Nobody's perfect, but if your relationships tend to peter out after, oh, two dates or so, your romance MO might be due for a checkup. Five common dating habits are most often to blame—read on to identify these buzzkills so you can avoid them in the future.

1. Adopting a Loser Mentality

OK, so maybe your job does suck, that skirt does make your ass look huge, and (woe!) you don't know which fork is the salad one. Your date doesn't need to know that. Fishing for compliments is another doomed tactic, because if he doesn't chirp in right away with what we want to hear ("Don't be silly, darling, you're much hotter than Charlize Theron! And a better actress too!), you get irritated. He, meanwhile, is thinking that it's hard work seeing someone who needs so much reassurance. Lemondrop: Can Kissing a Girl Bring Out Body Insecurity

The signs: Acting like the date has already been a bust, or that you're lucky this gorgeous creature has even deigned to share the same oxygen as you, reads as insecurity. And guess what—insecurity isn't sexy.

The solution: Be confident, and focus on your positive qualities; challenge yourself to make a self-congratulatory joke instead of a self-deprecating one at least once in front of him. If that doesn't come naturally to you, wear something that you love (and that flatters your figure), and listen to an upbeat, energy-boosting song on your way to the date.

2. Picking Fights 

Did the waiter spill wine on your lap, or did your date push your buttons by daring to show up two minutes late? So what? Being hotheaded, picky or argumentative is a major turnoff on a date, so avoid hot-button topics and keep the boozin' to a minimum if that's likely to get you riled up. 

The signs: You bring up someone you want to kill—even jokingly—more than once over dinner. Lemondrop: Yes, Happy Couples Fight Too

The solution: On the flip side, you'll earn major brownie points if you handle differences or unfortunate situations with a laid-back attitude. Lighten up!