Tanya, Chapter 14

"Habit reigns supreme in any sphere and becomes second nature. So if one accustoms himself to despise evil, it will, to some extent, become despicable in truth.

Likewise, if one accustoms himself to gladden his heart in G‑d through reflection upon His greatness, his self-impulsion will bring on inspiration from On High. If he pursues this path, perhaps a spirit from above will descend upon him and imbue him with the soul of a Tzaddik.

The Poem:

With the snap of a whip
the lion roars,
and crouches low
(just for show).

With the snap of a whip
the tamer scores,
and steps on paws
(just for applause).

The lion and the tamer
face to face ---
mouth open wide
for the coup de grâce.

With the snap of a whip
to sting the hide,
who'd have thought
lion and tamer
work side by side?

The poet explains:
One recurring Yom Kippur theme is the question of how we can ask forgiveness time and time again for our repeated sins and still expect G-D to grant our requests.
The poem "Con Artists" showcases a stand-off between the Nefesh HaElokit [Godly soul] and the Nefesh HaBehamit [Animal soul] as seen through the eyes of an audience at a circus.
Although the lion handler is controlling his Nefesh HaBehamit - it's clear he's doing it just for applause. The lion as well is rewarded for "enduring" the snapping of a whip aimed in his general direction.
Nevertheless, since habit becomes second nature - the mere act of exerting his influence in this positive way will eventually serve the lion tamer well.
As such, we can expect G-D to forgive our repeated offenses in the knowledge that we are indeed chipping away at unfavorable character traits over time - whether we realize it or not.
And despite the encouraging applause from the crowd, only the applause from the Holy One running the show is what will matter in the end.