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How Modern Dating Culture Stops Him from Taking You Seriously

Do you feel like you have “dating burnout”? Like modern single life is a treadmill of flaky guys, false hope and meaningless hookups?

If you’re still interested in finding real, deep, meaningful commitment in modern dating (yes, it does exist), I need you to stop what you’re doing and watch this video now.

Has Caring Too Much Ever Sabotaged Your Relationship?
Are You Ready to Create Something Real in Your Love Life?
Leave a Comment Below…

I don’t need to be a mind reader to know that an enormous number of people watching this video right now feel this…

“Dating Sucks…”

Now why do they feel this way?

Because they want to create something real.

Chances are if you’re watching this video, you want to create something real.

You wanna find someone who values you. Find someone who invests in you. Who you can invest in. Someone who you can build something enduring with, but instead here’s what you get…

Casual dating, meaningless hookups, and mixed, confusing-ass signals.

Now this leaves people very frustrated.

It leaves them wondering if what they’re looking for is actually out there.

I recently ran an exclusive closed-door event for my closest clients.

It was invite-only, and I made them one promise:

I am gonna talk all day about how to create a real and lasting relationship, and avoid the casual dating, hookup culture we feel like we’re currently existing in.

What I’m about to show you is a clip from that private event.

A moment that highlights the frustration people are feeling right now that we’re talking about here. And watch all the way to the end, because after that clip, I’m gonna join you back here to show you a strange, counter-intuitive way that that frustration I’m talking about could actually be costing you the real relationship you’re looking for.

Check it out.

************************************************************************

Audience Guest: “Hi Matthew. Good to see you. Welcome back to NYC.”

Matthew: “Thank you for having me.”

Audience Guest: “The content that you have today is really amazing, and I’m really happy to be here. That’s first of all.”

Matthew: “Thank you.”

Audience Guest: “Recently, I had a conversation with a gentleman who said to me, ‘You know, Cecilia? You are intimidating to men. You are too smart. Guys can’t get over on you, and that’s gonna be a problem for you.’ And I thought, ‘I don’t wanna guy in my life that’s gonna be intimidated by my strength. I want someone that’s gonna embrace my strength, and who I am as a human being, and as a woman.’ As I get older I find that it is a little harder, and I ask, how can I allow myself to be open to love, finding a great partner who’s gonna embrace who I am?”

Matthew: “What you’re saying works on the presumption that men inherently find smart women unattractive, or intimidating. Some men are intimidated by smart women. Some men are intimidated by women who have found their purpose, who have found something that they really enjoy doing. Especially if those men haven’t found what they enjoy doing.

“Some men are intimidated by women who go to the gym a lot. [Laughter] Especially if they can’t get themselves to kinda get into a routine with that.

“I mean I just think that the…higher a frequency you’re living on, the less people are gonna be either available to you or desirable to you.”

Audience Guest: “So how do I find love if that’s the case? My pool is getting smaller and smaller. I’m not getting any younger. [Laughter] I’m sorry…”

Matthew: “I just think that it doesn’t help you to think about it in the macro like that. Like you’re thinking about it at this bird’s eye view of, you know, ‘My pool is getting smaller, and men don’t like… They’re intimidated by intelligent women, and this, and that,’ and… I just… I don’t…

“My friend is a doctor, and he told me a phrase once, he said, ‘statistics don’t matter to the individual.’

“In medicine, when someone has a rare disease, the fact that only one in a hundred thousand people get  that disease is irrelevant to the person that got the disease. Right? Statistics don’t matter to the individual. And I would say that on a relationship level, statistics don’t matter to you either, and won’t matter to you when you meet someone special.

“It won’t matter to you what the economics are right now of finding a relationship.

“It only matters to you now because those are the terms that you’re thinking in, and I just don’t think that it serves you to think in those terms. If I had thought in those terms about business, I never would have started a business. The results of businesses succeeding–new businesses–are so low that if you went by that you would never start a business.

“But I didn’t start a business to overcome the odds of business. I started a business because I had something I really wanted to say, and do, and I wanted to live a life where I wasn’t going into a job I hated. So it was a different thing driving me.

“And I understand your point. I’m not minimizing that it’s difficult to find someone special.

“It is.

“It one hundred percent is.

“The good news is that everyone’s feeling the same way.

“Right? Everyone’s feeling that.

“No one is… It’s…

“It’s really hard no matter who you are.

