If you’re one of the many successful men out there who are tired of unsatisfying relationships with partners who don’t share their values in life, you’re not alone. Having the right partner by your side is an essential part of a rich, full life well lived, so it makes sense to want that.

Sugar dating is one increasingly popular way to break the mold and level up when it comes to love, dating, and relationships. But what is it really like to be a sugar daddy, and what do you need to know going in?

What is a sugar daddy?

With so many pop culture myths and misconceptions out there about what becoming a sugar daddy actually means, it’s important to know what sugar dating really is and what it’s not. Most people think of a sugar daddy as an older man who exclusively dates very young women in exchange for money, gifts, and other perks.

In actuality, though, sugar dating is much the same as regular dating in that the relationships are very real on every level. Sugar relationships tend to involve two high-value people, so they can be extravagant. However, they also involve mutual spoiling that both parties partake in.

And although some sugar relationships are between an older rich man and a much younger beautiful woman, that’s not the case across the board. Sugar daddies and sugar babies can be any age and come from lots of different walks of life.

Understand the nature of sugar relationships

While sugar relationships definitely have more in common with conventional relationships than a lot of people probably think, sugar dating is still different in certain ways. To begin with, it’s a very honest way to approach dating. People are upfront about any expectations they have of their partner or the relationship, as opposed to pretending they expect nothing.

Also, most sugar relationships start out fairly casually. They’re usually nonexclusive and non-committed in the beginning, as well. If deeper feelings eventually develop, the sugar couple will talk about which next steps to take (if any) at that point.

Know what you want going in

Would-be sugar daddies are expected to check the games they may be used to at the door when sugaring, so it’s imperative that you know what you’re looking for. Are you happier with a strictly casual or no-strings-attached relationship, or are you ultimately looking for something more? What are you hoping to get out of becoming a sugar daddy? Look for the signs you just might be sugar daddy material.

There are no wrong answers to questions like those. But it’s crucial to be honest with yourself, as well as brutally honest with any sugar baby you decide to start seeing. You also need to be prepared for the sugar babies you date to do the same.

Have something to offer

In the sugar bowl, it’s not enough just to be a nice guy who treats women well and is looking for someone to love. Sugar daddies are exceptional men in every sense of the word. They’re generally extremely successful, highly cultured, and very wealthy. In other words, they have something tangible to offer a beautiful sugar baby.

Granted, you don’t have to be a multi-millionaire to sugar. But you do need to bring something impressive to the table that sets you apart as financially, socially, and romantically exceptional.

Be prepared to make an effort

Sugar babies turn to sugar dating for the same reasons would-be sugar daddies do – because they’re tired of being the only ones who make an effort or bring any value to their relationships. So any man interested in becoming a sugar daddy one day should be prepared to not only make an effort but to give a young beautiful woman the fairytale she deserves.

The sugar daddy life is the best fit for men who are already very generous, who love to spoil women, and who dream of drastically changing someone’s life for the better. In other words, successful sugaring is as much about what you give as it is what you get.

Prepare to adopt a new take on relationships

All relationships involve expectations, especially regarding personal needs someone expects their partner to fulfill for them. However, the reason so many traditional relationships fail is that no one is willing to admit to this simple fact and lean into it. But in sugar dating, that’s exactly what you do.

You each admit that you have needs and that some of those needs may involve money, companionship, spoiling, and other factors conventional couples don’t like to talk about. Once two people agree that they can fulfill those needs for one another, an arrangement begins.

That can feel strange at first, but most sugar daters quickly get used to it and come to find it refreshing. You will, too, so stay the course.