Online Dating has become a huge phenomenon as everywhere you look there’s an advertisement about it. Whether secular or christian, from eHarmony to Match.com they all promise to help you find the man or woman of your dreams. Nevertheless, before you jump onto the band wagon consider the 5 Biggest Online Dating Mistakes.

Mistake #1: Don’t make a big investment emotionally in any one relationship without solid foundations.

Once you get past saying all the right things you both want to hear, meeting for a cup of coffee or an espresso will give you enough time to assess whether this person is someone you want to know better. This way you don’t have to be concerned about throwing a lot of money, and valuable time, on dating before you find someone you really like. Remember to be authentic and to look for authenticity in the other person.

Mistake #2: Packaging is not the answer. The packaging is only that and is not who someone really is. Be clear about who you are, what you want in a relationship, and set out to find it in a deliberate way.

Determine what you are looking for in your ideal relationship. Put some honest thought into it and write it down. Knowing what your requirements are in a relationship will help you quickly assess if a person you’re dating is right for you. Most of us allow things to just drift along and are not pro-active in having a plan for ourselves when it comes to relationships, especially with Online Dating.

Mistake #3: How is it that we plan for everything except relationships? Take some time to plan what you want in a relationship before you get into a habit or rut with someone.

Ask yourself, using the information you have gathered so far, does this person meet my requirements? If so, then you can continue to find out more about him/her while finding out about other people at the same time. Projecting all your hopes and dreams onto any one person, especially at a very early stage, is likely to bring you some amount of pain and heartache when you realize the relationship isn’t going to work out.

Mistake #4: Don’t be exclusive right from the start so you can better deal with the ups and downs of the dating cycle. Spread the emotional load by giving your attention to a number of people. “Just make sure you keep their names straight.”

Anyone who might be right for you will, you hope, want to share his/her life with a person who has a balanced life. That includes allowing you to continue to live as you like, and enjoy all the other activities and people in your life, while allowing your new companion to do the same. Straining towards exclusivity too soon in your new relationship spells disaster.

Mistake #5: Don’t get discouraged should you discover Online Dating is not right for you.

Get out there and have fun dating anyway! But make sure that your relationships fit in with the rest of your life as a successful single. Know your requirements, needs and desires and look for someone who can meet them.