How Success Changes A Relationship

[caption id="attachment_827779" align="aligncenter" width="1068"] Bigstockphoto.com/A happy African American man and woman couple standing together outside under a tree.[/caption] Success and status affect a relationship—whether we want to admit it or not. It can affect it in wonderful ways, like offering financial security and eliminating arguments about how to pay rent or afford a vacation. It can also help the successful person feel more confident and at ease—helping them actually focus less on proving themselves. But success can also make it difficult to keep the same dynamic you and your partner had when you were just starting out in your careers, young, hungry, hopeful, curious and creative. Those were fun years! Money and success don’t have to change people, but they can. Most psychologists and life coaches will tell you that so long as you’re right with yourself before you become successful, then money will only make you better. But if you have unresolved issues, money can destroy you. Here is how success changes relationships. [caption id="attachment_701813" align="alignleft" width="420"] Image Source: Shutterstock[/caption]

It can make your partner question his worth

If one person achieves a lot of career success and the other one doesn’t, the less successful one can become a bit insecure. They may start wondering, “Wouldn’t my partner rather be with someone as successful as she is? I better have something good happen for me soon or my partner will start to think I’m a loser.”         [caption id="attachment_708770" align="alignleft" width="420"] Shutterstock[/caption]

You can struggle to be present

Success always comes with more opportunities, more invitations to collaborate, more emails…it will become harder and harder to be present during date night with your partner. You need now, more than ever, to remind yourself the world can go on without you, and those emails will be there in the morning.         [caption id="attachment_699584" align="alignleft" width="420"] Image Source: Shutterstock[/caption]

Success can define your confidence even more

The higher up you get, the lower you can also get if and when your career doesn’t go your way. A meeting or deal gone wrong can quickly put you in a terrible mood and destroy your confidence, which naturally affects your relationship.         [caption id="attachment_626812" align="alignleft" width="500"] Image Source: Shutterstock[/caption]

You have to make tough choices

You’ll constantly have to choose between staying on that conference call later or making it to your partner’s office holiday party. Maintaining a work/life balance will only get harder and harder.     [caption id="attachment_702372" align="alignleft" width="420"] Image Source: Shutterstock[/caption]

New characters come into your lives

Success brings new characters into your lives—good and bad ones. Both you and your partner will have to deal with these people. You may need to work with someone you really don’t like, and that means your partner has to go to dinners and functions with that person, too.         [caption id="attachment_219442" align="alignleft" width="435"] Thinkstock[/caption]

You’ll work hard to remember what matters

You need to remind yourself, every day, that it’s your relationships that really make you happy in this life. If you don’t remind yourself of that, then your work/life balance will be thrown off, your partner won’t feel appreciated, and you could end up with a serious hole in your love life.           [caption id="attachment_220080" align="alignleft" width="500"] Shutterstock.com[/caption]

You can forget that all problems matter—even his small ones

It may be hard to listen to your partner vent about what you perceive as a small problem when you’re tackling an issue at work that could cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars. But you have to remember that if the issue feels big to your partner, then you should treat it with importance. [caption id="attachment_700233" align="alignleft" width="468"] Shutterstock[/caption]

Money talks can be uncomfortable

The truth is that, at this point, it may not make sense for you and your partner to split everything 50/50. This is especially true if you’d like a more expensive lifestyle, now that you have more money. These conversations can be very uncomfortable for you and your partner.             [caption id="attachment_712175" align="alignleft" width="420"] Image Source: Shutterstock[/caption]

You have to work hard for time together

You can’t just say, “We’ll see each other when we see each other” because then you’ll never see each other. You have to take time every week to put your calendars side by side and find time to be together.           [caption id="attachment_706777" align="alignleft" width="420"] Shutterstock[/caption]

His friends may want favors from you

When you are successful, people who want to use you come out of the woodworks. Your parent’s friends may try to use him to get to you, trying to ask you for favors, for money, for connections…it will be awkward for both of you.         [caption id="attachment_607204" align="alignleft" width="500"] Image Source: Shutterstock[/caption]

You’ll want to help your partner

You know your partner is talented, and you want the world to see it! You finally have the connections and visibility to help your partner show the world how talented he is.               [caption id="attachment_609701" align="alignleft" width="430"] Shutterstock[/caption]

Your partner may be too stubborn to accept help

Your partner may not want your help, and may insist he needs to do this on your own. He may even be insulted at your offer to help.             [caption id="attachment_702826" align="alignleft" width="420"] Image Source: Shutterstock[/caption]

Your partner can feel insecure about gifts

What do you get the woman who can afford everything herself? It’s not an easy question for anyone to answer. Your partner may feel insecure about picking you out heartfelt, but inexpensive gifts when you can buy yourself anything you want.           [caption id="attachment_710065" align="alignleft" width="420"] Image Source: Shutterstock[/caption]

Your sex life can take a hit

Between your partner questioning his worth sometimes, your confidence wavering like crazy and all of the other issues on this list, your sex life may take a hit.               [caption id="attachment_701345" align="alignleft" width="420"] Image Source: Shutterstock[/caption]

You have to practice gratitude

It’s always easy to think, “I could have more. There’s always more.” But you won't’ be happy that way, and your relationship won’t thrive that way. Start every day by being grateful for your health and your relationships. Remind yourself that, because you have those, you are already as successful as can be.

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