"Ideal" traits in dating

Single people always talk about their ideal person - I even blogged about the subject earlier. We all like a particular hair color, body type, attitude, activity level, etc. There's nothing wrong with establishing these ideals; they serve as filters. Human brains are largely filtering mechanisms, and the filters help us make sense of the world quickly, and identify what's important from what's not important.

The danger lies in the fact that filters can also serve as blinders. They can hide some of the things that are important (magicians take advantage of this all the time). Lest we forget, the whole reason we invest in relationships in the first place is to be happy. We establish the ideals because we think that's what we need to be happy. But if you are happy being with someone who doesn't fit your ideal, don't let the ideals blind you to what's really going on.

It's been said that "true" artists destroy any work they create that's less than perfect. But life is never perfect, and all too short to miss out on opportunities for greatness just because we desire perfection.