Live Inspired Podcast with John O'Leary

Join me every Monday for a quick burst of inspiration on our “Monday Moment” segment. "Don't expect a great day; create one." [Click to tweet.] - Bob Proctor With so many restrictions on where we can go, who we can see and what we can do, it feels like we're in the movie "Groundhog Day". You know, that movie where a cynical, insolent, self-centered weatherman named Phil Connors (played perfectly by Bill Murray), is doomed to repeat the same day of his life. After days + weeks of monotony, Phil feels isolated, lost, hopeless. Today, let's not only expect a great day, but let’s strive to actually create one. Also, to help combat fear, isolation and other uncertainty around coronavirus, I created a 21-day challenge to inspire our community to focus on what they can control and to remain ferociously optimistic that their best remains ahead. Sign up for the IN AWE 21-Day Challenge here. *** Pre-order your copy of IN AWE today to receive access to fun, interactive bonus features emailed to you in the lead-up to the book’s release! Visit ReadInAwe.com.  *** Did you enjoy today's episode? Share it with your friends! Then subscribe, rate + review on Apple Podcasts. Live Inspired with John daily on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram + get his Monday Motivation email.

My friends, the coronavirus pandemic is affecting each of in some way. I urge you, Live Inspired community, to keep you + your loved ones happy + healthy. I want today's episode to be that reprieve, instill some sense of normalcy and provide positivity + hope in this uncertain time. John Tesh has spent more than 45 years as a multi-faceted internationally recognized journalist, composer, broadcaster and concert pianist. Yet it's his incredible story of courage, resiliency, relentlessness, faith, achieving and humility that I gravitate towards. Join me as John shares inspirational stories + insightful wisdom on overcoming life's biggest challenges, including a terminal cancer diagnosis. Today's conversation will inspire you to move forward despite any setback you may receive in life + buy into the truth that the best of your journey remains in front of you. SHOW NOTES: "I didn't get a trophy for just participating... I tried harder because I respected my dad." John's reflects on band teacher Dr. Thomas Wagner and the importance of working the process.  "Anytime I had success in my life, I was working a process and staying in a lane." Stubborn rigor: John found himself average or below average at most things. Although he didn't have the skills, he'd always find a way in. John wanted to attend a performing arts college but his father enrolled him in North Carolina State for textile engineering. Bit by the radio + television bug, John tried to drop classes but broke the honor code and was kicked out of college. For 6 months, John lived in a tent at Umstead Park in Raleigh until he got a job sweeping floors at WKIX. 36 months later, John was anchoring news in New York City. 'Show up and don't take no for an answer.' Be found ready. While developing film at WTBD, John would memorize + recite news scripts, one day earning an on-air anchor spot. "I always felt failure was chasing me. I was developing the skills so if they had to lay me off, they'd be laying off four people." Visualization has been important in many aspects of John's life including his iconic concert at Red Rocks. "Pick a lane and don't let anyone take you out of that lane." Beyond visualization, credits Romans 4:17 in speaking your future into existence. John tells how he fell in love with his wife of 28 years, Connie Sellecca, and her disciple and honor. May 3, 2015: John was diagnosed with a rare form of prostate cancer and credits divine healing to his recovery. Each morning, John visuals his day, practices gratefulness and speaks to his pain about God. When writing Relentless, John would write a chapter and have Connie read it back while editing. Get a copy of John Tesh's book Relentless here. If you enjoyed hearing how John courageously overcame his battle with cancer, tune into our Cancer + Illness playlist. Hear inspiring, uplifting journeys of survivors, how others aren't letting a diagnosis define them and how you too can live a more fulfilled life. Listen to the Cancer + Illness playlist. JOHN TESH'S LIVE INSPIRED 7 1. What is the best book you’ve ever read? A Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck, Differentiate or Die by Jack Trout, Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon. 2. What is a characteristic or trait that you possessed as a child that you wish you still exhibited today? I made great boats! 3. Your house is on fire, all living things and people are out. You have the opportunity to run in and grab one item. What would it be? My 9-foot grand piano. 4. What is the best advice you’ve ever received? Get out of the bathroom and give someone else a chance from Dr. Wagner. 5. You are sitting on a bench overlooking a gorgeous beach. You have the opportunity to have a long conversation with anyone living or dead. Who would it be? Apostle Paul. 6. What advice would you give your 20-year-old self? Get a board of directors. 7. It’s been said that all great people can have their lives summed up in one sentence. How do you want yours to read?  Healed and whole. Whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. (Mark 11:23) To help combat fear, isolation and other uncertainty around coronavirus, I created a 21-day challenge to inspire our community to focus on what they can control and to remain ferociously optimistic that their best remains ahead. Sign up for the IN AWE 21-Day Challenge here. *** Pre-order your copy of IN AWE today to receive access to fun, interactive bonus features emailed to you in the lead-up to the book’s release! Visit ReadInAwe.com.  *** Did you enjoy today's episode? Share it with your friends! Then subscribe, rate + review on Apple Podcasts. Live Inspired with John daily on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram + get his Monday Motivation email.

