Some of you might have heard of Ted Lasso. He was the lead character in a sports comedy-drama television series. It was based on a character who was formally an American college football coach and was hired to coach an English soccer team. Most expected him to fail miserably, but his leadership, optimism, and humor made him successful…and funny.
One of his “leadershipisms” was this: “Be a goldfish – Don’t allow one bad deed to define who you are. In less than ten seconds, forget about it like a goldfish.” When I first heard his “line,” I laughed out loud. But, the leadership wisdom in his statement began to sink into my soul. How many times have I “stewed” about a bad decision? Instead of moving on, I would get “stuck,” unable to correct, change, or modify my past actions.
Ted Lasso reminded me of Genesis 1:27 – So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Only God truly defines who and what we are. God declares for all time our true identity, that we are made in His image and likeness. So, when you make a bad decision (we all do), correct, change, or modify if you can. Then, be a goldfish.