As those who've been perpetually single will know, finding "the one" is all up to chance.
Although having great chemistry with your partner is a positive sign of a budding relationship, there are a number of factors that can come into play before you're struck with Cupid's arrow.
But the most important one? A simple mathematical equation.
Dr. Hannah Fry is a British mathematician, lecturer at University College London, and wrote the book The Mathematics of Love.
In her quest to find the formula to love, Fry identified the three P's one needs to use to fall in love: Proud, Proactive, and Provokable.
Here's how they work.
Proud
One of the most important aspects you and a potential suitor should feel pride with themselves, with Fry advising it's necessary to "Play up to whatever it is that makes you different."
Although you may be skeptical over her words, her claim is backed up by research conducted by from dating site OKCupid's founder, Christian Rudder.
A sample of 5,000 of women were asked to rate other each other's level of attractiveness on a scale from one to 10.
Rudder then compared the dating site members' average score with how many times they had been messaged per month, and found that women who had a wide range of ratings fared better than those who were objectively considered beautiful and had higher ratings.
This case study proved individuals should hone in on what makes them unique and be proud of who they are.
Proactive
In a perfect world, we'd mimic a scene out of a rom-com and bump into our soulmate at a bookstore or coffee shop, but in reality, the chances of that occurring is slim to none.
If you're interested in someone, go ahead and let them know. Staying idle will only leave you with "what-ifs" and limit your dating pool.
Fry references to the classic scenario of a boy hitting on a girl at a party. The pair could either hit it off or she'll shrug him off.
If the male is rejected, he typically move on to another person who catches his eye until he finds someone to "partner up" with.
According to Fry, if a person follows this algorithm thoroughly, they will eventually end up with up with a special someone, as they have plenty of more options to chose from compared to those who refuse to be the ones who approach.
Provokable
It may not sound like the best trait you want to show your partner from the get-go, but Fry insists it's important to show them that you can stand their ground.
It's imperative to speak up when something is bothering you.
Along with it being unhealthy to keep your thoughts bottled in, mathematicians have claimed they are able to determine the chances a relationship will succeed solely based on how they argue.
Psychologist John Gottman conducted an experiment where he recorded the content of hundreds of conversations between married couples while having their blood pressure, skin conductivity and heart rates were measured.
He was then able to predict the likelihood each couple getting divorced, based on how open and honest they were with one another.
In the end, Gottman ended up with a 90% accuracy rate.
Maybe relationships aren't that hard after all!
[H/T: Cosmopolitan]