Many people think of Ted Lasso as just a show about soccer, but to me, it’s more than that. I was first introduced to the show in an English class. We watched the first season and wrote about the comedy and character archetypes presented in the show. As someone who is not that into sports, I thought I wouldn’t enjoy it. I was so wrong. I very quickly became hooked and was so invested in the storylines and lives of the various characters; however, what drew me to the show even more was the title character, Ted Lasso and his philosophy of life.
“I hope that either all of us or none of us are judged by the actions of our weakest moments, but rather by the strength we show when and if we’re ever given a second chance.”
Showing weakness isn’t a bad thing. Weakness is a thing that every human shows at various points in their life; it shouldn’t be seen as a bad thing and people shouldn’t be judged based on it. Second chances prove that someone has changed their ways for the better and has been given the trust and ability to start over again. Sometimes people don’t take second chances out of fear. They may be scared that something will go wrong again or that things won’t feel the same as before. However, accepting a second chance, and willingly being able to start over again, shows true strength. Strength is shown not by how good someone is at something, but by how willing they are to start ovr and try again after they fail.
“Be a Goldfish”
I am constantly ruminating on how I did on a test or class assignment, how I’m doing in my extracurriculars, and past conversations or interactions with other people. I always focus on what I did wrong and how bad I think I did. Many other people feel the same way that I do too. Ted Lasso is the opposite. After Sam, one of the players on the team, is called out by another teammate for making a mistake in practice, Ted tells him to “be a goldfish” and forget about it. To “be a goldfish” is to let go of mistakes, failures, and embarrassing moments as opposed to dwelling and getting hung up on them. I think that we should all learn to “be a goldfish.” In order to move forward in life and achieve any goals, it’s important to let go of mistakes, especially if they are small ones with very little of a future impact.
Believe
Ted has his own coaching philosophy that he calls the “Lasso way.” He keeps up a sign in the lock room that says “believe.” After the sign is destroyed, he tells the team that it’s just a sign and explains that belief doesn’t happen because of a sign hanging on the wall. He expresses that belief comes from within (a person’s heart, mind, and gut); it means to overcome life’s obstacles that are thrown in the way and that everyone matters regardless of winning or losing. I think it’s very important that we believe in not just ourselves, but others around us as well. Ted tells the team, “I believe in hope, I believe in belief.” By believing in someone, they gain perseverance and hope. They become driven to keep on going and meet whatever goal that they have. By believing in ourselves, we can be one step closer to achieving any dream we want no matter how big, small, or unrealistic it may be. To believe is to have trust and hope in others and oneself.
The more I watched the show, the more I learned new things that I can apply to my life and how I think. I may not be nearly as optimistic as Ted, but his important life lessons to his team are some that I live by. It may be a silly thing to say, but Ted Lasso changed my mindset on life. So, I encourage everyone to show strength when they fail, be a goldfish, and most of all believe.