The High Cost of a Low Decision

A Million Dollar Mistake With a Lifetime Impact

Discipline Is the Price of Staying on Top.

What happened with Sherrone Moore is not just a cautionary tale. It is genuinely sad, unsettling, and deeply instructive for anyone who understands the value of discipline, legacy, and long-term thinking.

At just 39 years old, Moore had secured what many people will never come close to touching in their lifetime. A five-year contract worth 27 million dollars, with roughly 14 million dollars still remaining. He had been married for a decade and was raising three children. Professionally, he stood in one of the most prestigious positions in college football at a Big Ten institution, doing work he loved, earning elite money, and carrying national visibility.

To put this into perspective, the average household income for Black families in Detroit and Flint hovers around 45,000 dollars a year. Lansing reflects similar numbers. While Ann Arbor is a unique market due to industry and education, the average Black man there earns approximately 69,000 dollars annually. These figures matter because they highlight how rare Moore’s position truly was. Roughly 3 percent of Black men in America earn over 200,000 dollars per year. Moore was not just above that line. He was far beyond it.

And yet, all of that was placed at risk, and effectively lost, over an affair.

The financial loss alone is staggering. Fourteen million dollars is not simply a lump sum. Properly structured, that amount could be placed into an annuity or conservative investment strategy that would generate income for life. With the right financial planning, it could grow, compound, and support multiple generations. But the cost does not stop at money.

There is the likely loss of his family, his home, and the emotional stability of his children. There is the reputational damage that follows someone in a high-profile profession. There is the professional fallout that may permanently close doors in college football. Careers at that level are built on trust, leadership, and character. Once compromised, they are rarely restored to the same height.

What makes this even more painful is how unnecessary it was. By all accounts, the woman involved bore a strong resemblance to his wife. This was not about attraction. It was about judgment. And judgment is often the first thing to fail when someone forgets what they have to lose.

I have said this many times, and I will continue to say it clearly. Never associate with or involve yourself with someone who has nothing to lose when you have everything to lose. That imbalance is dangerous. People with nothing at stake do not calculate risk the same way. They do not protect outcomes. They do not guard reputations. The fallout lands entirely on the person with the most to lose.

Some will try to reduce this to temptation or impulse, but the reality is simpler and harsher. He traded everything for nothing of lasting value.

I have spent the last two years interviewing high-value individuals for a book I am working on. One consistent pattern stands out. Most high-value people are extremely selective about who they allow into their lives. They understand cost. They understand consequences. They understand their worth.

Another important finding has surprised many people. High-value individuals who are unhappy in their relationships do not cheat. They make decisions. They have conversations. They end relationships when peace and alignment are no longer present. They do not create chaos on the side.

There is a quote often attributed to Mad Men, though it likely predates the show: “The reason divorce is so expensive is because it’s worth it.” The meaning is not flippant. It underscores that clarity, peace, and honesty are costly, but far less costly than deception and betrayal.

Real men do not cheat. They adjust. They choose integrity over impulse. They protect their families, their futures, and their legacies.

This situation should not be viewed only as a warning. It should be studied as a guidepost of what happens when discipline collapses and standards disappear. Success magnifies consequences. The higher you climb, the less margin for error you have.

The cost here went far beyond 14 million dollars. It was the cost of trust, stability, and a future that had already been earned.

Let this moment serve as a reminder. Peace is priceless. Discipline is protective. And nothing, absolutely nothing, is worth destroying your entire life.