Your success depends on your choice of spouse, study says

"Behind every successful man, there is a woman," goes the saying. But something which was only an adage for hundreds of years has now been scientifically proven, according to a new study.

Published by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University in the United States, the study says that a person's choice of spouse not only defines their success but could also be a cause of failure.

The research shows that partners who support each other in different aspects of life as well as while making decisions are more likely to succeed in life.

For the study, 163 married couples were selected by experts and each partner was asked to choose between a simple puzzle and a tougher competition. Thereafter, the conversation between each couple was recorded.

Experts noted that those who encourage their spouses during decision-making processes suggested them to go with the competition. On the other hand, those who discourage their partners asked them to select the simple puzzle. 

Experts studied the couples once again after six months of the first experiment and found that those people who had encouraged their spouses to compete for a prize had a stronger relationship as compared to those who asked their spouses to choose the simple puzzle.  

According to the author of the study, the findings of the research has made it easier to know that people can influence specific decisions of their partners in terms of job opportunities, finding new friends, and achieving long-term success.

The report also cites some examples of successful couples who influence each other's decision-making processes, such as Mark Zuckerberg's wife, Priscilla Chan, and Barack Obama and Michelle Obama, to prove the point.