Eight Habits of a Successful Marriage.

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7. Building a Marriage Is Like Building a Home The 8 Habits of a Successful Marriage™ © 2005 FranklinCovey

8. The 3 C’s of a Successful Marriage Foundation Framework Roof

9. The 8 Habits of A Successful Marriage Unselfish Companionship Effective Communication High-Trust Character

10. Build a Foundation of High-Trust Character Habit 1: Be Proactive The first habit you need to build a foundation of high-trust character is:

13. Movie Carry Your Own Weather

15. Become a Person of High-Trust Character It is a greater compliment to be trusted than to be loved. — GEORGE MACDONALD To build high-trust, practice Habit 1: Be Proactive.

17. Build a Foundation of High-Trust Character Habit 2: Begin With the End in Mind The second habit you need to build a foundation of high-trust character is:

18. Habit 2: Begin With the End in Mind Shape your future… What do you want your marriage to stand for?

19. Marriage Mission Statements Our Marriage Mission: To love each other…to help each other…to believe in each other…to wisely use our time, talents, and resources to bless others… to worship together forever. Our marriage is great— As equal partners, we want to love, have fun, teach, and learn. We are a great team. A Married Couple’s Motto… It is our belief that the other is never wrong. Rather than blame or accuse, we simply ask the other: “Will you help me understand?” With love and understanding, we will grow our lives together. We circle at the summit. “ No Empty Chairs” John and Jane Covey

21. Build a Foundation of High-Trust Character Habit 3: Put First Things First The third habit you need to build a foundation of high-trust character is:

22. Your BIG ROCKS are your values—the things that are most important to you. Your LITTLE ROCKS are the things that get in the way of being true to your values—your big-rock “barriers”. Habit 3: Put First Things First

24. Build a Framework of Effective Communication Habit 4: Think Win-Win The first habit you need to build a framework of effective communication is:

26. Habit 4: Think Win-Win ® In relationships, you both can win.

28. Build a Framework of Effective Communication Habit 5: Listen First, Talk Second The second habit you need to build a framework of effective communication is:

31. Build a Framework of Effective Communication Habit 6: Synergize The third habit you need to build a framework of effective communication is:

32. Habit 6: Synergize We can work together. When you and your spouse creatively work together, you synergize.

35. Build the Protection of Unselfish Companionship The first habit you need to build the protection of unselfish companionship: Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw

36. Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw Sharpen the Saw means to take care of you and your marriage.

37. The Whole Person The 8 Habits of a Successful Marriage™

39. Build the Protection of Unselfish Companionship The first habit you need to build the protection of unselfish companionship: Habit 8: Lifting Yourself by Lifting Others

40. The Elements of Kindness 1. Choose kind words. 2. Speak in a soft tone. 3. Give rather than take.

42. Gives and Takes Why do marriages succeed or fail? Amazingly, we have found that it all comes down to a simple mathematical formula: no matter what style your marriage follows, you must have at least five times as many positive moments, ( GIVES) , as negative moments, (T AKES) , if your marriage is to be stable. — JOHN GOTTMAN, PH.D.