Innovation and relationships: Of journey, project, milestones and deliverables

I was wondering about the lead and lag indicators of relationships recently.

If the lag indicator of innovation is that a successful prototype must reach the market in X weeks and be commercially successful, then the lag indicator of a boy gal relationship must be a successful marriage in X years leading to offsprings.

Big S, the elder of the twin celebrity sisters in Taiwan once said: "If you do not intend to get married, then what for go dating?"

I think both "innovation" and "relationships" have the same expectations; that with all good intentions, the end result should be satisfying. Hence, we all harbour good hopes.

However, at the same time, "innovation" and "relationships" cannot guarantee that all the efforts and pains will lead to a successful outcome. Often, its a judgement call and if one makes a bad judgement call, one still has to live with it.

Hence, while that "innovation" or "relationship" lasts, one should maximize the enjoyment from the journey, the learnings from this experience, so that one can be wiser for the next.

This brings to another questions- in "innovation" we treat it as a project, we have milestones. Should we treat "relationships" as milestones? Eg, marry each other after 3 years of dating etc?

I personally feel that marriage is a matter of "feel", which should not be set a deadline. Its a flexible milestone; if both parties are ready, then they are ready (this of course, cannot apply to "innovations" as the innovation sponsor will definately scream his lungs out at the project members).

If the above reasoning sounds fine, then what really is the lead indicator of relationships then?

Suppose the guy in a relationship is the 'investor' in a 'innovation' and the gal in a relationship is a 'project manager' in that 'innovation'.

For guys: the amount of time and $$ invested on the gal from the war chest? =) (innovation has the corporate venture fund to fund innovation and a lead indicator is the amount of projects funded)
For gals: the no of Ah bengs you can go out with before mum ask for marriage to a 'nice' guy so that she can recoup her losses for rearing her daughter till this day? (the no of failed trials you can afford before the innovation sponsor gives you the ultimatum before the sacking!)

If innovation and relationships are indeed linked, the common understanding would be: a lot of efforts does not necessary guarantee that you will see any returns, but if you do not try, you will definately never see any returns. (you miss all the shots you never try)