Of relationships and success
People go into relationships for various reasons. While some may prefer to go into a relationship to find true love, some may prefer to be in a relationship just to have fun.
Either way, it is imperative to understand that the relationships that we decide to get into have an impact on our partner’s well-being, whether directly or indirectly.
This then also pushes us to think on how relationships may contribute to the success of our partners because, honestly, each and everyone wants to have a successful partner that he or she can boast of.
When choosing to go into a relationship just for fun, realistically, we carefully choose on someone who is successful. The same applies even when we decide to have a serious relationship where we want to find true love.
But the other thing, perhaps, that we miss out in our quest to find a relationship, be it serious or not, is how that particular relationship may positively or negatively contribute to the success of our partner.
Radio and television personality Chisomo Mbwenye, who works for Times Group, says supporting your partner is the best motivation one can give to a partner that can, in turn, contribute to his or her success.
“Say your partner is into business, has a full time job or even school, by getting yourself familiar with their line of work and being there always helps a lot because you get to understand them and in the end they feel important,” she says.
Mbwenye further says communication and openness is one of the recommended ways that also helps when handling conflicts and, in turn, enabling a partner to sail smoothly in his or her quest in finding success.
“Poor communication contributes to relationship breakdowns and the best way to handle it is to be open to one another and telling each the truth,” she adds.
Agreeing with Mbwenye is Lisa Sabola, a fourth-year student pursuing a degree in banking and finance at Malawi Assemblies of God University (Magu) in Lilongwe.
She says: “I, for one, think that motivation that springs from a source that gives one an assurance of its existence is most likely capable of inducing self-belief and confidence in the other party.
“Though drawn from dependency, a partner’s success can induce success in the other party if, and only if, selflessness is erased with the longing to seeing nothing but the best in the other partner’s life.”
Besides, Sabola also says it begins with the desire to see one’s partner succeed followed by acting or working towards it and this could vary from person to person and/or couple to couple.
Sabola further states that some partners could buy each other books or listen to material that would equip them for the desired success.
On his part, Fred Kantande, a fourth-year student, studying Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS at College of Medicine (CoM) in Blantyre, is of the view that collaborative efforts are needed in relationships.
“I think partners can motivate each other to succeed in a way that when things are not working out, the partner always offers psychological support and reasons to keep fighting, bearing in mind that they are doing things for the betterment of the two of them.
According to Kantande, conflicts can best be handled using open dialogue which can ensure that the relationship has strength and can last a life-time.
According to Brooke Feeney, a social psychology professor at Cernegie Mellon Hall in Pitsburg, there is a likelihood of a strong link between strong relationships and success.
In her study, Feeney observed that a thriving life can be attained by having a strong support system.
“What this means is that relationships of all kinds, can directly affect the way we understand and utilise motivation,” says Feeney in her study.
Further, Feeney states that in a relationship, the other person can keep everything stabilised and going in the right direction; hence a relationship can serve as a goal incubator, continually nourishing and polishing the thriving individual.