“You could be a person that like a hundred men are throwing themselves at you a day… It still doesn’t mean you’re gonna find anyone you wanna spend your life with.

“It’s just hard for everyone, but again I don’t think that it’s because you’re smart. I just think that the more you achieve in life, and the more you drive yourself, the less people you feel… You could still connect to everybody, ’cause I think there’s something to learn from everyone… but there are less people that will just resonate on that frequency that you’re on, and you know, that’s okay. That just means you have high standards, and you have to keep doing it.

“And if your view is, ‘I can’t keep doing it.’ Then I say, what is the thing that you keep doing that you’re deciding you’re not gonna do anymore? I would like to know Cecilia, if you said to me, ‘Matt, the whole point of me saying this, is because I’m about to give up.’ What are you giving up? That’s what I wanna know. What’s the behavior, what’s the thing that you’re gonna stop doing because you’re sick and tired of not meeting the right man? Tell me that.”

Audience Guest: “I don’t know, because I think I’m doing a lot of different things to try and meet the right guy.”

Matthew: “So what’s the thing that is disrupting your life right now that you don’t wanna do anymore?”

Audience Guest: “I don’t wanna worry about it. I want it to happen organically.”

Matthew: “Okay, but like what does that mean? You want it to happen when you’re laying in bed?”

Audience Guest: “I’m standing at a cafe… I’m gonna use one of your lines. I’m standing at a cafe, and I actually start chatting with someone.”

Matthew: “Okay great, but that’s not organic. That’s you trying.”

Audience Guest: “Well…” [Laughter]

Matthew: “So again, what’s the thing, like…I’m challenging you right now, and I know you can take it, but I… I don’t know what your question is. Is your question, ‘Is it hard to meet someone that you spend the rest of your life with?’ Yes. Is your question, ‘Do I really want this?’ I think, probably the answer is ‘yes.’”

Audience Guest: “Yes.”

Matthew: “Right? ‘Cause it’s an experience of life you wanna have.”

Audience Guest: “Yes.”

Matthew: “Is your question, ‘Should I give up?’ Well, to that I respond, what are you giving up? Leaving the house? What are you giving up? Not doing new things? What are you giving up? Going on dates sometimes? What’s the thing that you would give up?

“I challenge all of you: What’s the thing you would give up?

“Because to me, none of the things that you do to meet someone, apart from spending hours and hours online, which I don’t support anyway. [Laughter] But none of the things that you do to meet someone are things that wouldn’t be good for your life anyway.

“If I took off the table the idea of ever meeting your dream guy. Let’s just remove that. I take it off the table. Never gonna happen. I’ve literally made sure that can’t happen for you. I’ve eliminated every man on earth that could be your perfect man. [Laughter]

“Okay.

“I’m curious as to how many of you would stop having conversations with people in general.

“How many people would say, ‘Well, since I can’t find the one, I’m just gonna stop socializing. I’m just gonna stop going on dates at all. You know? I’m gonna give up the whole sex thing. Like I’m gonna just… I’m not gonna do any of this.’

“I don’t buy it for a second.

“What you would do is you’d say, ‘Okay… Well, I guess I’ll go on some fun dates that won’t turn out to be the one, but you know, I’ll just have some fun times. You know, go out and enjoy meeting new people. Stay curious, get to know people’s stories, and I’ll make the best of it, but I can’t give up this part of me. Cause it’s in me. It is me. It’s part of me being a woman who wants to go out there and explore, and meet people, and connect, and be intimate, and be warm, and be affectionate. I’m not gonna give up all of that.’

“Cecilia, what you have to ask yourself is…

“I get the frustration. I get it. And I’m not minimizing that, and I understand the frustration of searching for someone really special, and right now it’s not happening, that person isn’t there.

“But you have to get back to that question:

“What would I do differently if I decided to give up the search?

“What thing would I give up in my life?

“Because I put to you that it would be very hard for you to name something that you would give up that wouldn’t cost you in other ways.

“That wouldn’t actually hurt your sense of joy, and fun, and fulfillment in other ways by deciding, ‘This isn’t for me.’ I can’t see it. What would you stop? Dating? Dating is fun. Like even if it’s not the love of your life, like going on a date, and sometimes there’s chemistry, or sometimes you get a new friend out of it, or sometimes… Who knows? Like would you really give up any connection to the opposite sex?

