POWER COUPLE 101

A.) Relationship Lessons from Legendary CouplesBuild your home togetherLife isnt just about where youre going but where you can go back to. As your home represents the backbone of your relationship, moving in together is a relationships biggest turning point.Rather than be intimidated by the prospect of fighting over the remote control and other cohabitation disasters, embrace the opportunity to create an environment to which you cant wait to return. Make the process a team effort that will result in equal areas of individual space and an overall design of comfort and unity. Legendary Hollywood couplePaul Newmanand Joanne Woodward exemplified this approach by choosing a 250-year-old farmhouse in Connecticut as their private sanctuary a home that they shared for 48 years and that also served as the backdrop of their life together.Look good for each otherLooks matter yours and hers. The intellectual spark that comes from being dialled into each others minds can keep the fire burning for years to come, but a steady physical spark will keep your bodies connected for nights on end if you put in equal effort to keep the attraction alive.To keep your looks high in your partners eyes, eat right, sleep better and hit the gym regularly. You can go further by enhancing your wardrobe and dressing up together for fun nights that will make things even more exciting when you get home. In the entertainment world, look no further thanDavid Beckhamand his wife Victoria. They've been married for over 10 years, and its a rarity to see either one of them looking bad when theyre in public together. Follow this relationship lesson and reap the rewards

Play together to stay togetherOpposites attract, but common interests can keep couples together. A guy who successfully taps into his ladys interests can add another layer of strength to the overall relationship. While leisure activities and sports are a great way to bond, playing together on a professional basis has special benefits also.If your career allows it, team up with her on projects that can combine both of your unique skills. If you know what makes her tick, youll know how to motivate her. If you dont, its a great way to learn. Be her professional hero by setting realistic goals and bringing out the best in her. Shell return the favour. Grammy Award-winning power couple Jay-Z and Beyonce have been collaborating professionally since 2002 and have been romantically involved for just as long. By teaming up, they get professional and personal satisfaction.Maintain your independenceThe life you had before your relationship started doesnt need to stop when things get serious with a woman. If you give up your friends or let your career lag, your overall identity might evaporate. The irony in devoting your time and energy to her is that you can become boring or clingy in the long run.You can make your relationship a priority while also keeping your friends and career close by setting time aside for personal and professional activities.Tom BradyandGisele Bundchenare the perfect example, with each maintaining clear independent identities. In his case, he gets to spend his days fighting for the Super Bowl and his nights with a supermodel wife and family. Give yourself the best of both worlds and follow this simple piece of celebrity relationship advice.Compatibility beats ageEvery man has his own idea of what age he desires in a partner, but whether youre aiming older or younger, its her compatibility with you that needs special consideration. Depending on your stage of life and state of mind, an older womans experience and wisdom might fulfil your needs, while a younger womans carefree lifestyle and contagious enthusiasm might be the fountain of youth that you are seeking.Dont ignore your attraction to a woman who might not fit your perfect age requirements, otherwise you could both miss out. With a 25-year age difference, Michael Douglas andCatherine Zeta-Joneswere a surprise celebrity relationship, but their May-December marriage remains in full bloom because their chemistry supersedes the numbers on their birth certificates.CommunicateMaintaining an open channel of communication can give your relationship a strong foundation. In difficult moments, your core bond wont waver. Unfortunately, if youre closed off by nature, you can run the risk of being labelled as emotionally unavailable. By the time youre ready to be available, you might find yourself single again.Good communication doesnt mean polluting your relationship with a slew of heavy conversations. If you work your communication magic right, you can keep things light while also letting your partner know that youre tuned into her feelings. In todays digital age, Twitter wizards Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore are celebrities who practice great communication with each other. Whether its face-to-face or through social media, they are consistent communicators who always know the score in their celebrity relationship.

