As Taekwondo world number 1 and European Champion, you would expect Briton Aaron Cook to be looking forward to the London 2012 Olympics, right? Well no, and there are some goal achievement lessons to be taken from his non selection…
Hang on – world number 1 and European Champion, but not selected? He must be injured then?
Er, no.
Maybe it’s a system like the US athletics, where if you aren’t in the top 3 on the day of the trials, you are out?
Er, no.
Why then is he not competing in the Games?
Well, that’s a good question, and one his management team have been asking. British Taekwondo say the rules in London to do with kicks to the head will not suit him, and that’s why he wasn’t selected.
His management say it is down to sports politics. Cook left the set up at British Taekwondo because he didn’t think it was helping him, and his results improved after he left, which he thought vindicated his decision.
His management say *that* is why he wasn’t selected, spite or revenge from British Taekwondo, and appealed the decision. The British Olympic Association sent the decision back to British Taekwondo, but when they still didn‘t select him, the BOA accepted it, saying they had no reason to go against the sport’s own national body.
Cook then appealed to the World Taekwondo Federation, but they have also rejected this, saying that British Taekwondo have broken no rules.
So that’s that I reckon. Maybe Cook could go to the International Court for Sport Arbitration, but not much else left, and the world number 1 and European Champ will be watching from the sidelines at his home Olympics.
Can you imagine the disappointment? I’ve seen sports politics at work close up, so I know how strong those forces can be. I have no doubt that the decision could well be the political one his management claim, but no way of being sure.
It’s a goal achievement lesson though, and one I have written about over and over again – sometimes you cannot control external circumstances which can impact your goal. In Aaron’s case, wrecking it completely.
You need to be mentally prepared for this when you set you on your goal path. You might ask why, since I’ve just talked about circumstances that are *outside* your control?
Well, you need to be prepared that it may happen, and develop both an acceptance of it, and mental resilience to go with it and change direction if needed.
The Olympics is always a feast of goal achievement stories, it’s a shame that this one is about not being able to compete at them.
Ok, ‘Til Next Time, keep the feedback coming!
Health & happiness,
Gordon
P.S. Read my other ideas about mental preparation in my kindle book ‘Transform Your Life in 21 Days!’
P.P.S. Find out how your views on sport can earn you money with my guide ‘Make Money From Sport!’
