I want to spare you the disappointment of getting your hopes up over a man who's going to waste your time, get you to fall for him and then leave. You can find out early in a relationship which men are good prospects for marriage and avoid a lot of heartache.

But you need to pay attention, you can't sweep things you don't want to see under the rug or pretend they don't matter. You don't want to make the mistake of giving up your heart and your freedom to a man who only wants to use you.

One big mistake that will complicate your objectivity is if you get physical with a man too soon. It's like putting blinders on, once you feel physically attached, it's hard for you to discern a man's true intentions. It's all too easy to end up mistaking sexual interest for love.

Here are some warning signs that he's not in it for the long haul:

1. Your dates fall into a rigid pattern of dinner and going to bed. There's little deviation from this routine or little if any interaction with other people. You start to feel you're expected to go to bed with him every time you're together, as though buying you dinner gives him the right to go home with you.

2. You want to see him, so you let it be on his terms. When he calls for a date, it's always at the last minute. He expects you to be available to see him whenever he wants. He has plenty of excuses why he can't plan ahead and you only get together when it's convenient for him. He won't commit ahead to parties, family get-togethers or holiday events and usually ends up being a no-show at the last minute.

3. He tells you he's not ready for a serious relationship but you're really special and he really likes you. It seems really into you and he wants to spend time with you. In fact, he can't keep his hands off you (flattering). He acts like a serious suitor, paying you lots of attention. But there's a big difference: he told you he's not ready for a relationship. No matter how he treats you, men who are open to finding true love will not tell you that.

Dating tip: Look for a man who is not afraid to admit he wants a serious relationship!

This bad behavior can seem obvious; who would let themselves put up with this kind of treatment? Well, I admit that I did for years. Sometimes you can get sucked into accepting less than you deserve. It becomes a pattern of behavior and it takes some objectivity to see what you've gotten used to accepting.

You may need help to pull yourself out. It's happened to every woman at some time and there's no shame in that. It's a part of the learning process, an essential step in recognizing what you really want from a man, and how to find the man who is ready and willing to marry you.

Author's Bio: 

Virginia Clark (aka Virginia Feingold Clark) has coached hundreds of woman by helping them to uncover their blocks to love and marriage. With over 12 years of experience as a successful Certified Hypnotherapist, she is an expert on the power of the subconscious mind and its ability to transform one's love life.

Virginia met her husband in her mid 40s, and has now has been married to the love of her life for twelve years. Her years of struggle and desperation as a single woman have given her a unique insight into what it takes to find your true love and create the marriage of your dreams.

Her past experiences as an actress and founder of a theatre company in Boston and the owner of her own successful personnel agency in Los Angeles has given her insight into both the corporate world and the Arts. She was also a leader in a spiritual community where she gave guidance on love and life problems for 19 years.

She holds a M.F.A. degree from Brandeis University in Theatre and was chosen to be one of the Pioneering Nine — the first women ever invited to attend Dartmouth College. They would later be hailed as the women who sparked the movement that turned the entrenched, all male Ivy League school co-ed.

Virginia’s direct approach and natural intuition gives her clients just what they need to create powerful breakthroughs in their romantic relationships.

She works with women who are in troubled relationships as well as with single women who are looking for their Mr. Right. She helps women find true love throughout the United States as well as internationally.