Lessons Learned While Watching the Ted Lasso Season Finale

Ending the year is a lot like wrapping up a season of a television show. With all of the holiday energy and end of year reflection, December can feel like the culmination of a plot that has been played out over multiple episodes. But how do you end the year well and prepare for what is to come?

We might take some of our cues from the writers and directors of sitcoms who take on the task of writing the final episode of a television season. This week, I binge-watched Ted Lasso on Apple TV+. If you haven't seen it yet, I promise not to give away any spoilers that might ruin it for you. But you absolutely have to add it to your queue. The show is a delightful exploration of a tender-hearted and hilarious coach who leaves America to coach a professional British soccer team. It hits all the notes and aside from some rough language that makes it hard to watch with kids in the room, the show is a must-see for adults.

While watching the last episode, I noticed a few approaches to the Ted Lasso finale that might be helpful as we engage our own 2020 endings. The last episode embodied tactics I often use with clients in our end of year coaching sessions where we try to plan for December.

Below I'm sharing five questions you might ask yourself to finish 2020 strong so you can live your best year yet in 2021.

1. What plot line can I finish?

The bulk of the final episode, ahem...final month of the year needs to be spent on execution and closing loops. Now is not the time to introduce brand new characters, launch into new directions and generate a ton of new questions or problems to solve. That's season-opener activity. The start of the year is when you architect the kind of woman you are becoming. So wait until January to fully focus on what's next. In December, we finish strong. Tie up all those loose ends that have been dangling throughout 2020. The benefit is you'll give yourself a blank slate to write your future on next month without a ton of unresolved issues from the past.

(By the way, if you don't already have plans to kick off 2021 with a clear vision for where you're headed, join the Women of Consequence community now. Mark your calendar for January 2nd so you can participate in our Virtual Vision Board Workshop to set your intentions for the new year.)

Intuitively, you already know this. Think about a television series you watched way back in the day that ended without answering the primary burning question you had throughout the season. You probably felt cheated and frustrated, like your mental peace was hanging in the balance. You don't want to feel that way in regard to your personal life. Honor your mind's need for resolution. A great way to dig into this is by setting aside an hour for reflection on the past year. Ask yourself, what were 5-10 things I'd hoped to accomplish this year? Of those goals, which can I finish or push as close as I can to the line of completion? What three actions can I take to get the work done?

2. What is my formula for success?

The finale is not the time to introduce a new format or deviate from what's worked in the past. During the finale, it's time to double down on what first made the show a success. Every show has a particular style and certain tropes that set it apart from others. For Ted Lasso, the finale brought an extra dose of the show's signature emotional intelligence, humor, and dogged optimism in the face of defeat. These qualities have defined the show for nine episodes and the finale, didn't disappoint. All the qualities we'd come to love and expect were present.

You have your own formula for success. You may not have paid attention to it before but you have talents and gifts that set you apart others. It's also likely that you have a certain formula or life rhythm that leads you to success. Take a moment to consider what things you've done in the past to thrive. What rhythms might you lean into for the final weeks of the year to set you up for success? In our Women of Consequence community we just wrapped up a 21-day community challenge where we reclaimed the morning on a daily basis. This habit has accelerated my growth more than any other action I've taken in my life. So for the next few weeks I'm going to make sure to hold onto that rhythm to give myself the momentum I need to finish well.

3. What lasting impression do I want to leave?

The way you feel when you end the year matters. Not only does it set the emotional temperature for the coming season, it also impacts how you remember your life. Five years from now you probably won't recall the exact things you did or didn't do in 2020. (Though let's be honest; we'll all remember being stuck inside for most of the time.) But more than anything you will remember how the year felt. You'll recall the "vibe" or mood of the year. Was it a time of joy? Were you filled with anxiety? Did you have a ton of regret or eager anticipation for what was next?

How do you want to feel? When my husband and I finished watching Ted Lasso, I was left with a warm and fuzzy feeling in my chest. I thought of the humor and depth the characters demonstrated. As the credits rolled I thought about how hopeful I felt and optimistic for what could happen next. Because my dominant emotional response is one of warmth and affection with a lighthearted thoughtfulness, I'll bring that same emotion with me as I approach the next season. The last impression will set the tone for how I view the first episode of season two. I smile when I think of Ted Lasso.

The same might be true of you in your personal life. Pay attention to the energy and emotion you're leaving behind in 2020 because you'll carry it with you into the new year. Consider focusing your energy at the close of the year on activities that build up an emotional reserve you'd like to have. Think about making a soundtrack of the season with songs that lift your mood into the desired space. What foods might send you into a certain emotional space? Is there a home decor item you need on hand to set the scene for the last days of the year? Whatever it takes, set the mood you want.

4. Do any old characters need to be brought back into the mix?

One of my favorite parts of a season ending are the callbacks to old characters who appeared in early episodes of the show. It's this beautiful bit of nostalgia that helps to round out the whole experience. When we see an old character or recall and old storyline we thought had dropped, we remember how much ground has been covered throughout the season.

We can do the same in our own lives. Think back to the beginning of 2020. In the early months there were probably people or situations that colored your life story. It's likely that certain people or places have now faded from view as your life evolved throughout the year. Reconnect briefly to who you were at the beginning by making some effort to connect to the past. Call that old friend you haven't talked to in months for a quick catch-up. Flip back to journal entries from January and re-read the concerns of your heart when the year began. Order from that one restaurant you loved eating at in February but haven't been able to get to through this year. Tapping back into who you were can help you celebrate all the progress you've made and the growth you've undoubtedly experienced.

5. What kind of hope can I seed for the coming season?

A season finale and a series finale have one major difference. While a series finale wraps up everything in a beautiful bow, a season finale always teases a new plot line for the year to come. The writers want to give you just enough vision for where the show might go to encourage you to tune in when the show returns. These little seeds for the next season pique your interest just enough to keep you holding on until the new episodes kick into full gear. They also help you manage the sadness of the current season ending as you anticipate what is to come.

What can you seed for the year ahead? What is one small thing you're holding onto with hope for the new year? Allow yourself to indulge one tiny idea that you can look ahead to with great anticipation. The idea isn't to do anything about it yet...remember, we're still in the final episode. But allow your mind to linger for a moment on where you're headed in 2021. Let the excitement take root so it can fully bloom when the new year hits.

2020 has been a wild year. We couldn't have seen where it was going and we can't even control all of our current circumstances. What we do have control over is how we will approach the end the year. Use these questions to frame your year-end.

If you want a collaborator to help you as you navigate your way into 2021, reach out to me personally or join the Women of Consequence community today. This month we'll be exploring how to unlock the power of limits to live the life we're meant to live. See you in the community!