09/05/2026
“Never settle” has convinced people that compromise is a bad thing.
I understand why people say it.
No one should stay with someone who treats them badly.
You shouldn’t talk yourself into a relationship you don’t want.
You shouldn’t ignore the things that matter to you.
But the problem is that we've turned, "don't settle" into:
Don’t compromise.
Don't accept anything less than perfect.
Don't be flexible on your preferences.
Don't date someone unless they check every box.
That’s not how real relationships work.
Every person you date is going to come with something you wouldn’t have chosen.
Maybe they’re less social than you imagined.
Maybe their career isn’t what you pictured.
Maybe they love a hobby you couldn’t care less about.
Maybe their schedule is complicated.
Maybe they're wonderful in ten ways and just fine in another three.
That's not settling.
That's dating an actual person.
To me, settling is accepting a relationship that asks you to give up something important.
Your values.
Your lifestyle.
Your hobbies.
Your goals.
But accepting a few tradeoffs is completely different.
You can have high standards and still understand no one is perfect.
“Never settle” is good advice.
“Never compromise” is not.