Join me every Monday for a quick burst of inspiration on our “Monday Moment” segment. "Whatever you water grows. Whatever you pay attention to and focus on gets bigger. Attend to what you want, not what you fear or despise." – Dr. Henry Cloud There is no denying that we're in the midst of a crisis. Don't believe me? Turn on your nightly news. Yet, a bit of context around our media is important to understand. In 2017, Harvard Business Review reported that 19 out of 20 stories shared by the media are negative... and that's unemployment was at all-time lows and markets at historic highs, not during the midst of a global pandemic. We know that what we focus on grows in our consciousness so it's expected that depression + isolation will rise, triggered by the 24-hour negative news cycle. And yet, there is so much good in this world. Today, let's focus on that. We can choose to not only can flatten the curve but create a movement that reminds the world: In spite of today’s adversity, there are helpers showing up, there’s reason for hope and there remains certainty that the best is yet to come. [Click to tweet.] In the midst of a 24-hour negative news cycle blaring how lousy the world is, we want to counter with messages of individuals, families and entire communities choosing to Live Inspired Together. And I need your help! Send me examples of individuals in your community taking positive action to make things better. It could be your spouse cutting the grass for an elderly neighbor or your cousin beginning a food drive for those in need. It could a story you read about a billionaire donating a 737 packed with supplies heading for NY or a video you watched of a child donating their allowance. From families singing on their decks to individuals cheering for health care workers – forward your favorite stories over to podcast@johnolearyinspires.com!  We’ll be showcasing some of them on a video very soon. Also, to help combat fear, isolation and other uncertainty around coronavirus, I created a 21-day challenge to inspire our community to focus on what they can control and to remain ferociously optimistic that their best remains ahead. Sign up for the IN AWE 21-Day Challenge here. *** Pre-order your copy of IN AWE today to receive access to fun, interactive bonus features emailed to you in the lead-up to the book’s release! Visit ReadInAwe.com.  *** Did you enjoy today's episode? Share it with your friends! Then subscribe, rate + review on Apple Podcasts. Live Inspired with John daily on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram + get his Monday Motivation email.

Cathy Heller is igniting a movement of helping people everywhere find a deeper sense of purpose and encouraging us to make a soulful contribution to the world. In addition to being a wife + mother, Cathy is a business + life coach, musician, author and host of the wildly popular Don't Keep Your Day Job podcast. When I first asked Cathy to meet with me, I expected to spend the majority of our time sharing her expertise on how to shift into more meaningful, fulfilling work. And then life happened... the world is now in a radically different place and yet I find this a divine appointment. Cathy often says “purpose is the opposite of depression” and she is truly lifting up others to be the happiest version of themselves. Today, Cathy shares her story of courageously taking control of her destiny and how you can, too. SHOW NOTES: Growing up, Cathy was surrounded by trauma, violence and instability - leading her to question her worth. As an aspiring singer-songwriter, Cathy moved to Los Angeles + landed a record deal before being dropped a few months later. She viewed this as validation to just "grow up, get a job + be unhappy." Is there any other way I can do music? Unhappy selling commercial real-estate, Cathy learned that songwriters license music for film, TV + advertisements. For a decade, Cathy wrote songs for popular shows including The Office, SNL and Parks and Rec, plus brands including Coca-Cola, American Airlines. McDonald's and Old Navy. Using her personal expertise + experience, Cathy began offering online classes for aspiring songwriters that evolved into a significant revenue stream. Encouraged by the success of her online courses, Cathy launched the Don't Keep Your Day Job podcast that inspires listeners to find more purpose in their life and get paid to do what they love full-time by interviewing creative entrepreneurs on their success. "We are sitting on a gold. What we are missing is seeing the possibility. We're missing momentum which only comes from taking action." "There are so many special, holy people in the world. If you dig long enough you'll weed your way through the people with an agenda and you'll find the real ones." You're a masterpiece. You are a piece of the master. We need you. God doesn't make extras. Those powerful words from Rabbi David Aaron ignited Cathy's calling. "The opposite of depression is not happiness. The opposite of depression is purpose + belonging." "Everybody will say all the reasons why something won't work and the entrepreneur finds the one reason it will. That's true also about people of faith." Cathy sees hope that the coronavirus pandemic will be a gift and an opportunity to emerge more fulfilled + happier. Pivot into seeing the possibilities instead of succumbing to fear.  