It is in our highest moments that we need to be the most careful, for it’s in those very moments that the devil comes forth. The devil here is that heady feeling of invincibility. It’s when one is at the top of the world that all manner of temptations and bad company clamber on like leeches and termites, eating away at one’s moral fibre and leaving one decadent and bereft of rational judgement.
Imagine winning Wimbledon at seventeen, becoming the World No. 1 in the sport, and living the life of a king, surrounded by doting fans. And then, suddenly, finding yourself at the gates of a prison, a stone’s throw away from where you have been celebrated by dukes and duchesses. Wandsworth prison is just over 3 miles away from the Wimbledon Center Court. But, it’s one stretch that one would not like to cover. Especially one adored by millions as a global tennis icon.
That was the sad story of the meteoric rise, and earth-shattering free fall of Boris Becker, who has recently been released from Wandsworth prison in the UK and since been deported to Germany. Serving his sentence for committing financial fraud, by first having hidden his assets and then having declared himself bankrupt to avoid paying huge debts, Boom Boom Becker was at the receiving end of a new kind of challenge and education in a different court.
Being truthful and honest is not just moral advice but a warning and an important life lesson. Karma catches up sooner or later, as is evident in Becker’s case.
One can become a great success story and a revered hero in some particular area of one’s life through intense hard work and focus earning millions. However, this won’t ensure mastery and attainment in other arenas of one’s life. If one doesn’t work on one’s character and life skills every single day, wrong company and temptations will soon destroy one’s moral fibre, however much material success one has achieved.
Everyday, we are presented with opportunities to choose between the harder right and the easier wrong. It is the choices we make, moment to moment, which constantly build our inner strength and character. It’s not only the great stuff we do in front of the world which defines us, but what we do when no one is watching over us.
Abraham Lincoln had said, “You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.”
Becker reached the pinnacle of success and then his weak moral fibre allowed temptation and greed to enter him. He began believing that he was invincible, beyond the reach of the laws of the land. The tennis great fudged account books, and almost got away before Karma finally caught up.
What is your ‘immorality factor’? To what extent are you willing to convince yourself that whatever you are doing is right even when you know it is wrong? Can you be honest with yourself about being dishonest?
Calling yourself out is going to be tough. However, it is only such brutal and candid reflection which will compel you to witness yourself in your complete nakedness. You could emerge shocked, realising what a jerk you have been, unbeknownst to yourself, and all that you have refused to accept about yourself.
The Boris Becker episode is a stern warning to us all that if we don’t work on our morality, then we are certainly going to land up in hot soup, sooner than later.
Deepam Chatterjee is the author of The Millennial Yogi. He can be contacted on deepamchatterjee@yahoo.co.in