Continuing with my earlier posts on
decision making and how to gain inner strength by bringing harmony in our reasoning,
emotional and intuitive abilities, I wish to put forth my ideas on an important
aspect of ‘doubt’ post our decision.
My first peak into my phone this
morning was a whatsapp text, from an investor of mine, who was asking my opinion
on our investment decisions. I am consulting him on his existing investments.
First I felt that he did not have the temperament to invest in Share market but
introducing that idea in the first meeting would have been counterproductive.
For him, it would have been an unkind personal remark, and for me, it would
mean the end of consulting assignment. Nonetheless, I have been working on his
psychology to make him realize that he did not need to take so many risks. He
has enough and there is no need to run a race with anyone. Long story short, he
has already made many flip flops and again asking me if the last decision was
the ‘right one’.
I will tell you later, what I told
him. But it got me into my contemplation mood. I sit in my balcony looking out
into a sea of green around me. Light drizzle is on. Beautiful harmony of
seasonal birds is in play, sitting on the outstretched branches of trees, within arm’s
length of my balcony. How amazing to find that fresh rain water brings so much
joy to plants and trees. They return the favour with more leaves and more
fruits. What an irony that the same tree abandons the leaves when it cannot
support it. Like an expert Yogi, in perfect detachment and equipoise. There is
no struggle, they are at ease.
This amazing sight sets forth a
fountain of ideas in my head. Why do we question ourselves after making a
choice or a decision? And what is right or wrong? Who decides it by the way? Many
psychologists or human behavior analysts have termed this phenomenon as ‘cognitive
dissonance’. (All intellectuals love to term their observation with fancy words
and claim copyright on these concepts.) Be that as it may, we all spend some
time thinking about our choices, some do it more than others. Firstly, making a
choice itself is a tough work for many and now our world is rocked by the
anxiety over the correctness of our decision.
Right or wrong, win or lose are mere
social constructs and in my view, very near term oriented concepts. It is not
always about the rewards, greed and fear, our attachment with the outcome of
our choices but also about ‘Need for control’. Control desire directly feeds into
our self esteem. We all are so suppressed, contained or subjected to
circumstances beyond our control that we wish to take charge of some things
directly. Perhaps, how and where my money will be invested, what I do with my
money, is also once such vent. As we mature in the field we operate in, this
need for control reduces. With time, with experience and with wisdom.
Every Choice has a long shelf life..
We can only determine if a
particular decision was right or wrong, if the outcome was time specific. It is
a very tactical concept. We can draw some examples from some sports or a race. For
instance, a lot of cricket enthusiasts have been talking about right and wrong
in recently concluded ICC world cup. New Zealand had to accept a second place
due to rules that no one (at least, Fans) had cared to read about before. New
Zealand did not lose but English team had to be adjudged as winner. New Zealand
team captain, Kane Williamson, accepted the verdict with grace and humility. He
congratulated the English team for a very successful world cup campaign. They
were more consistent and prolific than New Zealand. English in my opinion,
deserved to be the winners. World can judge what decision of Kane Williamson was
right or wrong, because it resulted in an outcome of a championship. But who
knows if New Zealand emerges a stronger team in future due to this. Or say, all
NZ players remain humble, content and as a result happier, for the rest of
their lives.
Any decision or a choice has a very
long shelf life. It is imprudent to look at it from a very short term point of
view. What appears wrong in short term may turn out be right in another time
frame. Every decision or a choice needs to be seen in the context of a time
continuum. It is a ‘flow’ concept and people confuse it to be a ‘Stock’ concept.
Reasonable, not Right..
To my investor, I told him that we can only make ‘Reasonable’ decisions. Not the right one. Right one gives us immediate
satisfaction and calms our impatient energy. It is invariably always a wrong decision to give ourselves what we wish instantly. No wonder, most of our prayers are not
answered immediately. Nature or God understands what we wish for is not always
what is in our best interest.
What we must know that we took a
reasonable decision with an eye on near future and distant one as well. A
reasonable decision always allows for some errors and assumptions. A reasonable
decision is not horribly wrong or magnificently bold one, in the immediate
future. It can be seen as a closer to middle path, not exactly middle, since
our own bias and prejudice, will ensure that it is little left or right of the
middle. That in my eyes is a best path, unless we are absolutely certain
. It is a direct outcome of a calm and patient head and borne out of first-hand
experience.
Our own long term commitment with a
decision is the basic requirement to observe the life of a decision. A
reasonable decision will live longer, it will have its ups and downs, but it
will be more gratifying and fulfilling. Once you pay attention to a successful
marriage in your social circle, you will know what I am trying to say.
Much like a marriage, just because
investing allows you to disengage easily, does not mean that we should exercise
that option. Work on your priorities, your goals, delay gratifications, live
simple lives. That will ensure stability in your decisions and its consequences.
Life is a joy ride if we witness it
rather than sit on the chair of a judge.
Hare Krishna,
Nitin Om Patnia
Disclaimer: The
author works as a financial advisor in India. The views expressed here are
completely his own and are a collective wisdom of numerous humans that
co-exist or existed before the author. The author claims no right of
originality of ideas but would like to assert the right to his style of
writing. There is no intent to hurt anyone's sentiments with his opinions. It
is just an honest expression by the author to help anyone who may be benefited
from his writings. And a medium to express his gratitude to all who contributed
to bless the author with wisdom. Most of all to his spiritual master, Om Swami,
in bestowing wisdom and grace.
