Live Inspired Podcast With John O'leary

"When you accept the worst case scenario, it has no power over you." Hal Elrod, international bestselling author of The Miracle Morning, established a miracle equation that helped him overcome two near-death experiences + build a highly successful business.   Hear Hal's amazing story and how to apply his equation so you can "divide odds and create miracles in your marriage, business and life." Now THAT sounds like living inspired! Join us. SHOW NOTES:  Hal's book The Miracle Morning has sold 600,000+ copies The Miracle Morning documentary is coming soon! "Take an adversity + turn it into an advantage by helping other people with it." At 20, he was hit by a drunk driver and not expected to walk. "When you accept the worst case scenario, it has no power over you. I thought, I'll be the most grateful human you've ever met in a wheel chair, because I'm in one either way. Putting energy into wishing it wasn't so would be futile." Hal's Miracle Equation [to divide odds + create miracles in marriage, business, life

"He wasn't trapped, he chose to stay and help others." Matthew Weiss, Esq. was a lawyer. He didn't seek an opportunity to become a filmmaker; but a story that needed to be told found him. The story of Welles Crowther was shared with him over lunch one day: On September 11, 2001, Welles was 24 and worked in the World Trade Center. The acts of heroism he displayed that day have inspired song lyrics, parents to name their children after him and President Obama's dedication speech for the National September 11 Memorial & Museum. Matt created the documentary Man in Red Bandana to inspire the world to be more selfless. Today, Matt shares about the heroic final hour of Welles's life + how we can learn to live more inspired through the example of the "man in the red bandana." SHOW NOTES:  Matt Weiss directed Man in Red Bandana, a documentary that tells the story of Welles Crowther, a young American who became a hero at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. Follow on Facebook at: Facebook.com/ManInRedBandana

"Don't stand by, stand UP." Sue McCollum is the Chairman and CEO of Major Brands, Inc., an 80-year-old, family-run operation and the only liquor distributor in the U.S. run by a woman. But it wasn't Sue's dream to run a large operation. Her husband, Todd, was planning to run the company his grandfather founded and one day - pass it on to his children. Needless to say, plans changed after Todd was diagnosed with brain cancer. Sue, in short, "stepped up." Almost immediately after Todd's passing, Sue was labeled "Liqueur Widow" by competitors and the press as long-time clients were pulling out of agreements.  Sue will show us that it's possible to not only fight back, but do so honorably. And that you can run a successful business based on strong values. My friends, join me and Sue to learn how to harness resilience, overcome adversity and live inspired. SHOW NOTES:  "One day can bend your life." October 4, 2010 bent Sue's life. Her husband, Todd, had a seizure, which lead to a cancer diagnosis and a year to l

"We see the world as we think it is. Not as it really is. Wear glasses that work." Todd Davis has spent 20+ years "looking for the right people." As Chief People Officer at FranklinCovey, a training company, he is an expert at identifying how human behaviors impact our life, our work and our output. His new book, Get Better: 15 Proven Practices to Build Effective Relationships at Work shares that the key to improving our effectiveness is found in improving our behaviors. Todd's insights shine a light on the truth that an organization's greatest assets are undoubtedly its people and remind us that leadership is a decision, not a position.  This conversation is a journey in self-awareness. Join Todd and me for a great conversation and practical ways to fine-tune your behaviors so that you can live and work inspired. SHOW NOTES:  Todd has worked for FranklinCovey, the award-winning training company started by the bestselling author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change,

"This process of accepting that your loved one has hurt other people. And accepting who that is and what it means to be a mother of someone like that, it takes not only months but years." Sue Klebold is forever tied to a tragic day marked down in American history, April 20, 1999. It was on that day two gunmen entered Columbine High School and killed 12 students, a teacher and wounded two dozen others. One of the shooters was her son, Dylan. After an excruciating journey, Sue has come to a place of peace and is using her life to honor the lives of those who died, raise awareness for mental health issues and do what she could to prevent another tragedy like Columbine from happening again. Sue shares her story of a mother's love, heart-wrenching tragedy, sincere appeal for forgiveness, the long process of allowing herself to grieve, and letting go of the trauma of being hated, criticized and judged in order to focus on her heart, and the little boy she lost and adored.  Today Sue bravely, honestly and with great

"Leverage faith over doubt. Those praying over me had an inch more faith than they did doubt." Joel Boggess is the bestselling author of Finding Your Voice, host of the incredibly popular podcast the ReLaunch Show, and a motivational speaker bringing his message of never giving up and using action in the face of fear to his audience. At the age of 5, Joel suffered a devastating accident; falling 30 feet resulted in a tremendous amount of blood loss and a fractured skull, and Joel spent more than four weeks in a coma. In an instant, Joel's life went from "happy-go-lucky" to an immense daily struggle and a long road to recovery. The injury left him with hearing problems and difficulty with memory, yet it taught Joel that some lessons are learned on the playground, the boardroom, or even a recovery room.  Joel's insights into how action can be the greatest weapon to conquering fear will motivate you and inspire you to never back down. Today Joel shares how one action can make life better.  SHOW NOTES:  Joel is

