Author Lori Gottlieb, who recently spoke in D.C., said women may need to lower the bar if they want to settle down.
The 43-year-old single mother and author of "Marry Him: The Case for Settling for Mr. Good Enough" told Niteside she suggests finding a solid 8 and sticking with him.
"It's the checklists that really trip people up," said Gottlieb, who said unrealistic expectations can be relationship killers.
"You don't need 100 percent of everything you might want because you don't have 100 percent of what he wants either," she said. "All relationships involve some degree of compromise. That's not settling; that's maturity."
But Gottlieb's push for finding a simply suitable mate may be leaving some with mixed signals.
"I still believe in holding out for Mr. Right, but I've learned a lot," she said. "If I'd known 10 years ago what I know now about what would be important in my life, I would have made different choices with men."
