Beyond Physical Attraction

When you meet someone through an online dating service, their picture and brief answers in the dating database is all you have to go on. It isn't surprising that most people base their choice of who to contact on looks alone.

Physical attraction is important in a relationship, but it isn't everything. A relationship purely based on physical attraction is bound to fail. It takes more than a pretty face to make a relationship last. Physical attraction is helpful in the first stage of dating, but then you must look beneath the surface to find what other qualities a person has.What qualities to look for in a date:

• Intelligence. If all your date is made of is a pretty face, he or she may not be relationship material. They should be able to hold up their end of a conversation and at least have limited knowledge on a variety of subjects from entertainment to politics.
• Sense of humor. Even under the most embarrassing circumstances, having a sense of humor and the ability to laugh at yourself can be a real life savor. By laughing it off, you make your date more at ease too.
• Fun and adventurous. Look for someone you can have a good time with and try new experiences with. Having a sense of adventure can be a huge turn-on.
• Compassion. Sensitive, caring and compassionate people make great life partners. They are the type of people who understand what you are going through and are there to hold comfort you when you need support.
• Goal-orientated. Having short and long-term goals is important for success, whether in business or in your personal life. You may be working as a waiter and going to school part-time with career goals that you are determined to make happen. Most dates can appreciate this because you are working for a brighter future.
• Friendly. Your date can be a drop-dead gorgeous, but if she treats you and others her like dirt, she isn't going to be much fun to hang out with. Beautiful people also tend to become over-confident or cocky, which is a big turn-off.
• A team player. It's helpful to have a team player mentality in a long-term relationship. Making dinner as a team, sharing in the cooking duties and enjoying the meal together can be fun. Teamwork is even more important later on though. Think about the future when you are deciding household chores and whose turn it is to change the baby's diaper. Unless you want to be personally responsible for raising the kids and completing the household chores, you should look for a date who doesn't mind offering a helping hand.

Your list of what to look for in a date might differ from this is some ways, but you get the idea. Make a list of what features are important to you and seek a person who has all or most of these qualities. Outer beauty fades, but inner beauty lasts forever. Set your standards higher and reuirw more than just a preety face in potential dates.