Live Inspired Podcast With John O'leary

Growing up, my dream was clear. With absolute confidence, I not only knew that I’d play professional baseball, but that I’d play for my hometown St. Louis Cardinals. It was a certainty. Until that dream, and the inevitability of obtaining it, was extinguished upon my waking up from one of more than a dozen surgeries after being burned at age nine. With great sadness, my dad shared that during the surgery the doctors were forced to amputate my fingers in order to save my life. As we journey professionally and personally, we will never understand the miracle of life fully. Until we allow the unexpected to happen.

rowing up on the east side of Detroit next to a drug house, Martinus Evans had to fight his entire life. In his early 20s when he was faced with the choice “lose weight or die”, Martinus vowed to run a marathon (without realizing a marathon is over 26 miles!). Since then, Martinus has run eight marathons and hundreds of other races in his 300-something pound body,  been featured in Men’s Health and Runner’s World and created his own devoted community for those who feel intimidated about running. Today’s conversation is more than taking the next right step in believing in yourself. Join us on a journey of courage, determination, endurance and what it means to love ourselves unconditionally. And my friends, as we celebrate Martinus’ accomplishments, you’ll gain encouragement for what you can do in your own life.

“You missed it, Daddy.” Over 19 years of marriage, Beth and I have moved three times. With each home, we’ve been blessed to have a grand magnolia tree tower over our front yard. As a guy who travels a lot, I’ve been to Washington, DC, when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom. I’ve stared straight up in awe at the redwoods north of San Francisco. I’ve hiked through the Costa Rican rainforest, basked under Hawaiian palm trees, and heard the whispering magic of aspens in the mountains of Colorado. Yet my favorite tree remains the magnolia. And my favorite experience is playing with my family below one as it blossoms. Today, I share when I missed the entire show.

"If he were a horse, I'd shoot him." I’ll never forget the sting of hearing those words spoken about me by a physician who didn't see the hope and possibility in a 10-year-old boy hoping to regain the use of his hands. Weeks later, I found a very different, kind-heart, visionary physician: Dr. Carlos Pappalardo. One who looked into my heart when he spoke with me, treated me as a person, and masterfully blessed me with the ability to again use my hands. Earlier this week I learned that Dr. Carlos Pappalardo passed away at the age of 93. Today, I want to share four specific encounters with this man, how they each had a profound impact on my life and how we all can learn to live a meaningful, significant, servant-oriented, faithful and generous life.  

My friend, we all go through dark times. The good news is that your life matters, the foundation remains firm, better days are ahead and you are not alone. These aren’t platitudes, but transformational truth. You see, light is awesome. It shows us the way. It provides clarity. And yet, it is in enduring the darkness that permits us to actually see the stars and more fully appreciate the light.

After a chaotic childhood, Tara Schuster hustled to appear glamorous, successful and well-adjusted on paper by earning an Ivy League education and securing the role of Vice President at Comedy Central. In her first bestselling book Buy Yourself the F*cking Lilies, Tara recounts her years-long journey of re-parenting herself through simple daily rituals. When Tara lost her job, the one on which she had staked her entire adult identity, she found her harshest childhood traumas resurfacing as she battled severe depression amidst the isolating pandemic. Today, Tara shares her journey to reclaiming her agency by healing her deepest wounds and how you too can shine even in bleak circumstances. With actionable advice for taking charge of your emotional health, this conversation with help you find true resilience.  

After an uncompromisingly courageous 18-year-long battle against ALS, one of the most resilient, impactful and joyful individuals I’ve ever met died last week. The lessons Augie Nieto taught before dying, though, should be learned and applied by the rest of us as we determine to start more fully living. And while he died last week, he taught those he encountered what real courage, real success and real life looked like in action.

With a love for extreme sports and adventure, Mike spent his childhood taking on any sport that would push his personal limits. After finding his passion in freestyle skiing, Mike began performing professionally at international levels. After numerous injuries, Mike was forced to shift his plan and began coaching the British Columbia Freestyle Ski Team which allowed him to continue skiing the best competition venues imaginable. During a seemingly normal practice, though, life as Mike knew it changed in an instant. While demonstrating stunts to his athletes, he suffered a ‘scorpion-like’ crash, dislocating and breaking his neck and leaving him paralyzed from the neck down. Determined to not only walk again, but to ski, Mike set down a new path riddled with hardship and seemingly insurmountable challenges. My friends, today’s conversation reminds us that others cannot define your possibilities and even when things don’t go to plan, we can still achieve great things.

My friends, productivity and focus have an important place in all our lives. But this week, and during this season of reflecting, slow down long enough to take inventory on what actually matters the most. And then be audacious enough to take the time to do exactly that. Because your time is limited, don’t waste it. Just make sure you’re busy living a life that truly matters.

We’re all familiar with the saying “it takes a village”—meaning that for children to grow in a safe and healthy environment, they need to feel supported by an entire community. Yet when the global lockdowns heightened feelings of loneliness and isolation, Florence Ann Romano had a realization: our villages take us well beyond our childhoods. In fact, it’s been found that those with a strong community and support system are living longer than those without. Today, Florence Ann guides us through how to build lasting and meaningful connections that define the grounding foundation in your village. You’ll leave this conversation inspired to build your village, let love in, and gain the courage to ask for help.

