I don’t remember how I ended up on this random video of a Pokémon card vendor attending a card show. But I watched, and I couldn’t believe my eyes. The video was several months old. Yet, at this one card show, this one vendor made so many deals with so many people, totaling so much money.
A $5,000 trade here, a $10,000 deal there. Cash, cards, sealed boxes. It all happened faster than I could follow. Meanwhile, in the background, hundreds of people walked by—all looking to do their own deals with countless vendors just like this one.
This was one event on one day, and yet, it had more going on than I could process. Multiply this a thousand times over, and we’re probably still not even close to how much is actually happening in the world of Pokémon every day.
The video was overwhelming, but it also gave me hope. When you dedicate yourself to something, it’s easy to doubt whether you’re betting on the right long-term trend. “What if I’m investing in all the wrong activities?” All you see is your own small snow globe every day. You’re toiling away in silence—but so are millions of others!
Having faith means trusting the activity in the background. All the stuff that’s constantly happening which you’ll never see. Every now and then, you can check in on it. Watch a vendor video, read an industry report, or attend an event yourself. If it feels overwhelming, chances are, the wave you’re riding is progressing fine.
You simply need to remember that even when times are hard for you, the rest of your global team is still moving forward. Pushing. Growing. Learning. Just like you. Right now, you might be a supporting actor. Maybe one day, you’ll be a star. But whether you’ll go big or not, trust the activity in the background.
