Ted Lasso: A Win for the Good Guys

…Part of my weekly series Sunshine with A Slant: Inspiration and Introspection…

There are conflicting age old sayings out there. One saying states that nice guys finish last but another states that you get more flies with honey than with vinegar. Personally, I believe it always pays off to be kind but not a push over. Apple TV’s Ted Lasso makes this exact case. It is a refreshingly heart-warming authentic show. It is trendy at the moment to tell anti-hero origin stories such as The Joker or Breaking Bad. These stories have their place but with the current state of the world Ted Lasso feels like a breathe of fresh air. It tells the story of a genuinely kind American football coach who gets hired to coach a British football (soccer) team. What Ted does not know is his new boss Rebecca is trying to sabotage the team to get even with her cheating ex-husband. Can Ted’s unique brand of empathy, kindness, and desire to make better human beings out of his team members work? You’ll have to watch the series to find out but here are three of my favorite nuggets of wisdom from Coach Lasso to tide you over until you have the chance.

1. “You know what the happiest animal on earth is? It’s a goldfish. You know why? It’s got a 10-second memory. Be a goldfish.”

When one of his team members Sam is beating himself up about missing a play in practice, Ted gives him this “fishy” advice. How many times do we let our memories of past mistakes or bullies hold us back? Instead we need to work through the fear and move on. Forget about it. Be a goldfish. Thanks for the reminder coach.

2. “Be curious, not judgmental.”

Ted Lasso stands up for his boss Rebecca by challenging her ex-husband Rupert to a game of darts. If Ted wins, Rupert has to stay away from the owners box while Rebecca is in it and if Rupert wins, he gets to pick the team line-up for the last two games. Well …spoiler alert, Ted wins and attributes this to his life philosophy of being curious not judgmental. People have under estimated him his whole life he says because they did not take the time to get to know him and judge him immediately instead. Just like Rupert. Rupert did not take the time to ask Ted if he had any dart playing experience. Ted did. He had played with his Dad every Sunday afternoon from ages 10–16. Instead Rupert quickly judged Ted and lost access to the team because of his mistake.

Ted mistakenly contributes this quote to Walt Whitman. But we will forgive him because it is a common error. The sentiment still resonates though. If we took the time to truly listen to each other without judgement, this world would be a far better place. Perhaps a cranky teenager is being moody because a classmate made fun of them and they don’t have the language to express and process this hurt yet. Perhaps a customer is being rude because their loved one is sick and they feel they cannot control anything at the moment. In both these cases, an empathetic listening ear would help everyone involved.

3. Ted Lasso’s Takes on Tea
“Tea is horrible. Absolute garbage water. Don’t know why you all do that.”

“Well, usually I take it right back to the counter, because someone’s made a horrible mistake.”

“Be honest with me. It’s a prank, right? The tea? Like when us tourist folks aren’t around, y’all know it tastes like garbage?”

While I disagree with Ted about tea, I love his honesty especially in England where not liking tea might be a crime. Not only is he a good man, he is an authentic one. He does not try to be anyone other than himself even when this is unpopular. By being himself, he also holds space for others to follow his example. The world could definitely benefit from people being themselves.

The Bottom Line . . .

If you are in the market for a feel good, life affirming show, Ted Lasso is it. It stands as a palate cleanser among a sea of dark, gritty entertainment. It will leave you feeling better about the world then when you started watching it.

Need More Inspiration?
Check Out:
Author Elise Hooper: Filling My Dear America Series Void
Writing My Way Through Imposter Syndrome