Working in unison with your wife can be a powerful tool. In fact, when you both set your minds to a goal, you can achieve great things together!

I’m a very goal-driven person. I like to know where I’m going. The problem with working on a goal by yourself is that it can be hard to have accountability. You can throw yourself a pity party and give up. I’ve found that when Alison and I are working on a goal together, we get much further than I would than if I was pushing on my own.

Joint goals with your wife give you shared purpose. As you communicate about what you both want in life or in a particular instance, you both start to see the benefits of hitting that goal. There’s several reasons why working on goals with your wife can make you a formidable team.

• There’s a shared vision. When everyone in the car knows where you’re going, some decisions are just made for you. For example, if your goal is to get out of debt, you don’t have to wonder if it’s time to get a new TV or to go on vacation. You both know why you’re sacrificing and it makes it that much easier to say “no.”
• Two is better than one. It can be hard to work on a goal when your wife isn’t on board, especially if she’s against your goal. If your goal is to lose weight and she insists on making doughnuts, cakes, and rich desserts every day, you’re not going to lose an ounce. But, when you work together, you can both make your individual contributions and go the distance.
• It opens communication. When you set a goal together, you both better understand each other’s needs, wants, and desires. Your marriage is strengthened because you’re communicating on a much deeper level than the typical day-to-day “maintenance” communication.

It’s not all roses and butterflies. When you’re working together, you can also encounter complacency together. You can let each other “have a little break,” slack off, and miss the goal big time. You’ll have to find a way to counter complacency, but it will be easier if you both accept that it will happen.

Any goal worth doing will be a challenge. By working with your wife, instead of counter to her, you’ll both achieve goals you never thought possible!

Tags: Communication