What I Learned About Motivation That Saved My Marriage

The Dad Edge Podcast

Larry Hagner

Project, Self-improvement, Stevenson, Podcast, Edge, Education, Kids, Shawn, Family, Kids & Family, Fathers, Fatherhood, Community, Advice, Dad, Good, Health & Fitness, Children

4.8 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 18 April 2025

⏱️ 27 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

How often do we find ourselves waiting for motivation to magically appear, especially in our closest relationships?

I've been there too, more times than I'd like to admit. But here's the hard truth I've learned: motivation isn't a reliable spark; it's something we create.

In this deeply personal episode, I'm getting raw and honest about the reality of motivation in marriage. I'm sharing behind-the-scenes moments from my own journey with Jessica, the times I let motivation slip, and the small, intentional actions that helped me rebuild connection and intimacy. It's not about grand gestures; it's about showing up even when you don't "feel" like it.

Become the best husband and leader you can: www.thedadedge.com/mastermind

In this episode, I'll explore:

Why relying on "feeling" motivated is a recipe for disconnection in your marriage.
The insidious ways that distance can quietly creep into even the strongest relationships.
The power of small, consistent acts of love to reignite intimacy and connection.
Practical strategies to prioritize your spouse, even when life feels overwhelming.
How to break the cycle of waiting for motivation and start leading with action.

Here's what research supports about the power of action and intention:

Studies show that couples who engage in regular, small acts of kindness report a 28% increase in relationship satisfaction.
Research indicates that setting specific, shared goals increases the likelihood of improved communication and intimacy by 35%.
Prioritizing quality time has been shown to reduce feelings of loneliness in relationships by 20%.

If you're ready to stop waiting for motivation and start actively building a stronger, more connected marriage, this episode is for you. Let's take that first step together.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to the Dad Edge podcast. The Dad Edge movement creates leaders of men, leaders of families, and leaders of communities. We will not only impact this generation of fathers, but the next generation as well. The kids we are raising will have better chances and odds stacked in their favor because of the amazing example
0:21.2	that their fathers emulated for them. We are here to change the world. We are here to change
0:27.6	relationships. We are here to positively disrupt this generation of fathers so no man goes to their
0:33.6	grave with regret. We disrupt the drift of busyness and replace it with razor-focused intention,
0:40.3	passion, purpose, and direction.
0:43.7	We are the Dad Edge,
0:45.9	and we're here to change the game.
0:47.8	We're here to change the game.
1:07.5	I don't know. All right, gents, welcome to our third episode of the month of April, and we are talking everything motivation.
1:09.4	Here's a funny story for you real quick, for we jump into this.
1:13.2	I literally just saw this on social media in another dad group that I'm a part of.
1:18.5	A guy literally put a post up and he said, gents, I'm looking for motivation to get healthier.
1:25.1	I just can't seem to find it.
1:30.6	And it really made me think for a second because this is our third week in April and we're talking about motivation. This is the third
1:35.9	podcast, the third Friday podcast on motivation. I've deep dove motivation. I've studied motivation.
1:41.9	And one thing I can tell you is that those of us who wait for
1:45.4	motivation will be waiting a really, really long time. Because motivation, quite frankly, does not
1:50.6	magically appear. It only starts when we actually take action. Or here's the other thing, too,
1:56.4	we get really motivated when it might be too late. So let me give an example. We all know those types of
2:00.7	people that, you know, trash their health. They have a health crisis, like a heart attack, stroke,
2:05.9	maybe pre-diabetic, and then suddenly, man, I'm really motivated to take care of my health. That type of
2:11.7	motivation is what I would call crisis motivation. You know, or your wife just finally told you like, hey, I'm sorry, but I'm done
	...

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