“Like, I don’t know… I can’t see it. I can’t see it.

“So I think that there’s so many things we do in pursuit of that person, that are worth doing for their own sake, that it’s almost not even worth worrying about in the way that you’re worrying about it. It’s just like… Just keep taking chances.

“Keep being proactive.

“Keep being the kind of person that steps out of her comfort zone.

“Keep being the kind of person that puts herself around other people.

“Keep being the type of person that is open to experiences in life.

“In that is being open to love, but we don’t even need to call it that. Just be someone who is open to experiences, and should you find yourself in a situation where it seems to be getting intimate or whatever and you like the person, do everything we’ve talked about today to make sure that you give yourself the best possible chance of being taken seriously by that person.

“Let’s keep going. Thank you so much by the way.”

************************************************************************

Look, I wanna make one thing clear. While I believe that there are many things that we do that will bring us a relationship that are good for their own sake, and worth doing even if they don’t bring us the love of our life, I understand and respect how hard it is out there.

You are dealing with so much crap.

People who have just the worst behavior. People who will do anything to use you. People who will string you along even though they have no intention of taking things anywhere meaningful or serious.

The frustration you have with that is one thousand percent understandable, but that frustration has a bad side effect for your love life. That frustration leads to the feeling that there really isn’t anyone out there, or at least the suspicion that that thing you’ve always been looking for might never come.

That leads to a scarcity mindset.

When you have a scarcity mindset it puts you in a dangerous position, because when someone comes along who has even a mild connection with you, someone who shows you a glimpse of what you’re looking for, you latch on.

You get so excited about it.

So grateful for it that you’ll do anything to keep it.

Now that’s very dangerous, because when you’ll do anything to keep something, when you see the potential of it, and you’ll do whatever you can to make sure that goes somewhere you start being more forgiving of bad behavior, and maybe not even bad behavior, but someone not giving you what you want.

Someone treating you worse than you deserve.

Someone not truly investing in you.

We start making excuses for them.

We start justifying it, because god forbid it goes away altogether.

When would you find someone again?

You have a connection. You wanna hold on to it, right?

Now here’s the really dangerous part.

When you start accepting worse behavior this person begins to value you less.

So it looks like this:

Having a scarcity mindset about what’s out there makes us accept worse behavior from the person we’re with. When they see us accepting bad behavior from them, or low investment from them, they stop taking us seriously, because they look at us, and consciously or unconsciously, they think, “What kind of person would allow me to treat them like this? Not someone that I should take seriously. Not someone that I would have a relationship with.” So now, even if that person had the potential to have a relationship with you, they’re starting to see you as lower value.

They’re starting to see you as someone who may not be worthy of a real relationship, because you’re treating yourself like you’re not worthy of a real relationship.

So the irony of all of this is the thing you value the most, which you’re letting get away with murder, because you value it the most now values you less precisely because that’s what you’re doing.

So I’m talking to you right now if you are looking for something real, because let me tell you this, if you wanna attract the real you have to be prepared to sacrifice the bullshit, and when I say the bullshit, I mean the bullshit version of a relationship that you’re currently being offered.

The pseudo relationship.

The halfway house.

The breadcrumbing that you’re sick of.

The people disappearing or ghosting you that you’re sick of.

If you actually want to be taken seriously you have to prepared to sacrifice the bullshit. And by the way, sacrificing the bullshit can mean giving up the guy so that you can go out there and find someone who’s serious, or it could mean sacrificing the current dynamic and taking the risk to graduate it into something more. The death of the bullshit you have with him right now and the birth of a better, new dynamic that you have with this person because they now take you more seriously.

So I’m on a campaign right now for those people who want something real to show you exactly how to create it.

I wanna walk you down the path that you actually want to go down, because this isn’t about an unrealistic level of optimism.

I know how hard it is to meet someone you really like.

How hard it is to meet someone that you actually wanna make it work with.

So when you do meet that person, you wanna do the right things.

Join me next week, ’cause we’re gonna be continuing this conversation, and we’re gonna make some serious progress together.

For now, leave me a comment.

Letting me know, A: If you’ve fallen into this trap before, and you can relate to it. A time when you cared so much that that caring actually lead you to doing some of the wrong things.

And B: If you’re ready to finally create something real.

I can’t wait to read those, and I will see you next week.