B.) 6 Characteristics of a Power Couple

Power couples are in sync with each other.All of the power couples mentioned support each other. Whether it is working on a film together or in Jay-Z & Beyonces case, performing on each others albums, power couples provide opportunities for their significant other to shine. Interestingly enough, many powerful couples worked in the same or similar industries and rather than competing, they combined their efforts.Power couples have fun together.From weekly date nights to regular vacations, all power couples step away from their busy work lives to nurture their relationships. They understand the importance of nurturing each other in an intentional way.Power couples mind their finances. It is not secret thatfinancial problemslead many couples to destruction. Power couples have accumulated wealth and they are able to invest in the experiences and assets that they care about.Power couples haveexcellent communication.They are able to verbalize their needs and to solve problems and concerns quickly. While my husband and I have fun during our weekly date night, we also use the time to check in and clear the air. We decided to go on a weekend getaway recently because we realized we were just too wrapped up in work commitments and needed some alone time.Power couples stand the test of time. I am reminded of the lyrics to Alicia Keys song Unbreakable.Power Couples do not earn that title until they first become powerful individuals. While they experience an intense love that radiates and resonates with the world, they also have projects or careers that theyre committed to. In other words, their life does not stop with their love. Their love is the fuel that keeps them sharing their other talents and gifts with the world.

Here are few power couple pointers that work for me and my husband. I encourage you to add to the list and modify them to suit the unique qualities within your relationship. A power couple doesnt take power trips and waste time arguing about who is in control. A power couple capitalizes off of each persons strengths instead of focusing on each others weaknesses. A power couple can produce and build something together, whether a business, a home, a community service project, etc. That not only benefits them but helps others. A power couple recognizes that they can do more, have more, and give more when they are working together as opposed to working individually. A power couple is not intimidated by other power couples. In fact, a real power couple learns from others and seeks mentors to help them grow. A power couple presents a united front as parents and refuses to allow the children to divide and conquer them. A power couple makes a plan, works the plan, and revises the plan as needed so that the vision for the marriage is realized. A power couple does the hard work necessary to work through marital problems and to learn from difficult circumstances. A power couple believes they have the perfect spouse even though their spouse isnt perfect. A power couple serves as an example for other couples to learn how to be uniquely powerful in their marriages. A power couple places God and family in the centre of their lives and protects their faith and loved ones from negative influences. A power couple recognizes that real powerdoesnt reside in money, in careers, or in reputation. Real power resides in love.

C.) POWER COUPLE 101POWER COUPLE 101: THE ONLY GOAL IS SUCCESSSeek out the potential for success in your love and your career. Do not be afraid of this question:What is your vision of success in life and can you attain it with this person?Career:In order to begin your path to success, you must be able to recognize your same drive and enthusiasm about the future in your significant other. While their vision of success may differ as far as their career choice it needs to be on the same intellectual and enthusiastic level to be worthy of support. If there is a lack of enthusiasmtowards the type of career/venture that is chosen the relationship will suffer due to the lack of support.Love:After the butterfly stage of a budding relationship you need to start picturing how you want your love to be. Do you want a deeply involved love, in which you know the makings of their soul? Do you want a surface love that only deals with the problems you feel like touching? Do you want a balance between the two? Do you want to be asuccessful couple? Choose the type of love that will make your life balanced and comfortable for your lifestyle.Keep in mind that an un-evolved love or career movement is not healthy and the relationship will not survive.

POWER COUPLE 101: THE GLADIATOR & THE GODDESSThe Gladiator helps the Goddess to survive while the Goddess helps the Gladiator to succeed.The Gladiator and Goddess are roles of support that take different forms. The Gladiator is the warrior that will ensure the survival of the Goddess through actions such as: revenue seeking, marketing ideas, and financial planning. The Goddess is the nurturer that will seek ways to develop the ideas or actions of the Gladiator. The establishment of these two roles creates a working partnership of support, which will give each individual power within each others ventures. Why is this important? If no one else is able to support the new or established venture(s) with full comprehension of the vision, the spouse/partner needs to be able to. Additionally it creates a need for both to invest in the future of the venture(s) making one collective vision to succeed. A key to surviving in these roles is to understand that the competition is not between the couple, but between the couple and the world.

