“Doubt can only be removed by action.”

One thing I love about Ted Lasso, especially on rewatching, is how it often brings some old wisdom to life within the story.

Yep, Ted Lasso can make even an old German guy from the 1800’s sound interesting and relevant in the right context, as in this brilliant quote from Goethe in S3E1.

Doubt can only be removed by action.

Now this quote may not sound like much on it’s own, but it really hits in the show.

It reminds me of the many conversations I’ve been stuck in where people are going back and forth debating the theoretical merits of idea. Goethe reminds up that the only real judge that matters is action and its consequence. 🙌

This is a nice counterpart to Epicteus, who was also into actions over ideas.

Still, while the old German guy and the old Greek guy are great and smart and all that, wouldn’t you rather get your philosophy from this crew?

“I wasn’t making any waves, so l made a decision.”

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I always love a good story of transformation.

The documentary STEVE (martin) tells the story of a really awkward, out-of-place aspiring comedian who wants to do something genuinely new but was initially failing badly.

It is cringe-worthy at times. What is this guy doing?

But Steve keeps relentlessly trying things, observing, and changing. It goes something like this (so far)…

Is there a future for me as a magician?

-> No, that looks like a dead end. Let’s try comedy.

Should I follow the classic comedy conventions like using “indicators” to signal when the punch line happened?

-> Nope. Let the awkward tensions build naturally and see what happens.

Should I open for other acts and perform for 1000 people who are there to see someone else?

-> Nope. This is getting me nowhere. I’d rather headline for 50 people who actually want to see me.

And finally, this long-haired comedian who looked he was “trying to be the Eagles” decided to change his whole look and attitude. I just like the clarity he finds.

I wasn’t making any waves, so l made a decision.

Instead of being at the tail end of an old movement, I’ll be at the front end of a new one.

And he follows it up with action.

And so l decided, “Okay, I’m putting on a suit, I’m putting on a tie and I’m cutting my hair.”

Instead of looking like a hippie from the ’60s, I’ll look like somebody new from the ’70s.

And of course kind of a punch line.

Or like someone from the future.

Someone from the future indeed. He was about to become the biggest comedian in the world.

entertainment · Quotes

“Every day of your life that you spend crying over some silly girl is a complete waste of time.”

24 July 202326 July 2023 patmcg1 Comment

Here’s another quote from the movie Boyhood, this one from the dad played by Ethan Hawke. I always admired this character as a single dad who is supportive, engaged, and loving to his kids but also has his own thing going on.

The high-school-aged son is hurting because his girlfriend Sheena left him for a college lacrosse player. The son is feeling bad about himself.

The dad gives a great pep talk, reminding his son, “If you truly take care of you, you will be amazed at how much girls like Sheena start lining up at your front door” and then:

I guarantee you that every day of your life that you spend crying over some silly girl is a complete waste of time.

That’s easier said than done, but so true.

entertainment · Quotes

“I just thought there would be more.”

22 July 202326 July 2023 patmcg1 Comment

Sometimes a movie can have a real impact on your life.

One movie like that for me is Boyhood, which follows a boy growing up in Texas from ages six to eighteen and, famously, was shot with all the same actors over the course of 11 years as they actually aged. 🤯

Towards the end of the movie, the mom has a bit of a midlife freakout when her son is heading off to college. She frets that all the important milestones of her life are over – two marriages, two kids, building a career. She worries about her next milestone.

You know what’s next? It’s my fucking funeral!

It reminds me of the chorus to Nirvana’s All Apolgies: “Married, buried!”

Anyways, the son says, “Aren’t you jumping ahead by like 40 years or something?”, to which the mom replies, over her tears:

I just thought there would be more.

That line has really stuck with the last few years. It made me realize I needed to be aiming for something interesting of my own after the kids leave, beyond just my career.

That creeping thought – is this all there is? – has motivated me to work on other things in my life like friendships, writing, music, and hopefully a few more surprises down the pipe. 😉

entertainment · Quotes

Fear and the 100-foot wave 🌊🏄🏻‍♂️

12 July 202312 July 2023 patmcgLeave a comment

Just like some movies are about lots of different things, the surfing documentary series 100 Foot Wave is also about lots of different things: surfing, yes, and stunning scenery around Nazare, Portugal. It’s also about family, friendship, aspirations, a community, sanity, the ocean, tragedy, triumph, and perhaps above all: fear.

These people are surfing the biggest waves they can find and risk their lives every time they go out on the waves. The fear is real: tragedy does sometimes strike.

The series starts off with an inspiring quote about fear and how facing it head-on can transform you.

The goal is to face fears, to go straight at the fear, to release it, to free it.

In doing this and facing this fear, I’m gonna discover a part of myself that I didn’t know was there.

Not everyone should jump on the next gigantic wave to change themselves, but everyone has a fear to face.

For me, it was living on my own and really being by myself for the fist time in my life around age 45. Now I’m pretty damn happy on my own. Or upgrading jobs when I had an easier option. Or even something small like sharing some ridiculous photos.

Yes, you do need fear, but don’t let it stop you from moving forward or let it become a mind-killer.