The 80/20 Rule of Relationships - Are You Guilty?

The 80/20 Rule states that in most healthy long term relationships, you only get about 80 per cent of what you need/want from your current partner. This is because no one is perfect and a couple are usually two different individuals with diverse backgrounds and personality. But if you're well matched, you're both respectful of one another, loving, and share a lot of the same interests - This is the 80%.

This may look like everything to you at the beginning of your relationship, but with time, the fact that your partner is not a clone of yourself becomes more apparent. It becomes glaring if you happen to meet someone who catches your attention for one or various reasons. It could be because they are sexier than your partner, more domestic, more intelligent, or love action movies same as you where your wife will only see romantic comedies.

Bottom-line, there is that one thing your partner lacks which this new person fulfills - this is the 20%. In the heady rush of realizing you share something with this new person that you've probably been missing for a while, it is easy to forget all the good things you already share with your partner.

You may quickly conclude that this new person is the one. Your soulmate. The one you've been looking for all your life. If you don't sit down and think clearly about things, your current relationship may be over. Some say for men, the missing 20% is usually sex, and time and attention or money for women. But really, it could be anything.

Toke Makinwa in her recent vlog above talks about how she has seen this in her social circles. How there are so many weddings and not the same number of marriages. Check out the video if you can and let's discuss.