Being called a fuck boy is not something that many guys aspire to become. Sure, the thought of being known as a serial dater or womanizer might seem cool in your head — and to all your buddies — but, at the end of the day, when girls consider you to be a fuck boy, you’re all but doomed when it comes to your dating life.

Now, it’s OK to admit that, at some point or another, we’ve all had a little fuck boy tendencies in our lives before. Whether that was in college when hot coeds and sorority girls were at every turn, or post-graduation when you were single, with an actual paycheck and little responsibilities on your plate. But, as you get older and (gulp) mature, it’s time to drop those bad habit.

That’s why we’re giving you five ways to avoid being called a fuck boy, because it’s important to drop the whole “bro” image and become the best version of yourself — both for you and others. Take notes, guys, this is important stuff.

Never, under any circumstance, send unsolicited dick pics

Raise your hand if you’re guilty of doing this… OK, all of our hands are probably raised now. A common fuck boy thought is that every girl is in to him. Sorry to burst your bubble, but that’s just not the case. And, when flirting with a girl is going well and you think she’s hinting at some sexy stuff should be sent, most fuck boys default to sending a pic of their dick to take things up a notch. Uh, you can probably guess how that ends once the girl sees it. Just when you think you can be mature and have a flirty and sexual conversation with a girl, you go do something like that and totally fall onto her “blocked” numbers list.

Focus on just one girl

Trust us, it’s not as difficult as it might seem, guys. Who knows what your end goal might be when it comes to relationships — is it to stay single forever, or find someone to settle down with? — but, let’s just assume it’s the latter. You’re not going to get there by pissing off every single girl between now and then, continuing to play the field and looking for something better all the time. Most fuck boys use girls to get attention (and, presumably, sex), get some confidence and then start flirting with other girls. Stop doing this.

Stop trying so hard

We actually had a buddy at the bar a couple of weeks ago tell us that he “wasn’t ready” to go talk to a girl at the bar he couldn’t stop talking about. Let’s just say that our reaction was less than thrilled. We get that you want to be your best when introducing yourself to a girl, but, shocker, girls are just people, so stop thinking you need to be perfect just to talk with them. They can usually see right through your insecurity. If you do get a good girl and start dating, there’s a good chance that they’ll immediately be turned off by your attempt to please them in material ways.

Avoid comparing yourself to other guys

It’s human nature to have a little envy for other people, but you must avoid falling into the trap of doing it all the time. Sure, it’s like, “c’mon, how did Tom Brady become the greatest quarterback in NFL history and land the biggest supermodel on the planet, too?” but that’s not something you can concern yourself with or strive for. If you do, you’re putting unrealistic expectations on your life and whomever you might start dating. Just be you, guys.

Don’t manipulate people

This isn’t a trait that all fuck boys share, but it’s certainly a common one, as most guys who manipulate other people to make themselves look or feel better. It’s sad, but true. In fact, this might be the very most important thing that guys need to do in order to avoid being called a fuck boy, because, when you manipulate people, you disregard their feelings or emotions, and it makes you come across as an arrogant prick who’s just into himself. Is that the way you really want people thinking of you? We hope not, because you’re better than that.