Self-improvement. I don't care what it is. They could be trying to learn a language, further their education, exercise learning a useful hobby. Just something that shows me that the person I see today is still growing and looking to be a better person. If you stagnate you can begin to slide backwards as you age.

Self-awareness. The ability to step back and admit where you are flawed is absolutely invaluable. I can't live or be with someone who is too self-absorbed to believe that they are ever wrong.

Clever. This sort of goes hand in hand with self-improvement, but there has to be some base to work from. If you are stuck with a problem and have an unusual set of tools to work with you need to be able to start throwing around ideas to figure out the solution or what you are missing to solve the problem. The world is never going to give you the ideal set of tools to solve the hardest problems.

Confidence. I don't need, or really even want, someone who never questions themselves. She does however need the confidence to believe in herself. Confidence allows you to push yourself. If you are confident you can push your limits knowing that you can recover if something goes wrong. Confidence also allows you to receive help or step back when you aren't the best person for the job. You know that you are valuable and don't feel diminished when you aren't perfect.

Compassion. I like when she is able to take care of herself and take on the world, but no relationship is complete without compassion. Being able to hold her and feel her hug tighten when I'm thinking about letting go hoping that we can stay just like we are for just a minute longer. Watching a movie while holding hands and I feel her hand involuntarily squeeze when someone sad or dramatic happens. Being able to express and feel deep compassion is very important to me.