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273 Replies to “How Modern Dating Culture Stops Him from Taking You Seriously”

  • Yes to both questions. But only my last relationship did I fall into the trap. Because it was a long distance relationship,I let slide certain behaviors and stalling tactics of his. I’ve been married 3x. I’m excited to say I’m reconciling with my husband of 13 years. So, I know how to get the guy. But I have to honestly say, there’s a ton of Time Wasters & assholes out there. Been on dating sites for the last 4 years. It’s a real zoo. Thank you for all the light you can shed on today’s dating game.

  • Hi Matthew, I have completely fallen into this dynamic – just this week, in fact. I finally decided to pay for Match (it’s been years since I paid for a dating service) after hearing from a perennially single ex-boyfriend who met his now serious, live-in girlfriend on that site, and immediately met someone who fits my ideal: divorced with three young children (I’m too “old” to have my own without an egg donor, which realistically probably won’t happen, and I really love children, so I want to find someone with younger ones), a reader, a doctor (that’s just icing), a dog rescuer with two great dogs, lives about 6 miles from me in the same city (Oakland) which is great because Bay Area traffic is just horrendous), very handsome, fit and healthy lifestyle, funny and makes me laugh….anyway, we’ve only met once and he quickly made plans to see me the next weekend, after we’d both be away visiting our respective families all week – texted me everyday including photos of his kids, etc. then air silence for two days preceding our 2nd date, then cancelled on day of after claiming to get sick after sitting next to girl on the plane back who was throwing up). Now maybe he did get sick, but to me and everyone I shared the story with, it was bull shit. So long story short, he quasi-ghosted. And instead of sending back one text saying Sorry to hear that; feel better soon, I sent a couple texts being solicitous: “I’m overdressed for this house-warming party (that I’d planned on going before our cancelled date) because I’m wearing the dress I was planning on wearing to our date” and “Can I get you ginger ale or Gatorade?” Hours later I got the response that I’m so sweet and no thank you but can I send a photo (of me in the dress). I responded that I didn’t want to give him a fever when he was already feeling ill with a winky emoticon and haven’t heard back since (this was all yesterday). Then I blame myself for being too forward, too whatever, and I start feeling that whole sense of lack that you talked about in your video. I haven’t had a 2nd date in months, and I haven’t had a real relationship in almost 10 years! I’m totally ready – have been – ready to meet someone, but I don’t seem to know how to play this online “game” very well, and it’s hard to put myself out there to meet guys in real life (I work as a nanny so don’t have opportunities at my job), and I don’t have single girlfriends – and as extroverted as I am, I don’t feel comfortable going to bars by myself. I started road cycling about a year ago, but am not quite good enough to go on group rides, but when I do, the men are always married. I haven’t given up at all; it’s just very hard not to go into that ‘desperate behavior mode’ when I finally meet someone I want to be with – I seem to do it unconsciously! Thanks for reading all of this!!

  • I like your videos and also your quest

    But mostly I like listen to your voice and watch you .

    I’m doing your Programm and practice your advices – really exciting. Sometimes I don’t understand everything- bcs I’m from Austria and my main language is german .

    Thank you for your great work – I will let you know if something is going on in my dating life :-)

    Greetings from Tyrol
    Klaudia

  • Dear Matthew:

    You had disappeared from my inbox for a while. I’m grateful you’re back. I’m grateful you’re back because I trust you. I trust that you have my best interests in mind. I trust that you will refresh my memory about how awesome I am and then take me to the next level. I trust you will remind me that accepting mistreatment in my relationships can end now. I trust you’ll help me navigate a better, more effective path that leads to genuine love. Thank you.

    Sincerely,
    Rebecca

  • Online does not work! Unless all you want is to practice hooking up. Which is needed to remember how much fun your vagina and physical touch can be. But then he will leave or string along with crumbs. There is no accountability. Circles of affinity – work, school, church, volunteer group, sports team, dance lessons/school, etc. is the Only way to have a real chance at this & be genuine.

  • Great video, Matt! I’ve been following you for years, and I’m always astounded at how insightful you are with those on the spot questions. You have wisdom about social dynamics far beyond your age. I really like the point you made; the activities that we do, which enrich our lives (e.g. going out and exploring and meeting people/getting curious about others), are worthwhile in and of themselves apart from the search to find a great partner. And to stop doing those things would lessen our quality of life.

