Live Inspired Podcast with John O'Leary

Brad Ryan is a wildlife veterinarian, conservationist, and bestselling author whose remarkable journey with his grandmother inspired millions. After battling depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts during veterinary school, Brad made one courageous decision: taking his 85-year-old grandmother camping so she could see her first mountain. That trip grew into an eight-year adventure to all 63 U.S....

Last week, I attended funerals for two men. Two young wives grieving. Two families shattered by losses neither imagined possible. And amid profound sadness, I witnessed two simple acts of love that reminded me what people need most when life falls apart. Let me explain.

Karen Olson is the founder and CEO emeritus of Family Promise, the national nonprofit that has helped more than one million people experiencing homelessness through the support of volunteers across the country. While working as a successful marketing executive in New York City, Karen's life took an unexpected turn when she stopped to share a sandwich with a woman named Millie. That simple act of k...

For the past several summers, each of my four kids has been able to pick one work trip they want to join me on. They look through my speaking schedule, choose the destination, and other than the hour I'm on stage, they decide what we do together. They call it "The Daddy Trip." They think it's for them. Truthfully, it's for me. It's my excuse to spend focused, one-on-one time with each child before...

Thais Gibson is a counselor, relationship expert, and founder of The Personal Development School. And yet, before helping others transform their lives, she was a teenager struggling with addiction, anxiety, and the lingering effects of a difficult childhood. Her own healing journey led her to study why we think, feel, and react the way we do, and today she helps people build healthier relationship...

At a speaking event last week, someone asked me a question I've been asked many times since the release of SOUL ON FIRE: "What scene from the film moves you the most?" It's a difficult question because there are so many. Let me explain.

Stephen (Steve) Starring Grant spent decades helping some of the world's biggest brands, including IBM, Prudential, Jaguar, and Burger King, better understand human behavior. But after losing his corporate job during the pandemic and facing a cancer diagnosis, he found himself in an unexpected role: delivering mail through the mountains of Appalachia. Today, Steve shares the identity crisis that f...

A year ago, we gathered as a family around my dad's bed as he took his final breath. Last week, that same family gathered again. Mom, my five siblings, spouses, children, grandchildren…we all came together not at his house, but at his favorite place to vacation. Although we had more than two dozen family members on this trip, everywhere we went throughout the week it was also very clear we had som...

Neil Pasricha is a 10-time New York Times bestselling author, one of the world's leading voices on happiness, and the creator of  1000 Awesome Things, the award-winning blog that has attracted more than 100 million readers. Through his books, research, and storytelling, Neil has inspired millions to find joy, gratitude, and meaning in everyday life. Today, Neil shares the personal setbacks that ch...

"Why didn't you go to Jack Buck's funeral?" That was the very first question asked during a Q&A after I spoke in New Jersey last month. I bought a little time by responding, "Well, not exactly the softball opener I had hoped for!" The audience laughed awkwardly, I smiled nervously, and then I answered honestly: "Because I didn't think I belonged there." Let me explain.

Kevin Clark is an entrepreneur, Emmy Award-winning producer, and co-founder of Blessn, a faith-based social media platform designed to bring more positivity, encouragement, and connection into the digital world. After building a successful career in entertainment, Kevin discovered his greatest purpose was creating businesses and communities that serve others. Today, Kevin shares how a chance meeti...

Most of us believe making a difference requires something big. A big platform. A big title. A big personality. A big story. Trust me, I understand why. For much of my life, people have introduced me through the lens of having a big story. They know about the burns, the explosion, the hospital rooms, the visits from celebrities, the comeback story, the Hall of Fame baseball, the Hollywood ending. A...

Glenn Sturm is an attorney, entrepreneur, photographer, and cancer survivor whose life changed forever after receiving a stage four cancer diagnosis nearly two decades ago. What once was a relentless pursuit of professional success became an invitation to slow down, refocus on what mattered most, and live with greater purpose and gratitude. Through years of treatment, setbacks, and unexpected joy,...

