How Embracing “67” Can Transform Your Dating Life and Lead to Lasting Love

Dec 24

By now, you’ve probably encountered 67. It started in Philadelphia when a man named Skrilla posted the numbers with no context, and within weeks, millions were sharing it across social media. Major outlets like CNN scrambled to explain it. Skrilla himself eventually admitted he made it up, it meant nothing.

But here’s what interests me as a matchmaker: the phenomenon revealed something profound about human connection. People wanted 67 to mean something. They projected meaning onto it. They claimed it changed their lives. And in my five years of professional matchmaking in New York City, I’ve come to believe that 67, whether intentionally or not, captures essential principles about building lasting relationships.

Let me explain what I mean.

Understanding the 67 Framework

While Skrilla may not have intended 67 as relationship guidance, the framework that emerged organically from people’s interpretations aligns remarkably well with what I observe in successful couples.

The 6 represents foundational stability — the core elements you bring to a relationship as an individual. Your values, your sense of self, your emotional groundwork. Strong relationships require partners who have done the internal work to know who they are outside of partnership.

The 7 represents aspirational growth — the commitment to evolving, to reaching beyond your current state, to becoming better together. Seven is inherently forward-moving. It’s about trajectory rather than stasis.

Together, 67 creates what I call grounded progression: the ability to build from a stable foundation while maintaining momentum toward shared goals. This balance, between rootedness and evolution, is what separates couples who last from those who don’t.

The 67 Compatibility Assessment

In my matchmaking practice, I’ve begun incorporating 67 principles into how I evaluate potential matches. It’s not about whether someone posts 67 on social media, it’s about whether they demonstrate the underlying dynamics.

When I meet with clients, I assess their 6-level: Are they secure in their identity? Do they know what they value? Have they processed past relationships? A strong 6-level means someone won’t lose themselves in partnership or demand their partner complete them.

Then I evaluate their 7-level: Are they growth-oriented? Do they seek challenge and improvement? Are they curious about the world and themselves? A strong 7-level means someone won’t stagnate or resist the natural evolution relationships require.

The magic happens when I match two people with aligned 67 profiles. They complement each other’s stability while challenging each other’s growth. They’re neither codependent nor complacent.

67 in Action: What I’ve Observed

I recently worked with a client, let’s call her Beth, who exemplified high 67 alignment. She had spent two years in therapy working through family patterns (strong 6). She was learning Italian and training for a marathon (strong 7). When I introduced her to Michael, who had similarly done his internal work while maintaining curiosity about life, the connection was immediate.

They weren’t looking to “complete” each other. They were looking to build with each other. That’s 67.

Compare that to clients who come to me operating at 56 levels: unclear about what they want, still processing exes, seeking validation rather than partnership. Or those stuck at 66 levels: they know themselves but resist growth, comfortable in routine, unwilling to be challenged. These clients struggle not because they’re bad people, but because they haven’t achieved 67 alignment within themselves.

You can’t build 67 with someone if you haven’t cultivated it internally first.

How to Practice 67 in Your Dating Life

If you’re serious about finding lasting love, here’s how to apply the 67 framework:

Develop Your 6: Before pursuing partnership, invest in knowing yourself. This means therapy, journaling, honest conversations with friends, examining your patterns. What are your non-negotiables? What are you actually offering a partner beyond surface-level attraction? Strong 6 energy means you enter dating from wholeness rather than neediness.

Cultivate Your 7: Growth-oriented people are inherently more attractive because they signal they won’t become stagnant or boring. Take classes. Travel. Read books outside your usual interests. Challenge yourself physically. The goal isn’t becoming “impressive,” it’s developing the muscle of curiosity and evolution that relationships require.

Seek 67 Alignment in Partners: When you’re dating, pay attention to whether potential partners demonstrate both qualities. Do they know themselves? Are they working on themselves? Can they articulate their values? That’s 6. Are they learning new things? Do they ask interesting questions? Are they open to feedback? That’s 7.

Build 67 Dynamics Together: Once in relationship, 67 becomes a practice. You maintain individual therapy or personal development (6) while taking on shared challenges like learning to cook together or planning ambitious trips (7). You respect each other’s need for stability while encouraging each other’s growth.

Red Flags: Recognizing Non-67 Alignment

In my experience, relationships fail when one or both partners haven’t reached 67 development:

56 levels: Constant need for reassurance, unclear boundaries, losing themselves in relationships, unresolved past trauma affecting present behavior, seeking validation rather than partnership
66 levels: Resistant to trying new things, defensive about feedback, comfortable staying exactly as they are, seeing growth as threatening rather than exciting

These aren’t moral failings, they’re developmental stages. But trying to build lasting love without adequate 67 alignment is like building a house without a foundation (operating at 57) or building a foundation but never adding walls (stuck at 60).

Why 67 Matters Now More Than Ever

Modern dating culture often emphasizes either 6 or 7 in isolation. Dating apps focus on static profiles (6) without capturing someone’s growth trajectory (7). Self-help culture preaches endless self-improvement (7) while neglecting the importance of stable self-knowledge (6).

67 demands both. It asks you to be whole and evolving. Grounded and ambitious. Secure and curious.

In my five years of matchmaking, the couples who last understand this instinctively. They didn’t need Skrilla to tell them about 67, they were already living it. But having language for it helps. Having a framework makes it actionable.

Moving Forward with 67

I know what you’re thinking: Skrilla made this up. It’s just a meme. It doesn’t really mean anything.

But here’s what I’ve learned: meaning isn’t something we discover, it’s something we create. Whether Skrilla intended it or not, 67 has become a useful framework for understanding relationship dynamics. People responded to it because they sensed something true underneath the viral trend.

The couples in my practice who demonstrate strong 67 alignment consistently build healthier, more resilient partnerships than those who don’t. That’s not coincidence. That’s pattern recognition from working closely with hundreds of singles trying to find lasting love.

So yes, embrace 67. Not because it’s trendy, but because the principles it represents, grounded stability combined with committed growth, are genuinely what successful relationships require.

If you’re looking for lasting love, start by developing your own 67. Then find someone who’s done the same.

The rest, as they say, takes care of itself.

About the Author

Nick is a professional matchmaker and founder of Met By Nick, a matchmaking service in New York City focused on creating meaningful, lasting connections. He has spent five years helping clients navigate modern dating and find compatible partners.

Nick Rosen