Question-Week ending Sunday 11/10/02:
How much effort do you put forth to plan quality time and activities with your loved one, to achieve a happy, long lasting relationship? Use the following scale to vote: A-Extreme=100%; B-Positive=90%; C-Moderate=75%; D-Weak=65%; E-Don't care=50%; F-Hate my relationship=less than 50%. Please read the Pre-Poll Commentary before taking this poll.
Pre-Poll Commentary:
In this fourth poll of the Daily Dozen Disciplines, we will discuss why it is so important to plan and focus on investing quality time with your loved one. Successful loving relationships don't happen by accident. It takes planning, discipline and lots of understanding to develop a lasting, happy relationship.
Just as it takes skills to be effective at a job or your life's work, it also takes skills to be successful in a loving relationship. Whenever you take anything for granted in life, trouble is just ahead on the horizon. This is especially true in a loving relationship. Many individuals wouldn't think of being late for an appointment with their president or manager of their firm. Yet the same individual will constantly be late for appointments and commitments with their loved one, using recycled excuses.
If you treat your loving relationship with the same respect that you treat your company's largest client, you will be on your way to success. The fundamentals are the same for all aspects of success in life. Plan quality time and activities with your loved one, and then execute your plan flawlessly. No excuses please!
Let us know what degree of effort you devote to focusing on investing quality time with your loved on? This may bring to your consciousness the need to make positive changes NOW, to enjoy a happier life at home. After all, a loving partner in one's life is what everyone searches for during his or her visit to planet Earth.
This poll will end on Sunday 11/10/02. Watch for the results and summary by Monday morning 11/11/02.
Results:
- 34% reported Positive-90% effort toward loved one
- 30% reported Moderate-75% effort toward loved one
- 18% reported Extreme-100% effort toward loved one
- 14% reported Weak-65% effort toward loved one
- 05% reported Not caring-50%effort toward loved one
- 00% reported Hating their relationship with loved one
Post-Poll Commentary:
There were no standouts of strength in our poll results this week. The number one vote was a Positive effort of 90% is made by 34% percent of our respondents, with 30% reporting a Moderate effort of 75%. The latter 75 score in school is a C grade at best. The effort we put into planning time with our loved one deserves more than a C grade. You must sow to reap. Meager efforts will bring meager results.
I believe the issue of focusing time and effort toward developing strong relationships with a loved one takes a backseat to so many other activities in life. For many men their job takes first priority followed by their favorite sport or pass-time such as golf, fishing, bowling, NASCAR, football, etc. For most working women, they devote similar hours at their jobs followed by so many family responsibilities. Who has the time for developing Loving Relationships? Is there any wonder why relationships have less than a 50% chance to succeed?
As with all of our polls, this one is to make you THINK about what's really important in your life. Don't shortchange your loving relationship. Plan time to nurture it. Make it a priority to develop the discipline to share some quality time together as often as possible. You will reap the dividends of this plan for a lifetime.