Slow is good, in fact, the slower, the better. The equipment that I would recommend will cost you less than nothing, it will save you in the long run.
Patience: Take your time when reloading. Each step is important, so make sure you have enough time to complete every step. If you feel rushed, then slow down. Mistakes are made in rushes. No load is the final word. Even bad loads can teach you something. If you make a mistake, then back up to the previous step.
Quiet: You should have no distractions when reloading. No radio or TV, no friends chatting, no pets in the area. Tell anyone at your house that you will be out of touch for a certain period of time, then make it up afterward, to insure future compliance. This does not mean that you could not have an experienced reloader helping you, or watch one work. Both of you can be on the same page, but remember, talks about the weather or the next hunt are verboten until you have finished the task at hand.
Planning: have a particular goal in mind when you go to the reloading bench, and finish it! Do not leave a step before it is done, it is too easy to forget where you left off. At best, this wastes time, at worst, your prize Contender could end up shrapnel.
Reflection: Go back and read notes. Add field results to them, so you can compare actions and results. Think about what worked and why it did or did not.
And finally, skepticism. Take any advice, even this, with a grain or ten of salt. If someone tells you about a load that will turn a .30 Carbine into a .300 Weatherby, listen, but don't take it as Gospel. Especially doubt the information in manuals about maximum loads. For the first year, stick with starting loads, and then work up slowly. Your gun will tell you what its maximum is. Better a load that goes where it is aimed than that last fifty feet per second.
