--- title: How to Make a Relationship Last, Backed By Research description: Assume the best in your partner. canonical: https://time.com/4105380/relationship-rules/ author: Eric Barker article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-11-10T05:01:15.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:49:27.533Z article:section: Ideas og:title: How to Make Your Relationship Last: 3 Secrets Backed by Research og:description: Assume the best in your partner og:url: https://time.com/4105380/relationship-rules/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6c81bf8e92d22dda/698870383c1639160545a9fa/mature-couple-holding-hands-meadow.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5600 og:image:height: 3150 og:image:alt: mature-couple-holding-hands-meadow og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: How to Make Your Relationship Last: 3 Secrets Backed by Research twitter:description: Assume the best in your partner twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6c81bf8e92d22dda/698870383c1639160545a9fa/mature-couple-holding-hands-meadow.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # How to Make Your Relationship Last: 3 Secrets Backed by Research > Sponsored content. 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It explains how TIME's journalism is made, from the first pitch through the editorial decisions behind a finished story or cover. #### How can I read about how TIME chooses its covers? Inside TIME is the newsletter where TIME's Editor-in-Chief explains cover selection and the editorial reasoning behind major stories. It is free at time.com/newsletters. #### Who is the editor of TIME? Sam Jacobs is TIME's Editor-in-Chief. He writes Inside TIME, a twice-weekly newsletter about the newsroom's reporting and editorial decisions. #### Is Inside TIME free? Yes. Inside TIME is a free newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and available at time.com/subscribe-agent. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-inside-2026q3/newsletters?i=439390df-9a94-442a-b3fc-cbc4ba4fb6ed&cr=time-nl-inside-2026q3-v1) ## Video: What One Woman Learned From Taking a Year Off From Her Marriage [Watch (HLS stream): What One Woman Learned From Taking a Year Off From Her Marriage](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/B3QCkNPd.m3u8) (3:53)  _Published 2015-04-01. Robin Rinaldi did what many women dream of but few actually do: she took a year off from her marriage, made an agreement with her husband that they would both sleep with other people for a set period of time, and threw caution to the wind._ by [Eric Barker](https://time.com/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Nov 10, 2015 5:01 AM UTC  close up of mature couple hands holding in meadow close up of mature couple hands holding in meadow Getty Images by [Eric Barker](https://time.com/author/eric-barker/) ## Eric Barker Nov 10, 2015 5:01 AM UTC The beginning of a relationship is amazing. But often, it starts to fizzle out later on… The things you used to love about them start to annoy you. They don’t listen. They don’t seem interested in meeting your needs. It doesn’t feel reciprocal anymore. What’s the problem here? We all want to know how to make love last. [Aaron Beck](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0049B22V6/?tag=timecom-20) is one of the heavyweights of psychology and he has a very interesting perspective on why things go wrong in relationships. Everybody talks about _feelings_ but what Beck says is key is learning the errors people make in _thinking_ when it comes to love. And no, not just your partner’s thinking — yours, too. So let’s learn what these errors are and the three ways to fix them so you can have a happy, loving relationship. Where should we start? Well, this may sound terribly unscientific, but the first thing we need to talk about is mind reading… ## You’re A Terrible Mind Reader Beck says one of the key problems is that you’re an awful mind reader — but unfortunately that doesn’t stop you from trying to do it over and over again: _“She’s quiet. She must be angry at me.”_ _“He didn’t take out the trash. He must not love me.”_ There could be a zillion reasons why people do what they do. But we think we know the answer. And we’re usually negative. And we’re usually wrong. And this is how many relationship problems start. From [_Love Is Never Enough: How Couples Can Overcome Misunderstanding_](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0049B22V6/?tag=timecom-20): --- > “” --- Ever wonder why drunks get in so many fights? [Research](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2010/09/why-does-alcohol-increase-aggression/) shows that alcohol increases our belief that others did things intentionally. Somebody bumped into you? It wasn’t a harmless mistake, it was disrespect. And often we all act like drunks in our relationships. We assume benign errors are huge signs that someone doesn’t love us. From [_Love Is Never Enough: How Couples Can Overcome Misunderstanding_](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0049B22V6/?tag=timecom-20): --- > “” --- Now some might say, “_Hey, I’ve been with this person a long time. I really do know what they’re like._” In some cases you’re probably right, but the more intimate a relationship, sometimes the more likely it is that people will misunderstand each other. From [_Love Is Never Enough: How Couples Can Overcome Misunderstanding_](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0049B22V6/?tag=timecom-20): --- > “” --- (To learn the 4 most common relationship problems, and how to fix them, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/12/relationship-problems/).) So you know you can’t read minds, but what is actually going wrong here? What errors in our thinking lead to this? There are three little devils in particular we need to look at… ## 1) The Wrong Kind Of Bias Your relationship may have clinical depression. Yes, relationships can have psychological disorders just like people do. When individuals think negatively and assume the worst, it’s called depression. And when you do this in a relationship, it has the same negative consequences. From [_Love Is Never Enough: How Couples Can Overcome Misunderstanding_](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0049B22V6/?tag=timecom-20): --- > “” --- When you first fall in love, the other person can do no wrong. And it feels so good. And this is actually quite a [healthy perspective](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/12/relationship-problems/). But that positive bias often changes. The “free-spirited” quality you loved so much is now called “flaky.” The behavior didn��t change much, but your interpretation did. From [_Love Is Never Enough: How Couples Can Overcome Misunderstanding_](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0049B22V6/?tag=timecom-20): --- > “” --- When our mind reading assumes the positive, as it does early in a romance, that’s good. But when we shift to assuming the negative, things get bad. (To learn how to be a good kisser, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/08/how-to-be-a-good-kisser/).) So rose-colored glasses can help. What’s another big problem with mind reading — one you have probably done or had done to you that really messed things up? ## 2) Unspoken Rules Tell me if this sounds like a prescription for a successful relationship to you: _I have a list of rules. But I’m not going to tell you what they are. If you violate them, I’m allowed to get angry. Also, even though I’m not going to tell you what the rules are, not knowing the rules is also a violation and I’m allowed to get angry at you for that too._ Hardly sounds fair, right? But we all do this at times. We have things we expect but never make clear. And I know what some of you may be thinking: “_But \_\_\_\_ really should be obvious. They should know that. I shouldn’t have to say it._” “[Should](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2015/04/frustrated/)” is a really problematic word. You’re saying the universe needs to bend to your will. Try the word “should” with the weather and let me know how that works. What’s obvious to you is not always obvious to others. We can all have very different interpretations of the same things. It’s a lot better to make things clear than to assume that your needs are obvious and the other person is inherently evil. From [_Love Is Never Enough: How Couples Can Overcome Misunderstanding_](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0049B22V6/?tag=timecom-20): --- > “” --- You’re not good at reading other people’s minds and by the same token, you can’t expect them to be good at reading yours. So unspoken rules are a bad idea. (To learn how to flirt like a pro, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/10/how-to-flirt-scientifically/).) The third problem answers a question we’ve all wondered about: “_Why does my partner blow up about the stupidest little things sometimes?”_ There’s an answer… ## 3) Symbolic Meanings You were late and your partner just explodes. _Huh?_ When was the death penalty the punishment for lateness? But to them, late means, “_You don’t care about me._” You know, the same way that “We didn’t make love last night” means “You don’t want me to be happy”, and how “You didn’t take out the trash” means “You’re a malevolent demon in human form.” All of us attach _symbolic meaning_ to certain actions. We’re often terrible about communicating the importance of these minor things and yet we expect others to know just how vital they are. From [_Love Is Never Enough: How Couples Can Overcome Misunderstanding_](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0049B22V6/?tag=timecom-20): --- > “” --- Any time you attach strong symbolic meaning to something very innocuous without telling your partner, you’re expecting them to read your mind. And that, as we know, causes problems. (To learn the recipe for a happy marriage, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/10/recipe-for-a-happy-marriage-2/).) Okay, so we’ve seen how being bad at mind reading and expecting others to read minds can lead to problems. How do we fix this? There are three steps… ## 1) Play “Find The _Should_“ You need to find your unspoken rules, your symbolic meanings, and all those nasty uncommunicated “shoulds” you have regarding your partner. Watch yourself next time you get angry or anxious. What is the “should” that you’re expecting from your partner that you’re not getting? What unspoken rules are you assuming are obvious that might not be? And if you realize these expectations are irrational, guess what? You need to change them. The problems couples experience usually aren’t so much from actual behaviors as much as the anger over these broken “rules.” From [_Love Is Never Enough: How Couples Can Overcome Misunderstanding_](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0049B22V6/?tag=timecom-20): --- > “” --- (To learn how to have a happy family, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/10/how-to-have-a-happy-family/).) Okay, so you’ve thought about your “shoulds”, unspoken rules and symbolic meanings. What’s next? ## 2) Communicate Your Needs (And Ask For Theirs) Talk to your partner about these expectations. And past that, you want to learn the expectations that _they_ have of you. You need to double check your mind reading. You’ll be surprised how wrong you’ve been about some things. From [_Love Is Never Enough: How Couples Can Overcome Misunderstanding_](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0049B22V6/?tag=timecom-20): --- > “” --- How do you know when you really understand your partner? If you’re able to paraphrase back to them their feelings and needs, you’re in good shape. And not only does this mean you understand, _it lets them know_ you understand — which is almost as important. From [_Love Is Never Enough: How Couples Can Overcome Misunderstanding_](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0049B22V6/?tag=timecom-20): --- > “” --- Relationship expert John Gottman talks about the importance of building a “[love map](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/12/relationship-problems/)” — knowing your partner so well you can build a map of their needs and how they think. It was something he consistently saw in the