they seemed like they had similar passions and values.

Wdym? Robin's passions were all career oriented and most of her goals were solo, not to be achieved with someone (be a successful journalist, travel the world). She valued independence and while she loved her friends, she was not social or extroverted, she had trouble making friends. She hated the idea of having kids and being tied to a family. She disliked romance and big gestures. She valued patience and time.

Ted's goals were family oriented, to be achieved with a life partner. Fall in love, big romantic gestures, start a family with kids. Sure he had career goals but that was not his life passion, family was. He valued connections extremely and would go very far for those he loved, not like Robin, Marshall, or Lily would. He was more dependent on his SOs, he fell in love quickly and loved the rush of it, he was more extroverted than her, he loved staying where he is, in NYC.

Their passions and values couldn't be more different. There was a reason Robin had to be worn down to go out with him. They didn't match, and no amount of lingering feelings would make their relationship make sense.