Life

Though I consider myself somewhat spiritual, I’m not typically drawn to pilgrimages. In fact, the last major pilgrimage I undertook was nearly 40 years ago, at age 5, when I accompanied my grandparents on the Chaar Dhaam Yatra (four places of pilgrimage) in the mountains of north India.

I still have vivid memories of that trip, not because of the spirituality those places invoke but because the mountains have always attracted me. In fact, it may sound unusual, but whenever I am in the mountains, I have an eerie feeling that I belong there. The air and the water remind me that at some moment in time, I lived there.

Anyway, forty years later, I am starting on a different pilgrimage. This time, not in the mountains, but I have this feeling that the experience shall be the same – I will feel that at some moment in time, in a previous birth, I had been there.

[Read more…] about My Pilgrimage

Before beginning today’s post, I have a brief announcement to make.

I am organising in-person workshops on Value Investing in –

• Bengaluru: Sunday, 7th April
• Mumbai: Sunday, 14th April
• Dallas (US): Saturday, 27th April
• New York (US): Saturday, 11th May

If you are in or around these cities and wish to attend, kindly register here.

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How Little We Know

Daniel Kahneman, a groundbreaking psychologist and behavioural economist who taught me that it’s perfectly fine to say “I don’t know” when faced with difficult questions in life and investing, passed away recently at the age of 90.

His bestselling book Thinking, Fast and Slow introduced me to his piercing observation that we, as humans, are generally blind to our blindness.

He wrote, “We have very little idea of how little we know. We’re not designed to know how little we know.”

While succinct, the profoundness of these words extends far beyond their brevity.

Despite its remarkable abilities, our brain is inherently limited in what it can perceive, process, and understand. These limitations aren’t merely gaps in knowledge that can be filled with more information or education. Instead, they represent fundamental constraints on our cognitive abilities.

As Kahneman explains in his book, one of the most significant barriers to our understanding is cognitive biases, which are like mental shortcuts or rules of thumb that our brain uses to quickly make sense of the world around us. They can be helpful because they allow us to make decisions quickly without having to stop and think about every little detail. But these shortcuts aren’t always accurate, and sometimes, they can lead us to make wrong or irrational decisions.

Another key aspect of our cognitive limitation, as per Kahneman, is overconfidence. Most people tend to overestimate their knowledge and abilities. This overconfidence bias can lead to disastrous decisions, as people act on incorrect assumptions and flawed information, believing they understand more than they actually do. Overconfidence in our knowledge not only impedes learning but can also lead to significant errors in judgment.

Anyway, the question is: Now that we know the flaws in our cognition, can we do something about them to make better decisions?

Kahneman advised that the first step is awareness. Recognizing that our understanding of the world – of investing and outside of it – is inherently limited, and that we are prone to cognitive biases, is crucial. This recognition can cultivate humility and openness to new perspectives, reducing the likelihood of falling prey to overconfidence.

Another effective strategy is openness in seeking views from diverse people. Being a loner, I have a lot of ground to cover here, but I understand that this can provide a broader range of insights and ideas, helping to fill the gaps in our understanding. This diversity can act as a counterbalance to our individual biases and overconfidence, leading to more informed, balanced decisions.

Also, education and lifelong learning play a crucial role in mitigating our cognitive limitations. While we can never fully overcome these limitations, being a lifelong learner can help us make better, more informed decisions. The pursuit of knowledge and wisdom should be seen as an ongoing journey, not a destination.

Before I end, here’s the crux of it all. The recognition of our cognitive limitations, as highlighted by Kahneman’s work, is not a cause for despair but a call to action.

By acknowledging and addressing these limitations, we can make more informed decisions, evolve into becoming lifelong learners and, ultimately, move forward through the complexities of life with greater wisdom and humility.

As Kahneman advised, the journey toward understanding and wisdom is endless, but it enriches our lives and broadens our horizons in profound ways.

Life’s passing by too fast, or so it seems. I complete 45 years in my present state of existence today. That’s more than three-fifths of the average life expectancy of an Indian male.

Now, while spiritualists would want me to believe that I have existed from anadi (before the beginning of cosmos) and will exist till ananta (infinity), I see forty-five years as a good enough time to find some meaning in one’s life. At least, my rapidly greying hair and receding hairline help me realize that.

Now, while it amazes me that I’ve been around that long — I feel like I’ve barely begun (except when I look at the actuarial table).

[Read more…] about The 45th Lesson