POWER COUPLE 101: MAKE LOVEWhile making love is a given in a successful relationship there are times in which it must go beyond the physical act.Career:You need to make love to your ideas and the ideas of your significant other by pushing them beyond comprehensible possibilities. When new ideas are presented in business it is nerve-wracking and can easily stray someone off course; therefore it is best to test them out on someone you trust i.e. your significant other. If it is a good idea caress it with questions that get to the substance of the idea and watch it grow. Ignite the fire behind the venture by feeding supplemental ideas that strengthen the product/brand. This will turn into multiple babies that the two of you would have created together, nurtured, and loved through the process. If it is a bad decision/idea do not be afraid to say that sucks, but you must be able to present a revised, different, or better idea. This avoids depleting confidence and shows that you are not against them.Love:As the two of you operate in the same or different entities your love life can virtually disappear. Make an effort to enhance your bond by being adventurous in and out of the bedroom. Continue to date and explore each others bodies, minds, and spirits through sporadic moments of affection, planned dates, and sexual experimentation. It is critical to make time to make love, so you do not have to fight to save it later.

POWER COUPLE 101: PEACE/PIECE OFYOURMINDWhen you care for someone all you want to do is tell them what to do to be prosperous for your peace of mind. What you dont realize is that too many pieces of your mind will destroy the confidence and control of your significant others progress.The best thing that you can do to keep the peace is knowing when to shut up.Their Mind:The whole reason why the entrepreneurial adventure began is because they had one idea in their mind that has flourished. Thats right,their mind, so it is not yours to control. It is imperative for yourpeace ofmindthat mistakes are learned from andnot all decisions involve yourpiece of mind. Your voice is not the only one that is to be heard, sometimes its 2-3000 voices to be heard and the leader does not have time to think for themselves. Although the Gladiator and Goddess roles are needed there are limitations that allow the individual to fight for their own professional life. When it seems that their mind is cluttered do not add to it with more advice, suggestions, and ideas, give them breathing room to make the right decisions.Your Mind:Remember those 2-3000 voices? Well they double when replaying and siphoning through all of the complaints, suggestions, and advice from your colleagues, consumers and lover. Eventually the moment arrives when youlose it and want to scream just to silence them all. The first step to your peace of mindis to recognize that despite the other voices you are in control. Secondly know where to direct your energy and frustrations, and try to ease them away from your persistently helpful lover. Focus on solutions thatyoufind to be the best fit for the problem/need. Only then should you consider the thoughts of others including your lovers. Finally create your own process of handling crisis, there is no set formula so find one that suits you and adjust when necessary.POWER COUPLE 101: BALANCING ACTThe most difficult thing to do other than relinquishing or gaining control of your own power is the balancing act betweenthe two great loves of your life.Lets paint the scenario of an entrepreneur in love: You have 7:00 pm dinner reservations and its 5:30 pm. You still have three major emails to send that will take at least 20 minutes to do each, and you need to beat the traffic home to change, then beat the after rush hour traffic to make your reservation. The night out will surely leave you in decently sober relaxed state and your mind will not be on work. If you opt not to send the emails before the 12:00 pm PST cut off time to make the reservation, you will lose three major contracts youve worked 6 months for. If you opt to work late and cancel dinner you will likely lose some bed action or get in an unresolvable fight with your loverdecisions decisions.How do you resolve situations like this to keep your love intact?From the beginning make it a mutual understanding that the work is just as important as the relationship.Five ways to balance it out If it looks like a busy day whether at the office or home, schedule working lunches or dinners in which you can take on your Gladiator/Goddess roles and enjoy each others company. Make time for radio silence; a period in which you are unplugged and all of your attention is on life and love. This will clear your mind and your body of stressful energy and strengthen your bond. We all want to be superheroes, were not. Do not expect perfection, expect connections with someone that complements your lifestyle and love requirements. Steal moments where you can show love to one another, whether it is a kiss, quickie, or a simple email to say I love you. Talk about your days. This comes back to knowing when to shut up, listen, and be a Gladiator/Goddess to drive each other towards success.Can two moguls co-exist as apower couple? It turns out that couples have simply evolved from a hunter/gatherer mentality to a mogul mentality. The only doom lies within a lack of understanding and communication as each individual rises to the top. Love is no longer a distraction when it comes to building an empire, it is the essence of a growth of a dream.

