Effort: It Pays Off
- Friday, June 18 2010 @ 08:39 am
- Contributed by: Jet
- Views: 1,719
Sometimes, it's easier to complain.
Take profile pictures, for example. When people hear that it's in their best interest to have a smiling, clear, recent picture – something more along the lines of headshot than a blurry camera phone picture shot in a mirror from 2005 – they often get huffy. “Why should I have to figure out how to take a decent picture of myself?” they say. “These are the only pictures I have! Why yes, I am an aspiring photographer with a digital camera that has a timer – maybe I even have a friend or a tripod – but that takes time! Effort! I am far too busy for that.”
Look, complainer – if you're too busy to even attempt to take a decent picture of yourself, maybe you're too busy to date, eh?
Often the complaining contradicts itself in amusing ways. For example, the ones who refuse to take a good picture are often the ones who don't like the “shallow” nature of online dating. “It doesn't matter how much work I put into my profile!” they'll say. “All people look at is the picture!”
Yes, I have heard both complaints come out of a single person. More than once.
Here's the thing: the dating world can be exhausting, and frustrating. Often it's not a fair world. Online dating attempts to level the playing field in several ways, but it can be fickle too. Such is life. But if you've made the decision to put yourself out there and find love, why shoot yourself in the foot on the way? Why do your profile halfway?
Maybe you'll need to ask a friend to proofread your online dating profile. Maybe you'll need to recruit someone to take a good picture, or spend an afternoon messing with the settings on your own camera. Maybe you'll need to write sincere first emails, instead of copying and pasting. If you're truly looking for love, are these really big sacrifices? Is the possibility of a relationship not worth it?
Small investments – typically only of your time – can pay off big in the future. Online dating provides a world of opportunity. Now you just need to take full advantage of it.
Take profile pictures, for example. When people hear that it's in their best interest to have a smiling, clear, recent picture – something more along the lines of headshot than a blurry camera phone picture shot in a mirror from 2005 – they often get huffy. “Why should I have to figure out how to take a decent picture of myself?” they say. “These are the only pictures I have! Why yes, I am an aspiring photographer with a digital camera that has a timer – maybe I even have a friend or a tripod – but that takes time! Effort! I am far too busy for that.”
Look, complainer – if you're too busy to even attempt to take a decent picture of yourself, maybe you're too busy to date, eh?
Often the complaining contradicts itself in amusing ways. For example, the ones who refuse to take a good picture are often the ones who don't like the “shallow” nature of online dating. “It doesn't matter how much work I put into my profile!” they'll say. “All people look at is the picture!”
Yes, I have heard both complaints come out of a single person. More than once.
Here's the thing: the dating world can be exhausting, and frustrating. Often it's not a fair world. Online dating attempts to level the playing field in several ways, but it can be fickle too. Such is life. But if you've made the decision to put yourself out there and find love, why shoot yourself in the foot on the way? Why do your profile halfway?
Maybe you'll need to ask a friend to proofread your online dating profile. Maybe you'll need to recruit someone to take a good picture, or spend an afternoon messing with the settings on your own camera. Maybe you'll need to write sincere first emails, instead of copying and pasting. If you're truly looking for love, are these really big sacrifices? Is the possibility of a relationship not worth it?
Small investments – typically only of your time – can pay off big in the future. Online dating provides a world of opportunity. Now you just need to take full advantage of it.
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