The Apple TV+ hit Ted Lasso is renowned for its smart writing, heartwarming premise, and genuinely funny performances. It’s also a surprisingly wise show, offering viewers plenty of real-world advice that can help in everyday situations. Here are fifteen pieces of Ted Lasso wisdom that can help you make it through the day.
Sometimes You Just Need Ice Cream
“Ice cream is the best,” Ted notes. “It’s kinda like seeing Billy Joel perform live. Never disappoints.” This is good, old-fashioned Ted wisdom. What dessert could possibly be better than ice cream? It’s iconic, it’s classic, and it can’t let you down.
Like Riding a Horse
“Taking on a challenge is a lot like riding a horse, isn’t it?” Ted asks in the first episode of the series. “If you’re comfortable while you’re doing it, you’re probably doing it wrong.” There’s always some level of discomfort involved in trying new things—though it’s less clear if you should always be uncomfortable when riding a horse, Ted.
Perspective is Everything
“It’s kind of like back in the 80s when ‘bad’ meant ‘good.’” There’s no reason to judge yourself by the same measurement that someone else uses. Perspective is important! Just because Ted doesn’t know anything about soccer, for instance, that doesn’t mean he’s a bad coach for the team of AFC Richmond.
The Thrill of Competition
“I do love a locker room. It smells like potential.” Ted’s folksy approach to coaching is summed up in two short sentences here. He’s an optimist, the kind of guy who sees a can-do attitude and a strong desire to compete as the most critical components of any sport.
Believe In Yourself
“You beating yourself up is like Woody Allen playing the clarinet. I don’t want to hear it.” Once again, that folksy wisdom is Ted’s best quality. And, yeah, now that he mentions it, we really don’t want to hear Woody Allen play the clarinet any more than we want to hear our friends talk badly about themselves!
Using Humor to Cope
“If that’s a joke, I love it. If not, can’t wait to unpack that with you later.” This stunningly optimistic take from Ted is a perfect way to handle people who use dark, self-deprecating humor. If they’re joking, just laugh along. If they’re serious, offer them serious help without preaching to them.
Hiding Behind Anonymity
“If the internet has taught us anything, it’s that sometimes it’s easier to speak our minds anonymously.” This is one of the truest things Ted says on the show. Whether or not you mean well, speaking candidly can be scary. Sometimes it’s easier to hide behind a screen name than to share your thoughts openly.
Knowing Your Limits
“You could fill two internets with what I don’t know about football.” Ted’s not exactly an ace when it comes to football (soccer, in this case, but the show takes place in England, so we’ll play along). However, he knows his limits and his real strength comes from bringing the best out of his players through optimism and positivity.
Proper Warm-Ups
“Your body is like day-old rice. If it ain’t warmed up properly, something real bad could happen.” It’s important to know when to stretch and warm up! Just jumping out of bed into a sprint is a surefire way to pull a muscle. Take your time and stretch before you get started!
They Just Do Care
“It’s just a group of people who care, Roy. Not unlike folks at a hip-hop concert whose hands are not in the air.” Not only is this excellent wordplay, it’s a great reminder that your friends are there for you. There’s nothing wrong with leaning on the people who just do care.
Rely on Your Friends
“I promise you there is something worse out there than being sad, and that’s being alone and being sad.” It’s true, being alone is pretty brutal! No matter how sad you might be, if you have friends to rely on, things aren’t going to feel quite as dark.
Make Your Own Luck
“As the man once said, the harder you work, the luckier you get.” Luck is great, but there’s a lot to be said for making your own luck. It’s better to practice and give yourself the opportunity to be lucky in the first place than just rely on a miracle when you didn’t try hard enough.
And Accept When Luck Finds You
“I feel like we fell out of the lucky tree and hit every branch on the way down, ended up in a pool of cash and Sour Patch Kids.” That being said, once you’ve made the opportunity, don’t hesitate to take the opening when you get lucky. Ted getting hired to coach a soccer team, of all things, could have been seen as a stroke of terrible luck. However, he makes the most of it and is all the better for it,
The All-Conquering Power of Love
“If you care about someone, and you got a little love in your heart, there ain’t nothing you can’t get through together.” It might sound hokey, but love is an infinite resource that can truly conquer anything. The show earns this message in a way that doesn’t make it feel overly saccharine, too, which is part of why people love it so much.
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The Message of the Whole Show
“I believe in hope.” With so much doom and gloom out there in the world, it’s important to hold onto hope. No matter what you’re doing or how dire the odds stacked against you might look, you need to hold onto hope. Without hope, there’s no future, and without a future, there’s no point to keep fighting. So, be like Ted: believe in hope.
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