Roger Federer and Ego
I realize that this post may as well be in my Roger Federer blog, but I chose to put it here because there is a lot to learn in terms of spirituality here. Let me just state first of all that this post have nothing to do with criticism. Aside from the fact that I have deep respect for Roger Federer and that he has given me so much as his fan, in spirituality there is no such thing as ‘wrong’. Roger Federer, one of the greatest sportsmen to ever walk this earth, and a great human being as well, has been having some trouble with his tennis of late.
His arch rival Rafael Nadal as wrestled away both his French Open and Wimbledon titles, and has taken the number one spot from him. Federer has also had his worst stretch of form in almost 10 years. Things just seem to be falling apart for this all time great. On one hand he is aging, so it is expected that he will decline, but on the other hand he won the Australian Open earlier this year in very dominant fashion. It is since then that his trouble really started. He has also been having problems with a particular type of player. He seems to be having a hard time adjusting to getting older and passing his prime.
There is no reason an all time great can’t have success after they have passed their prime. Federer is the most dominant tennis player that has every graced the tennis courts, and it looks like he is having a hard time accepting that he cannot be as dominant anymore. This is only one of many reasons he could be having trouble, but it is important in terms of spirituality. At the moment it looks like Federer is holding onto the past, and therefor he can’t move forward. He still wants to play on his terms, but since he has been aging he is having a hard time doing so.
It does not look like he is willing to adjust to the situation, which means he keeps getting beaten by a certain type of player. This is where ego comes in. The ego lives in the past and in the known. It is afraid of change. Federer have been praised endlessly for what he has achieved in the game of tennis. This can of course be very pleasing to the ego. The ego loves praises, while it despises criticism. We live in a world dominated by ego. If you do well in life you get praised for it, while if you fail you get basically crucified. This is not how spirituality works.
A spiritual person knows they are not their ego but their soul. The ego is ultimately an illusion. The soul is real and part of the one universal soul. Therefore a truly spiritual person knows they are not above or below anyone, because there is only one of us. They take neither compliments not criticism seriously. I am not saying at all that Federer is not a spiritual person. We all live in dual realities. We all need the ego to function in this world, and we all fall into it’s traps. I myself is certainly guilty of this. I am just pointing out this as an example.
Federer is close to my heart, so in a way I am using myself as an example when I use him. Tennis is unfortunately an arena where ego dominates. I know because I played myself. I loved the game of tennis a lot and still do, but I also realized that there is more to life. That is also why I started this blog. I didn’t want to write just about tennis. Tennis can lead to spiritual enlightenment, but it’s not the best vehicle for me. I find it too easy to fall into the trap of ego when involved in competition. I mean tennis is about personal achievement, which just serves to strengthen the ego.
I have great respect for Federer’s motivation for playing tennis, which is for the love of the game. His love for the game comes first, then the all the other stuff. This is also why I think Federer will come through his current crises. He is playing for all the right reasons. He just seems to be having a bit of a hard time at the moment. I honestly don’t believe Federer is an egotistical person per se. But ego is just part of tennis, and therefor he is currently having trouble with it. In this case there is no need for Federer to cling to the past and indulge the ego.
He probably feels that because he is aging, things are slipping away from him. This may be how tennis works, but the Universe operates differently. The Universe will always bring new and better possibilities as soon as you let go of the past. It is only when you cling to the known that you complicate things for yourself. I think if Federer accepts that he is not as dominant as he used to be and be willing to adjust and be flexible, he will find form again. Sometimes in life we keep clinging to the past so strongly, that only repeated disappointment can make us let go and embrace the present moment.
I don’t know if that is what has to happen to Federer before he makes adjustments, but he has sure had his fair share of disappointments of late. One of the keys to finding spiritual enlightenment is to be flexible. If you stand strong and tall like a big and thick tree, a strong wind will unearth you, but if you are a small tree that is flexible, you will blow along with the wind and be in no danger of being unearthed. Change is an inevitable part of life, and we all have to face it. You can either embrace it and use it in your own favor by being flexible, or you can oppose it by resisting, in which case your spiritual evolution will slow down.
Observing that we are many, is one of the keys to self realisation. That type of work is more rewarding than any exoteric prizes. It does take a long time to accomplish though, perhaps more than one lifetime. Once the goal has been reached one is set free from the laws that govern the human machine.
Thanks for this thought provoking post. It’s always interesting to read your writings.
Eso
Thanks Eso, always nice to read your comments.