How I Met Your Mother is rich of life lessons from all of its characters, but Ted Mosby was the one who taught us the most. Ted Mosby narrated the show as “Future Ted,” instructing his children in all he had learned in his youth before he met their mother.
Ted Mosby undoubtedly taught you some lessons that you still use today, whether you saw How I Met Your Mother when you were Ted’s age, a little older, or lot younger.
Build Your Own Skyscraper
Ted had a challenging job as an architect. Ted created his own tower after objecting to the way his boss had planned the newest structure in the city rather than giving in to his beliefs.
Finally, Ted’s design was approved by his employer and was built in New York City. Although following your instincts can be risky, Ted taught everyone the value of simply constructing your own skyscraper.
Don’t Give Up Until You Find Your Yellow Umbrella
The yellow umbrella was more than just a representation of HIMYM; it also represented Ted’s search for the woman who would become the mother of his children. Ted found it after “The Mother” misplaced it. When Ted first saw “The Mother,” who was the inspiration behind his decision to become a professor, he used it to protect himself from the rain. The audience learns that “The Mother” is Cindy’s roommate when he later dates Cindy and unintentionally leaves the umbrella at her place.
Ted finally meets “The Mother” and is reunited with the yellow umbrella she’s holding after Barney and Robin’s wedding. The journey for that yellow umbrella—which Ted and “The Mother” both had owned and subsequently misplaced—was long and rocky, but in the end, Ted proved to everyone what can happen when you don’t give up seeking for your “yellow umbrella.”
Friends First
Despite Ted’s several romances throughout the series, he always made room for his four closest pals, whether it was a truce with a beer after a fight, a road ride with “500 Miles” stuck on repeat, or offering up a “sandwich.”
The friendship between Ted, Marshall, Lily, Robin, and Barney was legendary, and it gave viewers advice on what to do and what not to do in order to forge their own, famous friendships.
Nothing Good Happens After 2 A.M.
In the Season 1 episode with the same name, Ted worries that his current girlfriend Victoria is about to break up with him. Later, after accepting Robin’s invitation to spend the night at her house, they almost go too far.
After hurting both women, Ted returns home and finally falls asleep as “Future Ted” explains to his children that nothing nice occurs after two in the morning. Since 2006, viewers have remembered the piece of advice to simply go to bed as the clock strikes two.
‘Professor’ Is Spelled With One F, Not Two
Similar to how Full House taught everyone how to spell “success,” HIMYM imparted a crucial spelling lesson to its audience. Just before writing his name on the board to begin his first lesson as a professor, Ted has a complete emotional meltdown over how to spell “professor.”
If you’ve ever wondered if the term “professor” has one F or two, it may be a little less often than the word “success,” but Ted Mosby is probably to blame (or rather, his one student who subtly nodded in agreement when he wrote one F).
Stealing Is Okay When It’s For Love
When Ted and Robin go on their first date in the first episode of the series, Robin compliments the restaurant’s decorative blue French horn hanging on the wall. Ted ends his evening with a romantic gesture that borders on the unethical.
Robin is first shocked to learn that her date stole the instrument from the restaurant, but she decides to leave it hanging in her apartment for future seasons. You can’t deny that, in Lily’s words, “That’s love, bitch,” even though no one is trying to justify theft in this situation.
Think Twice Before Sending The Texty Text
When Ted shamelessly disobeys Barney’s “three days rule” about not contacting a woman whose number he just got in Season 4, he not only sends her a text but one of the most embarrassingly cringe-worthy texts ever—despite the fact that it is nice.
Whoever learned this lesson the best has now been determined. Never use the phrase “texty text” when addressing someone, not even to yourself. Wait three days instead.
You Can Pull It Off
For nine seasons, Ted exuded confidence in his career, his relationships, and his appearance. Ted remained steadfast and consistently insisted to his friends that he could pull off those red cowboy boots in spite of their numerous digs at one of his favourite accessories.
Think of Ted Mosby the next time you’re debating whether to wear that Canadian tuxedo or a flesh dress like Lady Gaga and tell yourself you can pull it off.
You Gotta Make The Mistake
Half of the series was about the faults Ted made while teaching those life lessons to his children, whether it was staying up beyond 2 A.M., sending the texty text, or making many relationship missteps. The remarkable thing about Ted in most of those situations, though, was that he was aware of their flaws.
The audience of How I Met Your Mother was constantly being taught the value of making mistakes and growing from them. Due to the fact that, in Ted’s own words: “The thing about mistakes is this. Sometimes you have to do something even when you know it’s wrong.”
Wait For It
Although “wait for it” officially became Barney’s catchphrase, Ted consistently exhibited the move throughout each season. He kept waiting because no matter how many times he mistakenly believed a lady to be “the one” and had to accept the fact that she wasn’t.
The phrase “Wait for it” seemed to be the How I Met Your Mother version of the proverb “Good things come to those who wait,” and it served to remind viewers that the wait is worthwhile, even if it takes nine seasons.
When Ted and Robin go on their first date in the first episode of the series, Robin compliments the restaurant’s decorative blue French horn hanging on the wall. Ted ends his evening with a romantic gesture that borders on the unethical.
