"Growing Apart: The #1 Reason Marriages Fail (It's Not Cheating)"

Entrepreneur couples often face a unique challenge: one partner's ambition accelerates while the other feels stuck, left behind, or forced to keep up. In this episode, Marie (intimacy coach) and Adam (business coach) get personal about the times their own growth was mismatched — and what they learned about mindset, attachment, and control along the way.Key Discussion Points:Adam's Ironman training story and how it triggered feelings of abandonment for MarieWhat a "fixed mindset" really is — and how it often traces back to childhood safety patternsCarol Dweck's growth vs. fixed mindset research and how it applies to relationshipsWhy growing apart (not cheating) is a leading cause of marriage breakdownAnxious attachment and why a partner's growth can feel like a threatThe Michelangelo phenomenon: how great couples sculpt each other into their ideal selvesLetting go of control vs. trying to "fix" your spouseThe Dolly Parton example of supporting a partner's individual growthA practical exercise: the Vivid Vision practice for growth-minded couplesIntroducing the SPARK framework for weekly relationship check-insResources Mentioned:Mindset by Carol DweckVivid Vision by Cameron HeroldFree Couples Connection Workbook (SPARK framework) — link in descriptionConnect with Startup Spouses:Subscribe for weekly episodes on building a thriving relationship and a thriving business — at the same time.