Life is 10% what happens and 90% how you deal with it. Cathy's grandmother overcame the Holocaust + the Depression and chose to look for the possibilities. In today's turbulent + uncertain world, Cathy encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to start with what's possible + take action. Stop to feel it, give yourself compassion, take action. Cathy stresses the importance of learning to self-regulate, being mindful of our feelings + mental wellbeing as the first step in seeing possibilities. Cathy has hope that the current state of the world is an opportunity to unify + support others. Listen to Cathy Heller's podcast Don't Keep Your Day Job. Get a copy of Cathy Heller's book Don't Keep Your Day Job.   If you enjoyed hearing how Cathy launched her business + built her career, you'll love our Entrepreneurship playlist! Hear the inspiring journeys of Bethenny Frankel, Scott Harrison, Dave Ramsey and more. Listen to the Entrepreneurship playlist. CATHY HELLER'S LIVE INSPIRED 7 1. What is the best book you’ve ever read? Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse, Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinn and The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. 2. What is a characteristic or trait that you possessed as a child that you wish you still exhibited today? Trust. I trust the world, my abilities + my business but I don't think I trust that I'm seen + loved by my husband because of what I've been through. 3. Your house is on fire, all living things and people are out. You have the opportunity to run in and grab one item. What would it be? My computer because I love being able to encourage others. 4. You are sitting on a bench overlooking a gorgeous beach. You have the opportunity to have a long conversation with anyone living or dead. Who would it be? My grandfather Ben, my mom's dad. He died right before I was born and I've always felt he's watching over me. 5. What is the best advice you’ve ever received? My grandma would say, "Before you do something, think what someone else woke up with today." 6. What advice would you give your 20-year-old self? You are going to be okay. You have a huge role to play in the world and please know you're more than enough exactly how you are. 7. It’s been said that all great people can have their lives summed up in one sentence. How do you want yours to read? Cathy made me believe that I had so much value and because of that I gave to others and lifted them. To help combat fear, isolation and other uncertainty around coronavirus, I created a 21-day challenge to inspire our community to focus on what they can control and to remain ferociously optimistic that their best remains ahead. Sign up for the IN AWE 21-Day Challenge here. *** Pre-order your copy of IN AWE today to receive access to fun, interactive bonus features emailed to you in the lead-up to the book’s release! Visit ReadInAwe.com.  *** Did you enjoy today's episode? Share it with your friends! Then subscribe, rate + review on Apple Podcasts. Live Inspired with John daily on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram + get his Monday Motivation email.

Join me every Monday for a quick burst of inspiration on our “Monday Moment” segment. In spite of adversity, there remains reason for hope, truth and even joy. Today, I share a recent social media post that has resonated with our online community, and it's a reminder we all need to hear. Also, if you or your organization are seeking hope, perspective + confidence to fight through this season, let us help you. For a dozen years, we've created virtual video programming for our clients. If we can be part of the solution for you, email Heather@johnolearyinspires.com. To help combat fear, isolation and other uncertainty around coronavirus, I created a 21-day challenge to inspire our community to focus on what they can control and to remain ferociously optimistic that their best remains ahead. Sign up for the IN AWE 21-Day Challenge here. *** Pre-order your copy of IN AWE today to receive access to fun, interactive bonus features emailed to you in the lead-up to the book’s release! Visit ReadInAwe.com.  *** Did you enjoy today's episode? Share it with your friends! Then subscribe, rate + review on Apple Podcasts. Live Inspired with John daily on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram + get his Monday Motivation email.