"I feel like a lot of us are going through a dark time. That we are living under clouds and need the sun to come out. I hope I'm the person holding the umbrella. I hope I am the person who can tell you to come under the umbrella 'til the sun comes out." Lizzie Velasquez is a globally recognized motivational speaker, a presenter at TEDx, champion of anti-bullying, author, producer and all around amazing individual.  At the time of Lizzie's birth, she was one of only three people in the world diagnosed with Marfanoid–Progeroid–Lipodystrophy Syndrome: a condition which doesn't allow her to gain weight and affects her heart, eyes, and bones. At age 17, she came across a YouTube video entitled "World's Ugliest Woman"- only to discover that it was about her. In the years since then, she's made it her life's work to spread kindness and stand up for bullying victims. She has appeared on The Today Show, The View, AOL, MSN, Yahoo, The Huffington Post, Katie Couric and her TEDx video has been viewed over 13 million time

"It turns out, sometimes you have to start by asking a really stupid question." Marcus Adrian has spent nearly 20 years at Mackey Mitchell Architects in St. Louis, MO; however, Marcus isn't your typical architect. He aims to design buildings to "speak to the human experience." He is nationally recognized for designing spaces for people with special needs and an expert in classroom acoustics.  His great-grandfather was an architect, one grandfather was a woodworker, while another mined stone in the Ozarks. So, building and creating is in his blood. From his mother, a nurse, he developed a strong sense of empathy. Marcus shares how his career, his passion, is much like his mother's, grandmother's, and great-grandmother's tradition of making quilts. How they would pray as they stitched in thoughtful reflection of the creation they were making. He challenges us to "count the stitches in a quilt" in order to see the effort and thought that goes into creating something with meaningful purpose. Marcus shares his sto

"We are too busy to become less busy" Juliet Funt is the CEO of WhiteSpace at Work, a global speaker, influencer and consultant to Fortune 100 companies, and "a warrior in the battle against busyness."  She is a self-described perfectionist who admits baking as her zen moment. He natural intuitiveness, authentic message, and insight allow her the uncanny ability to connect with people at all levels. She has led her team to create changes in low-value work like emails, charts, meetings, paperwork and unnecessary clutter to make life more efficient and enjoyable. Juliet helps us find the space in our lives to make a really profound change. recharge and reclaim our passion for work. Today, Juliet shares through humor, story-telling, and lessons how we can find a brief moment to ignite our most productive self.  SHOW NOTES:  "It's gonna be a blast. I can tell already." Live into the thing that brings you joy. Prioritizing.  Working on WhiteSpace for the past 14 years. help organizations retrieve their talented t

"Understand that failure is part of the process and when it's over, it's over." Scott Hamilton is a four-time World Champion, Gold Medal Winner at the 1984 Olympics in Saravejo, co-creator of Stars on Ice, commentator, performer, author and philanthropist.   Scott has had his fair share of setbacks. He suffered a misdiagnosed condition as a young boy, lost his mother to cancer, and had his battles with cancer as well. Yet, by his own calculation, he has fallen down 41,600 times and gotten back up 41,601 times. He used that metaphor to replace fear with courage and clarity of purpose.   Even though he is perhaps the most recognizable male figure skater in the world, his struggles and successes are entirely down to earth. Scott's message has humor and wisdom, delivering uplifting encouragement for us to get back up one more time and continue forward as a champion.  Today, Scott joins us to share his story of being adopted, his mother's fight with cancer and how he used her inspiration to reach the Olympics.  SH

"You are always only just beginning." Marc and Angel Chernoff didn't set out to create one of the most read blog sites online; it came to them over time. After losing a mutual friend with no warning and Angel's brother to suicide soon after, they began a blog to hold each other accountable. They had no idea the blog would resonate with others; it was simply a form of therapy, a coping mechanism, and a way to heal.  Fate it would seem had different plans. Soon, they began getting hundreds of visitors, then thousands, and in time what started as a side project began getting millions of visitors a month. Marc and Angel's blog Hack Life tackles the everyday issues we all face at one time or another in our lives. They cover what to do when everything goes wrong, how to be grateful for the things you have, tips for a strong relationship, and how to get toxic elements out of your life.    Today, Marc & Angel Chernoff join us to talk about the struggles of losing loved ones, relationship goals, and how to be more

