Part 6/19:
The overarching insight from this section is that knowing oneself—understanding intrinsic personality traits—is crucial for selecting a partner with whom one can sustain a harmonious, long-term relationship. It’s not necessarily optimal to find someone exactly like oneself, as similarities in strengths and weaknesses can lead to mutual reinforcement of issues. Instead, complementary traits can balance each other out. Yet, excessive differences—particularly at the extremes—tend to be a chronic source of conflict.