Success vs. Joy

- XXVII -

The Corruption of Joy

If joy disappears, all the efforts that you have made to become a master of your area of endeavor are rendered meaningless. Joy disappears when your mind is distracted.

You might be playing well, but if your mind is wavering – that is, you are thinking about publicity, the adulation of your fans or even about earning big bucks – your game is bound to suffer.

I met a 14-year-old swimmer who said that her ambition was to win the Arjuna award because no one from Gujarat from her sport had won the Arjuna award. I asked her to remove the thought of the Arjuna award permanently from her mind. She loves swimming and experiences some sensation of elation and satisfaction when she practices. But at such a young age, the expectations of others had corrupted the girl without her being aware of it.

When I look back at my career, I realize that there was a time when I had succumbed to the temptations of materialism. My mind had been corrupted by avarice.

After my fourth world title, I wanted to win only for the prize money, and in the process, my game really suffered. Besides money, I know some who have been corrupted by sudden success and succumbed to – food, drink, women, hangers-on, and parties.

Such euphoria is short-lived. One cannot continuously expect to live life on the edge.

Chapter XXVI :: Chapter XXVIII