Chris Pratt: Win or Lose, My Hope Is We Show Up for Each Other

Like so many of us, I’ve been doomscrolling my way through this election season. And I see things from both sides. I understand that people’s lives and rights are on the line. I also see that there are millions of people who feel overlooked and invisible to our government and are desperate for something to change.

You may know me as a Guardian of the Galaxy, but I grew up in small-town America with a mom and dad who worked hard to make ends meet. Our family was poor. I wore hand-me-down clothes. I lived out of my car when I first moved to Los Angeles. 

Yet even though my life has drastically changed, I’m trying to make sense of the election through the eyes of Americans on both sides. I’ve been thinking a lot about where we’ll be as a nation on November 6th, how we can attempt to move forward after so much division, and how some of the lessons that sports teach us may be just what all of us need as we chart a course forward. 

As a kid, I played just about every sport available to me. In Anchorage, Alaska, I started with T-ball and gymnastics. In Lake Stevens, Washington, I played baseball and tackle football, and I wrestled and ran track and field. To this day, the lessons of resiliency, grit, and good sportsmanship remain strong threads in the fabric of my character. Playing sports taught me how to be part of something bigger than myself. It taught me how to win and lose with grace. 

It was a different era. Friday night football games and wrestling matches under the lights were the staple entertainment of small-town living. As a spectator at games and matches, I was primed to participate from an early age. We’d spend the drives home listening to my father recount his glory days. He was an All-State lineman for the Mountain Iron Red Raiders in 1973, the year they won the state championship in Minnesota (don’tcha know?) and boy, he’d tell you about it. 

Imagine being at the dinner table, us wide-eyed kids eating the casserole du jour, hanging on dad’s every word. I would peruse his high school yearbook, find the black and white photo of him standing broad as a mountain wearing number 76. All-State tackle, Dan Pratt. He told us kids that the Unocal 76 Gas station in town was actually symbolic of his high school jersey number. I believed that one for way too long, because football was that important. 

I was an incredibly sensitive kid, so when I lost on the football field or got pinned on the wrestling mat, I cried. Like, a lot. Even well into my high school years. I didn’t lose all that often but when I did, it devastated me. 

One day after getting home from losing a wrestling match, I cried for at least an hour. I looked at myself in the bathroom mirror, tears streaming down my cheeks, and a calm bewilderment came over me. Why was I crying? I decided to stop. Looking back now, I believe it was in that moment that I became a sportsman. In that moment, I understood that losing is part of the game. 

I feel as though we live in a time now when so many people have yet to learn that lesson. Sometimes your team doesn’t win. The 2024 presidential election is three days away as I write this. The biggest game of all time approaches. Team Red versus Team Blue. A rematch for the ages. A showdown four years in the making. It’s giving UFC 3Million energy.

Of course, I realize the outcome of a sporting event isn’t the same as the consequences of an election where real lives and livelihoods are at stake. I get that many will read this and think, easy for him to say. But I spent many more years of my life struggling than having money in the bank.

I’m a son. I’m a dad. I love this country. I’m looking for ways to stay connected to my fellow Americans. I also think there are millions out there like me looking to do the same—to find a way to come together after the election, no matter who wins or loses. And I believe sports gives us a playbook to help us get there.

In high school, the greatest part of being on the wrestling team wasn’t that we were state champions in 1997. It was the following week, when our coach forced us to get up early on a Saturday to help an old lady move. Yes, victory was sweet. But as we helped that old lady move, we were part of something bigger than ourselves. We were moving her whether we won or lost.

I write this now because about half of the voting population is going to be incredibly disappointed on November 6th. But for me, the question is not, “Did your candidate win or lose?” but rather, “Will you wake up the next morning and help an old lady move?”

It’s OK to take a moment to lick your wounds when you lose. Heck, go ahead and cry in the mirror. But if we become too paralyzed by defeat or too pompous in victory, allegiance to our “team” can blind us to the fact that we are fellow countrymen.

How do we become a nation of honorable winners and graceful losers? It starts with remembering no matter who wins or loses, there are still going to be people who need help in this country. 

Find them. Be of service. 

America’s greatness is in the strength of our unified communities. It can be found in our places of worship, Elks clubs, Rotary clubs, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, the Salvation Army, and in our service members. Our strength lies in our people who step across the political aisle not just with the handshake of a good sportsman, but a helping hand to anyone in need.

So, be a good sport. We need you. Our country needs you. Team Red, Team Blue, and Team “Didn’t Even Vote,” too. Your civic duty can be uniquely exercised on November 5th, but there is an even bigger civic duty required the next day: which is to accept the results and focus instead on showing up for each other.

Check in with your neighbor—especially if they voted for the other guy or girl. Ask how they’re doing. See how you can help. And while you’re at it, see if they know any old ladies who need help moving.

Chris Pratt is a father, husband, actor, and producer.