Many singles may not know exactly what they hope to achieve during their lifetime, but dreams of the future are often about possibilities. Those who are considering making a formal commitment to another person should take a hard look at what their partner wants. They should then compare it to their own ideas about their goals, and it may help them decide whether they should commit or leave.
There are many people who look forward to purchasing a house and starting a family. The single person about to make a decision to commit needs to know their partner has at least the same approximate outlook. If their significant other believes the best lifestyle for them is to never settle down and ensure they do not have children, then the relationship will be far less than a success.
Making a commitment now means being together in the future. It is about shared values for today, but it is also about future plans and dreams. For those who find their dreams are completely opposite, compromise may not be enough. Leaving will mean starting again to try to find that perfect partner, but it will also mean a person has an opportunity to keep their own dreams alive. It could hurt now to walk away from a relationship, but it can lead to a lifetime of pain if a person gives up their own dreams to stay.
Dreams of what can be in the future are not always what a person eventually chooses, but they are a general guide to what they need emotionally or want physically. Remaining with a person who refuses to consider those dreams is a pathway to despair. Even if the couple manages to find a compromise that lets them have part of their dream, the end of the relationship may always be hovering on the horizon.