I don’t usually watch TV series, but back in 2021, Mary Anne and I were at the beach, and we turned on Ted Lasso. It was the first season, and since it was a rainy day, we watched several in a row. I was hooked.
For those of you who don’t know the story, Ted Lasso and his assistant coach, Beard, were football coaches in Kansas. They were hired by a British soccer team owner, Rebecca, whose ex-husband turned the team over to her in their divorce settlement. She wanted to drive the team into the ground to get back at her ex-husband, but Ted, who knows nothing about soccer, arrives and that is where the story begins.
What made this show one to watch over and over was the surprising positive and inspirational insights by Ted as he and the players and team work together.
The series ended on May 31, and I admit, I shed a few tears. There were so many Ted-isms that I’ll never forget and luckily, CNN¹, the day prior to the finale, wrote a great article that captured some of the life lessons shared on the show. Here are just a few for you and some thoughts or questions to reflect on this week.
“Meet a ‘challenge’ head on, but with the willingness to grow.”
“Success is not about the wins and losses. It’s about helping these young fellas be the best versions of themselves on and off the field,” Lasso said of coaching. That’s not to say he wasn’t encouraging as well, like when he once remarked to his team, “Taking on a challenge is a lot like riding a horse, isn’t it? If you’re comfortable while you’re doing it, you’re probably doing it wrong.”
What challenge are you facing this week? Remember to lean into it with the mindset to learn and grow from it.
“You say impossible, but all I hear is ‘I’m possible.’”
The “you” you bring to any situation makes the difference in the outcome!
“If you just figure out some way to turn that ‘me’ into ‘us’…the sky’s the limit for you.”
Ted says to one of the players who at the beginning was only in the game for himself: “Jamie, I think that you might be so sure that you’re one in a million, that sometimes you forget that out there, you’re just 1 of 11. And if you just figure out some way to turn that ‘me’ into ‘us’…the sky’s the limit for you.”
Where will having an “us” mentality make the difference this week in a project or meeting?
“I hope that either all of us, or none of us, are judged by the actions of our weakest moments, but rather the strength we show when and if we’re ever given a second chance.”
Ted says this to his assistant coach and friend who is holding a grudge about a former coach, Nate, who left the team to coach the rival team. I’ll save how this gets resolved but give you a hint to watch Season 3 until the very end!
Who, in your life, deserves a second chance? Perhaps an employee, a client, a loved one, or maybe yourself? Find a way to give that second change to someone or yourself this week.
“Point is, a lot of times, the right idea is just sitting behind a couple of the wrong ones.”
After several losses, the coaches are trying to come up with another idea for how to get the team to win again.
Where do you feel stuck and out of ideas? Don’t give up – take a walk, ask others for their ideas, or let it go for awhile and then come back to it. The answer is there inside of you. Be patient, listen, and it will emerge.
“Human beings are never perfect or going to be perfect. The best we can do is to keep asking for help and accepting it, when you can, and if you keep doing that, you will always be moving toward better.”
This quote was not in the article, for it was in the last moments of the final episode where, finally, the brittle, angry soccer player, now coach, Roy, asks the men for advice about why he can never change. This quote comes from the team’s CFO, Leslie.
How will you move toward “better” this week? Ask for help if you need it, accept it, and just keep doing that!
If you are looking for an inspirational, funny, and sometimes gripping show, I highly recommend Ted Lasso on Apple TV. It will fill a few rainy summer days with sunshine!
If you are a fan, let us know one of your favorite Ted-isms by posting it on our Facebook page.
Have a great week!
Theresa Gale
PRINCIPAL, TRANSFORM, INC.
¹ https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/30/entertainment/ted-lasso-guide-to-living
