Politics: Although Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver have managed to maintain an apparently successful marriage despite vastly different political backgrounds, this is certainly an exception to the rule. Your political ideals say a lot about your views on social issues, government regulation, the environment, and so many other things. If your politics don’t “mesh,” you may find yourself arguing about major life issues.

Culture: Lisa’s family is from China. Lisa’s fiancé, Anthony, is from a boisterous Italian family. When Lisa and Anthony took both their parents out to dinner, it was disastrous. Lisa’s parents were appalled by the way Anthony’s parents laughed so loudly in the restaurant and joked around with the waiter. Anthony’s parents found Lisa’s parents to be “stuffy” and too “stiff” for their tastes. Lisa and Anthony are always going to be dealing with this “culture clash” at future family gatherings.

Common interests: How important is it to you that your partner and you do everything together? If your boyfriend loves football and you can’t stand it, will you start to resent how much time he spends in front of the television during football season?

When considering a long-term relationship, these issues can become critical in determining whether you will succeed in building a lasting partnership. It is important to clarify in your mind what you can really “live with” in a partner who you hope will be in your life for a very long time. Major differences in these areas can become divisive sources of tension in a relationship. You can prevent this from happening by giving plenty of thought to the qualities you want in your future partner, and not compromising by settling for less.