In Defense of Ted Mosby: 3 Signs You're a Hopeless Romantic

By Pam Majumdar, Associate Editor

credit: Steffie S. (Flickr)Oh, Ted Mosby. Here at eFlirt Expert we love us some HIMYM, but we're a bit divided on where we stand on the comedy's leading man. A while back, Paola wrote about the Ted Mosby Syndrome and how to know if you’ve got it. Yes, the name "Mosby" has become synonymous with "desperate" and even the phrase "guy needs to chill out." While he's closer than ever to finding the Robin to his Barney, he's definitely had some missteps along the way.

But just like all the aspects of dating, there's room for interpretation. Here are three signs that all the hallmarks of a Ted Mosby exhibited by your friend (or you!) actually signal a hopeless romantic in disguise — and why's that not a bad thing:

1. You think every strong prospect might be The One … until they’re not.  This is the romantic’s way of anticipating their desired end game: long-lasting, Cupid-ordained love. You want it, bad, and you just can’t help with every new love that this time you’ve found it. As long as your hopes don’t translate into delusion (jury’s still out on some of Ted’s choices, especially this season!), this kind of optimism isn’t necessarily a weakness. Optimism beats cynicism any day, and eventually, you’ll be right. 

2. You don’t give up when you find a good thing.  While Ted may never live down saying ‘I love you’ to Robin on their very first date, the guy wasn’t exactly wrong. The two did date rather seriously later on, breaking up mainly because Ted wanted kids and Robin didn’t. While it’s not always a healthy option to stay so focused on one person (and someone in your close circle no less), there’s plenty to admire about Ted’s never-say-die pursuit of love.

3. You’re not as ready to settle down as others (or even you) think.  Sure, Ted talks good game about his future, but his flawed perfectionism is reflected not just in his oft-rocky architecture career — but also by his relationship choices. Along with some awesome leading ladies (Robin, Victoria, Stella), he’s had his, um, fair share of extremely questionable partners. This might be the romantic’s biggest downfall — rather than admit he’s not ready for The One, Ted forges on with his quest, making sure to sabotage any real shot of actual relational bliss by dating some less-than-winners.

All we can say is, we’re rooting for you, Ted!

Are you a hopeless romantic like Ted Mosby? Share in the comments below!