Ken Carfagno interviews Jerry Dugan about his own ruts in life.

What Happens When the Host Gets Interviewed? – BtR 300

Guest host, Ken Carfagno, leads a conversation with Jerry Dugan to share his own ruts in life, and the inspiration behind Beyond the Rut podcast.

Ken Carfagno interviews Jerry Dugan about his own ruts in life.

Guest host, Ken Carfagno, leads a conversation with Jerry Dugan to share his own ruts in life, and the inspiration behind Beyond the Rut podcast. 

Why this Episode?

It started as a dare from a guest I met at Podcast Movement 2021. Ken Carfagno asked me in mid-interview, “Hey! Have you ever shared your story with your own audience?” That’s when it was decided that this milestone episode needed to be one where the microphones were turned.

Hopefully, no one listens to Beyond the Rut and thinks this host has it all together. There is a large reason why this show has interviewed others who have found success in their lives. The past six years have been a learning and growth season for those involved in the show.

Jerry has shared his story on other podcasts, but never really with Rutter Nation, except maybe for this episode about The Happiness Advantage recorded years ago. The truth is that even though Jerry learned from the ruts of others, like his parents, he still faced his own. It was one that he couldn’t take on by himself being married with children. A partnership was involved, and navigating out of it meant a married couple growing and guiding each other through major mindset shifts.

As you listen to this episode, remember that the driver behind our message at Beyond the Rut is to live a life worth living without compromising your faith, family, and health. That sometimes means taking a longer route in a world that is all about hacking the shortcuts.

Interviewing Ken Carfagno
Jerry Dugan was interviewed by Ken Carfagno at Podcast Movement 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee (August 2021).

In This Episode

  • The fact that our kids really grow up too quickly
  • Learning from the mistakes of my parents who missed their kids growing up
  • Military life and the wake-up call it brought on what mattered most
  • Operation Iraqi Freedom, the day my daughter was born
  • Letting the “monster” die
  • Being more than the dad who just-goes-to-work
  • What was Jerry’s own personal rut? 
  • The mindset shifts needed to overcome my rut
  • What to do when getting out of your rut involves bringing your partner along with you
  • The breakthrough of our rut
  • What’s next for Beyond the Rut?
  • What one thing is holding you back?

Jerry Dugan

Jerry Dugan is the producer and co-host of Beyond the Rut Podcast, a weekly show that discusses the areas of faith, family, fitness, finances, and future possibility in the hopes of inspiring and equipping listeners to pursue the life they’ve always dreamed of living. At the core of Jerry’s heart is to help people live authentic lives that leave a positive legacy with their families and within their communities. His work as a Community Educator for a battered women’s shelter and rape crisis center led to an appearance as a TEDxCorpus Christi speaker in 2013 where he talked about the need to redefine strength in manhood for healthier relationships, reduced crime, and improved business outcomes. Jerry converted that 2013 TEDx Talk into a short e-Book titled Strength Revisited. He currently lives in Dallas, Texas with his wife of 20 years. They are empty-nesters living the dream. 

Resources and Links

Listen to these past episodes:

A Simple Life is a Bigger Life – an Interview with Sara McDaniel – BtR 025

How the Happiness Advantage Can Change Your World (Part 1) – BtR 138

How to Live a Fulfilling Life Beyond the Rut – BtR 268

Download a free copy of Measure It to Make It and design the life you feel is worth living.

Connect with Us

Subscribe on Apple PodcastsSpotify, or YouTube, and never miss an episode

Twitter @beyondtherut

Facebook Beyond the Rut

Instagram @beyondtherut

Email [email protected]

Call 469-608-0355 and leave us a voicemail.

Episode Credits

Guest-Host: Ken Carfagno

Editing, and Production: Jerry Dugan

Music: “Oceans Apart” is our theme song composed and performed by Scott Ian Holmes.