The Power of Truth

As Lance Armstrong is learning, it's pretty difficult to bury the truth. Liars have been known to use all sorts of techniques to protect their stories, but ultimately the truth is a powerful force. Even though Armstrong had a lot at stake, there are a whole lot of others who had skin in the game, too, and once Lance wasn't in a position to influence the peloton, the media, the governing body over cycling and others, the truth came crashing down on top of him. Clearly the weight of the deception became more than he could bear.

There's no doubt that Armstrong benefited greatly from his lies. Estimates put his net worth at $100 million, but he's almost entirely lacking in the sort of wealth that matters most. Few things are more important than solid relationships, trust and reputation. Lance's confession must be motivated, at least in part, by an effort to regain those things. My hope is that he's decided to offer a sincere apology that not only takes responsibility for the people he's tried to hurt, but attempts to repair the damage. Is that what I'm expecting to hear? No. Unfortunately I think it's much more likely that Armstrong continues to hide behind the types of deception and manipulation of perception that have worked so well for him in the past. This time, though, a lot more people are likely to see right through them.