5 Important Lessons Hidden In Ted Lasso
I recently became a huge Ted Lasso fan. I’d heard it was good, but I was wary as humour can be very subjective. I was blown away. It was so funny and sweet and heartwarming, and my heart melted. I have now watched it through twice, back-to-back, and on my second viewing, I realised there are a lot of important lessons hidden in Ted Lasso.
I think that’s what separates good entertainment and truly great entertainment. Good entertainment keeps you interested; great entertainment teaches you and makes you think too.
If you haven’t watched the show yet, I will try to keep spoilers to a bare minimum.
Important Lessons Hidden In Ted Lasso
Lesson 1 – Attitude Is Key
The comedy hook for the show is that Ted is an American Football coach who has zero knowledge about British football, the rules, tactics, etc. Everyone laughs at him and waits for him to fail spectacularly, and at times he does. In the end, though, it all comes good. Why? Because he knows that inspiring the team and teaching them to believe in themselves is far more important.
I saw a great quote once that says whether you believe you can do it or you can’t, you’re right. A positive attitude and belief in yourself will take you far further in life than all the knowledge in the world.
Lesson 2 – A Smile Can Hide A Lot
In season one, Ted is relentlessly cheery and optimistic to the point of being annoying at times. In season 2, though, we learn more about Ted’s struggles with mental health and all the pain hidden behind his eternal smile.
Remember, just because someone seems fine does not mean they are. In fact, most people who have battled depression or anxiety long-term become masters at hiding their feelings and pretending they’re ok. So one of the most important lessons hidden in Ted Lasso is that you never know what someone is going through. Be like Ted and be kind.
Lesson 3 – Honesty
At the end of season 2, one of the characters has a radical personality shift. He feels abandoned by Ted and yells that he has fought to reclaim Ted’s attention without success. My first thought? Yes, but you never told Ted how you felt, did you?
There’s no point assuming that someone knows that they have upset us. People aren’t psychic, and even if you feel the other person should know, it doesn’t mean they will. The best option is always to be honest and tell them how you feel. You may not get the answer you hoped, but at least you’ll know where you stand.
Tell them before it all builds and builds inside you, and you explode. The damage caused when that happens can often cause far more damage than if you talked about it when it happened.
Lesson 4 – Seek Help
Ted has struggled with his mental health alone because of a distrust of psychiatrists and other forms of therapists. Only once Ted moves past his prejudice can he start to heal and deal with his trauma.
As much as we might feel otherwise, we often can’t fix our mental health on our own. We’re too close, our thinking is often clouded, and we need an objective third party. One of the important lessons hidden in Ted Lasso is to seek help when you need it.
Lesson 5 – Problems With Mental Health Are Nothing To Be Ashamed Of
In the second season, the media and the team get wind of Ted’s mental health struggles. The team are all supportive, but the media is not. This is such utter bullshit! The majority of us will have some mental health problem during our lives, and we must remove the stigma. In future, I would like visiting a therapist to have no greater significance than seeing your doctor because you twisted your knee.
More Please
I think Ted Lasso has so much to offer, and I cannot wait for season three. I would like to thank the show’s creators, Jason Sudeikis and all the actors for making it such an incredible show. I wait for more life lessons from Ted Lasson and Richmond FC.
