How Do You Know?

26M here. I’ve recently started exploring arranged marriage, and one question keeps bothering me.
How do you actually know when someone is worth pursuing?

In dating, I imagine feelings develop naturally over time. In arranged marriage, there seems to be an almost paradoxical expectation: you are supposed to evaluate compatibility with someone you barely know, while simultaneously giving emotions enough time to develop.

I’ve spoken to a few people, but I find myself overanalysing everything — how quickly they reply, whether they initiate conversations, how much interest they show, whether our personalities seem compatible.

Sometimes I wonder whether I’m genuinely assessing compatibility or simply searching for signs that someone likes me.

For those who successfully navigated arranged marriage, what made you think, “I should continue getting to know this person”?

Was it immediate chemistry, consistent effort, shared values, or something much less obvious?