The Power of Shared Goals in Your Relationship
“Love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction.” - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Have you ever noticed how having a common goal (or even a common enemy!) can bring people closer together? It’s true in friendships, at work, and especially in relationships. In our Premarital Counseling program, we help couples uncover those shared goals that unite them—not just as partners, but as allies working toward something bigger than themselves.
Why does this matter? Because working together toward a goal inspires teamwork, strengthens communication, and encourages cooperation. When you share a purpose, it deepens your bond and solidifies the idea that you’re on the same team—a powerful foundation for any relationship.
Shared Goals: Your Secret Weapon for Connection
Every season of your relationship is an opportunity to create new shared goals that make sense for that particular chapter of your lives. When you’re just starting out, it might be as simple as saving for a dream vacation, setting a budget for your first home, or tackling a fun DIY project together.
As your relationship grows, your goals evolve too. Maybe it’s raising kids, planning for career moves, supporting a cause you’re passionate about, or even checking off bucket list adventures together. Whatever they are, these shared goals give you a sense of purpose, something to rally around as a team.
Why Goals Matter
So, why are shared goals so powerful? Because they:
Foster Teamwork: They remind you that you’re in this together, solving problems and celebrating wins as a unit.
Boost Communication: Working toward a goal requires talking things through, sharing ideas, and making decisions together.
Strengthen Cooperation: You’ll find yourselves compromising, balancing priorities, and finding creative solutions—all skills that make your relationship stronger.
Bring You Closer: Achieving something as a couple builds pride and connection, reinforcing that “we’ve got this” mentality.
What Shared Goals Do You Have Right Now?
Take a moment to think about it: What are you and your partner working toward together? Are you saving for something exciting? Planning a new adventure? Tackling a big project?
If you don’t have any shared goals right now, that’s okay—it’s never too late to create some! Start by sitting down together and asking each other:
What’s something we’ve always wanted to do as a couple?
What do we want our future to look like in a year? Five years?
How can we make each other’s dreams a reality?
Remember, the goal doesn’t have to be big or complicated. It just has to matter to you as a couple. Even something as simple as cooking a new recipe together every week or going for evening walks can create that sense of unity and purpose.
Every season of a lifelong commitment is a chance to hit reset and create new goals that bring you closer. So, what’s your next big (or small!) shared goal? Whatever it is, you’ll find that working toward it together not only brings you closer—it reminds you that you’re always stronger as a team.