Thanks for the response!I know this is easy to say, but have you thought about pursuing further education towards another career? Not all education has to be in the formal sense. I study additional programming languages in my spare time, for instance. I won't get any degree for it, but I don't need one when I can show I have the experience. Try to seek out a similar method for yourself? This might lead you to getting a job in a field you actually enjoy -- if the one you studied isn't truly to your liking. (Although what you studied typically doesn't have anything to do with what you'll be doing in that field, in my experience.)
It's great that you've got some goals that aren't dating. You said it yourself: you have bigger priorities. Your priorities are in the correct sequence anyhow, since it's not easy to get a girl when you have self-confidence issues.
Just remember that you're young and have plenty of time to sort yourself into the man you want to be.
I have thought about it actually, and I may very well look into it.
I enjoy my career choice a lot of the time (animation), but since my final college year I've struggled to stay motivated with it. I was given the task of directing an animated short film in my final year, and because of how my previous years of college went my tutors were expecting me to deliver. Sadly due to problems with the college (and additional personal problems for me), I along with everyone else were unable to finish our short films (which luckily didn't matter to our grades, but it did to the reputation of the college). Because I was treated as the best in the class the blame was mostly put on me, and this had a profound impact on my confidence in my work. Without sounding too boastful I've always been treated the best in art/animation throughout my life in relation to peers, and to lack confidence in my work in the final year really fucked me up.
I ended college nearly a year ago now, and the whole ordeal with the final year is the main reason I lack motivation and still don't have a job yet. There's a company I'm aiming for which I think would suit me well (as a freelance character animator), but most of the jobs out there are runner jobs in the VFX industry, something I'd rather avoid. I'd avoiding it not only because that industry doesn't interest me, but also because of how notoriously bad the work/life balance is (my friends doing it literally have no lives whatsoever).
I'm looking at part-time jobs at the moment, but I feel I should at least get a character animation job if I can. To ensure this I'm currently working towards improving my showreel tenfold to do just that. If I don't enjoy the industry I can always quit, but I feel having spent 3 years training to become an animator I've got to at least try it.
Outside of art/animation (and something I currently enjoy more) is playing music, and because of this I'm trying to get a band together. I cannot tell you how much I'd love to do it, and it would also improve my confidence as an added bonus. It's a huge pipe dream I know, but I'd like to at least try and go somewhere with it if I could, I just worry about how much free time I'll have for the band when I have a full-time job.
Obviously all of this goes far beyond girls, but I've just got to ensure I get my life sorted first.