Your post is very motivating.

The best way is to find motivated sellers that are more motivated to be rid of the burden of owning a property than they are to get cash.

Your agent is telling you correct. if your trying to buy retail properties the owners are not going to accept low ball offers. you need to have your agent seek properties that are distressed, foreclosed bank owned or find a motivated seller.

It's also been under contract about 6-8 months ago.I have pro-formas, a good looking, full property, a good location, a semi-motivated seller, a good rapport with the seller, plus some interesting financing options.If someone with any insight could reply or PM me I can discuss the specific numbers.

Trace your REI endeavors back to your 'why' and motivate yourself again. 

I have been trying to figure out the best way to get motivated sellers.

Your 2 children can definitely be a source of motivation and through real estate it really is possible to create the lifestyle you desire for your family.

most of the leads i can tell right off the bat if they are motivated sellers or not, so i would just hand them over to my partner.

What I was thinking about doing was basically buying fixers and flipping them to myself or putting in low all cash offers with motivated sellers for properties that don't need much work,  with the goal of not putting much into the deals.  

I find the podcasts to be a terrific and motivating platform.