Live Inspired Podcast with John O'Leary

It’s been a seven-year journey. Constant challenges and significant setbacks. An amazing community of friends showing up right on time with their financial investments, their connections, their ideas, their prayers and their encouragement to propel the effort forward. Today, at 9 a.m., on the set of the forthcoming feature film On Fire, Director Sean McNamara will bark out for the first time the words, “And………Action!” My friends, from financing to filming, every part of this has been a wild ride—some of which I have shared, much I have not. But nothing has been as surreal as selecting actors to play real life characters. Roles required for the movie include a Hall-of-Fame announcer named Jack Buck, two incredible parents, a brilliant physician, passionate nurses, and an important custodial member.  We filled roles for my siblings and friends, baseball players and fire fighters, bartenders and inmates. (Yeah, you gotta see the movie). Dozens of roles had to be filled. So, which role yielded the most auditions?

As a psychotherapist and relationship expert, Dr. Morgan Cutlip is on a mission to help women feel empowered in all of their relationships so that they feel whole, light, and deeply connected to those they love. To date, Morgan has helped more than 100,000 moms regain their sanity and prevent burnout. Today, Morgan shares her wisdom around how to prioritize your life, the myth around a permanent resting state of balance, the important of focusing on the good instead of the ways we fall short… and so much more. My friends, whether you’re a parent or caregiver, or love someone who is, this conversation reminds each of us that we have the agency to make changes that can lead to massive transfer transformation in your relationships.

This time of year, masks are mainstream for kids and adults alike. Halloween gives us an excuse to lean into childlike playfulness, get dressed up for a night and be someone radically different than we typically are. I love Halloween. And I love getting dressed up for it. But for many of us, masking our true selves isn’t reserved for once a year. For many, it’s Halloween all the time. Let me explain.

Arthur Smith is famous for his innovation and audacity, and as the man behind some of the longest-running unscripted series in television history. His groundbreaking hit Hell's Kitchen forged the modern food competition reality genre, while his Emmy-nominated American Ninja Warrior has spawned a cultural movement, with Ninja-inspired gyms in every major American city. Today, Arthur shares adventures, triumphs, and hard-won lessons in his journey from a shy, introverted nine-year-old boy to climbing the ranks of sports production to become the youngest-ever head of CBC Sports, Canada’s premiere sports broadcaster. My friends, this conversation is a reminder of just how far you can go when you work hard, take risks, and reach for your dreams.

On the afternoon of May 20, several thousand St. Louis University graduates would receive their diplomas. Thousands of parents, siblings and loved ones would fill an arena cheering for them. Everyone in the arena excitedly looking forward to this day they’ve worked a lifetime to achieve.  Everyone except one: The commencement speaker. Although I’ve delivered thousands of keynotes, each time I deal with a bit of anxiety and self-doubt. Leading up to the day of the commencement address, those fears were almost debilitating. And yet at 6:14am that day while pacing in my living room, the anxiety and self-doubt faded. A single text message showed up and transformed my anxiety into peace and my fear into gratitude. Let me explain.

Willie Robertson is a remarkable example of entrepreneurship and dedication built on hard work, faith, and family. Serving as CEO of Duck Commander and Buck Commander and star of A&E’s Duck Dynasty, Willie has expanded his family companies from a living room operation to a multi-million-dollar enterprise and destination for all things outdoors. Today, Willie shares how his father Phil overcame the shadows of his past to achieve an unexpected redemption, their journey from profoundly humble beginning to building a corporate empire built on faith and family, and so much more. My friends, whether you’re familiar with the Duck Dynasty family or not, you’ll love this humorous and redemptive conversation.

Political, spiritual, cultural and personal divides can at times seem insurmountable and far too complex for any one person to make a difference. But by choosing love over hate, understanding over prejudice, and dialogue over discord, we not only do what we can to honor the King legacy, but also fulfill the dream she shared with her husband.  A sword that heals—a force capable of mending the wounds of the past and shaping a future where justice, equality, and compassion reign supreme. Given the conflicts that have recently reared the grotesque head of violence around the world, savagely affecting innocent lives again, a long road remains in the pursuit of justice. Perhaps it’s time to reach for a sword that heals.

Martin Luther King III and Arndrea Waters King are dedicated to continuing the philosophy set forth by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr and promote peace, justice and equity for all. As the oldest son of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, Martin Luther King III is a thought leader on the world stage, a peacemaker, and a negotiator on some of today’s most critical national and international platforms for social change. Arndrea Waters King has dedicated herself to serving humanity as a passionate leader in the global fight against inequity, injustice, hate crimes, and all forms of pain. Throughout her life, Arndrea has consistently worked on behalf of those who have been marginalized by helping them find — and collectively use — their voices for change. Join us as Arndrea and Martin share how their continuing the King legacy, their work with the Drum Major Institute, and more. You’ll leave today’s conversation with a renewed sense of unity, faithfulness, togetherness, peace and ultimately forgiveness.

As a little boy, my dream was to fit in and be ordinary. Not to stand out, not to shine. I just wanted my scars to fade, fingers to grow back and normal life back. Which makes what I’m about to share even more stunning. If you would have asked 10-year-old John if he’d ever stand at the front of the room and talk about the most tender parts of his past in front of strangers, you would have gotten a hard no. Why would anyone want to hear it? If you’d asked if he would write a book about the hardest times in his life and the lessons learned? Again, no. Who would read it? What about turning his story into a movie? Nope. How would that even happen? And yet, my friends, the story of a little boy who should have died after being burned and then hid from those scars for decades has been shared thousands of times from the stage. It has inspired two best-selling books. And (are you sitting down?) is about to begin filming a full-length feature movie in my beloved hometown. Go ahead and read that again.  Yes, you read that right! ON FIRE is about to be made into a full-length feature movie and it’s being filmed in St. Louis! How’s that possible? Let me explain.

Child abuse survivor, Dave Pelzer, shares his unimaginable ordeal during years of abuse inflicted by his mother and how he rose above it. He highlights the pivotal role of teachers in his survival and the power of forgiveness. This conversation reminds us that we can rewrite our own narrative and find resilience even in the darkest of pasts.