Curiosity #83 - A Commencement Speech from Ted Lasso

🎤 Quotable quotes: “I hope that either all of us, or none of us, are judged by the actions of our weakest moments… but rather by the strength we show when, and if, we’re ever given a second chance."

— Ted Lasso

It’s graduation season.

Caps in the air.
Parents pretending not to cry.
Students pretending they know what comes next.

Which got us thinking.

If Ted Lasso were invited to give a commencement speech… what would he say?

Well, we took a crack at it.

🎓 Ted Lasso’s Imaginary Commencement Speech

“Howdy y’all.

First off, congratulations. You did it. You studied, you stressed, and you probably pulled at least one all-nighter that you later described as ‘part of the process.’

Now here you are. Graduated.

And I gotta tell you, that’s a big deal.

You know, I do love a locker room. Smells like potential.

And that’s what this feels like right here. A whole lotta potential, all in one place, just waiting to get out there and see what it can do.

Now I don’t know exactly what’s next for you. Truth is, most folks up here pretending they do? They don’t either.

But that’s okay.

You don’t need to have it all figured out.

You just need to be willing to figure it out.

One step at a time.

Now I brought along a few friends to help me out here, because if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that the best teams don’t rely on just one voice.”

Higgins

“If I may…

Success is rarely about being the loudest voice in the room. It’s about making sure everyone else feels comfortable enough to use theirs.

Wherever you go next, make room for people. It matters more than you think.”

Rebecca Welton

“I spent a long time trying to prove something.

To other people. To myself.

And what I learned is this… you don’t need to shrink or perform to belong in a room.

You already belong. Walk in like it.”

Sam Obisanya

“You will have moments where you have to decide what you stand for.

Those moments matter.

Not because they are easy, but because they define you. Choose with courage, even when it costs you something.”

Trent Crimm, Independent

“If I could offer one piece of advice…

Pay attention to your story as it unfolds. Not the one you planned, but the one that’s actually happening.

That’s usually where the truth lives.”

Keeley Jones

“Oh! Can I say something?

Okay, listen. You don’t have to wait until you feel ready to go for something.

You’re never gonna feel fully ready. That’s a myth.

So just go for it anyway. You’ll figure it out as you go. Honestly, half the people you think have it all together are just better at pretending.”

Roy Kent

“Oi.

Listen up.

You’re gonna mess up.

A lot.

That doesn’t make you a failure. It makes you a person.

So get up, learn something, and get back after it.

And don’t be a prick about it.”

Coach Beard

“….”

(nods approvingly, scribbles something in a notebook, no one knows what it means but it feels important)

🎤 Ted (closing it out)

“Now I don’t know where life’s gonna take you.

But I do know this.

Be curious.
Be kind.
And don’t be afraid to try something that might not work the first time.

Because growth ain’t linear. It’s more like one of those scribbles Coach Beard just made.

But if you keep showing up, keep learning, and keep looking out for the folks around you…

You’re gonna be just fine.

And who knows…

Maybe one day you’ll be standing up here giving a speech like this.

Hopefully with fewer interruptions.

But honestly, I wouldn’t count on it.”

🏁 Final Thought

Graduation is not the finish line.

It’s the locker room before the next match.

Full of energy.
Full of uncertainty.
Full of potential.

And as Ted would say…

Go out there and see what you can do with it.

— Nick & Marnie
Your tea sipping, potential spotting, next chapter cheering friends

More leadership musings

🍪 Biscuits with the Boss: 

Icebreaker time:

If you could add one piece of advice to that speech, what would it be?

Bonus question:
Which “voice” do you need most right now… Ted, Higgins, Rebecca, Sam, Keeley, Roy, Trent, or Beard?

🌎 This week in Here - There - Every F’ing where 

Marnie (our resident Ted Lasso) gave her own graduation address last year. In case you missed it :)

If you have a graduate in your house, be sure to gift them a copy of The Business of You.

Believe! 

Nick & Marnie