Your significant other vs your previous dates

[Lasonja]

I met a really nice man a couple of months ago, but it's been off and on. I don't think he's really ready for anything serious right now. At the same time, I'm not going to stop seeing him either, because he's much better than my previous dates, which led me to start this thread.

For those of us who are either married, in a serious long-term relationship, or have just met someone that you are exclusively dating, what separated that person from your previous dates? What was it about them that stood out from the rest? In other words, what was it about your significant other that ended the casual dating to committing exclusively to that person.

What were your dates like before you met your significant other? For those of you who currently are not in a relationship, if you are dating, what have your dates been like?

Discuss.