In the old cowboy westerns, it was easy to tell the good guys from the bad guys. The good guys wore white hats and their smile seemed to sparkle just a bit more than average.

Unfortunately in the dating world, you don’t know right away who is really a good guy and who is a bad boy.

By the time you find out, you may have experienced a lot of misery and disappointment. Movies and television glorify the “bad boy” as a misunderstood man with a kind heart, even though it’s not evident.

The Good Guy is portrayed as virtuous and stable in ways that suggest these qualities are dull. So which is better? What do they have to offer? The Good Guy is honest and trustworthy – he’s a man of his word to you and to everyone else.

If he says he’s been called back to work for a second shift, then he really is working – you don’t have to wonder. The Good Guy is focused on you – he cares about what brings you joy, even if it means taking you to the newest chick flick when his favorite superhero is on the screen next door.

He appreciates the cookies you baked, eating every crumb – even the burned parts! He brings flowers for no reason and never forgets your birthday. He plans wonderful dates and trips, but never on the spur of the moment. He’s dependable and prompt.

The Bad Boy is selfish and greedy, yet he manages to make such elaborate excuses that you overlook his immaturity. If he says he’s called back to work for a second shift, you never know if it’s to work at the office or a late date with another woman.

He manages to redefine the world in ways that work for him. The Bad Boy is focused on doing for you just as little as possible to soften you up to get what he wants. If he brings flowers, it’s because he heard someone mention that it’s Valentines and he stole the roses from a cemetery on the way to your house.

He’s always spur of the moment with grandiose ideas that are crazy, fun and totally unpredictable. He’s not dependable and runs on his own time. Based on what values you consider important in a relationship, you might go for the Bad Boy or the Good Guy.

Maybe you’ve tried them both. Some women feel that the Bad Boy is more exciting and adventurous. Other women find comfort and security in the Good Guy’s honesty and genuine caring.

Good Guys certainly make better husbands than Bad Boys, unless you enjoy a lifetime of unpredictability. There are women who will argue for both. The question is, do you want one kind of man to play around with and another to marry? If that’s the case, then you have to be honest with yourself about just how long you expect your fling to last before you get serious in looking for a potential husband.