happiest couples. (To learn the 4 new parenting tips that will make your kids awesome click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2015/06/parenting-tips/).) So what’s the final tip? Time to put those rose-colored glasses back on… ## 3) Correct Your Bias Don’t act like a drunk and assume every bad thing is intentional. Assume your partner wants the best for you unless the opposite is absolutely clear. And even then, ask. Next time you assume the worst, try and [reframe](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2015/10/how-to-get-rid-of-anger/) your perspective to explore other reasons why they may have done what they did. Instead of assuming, “They yelled because they don’t love me” it might be time to think “They did that because they’re in pain. How can I help them?” Another good thing to do is to start noting all the good things they do instead of the bad. Every time your partner does something that you’re grateful for, write it down. This is similar to one of the [most proven methods for becoming happier](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2013/09/how-to-live-a-happy-life/). (To find out the 8 things the happiest people do every day, click [here](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/06/happiest-people/).) Okay, we’ve covered a lot. Let’s round it up and learn an easy way to remember how to put it into action… ## Sum Up Here’s how to make love last: * **You’re A Terrible Mind Reader:** Stop assuming you know why they did something wrong. You don’t. Want the answer? Ask. * **Rose-Colored Glasses Are Good:** If you’re going to try to read minds, assume the best. Otherwise, why the heck are you with this person? * **No Unspoken Rules:** They can’t read minds either. Stop thinking “it’s obvious.” If it was obvious, you would not have this problem. * **Symbolic Meanings Confuse People:** To you “being late” means “you don’t love me.” To them “being late” means “being late.” Clarify your interpretation or they’ll think you’re insane. You’re not a bad person. And neither are they. It’s often just a misunderstanding. So treat it that way. The secret to that crazy love is often just wearing [those rose-colored glasses](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/12/relationship-problems/): believing your partner is the best and that they want the best for you. As J.D. Salinger once said: --- > “” --- **Join over 225,000 readers. Get a free weekly update via email** [**here**](http://eepurl.com/o6uAD)**.** **_This piece originally appeared on_** [**_Barking Up the Wrong Tree_**](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2015/11/how-to-make-love-last/)**_._** Related posts: [How To Get People To Like You: 7 Ways From An FBI Behavior Expert](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/10/how-to-get-people-to-like-you/) [New Neuroscience Reveals 4 Rituals That Will Make You Happy](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2015/09/make-you-happy-2/) [New Harvard Research Reveals A Fun Way To Be More Successful](http://www.bakadesuyo.com/2014/09/be-more-successful/) ## Transcript I saw a headline the other day that said something like Woman Sleeps with Twelve Strangers in a Year and is Shocked, Shocked Shocked, When She Divorced. No, I was not shocked. Who, nobody would be shocked. Good girl seeks experience. I'm a 44 year old professional, educated, attractive woman in an open marriage seeking single men age 35 to 50 to help me explore my sexuality. You must be trustworthy, smart and skilled at conversation as well as in bed. We will first meet in public for coffee or a drink. If that goes well, we'll have dinner. Possibly followed by sex. Our time together will be limited to three dates. As I cannot become seriously involved. When you think about it. A lot of people do this. They don't move out and set up rules and have an open marriage and apart time separation. They just have affairs. I was living in San Francisco. I was in my early 40s. My husband and I hit a marital crisis where I wanted to have children, and he didn't. And he ended up saying that he wanted to get a vasectomy. And at that point, I thought, what do I need to do now before. My life is over if I'm not gonna have children. That's when I realized I really needed to sow the oats I'd never done in my youth and needed a little time off from my marriage to do that if we weren't gonna be having a family. It was the fact that I was gonna let them get away scot- free. After three dates. The three basic rules were safe sex, no mutual acquaintances and, no long term serious relationships. We both ended up breaking two of those rules over the course of the year. I wanted their smells, their stomachs, their grasping hands and hungry mouths. The more maleness I had, the more female I could be. I sought it out despite the warnings of concerned friends, the obvious pain I was causing my husband, the moral code and defining boundaries of the self I'd known for 44 years. Come what may, I would be ravished and then they could All I can say is that it was unlike me to act that way. I'd always been a very cautious and even anxious person. It was something instinctual and something very female driving me. It wasn't really planned and strategized as much as felt. Kind of a calling that I just needed some time to explore this before I went forward in my life. People would tell me this is so brave, and I didn't, I didn't feel brave. I, but I felt I was acting on instinct. [ MUSIC ] Okay. So, Angie. Angie. In that time. I met several people had experience with several people learned not just about other people but about my self. Via these sexual experiences. And I also learned more about my marriage. Expecting your spouse to provide passion and security and purpose. It's a lot. Going through this process gave me all this experience that kind of turned into this awareness and this wisdom that, wow I was asking too much. And so now as a result I don't look to someone else. To, you know, kind if unfairly provide all of those things. And I couldn't have learned it. I don't think unless I actually went through it. 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