I messed up this week. It was like I ordered the soup of the day, yesterday’s soup of the day, and I couldn’t figure out why the waitress didn’t bring me the soup. I’m kicking myself. Why wasn’t I at the cafe yesterday?  Why wasn’t I at the cafe before everyone else yesterday?

Needless to say, I’ve learned my lesson. If you and I want to play with the big dogs, we have to be thinking like them. They’re the people that are always a buck ahead, a step in the lead, and forever laughing at our lags… unless we change.

In whatever financial avenue you’re hoping to strike it rich in, I’m making some adjustments in my strategy that you might want to consider, too.

1. Network: someone’s always going to know something before you.  Buddy up so they’ll share with you. And if you have to pay them a little, I still think it’s worth it.

2. Have your documents lined up: if you want a stock, have money ready to invest ASAP. If you’re buying a huge investment, establish pre-approval with a bank before the deal pops up. Update your income statements, cash flow statements, balance sheet, checkbook; you want to be ready to go by knowing what you have and showing others what you have, too.

3. Be persistent: don’t let one slip slow you. The soup I wanted was sold out; now I’m watching for when it’s the flavor of the day again.

4. Be ready to drop everything NOW: good deals disappear in minutes. You’ve seen how the stock market fluctuates throughout the day. Other markets do the same. Waiting until the time works for you doesn’t work when you want a deal.

Some people obsessed with Cramer on Mad Money dump all of their money into each stock he recommends that day. The following day, those stocks shoot up as everyone wants to buy. None of those people really makes money, though. How could they expect to? They’re ordering yesterday’s soup.
As for everyone who bought the stock right before Cramer’s tip? Oh yeah, they’re stuffing their faces and smirking at us.

Wouldn’t you prefer to pick your soup and eat it, too?