You might be surprised to find that you want the same things!
Do you know what women want in a man?
Most men see women as completely different from them and, therefore, almost impossible to understand, much less please.
It’s this great divide in understanding that keeps many men from having the relationship they really want with their woman (and that their woman really wants with them) — a great one!
To learn how to be a good boyfriend or husband and help your relationship thrive, you first need to know what women want from the men they love.
Here are the 5 things women secretly want in relationships from a good boyfriend or husband, but would never tell you.
1. A man she is proud of and respects
You being comfortable and confident in your own skin and in any situation is important to her. She will be showing you off to her family and friends and you definitely want that to go well. (Note: Being confident and being cocky are two very different things.)
You must have ambition. Not necessarily ambition to rule the world, but an ambition to do something important because that shows commitment, discipline, a strong work ethic, and an ability to dream.
She will always be proud of a man who is well-groomed. That doesn’t mean you’ve got to look like you just walked out of GQ, but it does mean you take care of your hygiene, wear clean clothes and take care of your health.
Being a strong man who is also compassionate and kind always commands respect. Strong isn’t necessarily measured by muscles, it’s also measured by character, intelligence, and integrity.
Finally, she will respect a man whose family and friends love and respect him. If his friends and family don’t admire him, why should she?
2. A man who respects her
Your woman wants your respect. You can show her this by doing polite things like saying “thank you” and apologizing immediately on your own when you’re wrong.
She will also know you respect her by your honesty (but not brutal honesty — remember kindness and compassion), your loyalty and treating her as your equal.
Finally, she’ll know you respect her when you accept her being her — even when it’s not all pretty or nice — without trying to fix her (unless, of course, she asks you to). Sometimes, this means giving her time and space to take care of herself. And sometimes, this means she will need you to forgive her immediately.
3. A man she feels connected to
For most women, this connection is emotional. She needs you to tell her explicitly that you feel connected to her, so it’s important that you be emotionally available and vulnerable with her by sharing your fears and concerns. (Don’t worry, you’ll still be her Superman even if you have a concern or two every once in a while.)
You can also foster the connection by being fully present with her when you’re talking with her (or when she’s talking with you). So, put down the phone, step away from the keyboard, listen to what she has to say and engage with her.
Another way to build a connection with her is to purposely grow together by working toward common goals or dreams. She’ll love it when you support her, challenge and motivate her to go for what she wants out of her life too.
She’ll feel close to you when she feels consistency and security in the relationship and when she knows you’ve got her back because you’ve got compatible values.
4. A man she could fall in love with again and again
How to this for her? Never stop dating her, so you keep the romance alive. Make it your goal to get her to smile and feel loved at least once a day.
Spark her sensuality and sexuality. Go at her pace (at least sometimes) and not immediately for the home run each time you get to bat. Let her know she’s the perfect woman for you. Praise her beauty — what shows on the outside, as well as what’s on the inside.
Be interesting and engaging. Make her curious about you, what you’re thinking and what you’re doing. And keep things new and exciting — ruts are not your friend here.
5. A man who is a man, not a man-child
This probably goes without saying, but she is not your mother — she’s your woman. So, by all means, take full responsibility for your emotions without blaming her. And hold up your end of making your lives work. Take the initiative and do what needs doing without being asked or expecting praise.
You know, when you take a good look at this list, it is pretty much what most men want from the woman in their life, too. Maybe the divide in understanding what each other wants in a relationship isn’t quite as great as we think at first.
After all, we’re all humans who basically want the same thing from a partner: someone you’re proud of, someone who respects you, someone you feel connected to, someone you could fall in love with again and again and someone who is an adult (but can still have fun).
Dr. Karen Finn is a divorce coach and advisor helping people who are considering divorce make a smart decision about staying or leaving their marriage. You can join her anonymous newsletter group for free advice or email her at for a free consultation if you’re tired of letting worries about divorce ruin your love life.
