7 Amazing Pieces of Advice from Ted Mosby ...

1. On 2am…

One of my favorite pieces of advice from Ted Mosby is his quote to his kids about making late night choices. “When it’s after 2am, just go to sleep. Because the decisions you make after 2am are the wrong decisions.” This episode is about Ted Mosby making a very bad decision late one night. The show centers around Ted Mosby, played by Josh Radnor, telling the story to his children of how he met their mother. Out of all the bits of advice he shares with them throughout the series, I think this one is the best. This is a piece of advice we can apply to our own lives. Normally late night decisions are selfish, unwise, and made on a whim. You don’t want to wake up the next morning with regret, so you’re better off just going to sleep at 2am.

2. On Life…

“Because sometimes even if you know how something’s gonna end that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the ride.” This quote from Ted Mosby is one we need to remember more often. This piece of advice can apply to sad or happy endings. Life is beautiful and you’re better off appreciating every moment of it, happy or sad. Even if you know how something will end, try to enjoy the ride until you get to the destination. Sometimes this is easier to do when looking back on a situation, and that can be helpful too, but this advice works best when applying it to the present.

3. On Love…

Most of How I Met Your Mother chronicles Ted Mosby’s dating life until he finally meets the woman he marries. In the show he goes through many heartbreaks and bad relationships. In one episode, he has an epiphany. “Shouldn’t we hold out for someone that doesn’t just tolerate our little quirks but actually kinda likes them?” In other words, don’t settle. There is someone out there who will love you for all your quirks. Don’t settle for someone who just tolerates you. As Ted proves in the show, there is no rush to find love, it’s better off to wait for the person who truly understands you as opposed to settling on someone who just tolerates you.

4. On Fate…

This quote is another one of my favorites that Ted tells his children. “The great moments of your life won't necessarily be the things you do, they'll also be the things that happen to you. Now, I'm not saying you can't take action to affect the outcome of your life, you have to take action, and you will. But never forget that on any day, you can step out the front door and your whole life can change forever. You see, the universe has a plan kids, and that plan is always in motion. A butterfly flaps its wings, and it starts to rain. It's a scary thought but it's also kind of wonderful. All these little parts of the machine constantly working, making sure that you end up exactly where you're supposed to be, exactly when you're supposed to be there. The right place at the right time.” Ted Mosby definitely has a point here. A simple, every day act has the potential to change your life forever. Now is that good motivation to get out of bed in the morning, or what?

5. On the past…

Too often in life, I find myself looking back to the past instead of enjoying the present. If you’re like me, than you’ll find this Ted Mosby quote useful. “You can’t cling to the past because no matter how tightly you hold on, it’s already gone.” The past is in the past. It may be hard to accept, but accepting it is essential in order to live a fulfilling life in the present.

6. On Waiting for a Sign…

“You can ask the universe for a sign all you want, but ultimately, we only see what we want to see when we’re ready for it.” This Ted Mosby quote is so wise. Sometimes we ignore the “signs” or don’t listen to good advice from our friends or family simply because we don’t want to deal with it yet. It could be because we aren’t ready, or we just don’t want to see what’s out there. If you’re in a tough spot, maybe all you need is to open yourself up to new possibilities.

7. On Changing…

One of my favorite episodes of How I Met Your Mother is about the gang finding their doppelgängers around town. They are obsessed with finding one for each person in their inner circle. During the episode, Ted has a revelation, “But eventually, over time, we all become our own doppelgängers, you know, these completely different people who just happen to look like us.” How true is this in life? Sometimes we look back on our life and wonder when we became the person we are today. Sometimes it’s a good change, other times it’s not, but change is a part of life nonetheless.

I hope you appreciate this wisdom from Ted Mosby as much as I do. I think he is one of the greatest characters on television right now because of his great advice. Do you have a favorite piece of advice from Ted Mosby?