Live Inspired Podcast with John O'Leary

Regardless of where the event is, how large the group is, or what the makeup of the crowd is, I love the audiences we get to serve. By the end of our brief time together, there is always a connection, always a bond. That shared experience and exchange of energy is what makes this work truly life-giving. It’s also why I leave each room with more friends than when I walked in. So to describe the feeling I had this weekend taking the stage at On Fire For Good, looking out at an audience that I ALREADY know and love as friends, and knowing that thousands more were watching from their own homes is difficult to put into words. But I’ll try. Friends, I love you and there is nothing you can do about it. Let’s continue the work of reminding the world that the most powerful weapon on earth is the human spirit on fire.

I consider Thanksgiving one of my favorite family holidays. It's certainly a wonderful time away from work, enjoying good food, viewing football, and taking inventory of the many blessings in life. Join me as I share a tradition I've been implementing at my family feast the last few years. Today's episode will ignite an abundance of gratitude and help you celebrate Thanksgiving on fire.

Are you a turkey person? And no, I’m not talking about the makeup of your Thanksgiving dinner plate this week. I’m talking about a question that when asked the first time went on to change the life of the individual that heard it. And years later when I heard it, did the same for me. It’s a question that’s poised to reframe not just our understanding of what it means to serve and love others but one that can transform the effort we bring to our relationships, our work and our purpose in the world. Think I’m exaggerating? Take a listen.

In 2007, Brad Formsma had an idea to inspire people around the globe to live generously. After selling his landscaping company, Brad became the Founder & President of I Like Giving, a movement which has inspired more than 125 million people in 170 countries to live generously. Today, Brad joins us to share practical ideas and inspiring stories on how we can use our thoughts, words, money, influence, time, attention, and belongings to live generously and create generosity ripples in our own community. My friends, you’ll leave this conversation inspired to become more others-focused, and be reminded of how simple actions will make a long-lasting impact in our lives.

Each year, my four children join their dad for one-to-one time on a work trip. It’s sacred time we get to spend together and is affectionately known as their “daddy trips.” Each child looks at my schedule, chooses where they want go, and plans out absolutely everything we do once we get there. Today, just a day before my oldest turns 18 years old, I  treasure important life lessons Jack has taught me, one of the most important being how much better life gets when I simply say “Yes” to the opportunities and experiences all around me.

Kwame Alexander is a poet, educator, and New York Times bestselling author of 39 books.  Known for his unique style of blending poetry and prose to create engaging and relatable stories for young readers, Kwame has earned countless awards including a Newbery Medal for The Crossover and The Caldecott Medal for The Undefeated - the two most prestigious honors for children’s authors! Today, Kwame joins us to share powerful excerpts from his most recent book, an intimate and non-traditional memoir titled Why Fathers Cry at Night. Hear lessons from his journey of learning how to love, how brokenness and beauty can play together as one and what that means in our story. My friends, this conversation will inspire bravery and vulnerability in all of us who have experienced the passion, heartbreak, failure, and joy of love.

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.