Doctors, lawyers, actors, musicians, athletes, business owners — what do all these professions have in common? They are all successful people, but they have another thing in common: high divorce rates.
A person can be wildly successful in their career, garnering millions of dollars, promotions, and huge accolades. Unfortunately, though, a successful career does not always translate to a happy marriage. Many of these marriages end in divorce. Successful business owners like Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos are no exception. Celebrities? Nobody is surprised by divorce announcements anymore. In the entertainment industry, it’s a huge accomplishment to stay married for a decade.
But why do so many divorces happen to the rich and famous? Should successful people simply never get married? Not necessarily, but it is helpful to know that they divorce at a much higher rate than the average American couple. Indeed, the term “Hollywood marriage” refers to a marriage lasting under five years.
Here are some reasons why successful couples are more likely to call it quits and the one thing they can do to prevent that from happening.
Factors That Lead to Divorce
The rich and famous are different from normal, everyday folk in a number of ways. Here are some factors that lead to divorce:
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- Temptation. Celebrities often have many adoring fans. These fans may consist of attractive men and women, and it’s hard to resist this type of temptation, even when you are happily married with children.
- Opportunities. Successful people are often given more opportunities. Contracts, business opportunities, starring roles in films, advertising, and promotions are just some of the things that celebrities and business owners are offered. These opportunities are great financially, but they keep a person away from their spouse and children, causing their marriage to fall apart.
- Hectic lifestyle. Many successful people are rarely home. They may be filming a movie on the other side of the country. They may see their spouse a few days a month. This is not a recipe for a good marriage. Marriages take effort, and while absence makes the heart grow fonder, sometimes it ruins a relationship altogether.
- Keeping up appearances. When successful people are married, they often deal with a lot of two-facedness. They are always trying to look good and get approval from others. This creates a lot of tension in the marriage. Celebrities are always smiling and looking great, but in many cases, they are struggling. This creates a lot of dishonesty in their marriage because it’s harder to be present in the truth. After their red carpet event, the successful couple will have to go home and deal with the drama, and this causes their marriage to break down.
- The career is the priority. When you are successful, you cannot have your career and your marriage both come first. So many people focus on their careers, especially when they are younger and more virile. Athletes particularly want to focus on their careers while they are still healthy since many retire by age 40. Successful people may have just a limited opportunity to make a lot of money, so they cannot let time pass them by. At the same time, the marriage fails due to a lack of effort.
- They stop doing the little things. The success of a relationship depends on not only the major events but the small things as well. You need to go out on dates and spend time together. You need to plan special occasions and give your partner special gifts. You need to listen when they talk, remember things, and care about the important people and things in their lives. Successful people have a hard time doing these things because they are so busy. There are so many things competing for their time that they do not have time to think about their relationships with their spouse or children. However, these things are important. When you stop doing these things, the marriage deteriorates.
- There’s less worry about finances. Divorce is not as scary when you are worth millions of dollars. Many couples stay together much longer than they should because they are worried about finances. Successful people do not need someone for financial support. They do not have to worry about money; they will be just fine.
Spend Time Together
The most important thing you can do to keep your marriage together is to spend time together. If you are successful and really want to keep a marriage together, you have to be doing that on purpose. You will not get lucky and stay married for the rest of your life. You have to be deliberate about it, even if you have to schedule time together, date nights, or even sex. When you have time with your spouse, make the most of it. Do not spend it watching TV or playing on your phone. Have conversations. Do things together. Learn new skills or engage in hobbies together. Your marriage depends on it.
Seek Legal Help
Success in one’s career does not always equal relationship success. Many successful people struggle with relationships because they put their careers first, which is a recipe for disaster. A marriage has to be a priority, or it will eventually fail.
Your job or your marriage: which is more important to you? If you choose your job, then divorce will likely be in your future. Seek legal help from Broward County divorce attorney Scott J. Stadler. We will help you move on with ease. To schedule a consultation, fill out the online form or call (954) 346-6464.