The Weekly Rip 7.27.25 [Anxiety]
We explore the anxiety that can form before a big event like The National and steps we can take to resolve the stress.
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The Weekly Rip
Your Stacking Slabs Sunday Update
July 27, 2025
The Calm Before The Chaos
I’ve been thinking a lot about the mindset we bring into The National.
Not the cards. Not the deals.
The mindset.
Because here’s the truth that doesn’t get talked about enough:
You can love this hobby deeply, be totally prepared, and still feel overwhelmed before walking through those doors.
I do.
Even now—several years in, hosting content, having built a brand that will be fully active during the show—there’s still a voice in the back of my head.
Will I get everything done? Will I make the right decisions? Will I regret something later?
The National can expose your collecting insecurities if you’re not careful. It pulls you away from routine. It puts you in front of people you usually only know online. It makes you feel like you’re supposed to be “on” the entire time. And if you’re anything like me—a creature of rhythm with a family at home—that disruption can spark internal noise.
I remember my first National vividly.
I was walking into the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center with probably less than 100 podcast episodes under my belt and no clue what I was walking into.
It was loud.
It was massive.
It was a full-blown assault on my senses.
And I immediately felt like I was behind.
That feeling comes back every year unless I check it.
And this year, with everything I’m committed to doing for Stacking Slabs, that internal pressure showed up early.
So I took a beat.
I opened my notebook.
And I started writing down how I want to feel during The National—not just what I want to do.
Here’s what I came up with. Maybe it’ll help you too.
1. Don’t try to do it all.
You’ll miss booths. You’ll miss deals. You’ll miss people you meant to see.
That’s okay.
The goal isn’t to “complete” The National. It’s to enjoy it without losing yourself in the process. One focused goal a day is better than chasing everything at once. Walk the floor with no agenda. Let the experience come to you.
2. Be honest about the pressure.
There’s a weight to being at The National.
You want to make a big move.
You want to show your friends something cool.
You want to feel like it was worth the trip.
But you don’t owe anyone a story. You don’t need to have a moment.
Sometimes the best move is restraint.
Not buying anything is a win if the alternative is making a bad decision under stress.
3. Real-life meetups feel different.
Talking to hobby friends online and seeing them in person are two different experiences.
If you feel anxious about meeting people you’ve chatted with for years, that’s normal.
Let conversations happen naturally.
Find one or two collectors to spend meaningful time with.
Go deep, not wide.
This isn’t a networking event. It’s your hobby.
Protect your energy.
4. You’re not falling behind.
After day one, your feed will be flooded with pickups, deals, and trades.
That’s when the comparison game kicks in.
But behind every post is a context you don’t see.
No one’s sharing the anxiety, the regret, or the missteps.
Don’t let someone else’s highlight make you question your experience.
You are not behind. You are exactly where you need to be.
5. Routine matters.
For me, that means getting a workout in every morning before the show starts.
It means finding a quiet spot when I can.
It means staying grounded in why I’m there.
That’s how I build control into the chaos.
You might have something different.
But whatever it is—build it in.
Even if it’s as simple as sending your kid a photo of a card or FaceTiming your partner during a break.
That small connection might be all you need to reset.
I’m fired up for this week.
I’m proud of what we’ve built with Stacking Slabs.
And I know this show will be another marker in the journey.
But I’m also walking into it with an understanding:
This is a lot.
And the best way to enjoy it is to give yourself permission to be human.
You don’t need to do everything.
You need to be present.
That’s where the real joy lives.
See you in Rosemont.
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Reissue: Pairing for Peace
The Power of Pairing and Why It Helps Collectors Feel Grounded Before Big Events
What happens when the noise of the hobby gets too loud and the pressure of a show like The National starts to overwhelm?
You go back to what centers you.
That’s what this episode was about. Not about buying more. But about buying with purpose. About pairing cards not for flex value, but for personal meaning.
Pairing slows things down.
It reminds you of what matters.
It brings calm to the chaos.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed heading into The National, this conversation is your reset button.
Let’s break it down.
What We Learned from This Episode
Pairing isn’t about completion — it’s about connection.
It’s the collector who grabs a 2013 Select Gold LeBron and a 2014 to show his Miami-to-Cleveland transition.
It’s the fan who builds a Prizm Gold run of Andrew Luck and TY Hilton, not for resale, but because those moments meant something.
It’s pairing Freeney and Mathis 2012 Golds — not because the market said to, but because you were there. You remember. You care.
When we pair cards:
We add context to our collection.
We tell stories through cardboard.
We give ourselves focus in a hobby that constantly tries to pull us in 100 directions.
Pairing shrinks the sea.
It quiets the hobby.
It gives you a goal.
That’s powerful — especially when walking into a room with thousands of tables and even more distractions.
What This Means for Collecting in 2025
The National is coming. There will be hype. There will be noise. There will be moments that make you feel like you’re behind.
Here’s the play:
Know your pairings. Walk in with targets that reflect your story, not someone else’s. Whether it’s year-over-year parallels or rival players from the same set, focus calms chaos.
Use pairing to filter. Skip the tables that don’t serve your goals. Let your pairing strategy guide where you spend time, energy, and money.
Let story drive value. If you can build a narrative with two or more cards, they’re probably worth more to you than anything you might panic buy on the show floor.
You don’t need more cards.
You need the right cards — and often, they come in twos.
Pairing gives you purpose.
Purpose gives you peace.
And peace makes collecting feel like collecting again.
I appreciate your support for Stacking Slabs. Tell a damn friend.
Take care,
Brett