While heading to the final speaking event of a very full, very hectic year, I found myself doing what so many of us do this time of year: rushing. It was a tight connection through a crowded terminal at DFW. As I hurried from one gate to the next, weaving through travelers, rolling suitcases, coffee cups, and glowing phone screens, I happened to glance out the window. There on the tarmac stood a w...

Haley Scott DeMaria is a speaker, author, and former University of Notre Dame swimmer whose life changed forever after surviving a tragic team bus crash that left her temporarily paralyzed. Told she may never walk again, Haley endured years of recovery before ultimately returning to compete for Notre Dame. Today, Haley shares the heartbreaking aftermath of the 1992 bus crash that claimed the lives...

It's difficult when a chapter that once felt endless suddenly comes to an end. Sixteen years ago, Beth and I stood nervously outside a little school in St. Louis called Holy Redeemer Catholic School. We were young parents then, with a five-year-old, a three-year-old, a one-year-old, and another child on the way. Life was chaotic and like most parents stepping into something new, we wondered if we...

Nicholas Epley is a behavioral scientist, bestselling author, and professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business whose groundbreaking research explores why we as human beings often misunderstand each other. From studying social connection and happiness to teaching students how to design a meaningful life, Nicholas has spent his career helping people better understand themselves an...

At a recent speaking engagement, I asked the audience to turn to a neighbor and share what they were grateful for in the moment. On this morning, hundreds of new friends turned away from me and toward the person seated nearest them. Voices elevated, tears fell and smiles returned. It was awesome to observe this from stage. But off to the side stood one woman. Alone. I came down from the stage, wal...

Chad Robichaux is a former Force Recon Marine, USA Today bestselling author, and founder of Mighty Oaks , a nonprofit that has helped thousands of veterans and first responders recover from PTSD, trauma, and the invisible wounds of war. After eight deployments to Afghanistan and years serving in elite special operations, Chad now dedicates his life to helping others rediscover hope, healing, and p...

Four astronauts recently returned from space. Part of the Artemis II mission, they went up as pilots, engineers, and explorers. They came back entirely changed; their perspective on life altered forever. Their professional insights will undoubtedly shape the future of our space program, our return to the moon, and exploration beyond. But perhaps their most important discovery isn't about space at...

Erik Rees is the founder of NEGU, Never Ever Give Up, which is a global movement inspired by the life of his daughter Jessie. What began as a father walking through unimaginable grief has become a mission that has delivered nearly 600,000 JoyJars to children battling cancer around the world, each one carrying a simple but powerful message: you are not alone. Today, Erik shares the extraordinary li...

Self-assured. Self-made. Quick to decide. Successful. Sarcastic. Snarky. Recently, I asked a classroom of high school students studying leadership to describe the traits they most often see in leaders- in politics, in media, and in social settings. This was their list. (I'll admit, I had to look up that last word.) But let's not confuse  common  with  effective . So, let me ask you: What defines t...

Willow Weston is an author, speaker, and founder of Collide, a ministry impacting women nationwide through honest conversations around pain, faith, and healing. Drawing from decades of mentoring and her own deeply personal story, Willow invites us to stop running from our wounds and begin facing them with courage and hope. Today, Willow shares how a childhood marked by trauma led to an unexpected...

Recently, 130,000 graduates of Saint Louis University received a magazine in the mail. Inside was a story about one of their own making a difference in the world. The feature wasn't about a speaker, a business owner or a corporate executive. It was about a graduate who chose a different path: serving when no one is watching, modeling love in a world longing for it, and showing up fully and faithfu...

Claude M. Steele is a legendary social psychologist whose groundbreaking research on stereotype threat, self-image, and self-affirmation has reshaped how we understand identity. His latest work explores "churn," the mental and physical stress that can arise in everyday interactions across differences, and the tension shaping so much of modern life.   Today, Claude shares what it was like growing u...