My friends, the coronavirus pandemic is affecting each of in some way. I urge you, Live Inspired community, to keep you + your loved ones happy + healthy. I want today's episode to be that reprieve, instill some sense of normalcy and provide positivity + hope in this uncertain time. Dick Vitale became a legendary voice in college basketball through his charisma, drive, and passion. As one of the pioneers of ESPN, Dick has been inducted to 14 Hall of Fames, is recognized for his trademark vernacular and exuberates an unrivaled enthusiasm that truly sets him apart. Today, Dick shares the challenges he's had to overcome, his focus and attention on his family, and his passion for advocating for cancer research through The V Foundation.  This conversation reminded me and will remind you, that we are called to be a champion. SHOW NOTES: Dick's parents were uneducated factory workers that worked hard and gave him love, direction and guidance. "Richie, don't ever believe in can't. You can be what you want to be." "Richie, be good to people and they will be good to you." As a young child, Dick faced ridicule from his peers because he lost an eye. His mom helped him see his worth. Dick started chasing his dream of being a college coach by coaching junior high. What is it that allows a failing team to become one that is successful? The leader has to set the tone.  "I want to be everybody's friend. I look for the good in people." Disco Dick: A highlight of Dick's career is coaching at University of Detriot and in 1977 defeating eventual NCAA champion Marquette during a 21-game winning streak. To celebrate, Dick danced at center court. "My personality, intensity and emotion did not belong in the NBA." Weeks after being fired from his job as head coach of NBA's Detroit Pistons, Dick was hired to call ESPN's first college basketball game. He's still calling games 41 years later. "I have pride in myself. I work harder now than I ever did." Dick is proud to serve on the board of Jim Valvano's V Foundation for Cancer Research and its contribution of over $230 million for cancer research. Watch Jim Valvano's iconic ESPY speech here. "I'm obsessed with raising money for kids battling cancer"  "I'm so blessed. If it ends today, it's been a ride that's exceeded any dream I ever had." "The only place you'll find success ahead of work is in the dictionary." To learn more and donate, visit The V Foundation for Cancer Research. Get a copy of Dick Vitale's latest book Mount Rushmore of College Basketball here. Proceeds go to The V Foundation for Cancer Research. If you enjoyed hearing from a legendary sports figure, you'll love our Sports + Athlete playlist! Hear from NASCAR's Kenny Wallace, professional surfer Bethany Hamilton, Olympic medalist Scott Hamilton and so many more. Listen to our Sports + Athlete playlist. DICK VITALE'S LIVE INSPIRED 7 1. What is the best book you’ve ever read? I like reading sports biographies. I really liked Vince Lombardi's story. He didn't start coaching until he was 40! 2. What is a characteristic or trait that you possessed as a child that you wish you still exhibited today? Passion and pride in everything I did. 3. Your house is on fire, all living things and people are out. You have the opportunity to run in and grab one item. What would it be? A picture of me with my parents as a little boy. It's in my room and I kiss it every morning. 4. You are sitting on a bench overlooking a gorgeous beach. You have the opportunity to have a long conversation with anyone living or dead. Who would it be? Pope Francis. 5. What is the best advice you’ve ever received? Chase your dreams + goals and never ever believe in "can't". 6. What advice would you give your 20-year-old self? You can be what you want to be! Have a goal. 7. It’s been said that all great people can have their lives summed up in one sentence. How do you want yours to read? He was everyone's friend. He cared about people. Had an incredible thirst for life filled with energy, enthusiasm and passion. To help combat fear, isolation and other uncertainty around coronavirus, I created a 21-day challenge to inspire our community to focus on what they can control and to remain ferociously optimistic that their best remains ahead. Sign up for the IN AWE 21-Day Challenge here. *** Pre-order your copy of IN AWE today to receive access to fun, interactive bonus features emailed to you in the lead-up to the book’s release! Visit ReadInAwe.com.  *** Did you enjoy today's episode? Share it with your friends! Then subscribe, rate + review on Apple Podcasts. Live Inspired with John daily on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram + get his Monday Motivation email.

