In 1969 the Rolling Stones released a song that reminded us “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” Mick Jagger sang the lead, and we all sang along with him, agreeing with our whole hearts.

Years later, very early in our marriage, Ben and I learned the truth of this proclamation when we had our first big fight–I mean, enthusiastic disagreement—about doing the laundry. 

As it turns out, compromise saved the day and probably our relationship. 

And in the years since, we’ve come to realize that healthy compromise has many benefits.

John Baldoni, writing for the Harvard Business Review, says this: Today, I see too many people who see compromise as a bad thing, an abandonment of principle. In reality, a willingness to compromise is a sign of great conviction…(as in, the conviction that the relationship comes first.)

As easy as that sounds, he says, it is remarkably hard to adopt.

But he gives some great advice and excellent questions for making it work.

 Find out more in this week’s episode about what compromise is and most definitely is not.

And sing the Stones’ song in your head for a while…

NOTES:
Baldoni, John. “Compromising When Compromise Is Hard.” Harvard Business Review. October 12, 2012. https://hbr.org/2012/10/compromising-when-compromise-i

Baughan, Jill. “Ask yourself a life-changing question: ‘What’s it like to be you?’”
Find Joy No Matter What Podcast, Episode 98.

Emily Joy. “On Compromise and Shrinking.” http://emilyjoypoetry.com/on-compromise-and-shrinking