Relationships
The Power of Supporting Your Partner’s Goals
How backing each other’s aspirations strengthens relationships
When we first married, my wife, Emily, had just finished college and was running a small tutoring business on the side. I’d already spent a decade in the military and was working at a geopolitical think tank, leading part of its creative team. We were the carefree couple — no kids, plenty of vacations, and dining out whenever we felt like it. My salary made life comfortable, and Emily’s income was just a bonus. But in the middle of purchasing our first home, I approached her and said, “I think I’m supposed to quit my job.”
For the last few years, I’d been volunteering with a startup nonprofit. The organization had been started by the vocalist of one of my favorite metal bands, Jake Luhrs of August Burns Red, and worked in the mental health field. After returning home from the Iraq and Afghan wars, I lost a few friends to suicide, while several others struggled with mental illness and post-traumatic stress. I wanted to help, and when I found Luhrs’s organization, I volunteered my time and talents. Within a year, I was handling the finances, logistics, creative endeavors, and resource creation, all while ensuring we secured a spot at Vans Warped Tour to scale the organization and get our name…
