude, nasty, or bullying. But, in general, most everyone doesn’t think like that. It’s easy to see what we say or what we do and how it can affect others. It’s important for me to ensure that what I could say or do won’t have negative consequences or feelings for others. It’s simple to just keep your audience in mind and not be a miserable person.

What are some of your goals in Magic? It doesn’t have to be something big; it could be whatever you’re looking for. Everyone plays the game for their own reasons, but it’s always a great idea to have some goal in mind while playing. Whether it’s to have fun at every event, travel with friends, or make sure you’re always playing a good deck, I’d like to hear what your goals are.