John Cena opened up about how marriage fundamentally transformed his approach to life and work, revealing he spent years as an isolated workaholic before finding balance through partnership.
Speaking on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, the 17-time world champion shared candid reflections on his personal growth ahead of his December 13 retirement.
"I just looked around. I'm like, what am I doing? I have no connection in my life," Cena admitted about his pre-marriage existence.
The wrestling icon described how his "hardest worker in the room" mentality became destructive over time.
I do too much heroin, we got to get you to a doctor. I work too much. Oh, you're on the grind, bro. It's admirable.. You get a dopamine rush for wanting to work," Cena explained about society's acceptance of workaholism. "Severed friendships, no real connections. If you're with me, you're riding my coattails, hold on cuz we're doing this my way.
Marriage Changed Everything for John Cena
Marriage changed everything. Cena described what true partnership requires - and why he wasn't ready for it in previous relationships.
It's giving when you have no time. It's listening when you have no patience. It's reaching out a hand when they're knocked down. It's encouraging the growth of your partner's journey as well as your own. It's doing things together. It's talking about everything together. There are no hidden spaces.
His wife has attended every show since the "Summer of Cena" began, experiencing roughly 100 WWE events.
Life After Wrestling
Looking ahead to December 14 and beyond, Cena expressed excitement about exploring life outside wrestling.
I'm more concerned about what my life looks like. I'm also okay with being driven in purpose by life, by being a good husband, by mastering an instrument or taking a long drive or going to see the world cuz I've only seen arenas and airports.
The transformation from isolated perfectionist to team player represents what Cena considers his greatest personal achievement - and proof that he's ready to step away from wrestling permanently.