What is the first thing you look for in the morning? Reaching to hit snooze on an alarm likely ranks high on your list. Perhaps followed by reaching for that cell phone, grasping for those glasses, grabbing that robe, and stumbling into the kitchen for a coffee filter. All worthwhile things to seek in the morning. Two weeks ago, though, I met a woman who reminded me not only of the importance of seeking what truly matters most, but also the power of sharing it with others.

Today’s guest has arguably become the most famous Olympian to ever finish last in an Olympic race.  At the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Derek Redmond was amongst the favorites in the 400m semi-final. As he passed the 250m mark, the unthinkable happened: he tore his hamstring. Grabbing his leg and hobbling forward, Derek ultimately fell onto the track in agony. Determined to finish the race, he began to stumble towards the finish line, but not without the help of his father. Jim Redmond jumped over the stadium railing, dodged Olympic security, and raced to his son’s aid. With a crowd of 65,000-strong, this race became synonymous with one of the most inspirational moments in sports. Join us as Derek details that tumultuous journey that led to the iconic moment at the 1992 Olympics as well as the lessons he’s learned in perseverance, teamwork and self-belief.  This conversation will leave you inspired you to never give up and to finish strong.

Although marketers have simplified Valentine’s Day by focusing solely on romantic love, the day could be so much more. What if it wasn’t just couples celebrating their love with a box of chocolates, wrapped flowers, or dinner dates, but a day that animated real, unconditional love in every relationship in our life? My friends, for a moment put the paper down and imagine people holding doors for one another, looking others in the eye, greeting everyone with genuine smiles, putting others’ needs ahead of their own.

Have you ever unconsciously hurt someone's feelings by the words you chose? Whether managing diverse teams at work, navigating issues of inclusion at school or challenging biased comments at a family function, having constructive diversity and inclusion conversations is important. David Glasgow is the Executive Director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging and an adjunct professor at NYU School of Law. As a practical, shame-free guide, David shares the skills to avoid common conversational pitfalls, disagree respectfully, apologize authentically and better support others. My friends, today’s conversation will help you listen to the perspective of others more generously and share your perspective more tentatively.

In our society today, it seems as if every topic immediately polarizes, fragments us and quickly leads to rigidly drawn lines between two opposing sides. Those on our perceived side are right, they’re our allies, the good guys. And those on the other side? They’re just wrong. They are to be pitied for their unawareness, canceled for their ignorance or attacked for their stupidity. So, what will be the result of this elevating anger? What happens as our media complicity sows seeds of outrage each day and our political leaders jam a larger wedge into society? What are the consequences if we choose to continue down the hostile, divisive path we’re on?

Adversity is much more common than we think. And yet, so is resilience, strength and tenacity. Dr. Meg Jay is a clinical psychologist and author of The Defining Decade and Superhuman. Specializing in adult development and in twentysomethings in particular, Meg joins us to explain our ability to overcome adversity, the power of being a support for others, and the courage to rise up above one’s circumstances. Whether you’re entering your 20s or the backside of your 70s, this conversation will empower you to face life’s uncertainties and its complex challenges.  

There is a significant gap between living from a place where we feel obligated to perform and living with a mindset that views service as an opportunity. I was reminded of this several years ago through the simple action and words of my wife. And with last week being her birthday, I wanted to share her awesome example with you this week.

It’s not uncommon for famous athletes to visit children in hospitals. Sometimes these visits are well publicized but many times it’s done quietly. Undoubtedly, it has a profound impact on the young patients and their families by providing joy, hope and positivity. As a young St. Louis Blues player, Gino Cavallini would repeatedly show up for the five months I was in the hospital, always smiling and bursting with encouragement. Sometimes he’d come with signed hockey tickets or seven-foot-tall stuffed bunny, and other times with pizza, soda, beer and his fellow Blues teammates. Regardless, every time this typical, Canadian tough-guy would brighten the dark, lonely days of my hospital stay. Today, it’s an honor to welcome on my friend and hero Gino Cavallini. Join me as we celebrate his story of humble beginnings to playing nine NHL seasons, why he decided to repeatedly visit a 9-year-old boy with burns on 100% of his body, and how he continues to make his career and life about something bigger than himself. My

“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” -Confucius Did you finish strong? Whether we view this question through the lens of how we conclude each of our days or how we cross the finish line at the end of our lives, finishing strong should be something for which we all strive. And one of the greatest examples I know of what it looks like to finish strong is British runner Derek Redmond. Let me explain...

After decades of teamwork and the highest levels of accountability as an F-15 and F-22 fighter pilot, Weapons School Instructor and Squadron Commander Robert “Cujo” Teschner concluded that every team can become what he personally experienced and lived on the front-line. Today, Cujo joins us to share about his current mission: helping organizations build teams that win amid disruption.” He’ll share stories from his time as a F-15 “Eagle” instructor at the prestigious U.S. Air Force Weapons School (think Tom Cruise in “Top Gun”), but more importantly, he’ll share how teams- whether that’s the hockey team on the ice, the sales division at work or the family unit at home- can build trust and achieve performance even when plans fall apart. My friends, if you’re looking for guidance on how to be a better parent, partner, coworker or friend, this conversation will show you how accountable leadership can help.