4 lessons from the 2022 Australian Taekwondo Nationals

I've just spent the last couple of days in Bendigo at the Australian Taekwondo Nationals 2022.?

Along the way, I realised a few things that translate into work/general life:?

1. Do what you need to do to get the job done?

In Korea the Masters look at people and say "they're a Taekwondo person"?

This goes beyond interest, skill and motivation and kind of goes to the core of who that person is.?

As a coach, competitor and referee it was a non stop weekend and during the team dinner last night one of the parents asked "aren't you exhausted?"?

My answer was "I think as a taekwondo person I'm used to it"?

It’s not a “flow state” that’s for sure. It’s hard work, it’s tiring. Saturday I was refereeing for 15 hours straight, I likened it to driving for 15 hours, Sunday competing in 3 events, coaching a few of the students then back to refereeing again. Luckily the job aligned to who I am so that made it easier.?

2. Team work,?forging bonds through shared suffering and facing fears?

I don't like refereeing, I'd even go so far and say that it is one of the things that I avoid because there's an element of fear in it for me (imaging being surrounded very angry coaches and black belts plus their cheer squads!)?

This year I sucked it up and went back into the centre after a number of years away from refereeing and guess what? I might even have enjoyed myself a little bit.?

It wasn't all peaches, I made a few mistakes and one coach said I did a "terrible job" but the referees were all extremely supportive of each other, gave clear and concise feedback on errors or improvements and implemented the improvements straight away. It was an excellent display in teamwork.?

On to top of that we all formed great connection as a team, it reminded me of when we go through very tough Taekwondo training, #ATS or #hrtech implementations and the bonds that are formed in that process?

3. Be ready and take opportunities?

Sometimes in class or tests I give my students requirements that are unexpected. It's not in the syllabus but hey life has no syllabus.?

On Saturday as I saw other referees being asked to officiate "Fight Night" which was streamed on 7plus I thought "great, they're not picking me". Then??

"Zi, you're judge 2 on match 3, then you're in the centre in match 4. Can you do it?"?

"Sure"?

"Are you happy about it?"?

"Not ecstatic ?? but I can do it"??

I've been refereeing for 12 hours already, most of the rust was rubbed off by then, it was just a case of getting in the ring, doing what I've been trained to do and remember the feedback that I've been given during the day. It was huge self imposed pressure but in the end it was fine and an honour the be selected as one of the top few referees to officiate in the broadcast. All experience builds you for the next opportunity.?

4. Worthy Rivals?

Chapter 9 in Simon Sinek's Infinite Game is all about Worthy Rivals?

We always have "rivals" in business and in sport. Worthy Rivals push each other to be better. In the end each "rival" is so much better at what they do and the whole game is elevated.?

My Team and Pairs partners are great examples of this.?

In teams I'm with two other Masters, I currently compete against one of them for Individual Poomsae and next year I move up to the next age bracket so with compete against the other.?At the same time we push and motivate each other to be better. Personally, I feel the need to be better because they're both better than me and I don't want to drag the team down ???

For pairs, my partner trains at another club. Old school thinking is “don't help your competitors be better than you” but In the end the level of practitioners will deteriorate if everyone takes this approach.?

By helping each other we make each other better and the rising tide lifts all boats.?

At the end of the day, we’re great friends and we’re all better practitioners of Taekwondo and our students across 4 clubs benefit because we as Instructors are bettering ourselves.?