There are many elements that go towards dictating your compatibility with someone, such as your ...
- background
- career
- class
- culture
- education
- income level
- interests
- political views
- religion
Even though you may not be looking for (or even want) someone who is identical to yourself, a relationship can often be easier if you share at least some common ground. Failure to share at least some of your principles and major goals can cause problems after the initial period of infatuation wears off, and unless you are both willing and able to compromise, then you may be laying yourself open to a relationship filled with emotional struggle and hard work. Having the same goals and values can ensure that the two of you will be moving in the same direction and enable you to offer each other companionship and support (not opposition) along the way.
If you hate drinking, smoking and clubbing and your date loves to do all three, then you're going to become aware that you are fundamentally incompatible pretty quickly. So if it's important to you that your potential partner is the same religion as you or believes in fidelity, check this out early on, before you get too involved.
Take a look at the following statements to help you to find out whether you're likely to be compatible with your date. These points are some of the common goals that bind people together beyond the initial stages of a relationship; it's important for you both to agree on at least half of these to ensure a basic level of compatibility.