Join me every Monday for a quick burst of inspiration on our “Monday Moment” segment. My forthcoming book IN AWE has been in the work for several years. A few weeks ago I was able to share a few advance reader copies with a few business leaders, mentors + friends I deeply admire. Today I share a short message my dear friend Don asked me to share with the Live Inspired community after he finished reading IN AWE.   "It's vintage O'Leary - priceless stories, the inclusion of the reader in the journey and the encouragement to overcome malaise, self-doubt and cynicism."  "IN AWE gets us beyond surviving and to thriving." Tune in to hear more from Don. To help combat fear, isolation and other uncertainty around coronavirus, I created a 21-day challenge to inspire our community to focus on what they can control and to remain ferociously optimistic that their best remains ahead. Sign up for the IN AWE 21-Day Challenge here. *** Pre-order your copy of IN AWE today to receive access to fun, interactive bonus features emailed to you in the lead-up to the book’s release! Visit ReadInAwe.com.  *** Did you enjoy today's episode? Share it with your friends! Then subscribe, rate + review on Apple Podcasts. Live Inspired with John daily on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram + get his Monday Motivation email.  

Today I welcome back Gregg Easterbrook, New York Times bestselling author + guest on one of the most popular Live Inspired Podcast episodes of all time.  When Gregg joined us in January 2019, the market, health + longevity were at all-time highs, unemployment at all-time lows and really no reason for fear... Yet we were drowning in fear. My friends, as we are inundated with fear-driven headlines + media coverage about the coronavirus, Gregg once again reminds us that the world is better than it looks. Today's conversation is packed with reassuring fact-based optimism that will inspire a positive perspective during today's pandemic... and whatever challenges tomorrow may bring. SHOW NOTES: Pollution, discrimination, rate of heart disease + cancer are trending down. Life expectancy, education, living standards, middle-class income, human freedom are trending up. "Being an optimistic is not being a Pollyanna. A Pollyanna believes there are no problems. An optimist believes that problems can be solved." "I’m optimistic that we can fix the coronavirus and whatever problem comes after it.” As Gregg is doing his part to defeat the coronavirus, he remains optimistic by looking at the recent history of similar problems and their outcomes.  The further you look back in history, the more optimistic you become that the current strategies will work. Gregg recalls 1968's devastating Hong Kong Flu and notes that none of the public health steps that are being taken today were taken then.  "The stock market is going to take care of itself. Every past big decline in the stock market including in 1929 has corrected itself and became a gain within 1-2 years." Listen to my January 2019 conversation with Gregg Easterbrook on Live Inspired Podcast ep. 121 here. Get Gregg Easterbrook’s book It’s Better Than It Looks: Reasons for Optimism in an Age of Fear. To help combat fear, isolation and other uncertainty around coronavirus, I created a 21-day challenge to inspire our community to focus on what they can control and to remain ferociously optimistic that their best remains ahead. Sign up for the IN AWE 21-Day Challenge here. *** Pre-order your copy of IN AWE today to receive access to fun, interactive bonus features emailed to you in the lead-up to the book’s release! Visit ReadInAwe.com.  *** Did you enjoy today's episode? Share it with your friends! Then subscribe, rate + review on Apple Podcasts. Live Inspired with John daily on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram + get his Monday Motivation email.

Join me every Monday for a quick burst of inspiration on our “Monday Moment” segment. What week, out of any that I can remember, could we need a bit more meaning, inspiration and joy? Watch residents in Italy have shown their gratitude to health personnel on the coronavirus frontline by applauding from their windows here. Residents in Spain + Portugal did something similar and these events were coordinated in the locked-down countries through social media. To help combat fear, isolation and other uncertainty around coronavirus, I created a 21-day challenge to inspire our community to focus on what they can control and to remain ferociously optimistic that their best remains ahead. Sign up for the IN AWE 21-Day Challenge here. *** Pre-order your copy of IN AWE today to receive access to fun, interactive bonus features emailed to you in the lead-up to the book’s release! Visit ReadInAwe.com.  *** Did you enjoy today's episode? Share it with your friends! Then subscribe, rate + review on Apple Podcasts. Live Inspired with John daily on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram + get his Monday Motivation email.

