Mindset : The New Psychology of Success pdfdrive com

EACH ONE A LOSER
Penelope’s  friends  sat  at  home  complaining  that  there  were  no  good  men.
Penelope went out and found them. Each time, she would find a great guy and
fall head over heels. “He’s the one,” she’d tell her friends as she began reading
the  bridal  magazines  and  practically  writing  the  announcement  for  the  local
paper. They’d believe her because he was always a guy with a lot going for him.

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But then something would happen. It was over for one of them when he got
her  a  tacky  birthday  present.  Another  put  ketchup  on  his  food  and  sometimes
wore  white  shoes.  Another  had  bad  electronic  habits:  His  cell  phone  etiquette
was poor and he watched too much TV. And this is only a partial list.
Assuming traits were fixed, Penelope would decide that she couldn’t live with
these flaws. But most of these were not deep or serious character problems that
couldn’t be addressed with a little communication.
My  husband  and  I  had  been  together  almost  a  year  and,  as  my  birthday
approached,  I  sent  a  clear  message:  “I’m  not  mercenary,  but  I  like  a  good
present.”  He  said,  “Isn’t  it  the  thought  that  counts?”  I  replied,  “That’s  what
people say when they don’t want to put thought into it.
“Once a year,” I continued, “we each have our day. I love you and I plan to
put time and effort into choosing a present for you. I would like you to do that
for me, too.” He’s never let me down.
Penelope  assumed  that  somewhere  out  there  was  someone  who  was  already
perfect. Relationship expert Daniel Wile says that choosing a partner is choosing
a  set  of  problems.  There  are  no  problem-free  candidates.  The  trick  is  to
acknowledge each other’s limitations, and build from there.