Learn to "Dissociate" – Part II

Last week we talked about two ways that you can imagine something. First, you can imagine yourself doing it from the perspective of being in your body. The example I gave was sky diving. Imagine yourself jumping out of an airplane and actually sailing through the air. What's it feel like doing that? See yourself pulling the rip cord. See the ground below you as you move toward it.

The second perspective is to simply see a moving of yourself doing the same thing. Now watch yourself doing the same thing only this time you are seeing a movie of yourself sky diving. This second perspective is the dissociated one. Even though both images are made up, the first one is attached to your feelings, while the dissociated perspective is now made up.

So how can you apply this to your trading? Well, here is a simple exercise for you. When you feel that you are not trading well. Simply stand up and walk away. Move to a different part of the room and observe yourself. Notice what you looked like sitting there in the state you were in. What did you do with your body? How did you hold yourself? What did your face look like? What was your breathing like?

And after you've observed all of those things, then notice how you feel now. You are no longer in that body. Instead, you are simply watching yourself from a dissociated perspective. All the feelings and emotions should be gone. If they are not, then make sure that you are watching yourself.

Now ask yourself some questions? What resources do I need to be able to handle this situation like a market wizard. Do you need confidence? Do you need the courage to get out? Do you need some perspective?

And how would you look if you had those resources? Imagine yourself in the same situation with those new resources. See yourself sitting there full of those resources and notice how much different the situation is when you bring those resources to the table.

Chances are it is quite different. Now comes the real application of this. Go back to the situation and become what you were just imagining. What is that like? Chances are its an entirely different perspective on the situation. And chances are that you are now performing at a totally different level.

That's the power of dissociation. Now practice this technique at least once a day for the following week. The more you do it, the easier it will become for you.