Lisdoonvarna, a little village in Ireland, has been celebrating the Matchmaking Festival since the mid-18th century. It started with a surgeon discovering the beneficial effects of its water and from there the popularity of the mineral springs would, with the harvest safely in, bring hundreds of bachelor farmers to town in search of a wife. Today still, this festival attracts thousands of singles from across the globe to visit and find their ‘match’.
Finding a mate today is more relevant than ever before. When it comes to professionals, more are single much older than previous generations. Career ‘success’ is dominated through time and wealth creation. Not all is intentional though as the popularity of services – like Tinder – is ever increasing. Research shows that more than 50% of singles are using the web to find and meet people now. Last year in the US alone the dating industry’s worth was almost $2,2 billion. There is a huge demand and a bigger supply.
To bag ‘the yours’ in your life clearly needs some strategy. Here are six pointers to creating a great strategy that, with actions, will hopefully bring romantic bliss:
- Commit: Promise yourself to keep to your dream and set a date by when you want your partner.
- Prepare: Get mentally, emotionally and physically fit. Ensure past challenges are in the past. Be honest about who you are (weaknesses and strengths) and what you have to offer.
- Share: By sharing your dream it becomes more real. Your support network of friends, family and colleagues will be of great support here.
- Partner blueprint: Define your non-negotiables and real wants. If you know what they need to look like, you can find them easier.
- Resources: Key is – whatever it takes. If it’s dating sites (match.com, Tinder, etc), then register; if it’s getting a professional coach to assist and be accountable, get one.
- Be proactive!! You have to be out there – just do it with all you have.
It’s better to be single than to settle. So don’t. And hopefully come October 2016 you’d rather be off to romantic Munich for another kind of festival with your loving mate to share beer, intimacy and good times … Prost!
Author: Stanford Payne CA(SA) is an ICF-accredited executive and business coach