Advice from the old lady:
@EyeBRollin nailed it. It has everything to do with the woman’s interest level. If she is high interest/high investment then you are on a good path. In that case you still have to remain the man, but if she sees you as valuable she will make effort to keep you.
I also echo what
@LiveYourDream said. She is utterly correct that you cannot take a short term fling, drama ridden woman, add time and get a quality LTR. No way. The characteristics you need for a successful LTR are not what drama mamas and crazy chicks offer.
But many men get sucked into the crazy woman/crazy sex vortex just as many women get sucked into the alpha bad boy vortex.
If you are inclined toward those archetypes (and I am as many of you know), then you have to know your own pathos and choose partners more cerebrally. You look for the archetype characteristics that you cannot do without, and you at the same time select for characteristics that lend themselves to a stable LTR. This requires pretty ruthless catch and release. Meaning you cannot allow yourself to catch feelings for someone who only has the archetypal traits, without the stabilizing traits.
My formula has been twofold:
1. Do I desire him sexually?
2. Can he lead me?
Answer to both must be yes. And many things go into that. If I have sexual desire then my interest level is very high and sex is on tap for my man. If he can lead me that further fuels my desire for him and I also desire to please and serve him. This means I care for him, cook for him, keep things clean, assist with whatever I can to aid his life & purpose, & generally treat him like a king. And it pleases me to do so. I also become emotionally close to him, allow him to open up and be vulnerable, invest emotionally and be a person/place where he feels honored and loved and safe. And I get close to him emotionally in this process as well, which again heightens & fuels my sexual desire through emotional connection. This develops his emotional attachment, creates an emotionally fulfilling sexual experience FOR HIM and builds loyalty and trust in the interaction.
These things are synergistic. But these synergies build a solid foundation within a closed system. Meaning an exclusive or committed relationship. The exclusivity/commitment protects the couple from outside distractions and allows for depth & meaningful interaction to be facilitated.
But you can’t get there with an individual who doesn’t value commitment or an individual who doesn’t know how to be in that kind of relationship…
And it might take time to find an individual who has both sets of characteristics. Which means not allowing sub par people too much bandwidth…
Currently I’m in a relationship that fits the description above. My BF has dated the strippers and the whack women & gotten burned with the crazy women. He is amazed (his word) at the difference. He loves a home cooked meal after work, he loves great sex on tap, he feels loved, valued and cared for. I have high desire for him, appreciate his ambition, passion toward his purpose and I defer to him & enjoy doing for him as stated above. He is a desirable man but is uniquely well suited for me, and he prefers an exclusive situation rather than the effort of cycling through women who end up untenable for a LTR…
I am happy with him and with things. So is he. So that lends itself organically towards the closed system that creates greater depth.
But you have to pick the right partner. That is key.