  • Hi Matthew, OMG you are so right… I’ve allowed my partner of 2 months, loose interest, simply because I allowed him to talk his way out of it.. simply because I didn’t want him to be that arsehole… Now, because I’ve lowered my values. His value of me has since been lowered, & he’s ghosting me

  • So I had been with this guy on and off for about 3 years. I had a serious relationship in the middle, but it ended last year and we re-conected ever since, but the same. I told him, I was over him, but we could keep it casual until each of us wanted and it was fine. The thing is, he is willing to keep it casual on his side, but want me to treat him as my boyfriend…so the commitment is on me, but not on him (smart, right?). I was out of the country for two months and on that time, he was “missing me” and wanted me to come back, until, it was the time for me to actually come back. He was dismissive and again in the “I don’t care mode”…this weekend, he got upset, because long time ago I stopped following him on IG, after one of our broke ups, he started seeing someone and tagging her…I tried to be honest and mature and tell him the truth, he went in to, I think we should stop seeing each other etc…I am willing to sacrifice, I can’t take his bs any more. If he wanted to keep it casual, fine, but he can’t expect for me to be his gf whenever he is feeling down and need someone to hold him or having all that with any of the commitment on his side

  • Hmmmm.. yes I relate to it. It’s been 5 months since I havent been with him. In the beginning he pretended he was looking 4 a relationship then he said casual I accepted it bcoz I fell for him. . Well I’m getting tired of it . Also I’m sick of trying online dating apps as all i get is pictures of penises and told how sexy I am.. grrr frustrating as !!!!

  • Confidence and Love Go Together.
    As you grow in confidence, so does your capacity for Love.
    Greater confidence diminishes your need for approval.
    That was my pic. Thank you.

    Gratitude

  • Yes & yes! Looking forward to the next video. Even if I haven’t found my dream relationship yet, you have given me hope & strength.

  • When I listen to you, a little voice says to me that you are right… and I keep a relationship because he is a sexfriend, and I am afraid of loosing him, and at the same time asked him to have more, meaning a “normal” and “true “ relationship! And he refuses it to me, telling me he does not “feel” it. Which makes me so sad…

  • Thank you for sharing your wisdom.
    So relate to everything that you discussed which leaves a woman to just not care anymore which can be very disastrous in trying to find love again
    Colette

  • I let a man have 7 years of my life and I’m still embroiled with him despite him cheating on me, having a baby with someone else whilst we were living together, and years of emotional abuse that left me unable to work full time.

    I have stayed because I believed I couldn’t find any one better and because I believed one day he would ‘pull it out of the bag’.
    I am now trying to learn that I am enough. That I would be better single forever than living on his rollercoaster. Also because of that he is blocking my potential.

    I hope one day soon I will be brave enough to walk away. The recent videos you have posted are helping me get to that point. Thank you.

  • What if I’m the exact opposite of what you’ve been talking about in this video? I’ve been accused of not giving guys a chance and having too low a tolerance for their bull shit. I did stop all dating & sex for 10 years!!! That’s how fed up I was with men. I decided to try again these past 6 months to date & meet men. I’ve had pleasurable hookups but am still trying to meet a guy worthy of a relationship. It’s hard to stay optimistic but at least I’m still open to it.

  • Hey Matthew, I really love this new video! I am guilty of scarcity mindset and I am currently in the BS relationship wherein he gives me mixed signals. He would say he wants to be the last guy I would meet in dating site then the next day he would say he doesn’t do “exclusive”. Would love to learn more about how to conquer this one :)

  • Hey Matthew,
    Thank you for reminding me of this crucial tenet of dating, well, of life really. I never understood how being a people pleaser/peace keeper growing up turned me into a doormat when faced with the end of my marriage. It’s taken a few years, but I’m finally seeing how this behaviour has allowed me to sabotage myself and I’m finally getting started on the path to correcting it. Repetition is key, so thanks again. Your Retreat planted the seeds 2 years ago, I’m finally able to start sowing them now.
    Cheers,
    Shauna

  • If I’m in a relationship and I realize that my boyfriend talks to more women through social networks, we leave him for being unfaithful in some way or we continue with him hoping that at some point he will decide only for me? How long i have to wait?

  • Hi Matthew
    Thanks for sharing a great video. I’m doing the exact thing your talking about. Accepting the BS. We have a great connection but constantly get mixed emotions/messages.
    Would love to learn more on how to not accept the BS.

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