In the simplest words, a life partner is someone with whom you're going to share your life experiences, ups and downs and nurture your future.

The person who is going to be so intimate in your life has to be someone special. You cannot just pick a life partner based on mere chemistry or attractive personality or communication skills.  Yes, all these qualities are important but they help in individual growth more than they help in nurturing a relationship. 

Common mistakes in choosing a life partner:

• Attraction:  Some people get highly attracted toward any prospect of someone's personality and decide to marry them. This is not right...one must find a deeper meaning and connection, if possible, behind that attraction. If you are 100% sure then move forward.
• Fixing match based on caste and Kundalis rather than compatibility and understanding: There are bound to be differences between two persons because everyone is unique in their own way, but instead of finding a compatible base to coexist people tend towards matching castes and other paperwork. This is not bad because it has been a tradition in countries like India, but what I mean to say is, you should always look beyond this. Find something deeper to connect with the partner. 
• DO Not Avoid any red flags: There are times when you get to see the truth of some person through their actions/speech or any little behaviour or habit. Most people have the tendencies to avoid these red flags. Do not ever do that because it will be harmful  in the long-run for sustaining a relationship. Confront your partner kindly and meaningfully about what upsets you.
• Looking just for money: Money is a basic phenomenon for sustaining life. However, instead of money-making machines, look for a deeper thing like Stability (financial, economical, emotional).

Always remember that your life partner is going to be your best and the most intimate person in your life forever. Thus, form your decisions calmly and wisely rather than irrationally.