All too often, guys cut their options short by focusing only on a single girl each and every time they go out on a date.
In other words, many guys approach dating from a strictly monogamous standpoint.
Although there's something to be said for limiting the number of women that juggle at once, having tunnel vision about dating can seriously backfire.Still, knowing when it is and isn't appropriate to date other people can be confusing; you don't want to scare a potentially good thing off, but you don't want to miss out on prime opportunities either.
As always, DW has a few words of wisdom to impart to you on the subject.
Keep Your Options Open
When you're single, the trick to finding a great girl is to cast a wide net. You can't do that if you hone in on one girl at a time. Don't be afraid to go on several dates with several different women over the course of a single week or two. If you're a savvy dater, then you'll quickly know when someone's not right for you, and will forgo any future dates with her. Women who pique your interest can be met for several dates, and there's no need to keep your dating a big secret.
Be Tactful
Although you certainly don't need to hide the fact that you're dating around a bit, you don't need to be completely brazen and thoughtless about it. When the two of you are out on a promising date, you don't have to blather on about last night's date or about how excited you are about a date that you'll be going on later on in the week. When you're on a date with a woman, make her the single focus. Talking about your dating escapades will alienate and upset her – and that doesn't make for a very fun date.
Avoid Double Standards
If you're happily dating around, don't get all bent out of shape if you find out that a woman you're seeing is dating other people, too. That's a totally unfair double standard and can make you come across as controlling and childish. Be reasonable about things if you have reason to believe that a promising woman is seeing other guys. As things progress, continue to be open about whether or not you're still seeing other people and she should return the favor in kind.
Know When To Hold Em
After a while, you're going to narrow down your search to a couple of prospects. Eventually, one of them will make you happier than the other. You'll know that the time is right to stop seeing other women when the thought of her seeing other men becomes unbearable. At that point, take her out on a date to someplace really nice and let her know that you're not going to be dating anyone else. If you have public dating profiles, disable them – and tell her that you did so. If all is well, she'll do likewise and the two of you can head off toward Happily Ever After together.
-DW | Dating & Sex
