The dating behaviors that are killing your chances

There’s a reason they never call you again.

And it has a lot to do with your dating approach.  Does every one of your dates end in failure? 

Maybe they just fizzle out, or you never seem to close on that second date phone call. If that sounds like you, you’re not alone. So many people struggle to healthily manage the trials of a dating life.

It’s a struggle. Especially when you don’t have the tools to navigate the nuance of connecting on these new (potentially romantic) levels with someone else. Not to despair, though. You can build better and more successful dating behaviors when you shed the unhealthy ones that are holding you back.

The worst dating behaviors you need to drop.

If every one of your dates ends in disaster or failure, then there’s a pretty good chance you’re a part of the equation. That’s not to say you’re not going on bad dates — you are. But there are some common dating mistakes that a lot of us make without really thinking about. Acknowledging these foibles is how we move past them, but that requires honesty. Are you acting distracted? Coming on too hard and fast? Correct these dating no-no’s and you can create new connections that matter with the people you’re interested in.

Totally distracted
Are you someone who gets totally distracted on your dates? Maybe you sit on your phone more than normal, or answer (unimportant) phone calls when you’re just meeting someone new. These are major turn-offs, and send the signal that you’re either uninterested or just an inattentive (and rude) person and partner in general. Focus on your date and get to know them.

Complete negativity
Negative Nancy’s are not fun to hang out with and they certainly aren’t fun on dates. They are a total drain on our energy, and all that negative thinking has a bad way of rubbing off on our own perception of life. This is the person who is negative about everything. And that can include the weather, the date, and even the appearance of the person they’re hanging out with. Does this sound like you? Being more positive is the only path forward.

High-speed oversharing
The people that we’re interested in should be trustworthy. That is to say, we should want to share ourselves with them because we know it’s safe. It doesn’t mean we actually open ourselves up like a book from Day 1. If you’re a high-speed over-sharer, then you could turn your dates off before they get started. That’s a lot of pressure to deal with when you’re hammering them with sensitive topics like money, politics, or your desire to have 12 kids in the next 12 months.

Refusing to accept “no”
Refusing to take “no” for an answer is not an appealing trait in a partner at any stage in the relationship. This happens whenever you try to force a second date or even insist on walking your date home (after they have repeatedly told you no). It’s also a major red flag and a potential sign of a controlling person who insists on getting their way over others. If someone tells you they don’t want something or don’t want to do something — respect them.

No room to speak
Do you monopolize conversation a lot when you’re out on a date? This can happen a lot when we’re nervous, but it’s a deadly dating behavior that kills so many new connections in the water. When you only talk about yourself or spend all your time talking over the other person, it can make them feel as though you don’t really value or respect them as a human being.

Double booking
Are you a speed dater of Ramona Singer proportions? Maybe you go out on one date but immediately schedule another date right after. While this may seem effective for you, it’s hurtful to the people you’re spending time with. This is especially true if you tell one date you are leaving for another. Again, this creates the idea you don’t respect them, you’re not that interested, and you don’t really value their time and connection.

Great pretenders
No one likes someone who pretends to be something that they’re not. It’s offsetting, and it doesn’t allow us to build a basis of trust. If you put on airs whenever you’re on a date, the other person is going to pick up on that. They will be able to see that you’re not who you say you are, and that’s going to create issues that are difficult to solve from the very first day you’re together.

Too many questions
There’s a fine line between asking enough questions to stir the conversation and so many questions that you seem like a creep. Sure, you want to get to know what makes the other person tick; how they grew up, and what their life outlook is. But you don’t need to question every single aspect of their past relationships or other sensitive topics that are too close to pain for a first or second date. Again, this is a place to keep it light and fun. Leave room for them to question you as well.

Constant reassurance
Are you someone who constantly asks their dates if they are alright? Or if they are having fun? You may even go so far as to ask your date what they think of your appearance — over and over again. This constant reassurance is a major turnoff. No one wants to be constantly responsible for someone else’s insecurity. Doing this can create the idea (in the mind of your date) that you are weak, clingy, and highly codependent.

Swallowing space
Some people take up a lot of space. There’s no intention behind it, they just do. Their personalities are big, and their egos are better. Along the way, they were allowed to lean into patterns that affirmed this behavior. People swallow space on their dates when they try to force the flow of the date. They will monopolize the conversation, tell the other person what to order, and even order for them. They may also criticize what the other person eats and tell them (in any way) how to feel or act on the date.

