Lasso Life Lesson #1: Believe
To my disappointment, the incredibly popular Apple TV show, Ted Lasso, just came to an end. I loved this show for so many reasons but, most especially, for all the positive life lessons. One of the very first messages the show embraced was the power that comes when you BELIEVE.
The main character, Ted Lasso, is unexpectedly recruited to coach a fictional English Premier League soccer team. The thing is Ted has never coached soccer. He was an American college football coach. The team’s owner, Rebecca Welton, hires Ted hoping he will fail. She wants revenge on the team’s previous owner, her unfaithful ex-husband. Ted recognizes he has a huge hill to climb and the team he is coaching, the fans, and even Ted himself have a lot of doubts about their ability to succeed.
In the very first episode, as tensions mount and nerves kick in, Lasso writes the words BELIEVE on a piece of paper and tapes it to a wall in the locker room. That sign becomes a significant symbol for the team throughout all three seasons of the series.
Belief in oneself, otherwise known as self-confidence, is the cornerstone to effective leadership. Whether you are leading a team, a family, or yourself you must believe in yourself. If you don’t believe in yourself, it’s hard to convince others to.
Here are five strategies that will help you BELIEVE in yourself:
Inspire yourself – Seek out stimulating information from books, podcasts, and social media. Minimize your time with overly cynical or pessimistic perspectives. Filling your mind with quality influences how you see yourself and the world around you.
Learn new things – Learning new things opens up possibilities that you may not have thought of. It also helps you develop a growth mindset that moves you forward vs. a fixed mindset that holds you back.
Be willing to fail – As long as you learn a lesson from the mistake, it is not a failure. Evaluate what you want to change, draw on your inner strength, and tweak your approach the next time. Instead of being self-critical, be self-compassionate.
Surround yourself with good people – Motivational speaker, Jim Rohn says, “You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with.” Encouraging people will motivate and challenge you; as well as, lift you up when you are feeling down.
Have a healthy routine – Getting good sleep, eating healthy, exercising, and taking breaks in your workday are important. Your stress levels will decrease, and you will have a better attitude for tackling the challenges of the day.
This week’s stretch video will give you just want you need to take that workday break to re-energize and re-focus.
Inquiry Question: As Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.” How can you turn a CAN’T into a CAN?