So you've met a special young lady that you want to pursue. For what its worth, here is my advice.
1. Men and women are totally different
Contrary to much that we hear in modern culture, men and women are totally different. The things that motivate you are unlikely to motivate her. And you will have different views on situations, experiences, people, goals, entertainment, work, relaxation, and just about everything else in life. But that's OK.
Just accept it as a fact and move on.
2. She is not your buddy
Certain things and events are enjoyed by guys, but oddly enough usually not by gals. In general, odors, hazardous adventures, physical discomfort, insects, dead animals and such seem to bother women a lot more than men. Sure, there are exceptions to the generality, but don't be surprised by differences of opinion here.
You probably already have some buddies to enjoy adventures with. So go ahead and do that.
Besides, if she was just like your buddies, you wouldn't be so interested anyway.
3. Don't try to change each other
Couples often have a certain level of attraction, but then once the relationship is established, spend a lot a energy trying to "improve" each other. Just stop.
Everyone needs (and is entitled) to be accepted just as they are. That is, as they are right now. Nobody likes being nagged, or put on performance plan, subject to continual assessments or evaluations.
Now, nobody is perfect, and each person is welcome to endeavour to improve themselves. And one of the many benefits to a close relationship is that one person positively inspires the other to self-improvement. But it must be entirely voluntary.
4. Answer the big questions
Dating is supposed to be a significant period of time where each person is able to get to know the real person that they are in a relationship with. Ultimately each person needs to give a simple "thumbs up/down" answer to the big questions. For example:
Does this person have the same spiritual interest and outlook that I do?
Am I able to accept this person just as they are, defects and all?
Will this person be a suitable parent to my children?
Is this the person I want to be attached to 30 years from now?
Everything else in life is just details.
5. Women are motivated by security, in all its forms
That means emotional, intellectual, financial, etc. Sometimes guys undercut a woman's sense of security without even realizing it. It is easy to carelessly do things which "don't meant anything" (at least to a guy). For example:
Allow other women to flirt with them
Belittle her opinions
Impose financial pressure
Make critical remarks (ten positive remarks are required to offset one critical remark)
I like analogies, and the one I like for relationships is building a castle with bricks. When you are dating, each experience you have together is like moving a brick. A constructive experience is like adding a brick to the relationship's foundation. Every destructive experience is like kicking a brick out of place. Are you building a solid foundation for the future?
6. Saying 'I do' is your last selfish decision in life
The decision to get married is in many ways a selfish one. Marriage allows you to permanently attach this awesome person to yourself and to receive all of the associated benefits.
But in exchange, you pledge to lay down your life selflessly. The model is "servant leadership". That means no dictating, no coercing, no manipulation, no silent treatment, no withholding, no secrets, no lying, no acting in anger, no betrayal, no selfish acts. If you cannot make that commitment, don't get married.
7. Keep it positive
So we see a lot of "servant" in the above point, but not much "leadership". How does the leadership part work?
We've all had a hard and negative boss at one time or another. One summer I worked at a car sales lot and the sales manager needed someone to pick up his lunch. So I got paged over the intercom to go to the sales manager's office. When I arrive he says "Do you know where Marie Calenders is?" I answer "Yes, I've been there many times." So he gives me some cash and sends me to pick up his Chicken Cashew Salad. So off I go to the restaurant, and ask to pick up his order. But there is a problem. They never received the order. So I ask to borrow the phone and call back to the sales lot to make sure that the order was placed.
Yes, the order was placed. It should be there. After a bit of discussion the sales manager says "Which Marie Calenders are you at?". So I say "The corner of Euclid and Orangethorpe." At which point he explodes "You went all the way up there? You drove right past the one at the mall!" So off I go to the one at the mall, pick up his order, and sheepishly deliver it to his office. I really feel bad about going to the wrong restaurant. But when I drop off his lunch, all he can say is "My lunch is ruined. Get out of here."
Now comes the funny part of the story. I go back to the area where I usually worked. It is in the back of the car lot where the car washers, and painters and other working guys relax during lunch. So I tell them the whole story, and how bad I felt about ruining the sales manager's lunch. The funny thing is that they all new the sales manager well, and they absolutely hated him. They seemed to think it was hilarious that I accidentally ruined his lunch. Any of them would have gladly done so.
I'm just guessing here, but I think his family members probably enjoyed seeing him thwarted on occasion too.
But it really doesn't need to be that way. I've worked for some great leaders too. I like working for them and other people obviously do too. Some of the things they commonly do are:
Express a sincere interest in others and try to understand what motivates them.
Generously convey confidence in others and encourage them to expand their scope of responsibility and influence.
Ask good questions without putting others 'on-the-spot'.
If negative feedback is necessary, it is done calmly, kindly, and privately, and with some simple suggestions on how to make things better.
Treat everyone fairly, without favorites or fall-guys.
Getting back to family life, the same habits and outcomes are seen there too. Just as an example, suppose a wife does all of the shopping and cooking and has responsibility for staying within the food budget, but for whatever reason the expenditures have exceeded the budget several months in a row. What's a guy to do?
Going back to the brick analogy, the idea is to achieve the goal of staying within budget, but to do so without disturbing any bricks, and perhaps even adding a few new ones. Here are some different approaches:
"You went over budget again. Give me the credit card. I'm cutting it up. You're on cash-only from here on out."
Minus 3 bricks - Harsh, know-it-all, dictatorial
Do nothing
Minus 1 brick - Neglectful
"I appreciate your hard work on the food budget. We seem to have gone over again though. Do you think we need to adjust the budget?"
Plus 2 bricks - express appreciation, open the discussion in a non-threatening way.