After you write out your goals, I urge you to share them with your spouse, or significant other, and have the person do the same thing. You may be surprised to see what some of your partner’s goals are.

It’s helpful to do this because then you both have an idea about where each person wants to spend money. You can also see where you have goals in common.

Being aligned with one another, in terms of long-term goals, can be an especially strong way to bond with your partner.

That’s no small task given the amount of financial fighting that goes on with most couples. Did you know among couples who divorce, financial strife is one of the biggest reasons for the break up?

Seventy percent of all divorced people cite money squabbles as a reason, at least in part, as a reason for their divorce.

If you see a goal that your partner would like to accomplish in the future, now is the time to begin talking about how the two of you will meet that goal.

So let’s say you want to go back to school in a year, and he wants to launch a new business in a year.

How do you prioritize your goals? Compromises will often have to be made.

But at least you’ve began the process of being your dreams to fruition – by putting those goals on paper and considering what steps are required to get you there.

Excerpt from The Money Coach’s Guide To Your First Million now in paperback.