How can I have optimism, happiness and social connectivity during the coronavirus pandemic?    Acclaimed happiness expert Shawn Achor reminds us that it’s in the darkest times that we need optimism, gratitude and social connection the most.   After spending 12 years at Harvard earning dozens of distinguished teaching awards, Shawn went on to become a New York Times bestselling author of The Happiness Advantage and Big Potential, deliver a TEDx with over 19 million views and work with 30+ Fortune 100 companies.   Today, Shawn joins me to talk about coronavirus and what you can do to be happy and feel connected during this season of unprecedented adversity. You’ll leave today’s conversation with research-based reasoning to be optimistic and 3 practical tips to increase during any season of uncertainty. SHOW NOTES: During high school, Shawn recalls the Branch Davidians + how the Waco siege gave him insight and compassion for people trying to understand conflicts.  Shawn is fascinated by how some people can rise out of a challenge and use it to propel them forward while it can paralyze others. As a volunteer firefighter, Shawn unexpectedly was accepted to Harvard and granted a military scholarship. His admission essay focused on his hunger to expand his small world and how he'd want to remind his peers how privileged they were. Expectations affect gratitude: Quickly, Shawn recognized that many of his peers' expectations were met in attending Harvard and didn't experience the same level of gratitude because his acceptance was not expected.  Rather than embracing the gift of the moment, we often are too focused on looking forward.  While doing research on Harvard, Shawn saw that success wasn't yielding happiness because your brain adjusts to what the goal is. Does success = happiness? If people become happier, raise their gratitude for the present, deepen social networks or raise their levels of optimism, then success rates rise dramatically. "Happiness during good times is more of a luxury item. When things get difficult, happiness has an even more beneficial effect." "In the darkest times is when we need optimism, gratitude and social connection the most." "Happiness is not irrational optimism." "Optimism allows your brain to be the most adaptive possible when the negative occurs." Rational optimism: starts with a realistic assessment of the present but maintains the belief that eventually my behavior will matter if linked to the right people. While teaching and researching happiness, Shawn courageously shared he was battling depression. While battling depression, Shawn learned that the majority of our happiness is interconnected with each other. In his book Big Potential, Shawn shares groundbreaking University of Virginia research on how our very perception of reality is transformed by the presence of others. If someone who is genetically predisposed to pessimism can make small tweaks to their day, they can experience impactful change.  Three practical tips to increase optimism, happiness and social connectivity:   Each day, practice scanning for 3 new things that happened in the last 24 hours that you're grateful for.  When anything positive happens, jot it down on a piece of paper, throw them in a bowl and read back through them at a later date. Take a few minutes to send a positive message, email or text to someone which will create a ripple effect and a reciprocal loop. "Happiness is not the belief that we don’t need to change; it is the realization that we can." Get Shawn Achor's New York Times bestselling books Big Potential, The Happiness Advantage and Before Happiness. To combat all this negativity and fear around coronavirus and the other uncertainty we face, I created a 21-day challenge to inspire our community to focus on what they can control and to remain ferociously optimistic that their best remains ahead. Sign up for the IN AWE 21-Day Challenge here. SHAWN ACHOR'S LIVE INSPIRED 7 1. What is the best book you’ve ever read? The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis. 2. What is a characteristic or trait that you possessed as a child that you wish you still exhibited today? Confidence. 3. Your house is on fire, all living things and people are out. You have the opportunity to run in and grab one item. What would it be? A broken guitar that I love. 4. You are sitting on a bench overlooking a gorgeous beach. You have the opportunity to have a long conversation with anyone living or dead. Who would it be? C.S. Lewis. He's been the biggest influence in my life and who I've modeled my career after. 5. What is the best advice you’ve ever received?  My mentor Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar said, "You're never as great as you think you are and you're never as bad as you think you are." 6. What advice would you give your 20-year-old self? Make friends. If you want friends, you have to be a friend. Don't let loneliness and insecurities stop you from feeling socially connected. 7. It’s been said that all great people can have their lives summed up in one sentence. How do you want yours to read?  He made other people feel understood and that happiness was actually possible. *** Pre-order your copy of IN AWE today to receive access to fun, interactive bonus features emailed to you in the lead-up to the book’s release! Visit ReadInAwe.com.  *** Did you enjoy today's episode? Share it with your friends! Then subscribe, rate + review on Apple Podcasts. Live Inspired with John daily on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram + get his Monday Motivation email.