How to make yourself the ideal date.
Do you want to move beyond the annoying, irritating, or self-sabotaging behaviors above? Then you have to take steps to make yourself the ideal date — not just for your potential partners, but for your own peace of mind. Doing this requires you to change the way you see dating, though, and that you also focus on what you really need (and your sense of self). Clarify what you’re interested in before you commit to dates and remember to keep it light and fun.

You must have the right mindset about dating to even make it remotely successful for you. That means you have to stop seeing each date as the end-all and be-all of your life. That new person doesn’t have to become your husband or the father of their children. Could they? Maybe one day. But the important thing now is that you stop focusing on the future and get clear in the present. Who are they right now? Your job is to find out.

Shed those expectations and standards society has forced that on you. You don’t have to be married by a certain age. There’s no validation waiting for you on the other side of a romantic relationship, or some magic cure that will somehow make you better and more loveable. Dating is simply spending time with people you find interesting. That’s it. And when you come to understand that on a true and deep level, it changes your entire approach to the process.

Confidence is key to making yourself both an attractive prospect and a secure and successful dater. People can tell when you’re insecure, and that can make them feel uncertain about you. “If this person doesn’t even like themselves, why should I like them?” To be attractive to someone, you must think you’re attractive. Genuinely. You need to love yourself and know how much you really have to offer in life and in love, too.

The best way to kick-start this process is by doing things you’re good at. Stop thinking about relationships for a moment and focus on yourself. Get out into the world and experience the things that fill you up with lightness and passion. Meet new people, make new friends. Go to different places and do things entirely on your own. Fill yourself up from the inside out so you don’t go chasing partners who want to take advantage of you. Stop seeking constant reassurances on your dates by giving it to yourself with a base of self-esteem.

Before you go leaping off the high dive into the deep end, you need to have a general idea of what actually matters to you. What are you looking for out of the dating process? Do you just want to have some casual fun? Are you looking to connect with someone on a more serious level? There’s no right or wrong answer. We all have different needs and wants, and they are all valid. Getting clarity is so that you can communicate your needs and get them, without hurting others and yourself in the process.

Take some time visualizing your ideal date experience and your ideal partner. What do you enjoy doing when you meet someone new? What puts your mind at ease? This clarification can save us a lot of time and a lot of frustration. Not every date is worth taking. That’s simply a fact. Getting the right person isn’t a game of playing all the numbers. You’ve got to play the right numbers. So, be honest about what you want and don’t want at this stage in your dating journey, and don’t settle for potential partners you know are widely outside of these needs.

Look, the fact of the matter is that there’s no way to create a 100% successful and enjoyable dating experience. That’s not how life works — and it never has. Sometimes our dates don’t work out. What starts off being an attractive prospect can end up being totally unappealing. You must be open to the bad dates as much as you are to the excellent dates. But the real trick is doing this without intentionally settling or getting into a dangerous “numbers game”.

Look at the bad dates as a learning experience. These individuals may not have what you want or need, but they are a mirror through which you can see the reflection of your ideal relationship. In their flaws or shortcomings, see what you’re not willing to settle for, or what you can’t commit to. There’s no use in thinking you can “fix” them or morph them into the partner that you want. Take the awful date as a chance to learn and move on. Focus on the next spark and the potential fire that could grow from (if fostered correctly).

Above everything else, dating should be fun. We’ve adopted this idea that it should be super serious, and that it should happen super fast. But none of that is true. Dating is just the experience of getting to know someone. That’s it. The physical part comes later, as a separate part of the relationship. But the dating? That’s simple stuff. Your only real responsibility is to make it fun, keep it focused in the present moment, and make other space for this potential love interest to reveal itself.

New relationships aren’t rushed to the altar. They are ultimately diamond mining fact-finding missions. You want to get to know the person sitting on the other side of the table. But you want to get to that knowing level-by-level. Don’t rush yourselves. The serious stuff can all come naturally and when your connection allows for it. Don’t take things too seriously and don’t make the other person feel forced to rush or over-share too quickly. Fun is a bonding agent at every stage of your relationship, but it’s especially important when getting a date off the ground.