Personally, my dating experiences taught me so much about what I needed to do to get my act together in my life. It was a harsh lesson, and certainly very embarrassing as well, but I am sure glad I learned it.
I certainly don't suggest going out and dating a ton of people, but I do suggest being honest with yourself and with who you're dating....don't tell people what they want to hear, it's unfair and confusing.
In my personal experience, I found that there were some things that I would never have figured out needed "worked on" until being in a relationship. And then I found that different things come up with different people, and no amount of advanced planning could have prepared me for that. What is important is to find someone that has realistic expectations that things may come up from time to time, and to be realistic yourself about the other person's issues. Baggage doesn't have to ruin or keep you from a relationship, it's how someone deals with that baggage that is the key. To think you'll find someone that doesn't have baggage is ridiculous, it's all in finding someone that can deal with that baggage constructively.