A friend of mine got me into a show on one of the streaming services called Ted Lasso.
Subscribe now for unlimited access to all our agricultural news
across the nation
or signup to continue reading
It's very compulsive viewing and I think, in lots of ways, is a good example of how to do life. I think Ted is a good role model.
In essence, the show is about an American NFL coach who moves to London to coach a struggling Premier League soccer team.
He knows nothing about soccer, particularly the off-side rule - I don't understand it either - and he is pretty much set up to fail. But he exceeds all expectations, including his own.
He does this with a large dose of a can-do attitude and an infectious zest for life, as well as an extraordinary ability to bring those around him along for the ride.
The various characters of the show develop as the episodes progress, but the glue that binds them together is Ted. He cops it from all angles.
Initially the players don't like him, the support staff are sceptical and the long-suffering fans are outright hostile. He is a long way from home and isolated. He could easily just get back on a plane and fly back to the United States.
However he chooses the road less travelled and sticks it out, despite the myriad of obstacles he is faced with.
There is a big lesson for anyone here. If you have made a commitment, and think it's the right thing to do, push on. It will get better in time.
Ted is always there for his team and those near him. He is able to get the best out of everyone.
He does this by really getting to know what makes them tick, and working with them individually. In Ted's world, one size doesn't fit all.
Sometimes it takes a while for people to see how Ted is trying to help them. But they come around eventually.
The fans are the ones that really give Ted a hard time. He never reacts to the verbal abuse or what they see as his deficiencies, of which they think are numerous.
He handles these situations with humour and acknowledges the people that are hurling abuse at him.
Another lesson for anyone is not to immediately react to situations.
This can be hard not to do sometimes, but the reality is that if someone is having a go at you, it's rarely about you.
It's usually that the other person has unresolved issues and you happen to be in the firing line.
It may seem Ted is bullet proof and impervious to everything that is going on near him. But in reality he's no different to all of us and he is fallible.
For Ted, an event in the series triggered an unresolved childhood trauma that hadn't been dealt with. These types of events really need to be dealt with by seeking professional help, as Ted does.
It's a great series, with lots of life lessons. There are lots of character traits that Ted Lasso has that are to be admired.
These include unbridled enthusiasm, never say die attitude, willingness to truly understand other people, clear communication and the ability to be vulnerable.
Be like Ted.
