Why can remaining approachable become difficult after gaining fame?

A person is influenced not only by their own thoughts but also by how others treat them. Someone originally easy to get along with may become surrounded by constant praise after becoming famous. Even everyday interactions change. Over time, their self-image and attitude may change too.

When discussing these matters with friends I knew in entertainment, I thought about the influence of management teams. No one is necessarily deliberately trying to make an entertainer difficult. Rather, treating someone as a major star gradually accustoms them to that identity. I therefore feel it is very difficult to remain approachable and live simply after gaining fame.

From the perspective of spiritual practice, settings centered on fame and profit contain many desires that easily disturb the mind. The more we inhabit such environments, the more we need to consider whether identity is leading us and whether we can still relate to others humbly and sincerely. These attitudes require sustained practice in daily life. Saying we do not care about fame and profit does not mean we have achieved it.

I also tried deliberately creating distance to meet others’ expectations. In earlier years, some felt a master should be imposing and appear less often. For a time, I hid away and made myself difficult to see. Later, I realized that people who originally came to chat were visiting less because they could not meet me. I eventually returned to being more approachable. I willingly interact directly and enjoy the warmth of meeting people. This was my choice after trying another approach, not a claim that teachers using video lessons or preferring quiet necessarily have a problem.