The key to a successful relationship, according to Greg Behrendt, comedian and co-author of the book “He’s Just Not That Into You,” is having a quality relationship with yourself.

Behrendt gave his best advice for starting relationships toward the end of his presentation.

“I wrote two books about getting out of relationships. The only thing I can say about getting in is this: If your life has meaning to you and others around you and you are happy . . . and you are of service on this planet and you are who you’re meant to be, and when you lay your head down on your pillow at night and you are comfortable alone in your skin — when that happens, someone will come along and try to [screw] it up with their love,” Behrendt said.

He spoke at the Great Hall in the Memorial Union on Tuesday. The lecture was a combination of stand-up comedy and a story about how he came up with the idea for the book.

“I like you. Don’t be an idiot,” Behrendt said was the tone of the book.

The idea for his book started out on the show “Sex and the City”. Michael King, chief executive producer of the show, invited Behrendt to work on the set as a consultant. He became the go-to man for relationship advice while working with the female writers on the show.

“It was like a party trick,” Behrendt said, and “‘He’s just not that into you’ was born.”

The idea made it into an episode of “Sex and the City” before it became a book. After the episode aired, the idea soon became a topic on “The View.”

”That is when we knew we had something,” Behrendt said.

The first draft of the book was sent to an agent, who immediately broke up with her boyfriend. Then the draft made it to a publishing house, where there were two additional break ups.

“It clearly already had some legs — there was already something happening,” Behrendt said.

The book was released September in 2004.

After Behrendt appeared on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” the book became an instant success.

Behrendt said it was a surreal experience. He said he felt like people were seeking the counsel of a clown because his first career in life was comedian and he never dreamed of being an author until it happened.

The lecture included Behrendt’s other hilarious experiences on the topic of relationships, including an old girlfriend who punished his goldfish for killing her goldfish.

The event was funded by GSB.