Detaching From the World

It is no coincidence that the great religions of the world embrace the idea of detachment. In Buddhism, non-attachment to the things of this world brings freedom and an end of suffering. Fasting during the month of Ramadan is an obligatory practice in Islam; we also see Jews fasting during the Yom Kippur day of atonement and Hindus fasting for the month of Shravan by abstaining from meat. A tradition of silence and celibacy has accompanied the training of priests and nuns in monasteries and convents. Even within the secular world, we find ourselves detaching from our daily lives by hiking in woods or mountains, vacationing to exotic or remote destinations, or meditating.

Detachment is really a detachment from routine. Routines bring efficiencies to life, but they also leave us living life in auto-pilot mode. Rarely in routines do we notice our surroundings or feel the depth of our connections to our loved ones or our work. Routines are, in a sense, a kind of addiction: we crave the familiar, but are ultimately dulled by it. Outside of routine on a mountain camping trip, we lose the day-to-day worries and reconnect with what is really important. During a getaway vacation, we connect with our spouses in fresh ways. After a session in the immersion tank, the sights, sounds, and smells of the world are more vivid; we feel more alive.

It's one reason I like to break from trading periodically. There's value in getting away from the screen during the day, and there's value to getting away from markets. Some of my best trading has occurred when I've gained fresh energy and perspective after a time away.

Today I've begun one of my multi-day fasts. No food; no caffeine; no sugar; just water. I break all my work routines. The metabolism slows down, I slow down, and regain a little perspective.

Life is just too short to live on auto-pilot.

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