One of the key components to whether or not a relationship will work out is compatibility. Yes, opposites can and do attract each other, and those relationships actually can be successful. However, if you want the odds on your side without having to work really hard at keeping a relationship together, then you should have a few of the more important areas of life in common. Otherwise, the chances for a successful relationship tend to decrease as time goes on.
To make things even more tiring is the very real possibility of dating fatigue due to going through so many prospects only to find that none of them are compatible to you. This is something that can be held to an acceptable limit if you just figure out as quickly as possible how compatible you are with the person you’re going out with.
While it may seem a bit clinical, there’s a way to proactively scale down the compatibility check list and find out quickly whether this has a chance or not. Your first conversations should include the following topics of discussion. You’ll find out quickly if you and this prospect stand a chance or not:
- Chemistry has to be at the top of the list. It’s the foundation of all relationships and if you don’t feel it, there’s no need to go any further. So decide if there’s chemistry between you, if it’s intense enough and if it feels like it won’t fade away.
- Does this person’s appearance and grooming habits match yours? If you’re very picky about how you look, chances are you’ll want any partner you hook up with not to be scruffy and unkempt looking. Rate how important this person’s appearance is to you.
- What sort of lifestyle does this person lead? If one of you is active and likes to go out a lot while the other one is more of a homebody, there could be problems down the road. Therefore, it’s better to make sure you like to do the some of the same things.
- What is this person’s intelligence level and does it match yours? Deciding how important a person’s intelligence is to you is something that you need to figure out ahead of time. Does it bother you to be with someone smarter, or not as smart as you?
- Religious views really do count especially if one of you is and the other one isn’t. Oftentimes, different religions can be too diverse to co-exist happily together.
- The economic status can sometimes greatly impact a relationship. This is especially true if one is significantly wealthier than the other. Are you comfortable crossing these lines?
- You probably both need to be on the same page when it comes to matters of health. If you’re into eating a healthy diet while the other person lives off of junk food, there may be a problem brewing before you even get off the ground.
Those are some of the more important compatibility issues although you also may want to consider whether your sense of humor matches as well as views on politics and marriage and children, should it go that far.