Most of you already know that am not a religious person but the mythological books can teach us many life lessons. So, my reading habit obviously gravitates even towards mythological stories/ books.
One such lesson can be learned from Mahabharata – it is about visualization.
What is Visualization?
Visualization is simply a mental rehearsal. We create images in our mind of having or doing whatever it is that we want. Visualization techniques have been used by successful people to visualize their desired outcomes for ages. The practice has even given some high achievers what seems like super-powers, helping them create their dream lives by accomplishing one goal or task at a time with hyper focus and complete confidence.
The typical visualization pattern comes from the sports world, where an athlete would imagine themselves winning a championship or standing on the podium receiving a medal.
The key to visualization is to visualize that we already have what we desire. This is simply a mental trick. Rather than hoping we will achieve it, or building confidence that one day it will happen, live and feel it as if it is happening to us right now. On one level, we know this is just a mental trick, but the subconscious mind cannot distinguish between what is real and what is imagined. Our subconscious mind will act upon the images we create within, whether they reflect our current reality or not.
Elite athletes use it. The super rich use it. And peak performers in all fields use it.
Visualization in Mahabharata
After losing in a game of dice, the Pandavas were exiled to the jungles as per the bet waged. So, one of those days, Arjuna – the great archer was eating his dinner in the light of an earthen oil lamp, when a gust of wind
extinguished the flame. Arjuna continued to eat, his hand accurately reaching his mouth every time he ate a morsel of grain in the dark. At this exact moment, a sudden flash of thought embraced his mind.
If it was so easy to accurately place a morsel of food in his mouth, due to force of habit, the food not going into his eyes or nose by mistake, why was it so difficult to aim and shoot down a target in the dark ? This fired him up and the restless soul set about practicing archery in the dark, after staring at the target all day in the sunlight.
The mission was very clear and simple – the mind should be trained to know where to shoot from memory, just as it knew where to guide the hand containing a morsel of food in pitch dark. After months of rigorous practice, twanging his bow all night, for months, Arjuna attained mastery of the dark. The hard work paid off and helped the Pandavas win the battle of Kurukshetra years later. This is sheer Neuro linguistic programming (NLP) in work and ofcourse a lot of visualization before entering the actual arena.
Key take way and usefulness in trading
We all are Arjunas but we just lack something important – a sheer target practice. The mind can and should be trained. Samurais train with their Katanas thousands of times before attaining mastery of the sword. History tells us again and again that it can be done.
In trading terms, Visualization can help us cope with stressful situations (like visualizing to stay calm when we are in a trade) and to reinforce good habits. If one has issue in pulling the trigger/exiting early/jumping the gun, Visualization can be immensely helpful.
Thoughts are things and they create the beginnings of getting any result. The thought process includes not only what we’re telling yourself, but also the pictures that those thoughts summon.
Happy trading all !!