D.) 8 Things Power Couples Do DifferentlyPower couples can seem like intimidating forces, managing to have their own wildly successful careers as well as relationships. Though Beyonce and Jay Z are probably just superhuman, the secrets of how most power couples make it work aren't reserved for the mega-rich and famous.Here are eight things power couples do right:1. Brainstorm together.In a January 2008Fortune magazinefeature, Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates explained how much he depends on his wife Melinda's opinion. "Melinda and I would brainstorm about [the company]," He said. "You always benefit from your key confidante telling you, 'You think so-and-so stepped on your toes? Well, maybe he didn't mean to. Maybe you're wrong.'"

2. Work to improve themselves, individually and as a pair.In a March 2013 interview,Will Smithexplained how he makes things work with his wife of 17 years, actress Jada Pinkett-Smith:When we got started, we both truly connected on wanting to be better. Thats where it all started. There were other people that we were dating and other people that we were attracted to but there was a commitment to constantly be better that was what we connected on. Our whole world and relationship was that, Hey, I know that I may not be all of that today but what Im not going to do is lay around and not keep working to be better to deserve you.

3. Support each others' pursuits and ambitions fully, even if that means taking turns.Sheryl Sandberg famously wrote inLean In:When it comes time to settle down, find someone who wants an equal partner. Someone who thinks women should be smart, opinionated and ambitious. Someone who values fairness and expects or, even better, wants to do his share in the home. These men exist and, trust me, over time, nothing is sexier.The Clintons have certainly supported each other's political careers. While Bill Clinton was running for and serving as president, Hillary supported him -- and it was his turn to champion her during her 2008 campaign. He may well be back in thatsupporting role during the 2016 elections... here's hoping.

4. Exercise together.Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer and her husband Zachary Bogue, an investor and former lawyer, make time to work out together. According to a profile of Mayer in the September 2013 issue ofVogue, the pair run half-marathons together and enjoying hiking and skiing.

5. Get divorced when it stops working.Sometimes a marriage just doesn't work out, and it's always best to know when it's time to let go. Power couples who have decided their relationship wasn't working any more include the insanely talentedAmy Poehler and Will Arnett, who split up in September 2012 after nine years of marriage. "I'm 43, and I've found my happiness -- which is my kids," Arnett said in an interview withDetails magazine. AsNora Ephrononce wrote, "Never marry a man you wouldn't want to be divorced from."

6. Avoid the limelight.Bill and Melinda Gates famously refused to talk to the press about their relationship, and a 1995Seattle Timesarticle reveals the extent to which the Gateses protected their privacy: "While I understand that your readers may find my story interesting because of the man I married, it is a personal decision for me not to share information about our relationship or my personal life with the world at large," Gates allegedlywrote to a reporterwho wanted an interview shortly after she married Bill. Melinda didn't give her first public interview until 2008, when she finally broke her silence to discussthe Gates Foundation.

7. Follow their own interests --even when they work in the same field. FLOTUS and POTUS are great examples of this as lawyers-turned-politicians. Though she has a number of official duties, Michelle Obama has often focused on her own passion projects, fromLets Move!toLGBT rights.

8. Compromise on scheduling.Stella & Dot founder Jessica Herrin has been married to her husband Chad, the VP of a Bay Area software company, for 14 years. She told theHuffington Postthat the pair make sure their work and travel schedules complement each other:[My husband and I] have [also] evolved our careers over time to work together as a family. His used to involve a lot more travel, and he switched his role so that we weren't going in two different directions at the same time.