Mission:
100 first dates
COMING SOON
How to Find True Love—A Field Guide
Based on a Real-Life Dating Quest
THE DATES
How it started
In December 2017, I set goals for the coming year: “Meet my life partner” was at the top of the list. But this goal—while heartfelt—was out of my control. So I asked myself: “What’s the one thing I can do, repeatedly, to maximize my chances of success?”
The result was what I later called my Mission 100: “Go on 100 first dates.” (Spoiler alert: I didn’t fulfil my mission because… I got married.)
What happened
Over the course of a few months, I put my plan into action. Every evening at 9pm, my phone alarm went off. “I have to do my homework,” I’d jokingly tell friends. I would swipe until I saw about 10 people I was interested in, reach out to new matches, and answered all my messages. I also asked people out in person; often, I went on 2-3 dates per week.
WHAT I learned
Many people assume that, because I set out to go on 100 first dates, I must have been a confident, extraverted sort of person. I wasn’t. In fact, before my very first date, I was so nervous I threw up.
But by treating dating as a practice, I allowed myself to experiment, make mistakes, and get better at it. I also took a lot of notes. And, over many, many dates, I developed a set of guidelines, criteria, and approaches that helped me meet the love of my life. I also became a different version of myself: someone who could stand tall, look people in the eyes, and meet a stranger for drinks (and survive).
THE BOOK
WHAT it’s about
‘Mission: 100 First Dates’ (working title) is meant to be, first and foremost, a practical field guide: a ‘how to’ personal development book. In developing an approach to dating, I drew from the self-help, business, and psychology books I love, and the current book draft is a reflection of this inspiration.
The book draft is also a ‘memoir with a message’—a collection of stories (some hilarious, some thrilling, some cringe-worthy) about my experience going on first, second, and third dates in order to find the one. Always, the stories are meant serve and reinforce the book’s approach: to help whoever’s reading the book learn from my triumphs, trials, and (many) errors.
Who it’s for
‘Mission: 100 First Dates’ is meant for those looking for a life partner. I was in my early 30s when I set out to go on 100 first dates—and those in this age bracket might be able to relate to my experience most easily—but the book’s principles apply to any age or stage of life. And though I write from my experience as a heterosexual, cis-gender woman, many men have told me that what I learned has been helpful for them, too.
Where it’s at
As of summer 2026, I’ve completed a (very rough) draft and am currently in the process of writing essays for publication, creating a book proposal, and reaching out to agents. If you know anyone in the publishing industry that might be interested in ‘Mission: 100 First Dates’ I’d love to be connected with them :)
the writer
about ME
My name’s Anna. A designer by training, I now run a creative agency in Vancouver, Canada. As an voracious self-help reader with a tendency to optimize everything, I applied what I learned to the task of finding a life partner. Finally, after years of being asked to write down what I’d learned from my dating experiment, I began working on a draft of Mission: 100 First Dates. I sincerely hope this book will help others in their quest for love.
CONTACT
Know an agent or publisher I should connect with, or have a dating story I should hear? Let’s talk.