Timing Is Everything: Sometimes It’s Best Not To Get Involved

When they’re launching a business

If you start a new relationship with someone who is launching a business – say they’re opening a restaurant or going live with their startup tech company – you will often wonder if they’re cheating on you. They’ll go MIA for days on end. They’ll take days to respond to texts. They’ll have to bail on plans at the last minute. They’ll sneak out of bed at 5am for a call. But they (probably) aren’t cheating: they’re making their life’s dream come to fruition and it takes all of their attention and energy. If you’re with someone for years and are able to establish a good foundation before they start a business, the relationship can make it through that. You’ll understand that, for a while, you won’t be top priority. But starting a new relationship when someone is in that place can lead to a lot of disappointment. One great rule for starting a new relationship is this: make sure the person is at a place in their life where they can give this relationship a lot of attention.