Eighty-one percent of the self-made millionaires in my Rich Habits Study were never divorced.
This equates to a divorce rate of only 19%. 
That’s a staggering data point, considering, in the general U.S. population, the divorce rate, according to data from the National Survey of Family Growth, was somewhere between 44%-48%.
When you marry well, it shows up in the form of a long-term, sound marital partnership.
When you marry well it also shows up on the Balance Sheet, in the form of wealth accumulated over many years due to common values and habits concerning money.
When both spouses have similar values and habits, when they are on the same page, so to speak, building wealth and mutual fulfillment becomes much easier.
When values and habits conflict, both spouses are not on the same page, and building wealth and securing mutual fulfillment becomes difficult, if not impossible.
What, exactly are Values?
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Values are things you and your spouse have in common which are mutually very important to both of you:
- Similar Beliefs
- Similar Attitude Towards Family
- Similar Dreams or Aspirations
- Similar Desires or Wants
- Common Clarity or Vision of Your Future Life
- Similar Mental Outlook (Positive vs. Negative, Optimist vs. Pessimist)
- Common Work Ethic
- Shared Expectations for Your Married Life
- Similar Attitude Towards Honesty or Integrity
- Humility
- Similar Attitude About Education
- Similar Attitude About Trust and Fidelity
- Shared Passion for Recreational Activities
- Shared Interests
- Common Morals
- Shared Financial Goals
- Shared Family Goals
- Shared Lifestyle/Standard of Living Goals
- Common Attitude Towards Risk
In my book, Rich Habits, I expose the ten keystone habits that separate the rich from the poor.
Knowing what habits you and the one you love have in common is critical to a successful marriage and something you should consider before you tie the knot.
So, what habits do you both have in common?
Here’s a list to help you figure that out:
- Frugal With Money and Spending
- Bad With Money or Spending
- Spontaneous Spender
- Disciplined Spender
- Good Saver (You know if They Have Savings)
- Not a Good Saver (You Know if They Have No Savings)
- Exercises Regularly
- Does Not Exercise
- Healthy Eater
- Unhealthy Eater
- No Excesses – Does Most Everything in Moderation
- Has Excesses (Eating, Drinking Alcohol, Gambling, etc.)
- Patient
- Impatient
- Persistent and Tenacious
- Lacks Persistence or Tenacity
- Even Temperment
- Good Temerment
- Bad Temperment
- Has Control Over Emotions
- Very Emotional
- Reader
- Not a Reader
- Reads Regularly to Learn
- Reads Regularly for Entertainment
- Watches a lot of T.V.
- Watches Very Little T.V.
- Spends a lot of Time on the Internet for Recreation (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.)
- Spends Little Time on the Internet for Recreation
- Charitable
- Uncharitable
- Plays Sports
- Does Not Play Sports
- Smokes Cigarettes
- Has Drug Habits
- Has Many Friends (Good at Building and Maintaining Relationships)
- Has Few Friends (Bad at Building and Maintaining Relationships)
- Truthful
- Lies or Exaggerates
- Positive Mental Outlook (Optimistic, Enthusiastic)
- Negative Mental Outlook (Pessimistic, Depressed)
- Happy
- Unhappy
- Diligent
- Careless
- Speaks Their Mind
- Vets What They Say
- Gossips
- Does Not Gossip
- Hard Worker
- Lazy
- Early Riser
- Late Riser
- Neat and Organized
- Sloppy and Disorganized
- Kind
- Unkind
- Grateful
- Envious
- Good Listener
- Bad Listener
- Never Complains
- Complainer
- Yells
- Talks Calmly
- Outgoing
- Introverted
- Talker
- Listener
- Outdoor Person
- Indoor Person
- Disciplinarian or Strict
- Permissive or Lenient
- Dreamer
- Pragmatist
- Aggressive
- Passive
- Goal Oriented
- Not Goal Oriented
If you and your future spouse have common values and shared habits, you dramatically increase the odds that you will both have a fulfilled, happy, healthy and wealthy life.
The reason so many of the self-made millionaires in my Rich Habits Study stayed married for so long, and the reason they were even on my list in the first place, is due in large part to finding a spouse with whom they shared common values and common habits.
