We all make dating mistakes.  However, through the following list, women can learn to avoid some critical ones to prevent unnecessary heart-ache.

1. Questions

Dating is an interview coupled with an outing.

We’re used to interviews as they relate to a job.  You are in an office and asked a series of questions to determine your qualifications for employment. We don’t typically consider dating to be an interview.

Don’t assume that his interests are the same as yours.

Let me be clear. No woman, being pursued by a man, should ever have to initiate this kind of interaction where she is questioning a man who is pursuing her (I will address this later in #5).

Don’t shy away from asking a man questions that will yield answers that give you insight into how he thinks which is integral to understanding who he is.

2. Dating Without Purpose

Children have play dates.

Adults can’t afford to date with the carelessness of children whose only interest is in having fun. Many date “casually” to avoid any strings being attached or, truth-be-told, to avoid the pain that they have all experienced in prior relationships.

While it’s understandable to do what’s necessary to avoid pain and heartaches, jumping out of the fire into the frying pan only changes the rate at which the pain will be felt. It does not avoid it.

Getting out of the kitchen would be the ideal choice. The same is true of dating.

3. Isolation Syndrome: “I don’t want nobody in my business.”

“Where no counsel is, the people fail, but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” Proverbs 11:14

It’s always good to get wise counsel. The operative word there is ‘wise.’

Everyone is not equipped to give wise counsel. Rather than keep everyone out of your business, it’s better to be selective. Choose only those who have shown themselves to be wise by example.

When you are emotionally involved with someone, you lose the ability to be objective. You need someone you can trust to tell you the truth that you can’t always see and may not want to hear.

The last thing you want to do is shield yourself from those who love you enough to tell you the truth which can save you from yourself and your feelings when you need it most.