"I go to bed feeling grateful and I wake up grateful."  Mike Mattingly is living life in reverse, and he couldn't be happier about it. Though he has always had a passion for music, it's never been his full-time gig. He plans to change that, though. Like the message in his song Growth, Peace & Gratitude, Mike continues to develop and change, experience life's ups and downs and with acceptance, find peace. Music has been a form of therapy for him. He was a self-described nervous child who battled anxiety. His mother introduced him to drums and through percussion, he found a sense of balance and peace. Mike and I are great friends. He has played at my Christmas party for the last 5 years. Last year, I hosted an event at the Sheldon Concert Hall in St. Louis and asked Mike to play there as well. In short, I like Mike a lot. Today, Mike joins us to share his experiences with anxiety, play some of his music for us, and offer advice on reinventing yourself at any age.  SHOW NOTES:  Mike started playing the drum

"Gratitude is a muscle we have to continue to build." Mike Robbins is the author of three books with a fourth out later this year. He has been featured in Forbes, the Wallstreet Journal, the Washington Post, Oprah radio network, ABC News and is a frequent contributor to the Huffington Post. Mike also has a successful podcast and speaks to clients which include: Google, the NBA, State Farm, Chevron, the San Fransico Giants, Harvard University, and many more. He teaches emotional intelligence, teamwork and leadership. At the age of 17, Mike was drafted by the New York Yankees and turned them down in order to go to Stanford University. There he focused on playing baseball and getting a quality education. Once out of university, he was picked up by the Kansas City Royals, only to suffer a career-ending injury a few years later. He has lost his mother, father, and a sister to cancer. Yet, Mike is grateful every day. He is an inspiration and champion of conquering adversity. His positive attitude, motivation to kee

"Don't wait for others to join you. Because you might wait forever." Gretchen Rubin has sold nearly 3 million books worldwide and perhaps is best known for her books The Happiness Project & The Four Tendencies. She is a thought-provoking observer of human nature and happiness, or as her sister likes to describe her "a happiness bully." She has an incredibly interesting story to tell; a graduate of Yale Law School who clerked for the nation's first female Supreme Court Justice, Sandra Day O'Connor; the host of the Happier Podcast with Gretchen Rubin; interviewed by Oprah; walked with the Dalai Lama; and an answer to a Jeopardy question. She is a prolific researcher and note taker who is "subject to epiphany" and writes about issues simply because she finds them interesting. Her topics range from JFK & Winston Churchill to fame & money.  Today, Gretchen joins us to share her insights into happiness and how we too can capture more of it in our lives.  SHOW NOTES:  Gretchen is the author of 8 books: 

"Giving up is NEVER an option & it NEVER should be." Amberley Snyder lived in southern California with her five siblings during her father's career in Major League Baseball with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Her passion for riding horses manifested early in life when at the age of 3 she began riding lessons. When her father retired from baseball the family moved to Utah where her love for horses continued to inspire her.  In 2010, Amberley was driving to a rodeo in Denver, when she looked down at her map, lost control of her vehicle, rolled it and was ejected from her truck, slamming her into a metal post. She broke her back and immediately lost feeling in her legs. She refused to allow anything to get in the way of her one day getting back into the saddle. Her strength, faith, and love for horses is an inspiration to us all.  Today, Amberley joins us to share her struggles during recovering from her accident, her strong family bond, and turning tragedy into triumph.  SHOW NOTES:  She was ejected from her tru

"Don't forget what you learned in the light." Matt Manzari was a professional athlete sponsored by NIKE and traveling the world all by the age of 15. It seemed like everything was going according to plan and he had his path laid out before him. Until Matt felt a calling to ministry and suffered a horrible accident while competing. But his biggest challenge still laid ahead of him.  While trimming trees at a church, a power line arched over the metal bucket Matt was working in, sending 12,000 volts of electricity through his body. The electricity caused 4th and 5th-degree burns, which melted the skin off of most of his chest and arms. The burn went deep enough to kill muscle and bone. Yet, Matt is a survivor. He teaches us that at the top, it can still feel empty and through tragedy, we can find salvation.  Today, Matt joins us to share his story of faith, family, struggles and going all in on life. SHOW NOTES:  Matt has two kids, Justice & Trig and wife Bobby Jean. He went to University in Tennessee to b

"The first step is to believe you are this thing you want to be." Jeff Goins is a blogger, writer, musician, teacher, husband, father, and pursuer of dreams. He was the Communications Director for Adventures in Missions, a nonprofit organization. Yet, his true passion and calling was that of a writer.  He grew up in a small rural farming community and enjoyed playing in his band and acting. Always trying to find a creative, artistic way to express himself. He strongly believes we all have a creative gift worth sharing with the world. So, if you have a passion for creativity and changing the world, this is the podcast for you. Today, Jeff joins us to talk about his faith, life, writing and what it means to pursue your dreams. SHOW NOTES:  He is the author of four books including the national bestseller, The Art of Work, published in March of 2015. The Art of Work debuted on the Washington Post and Publishers Weekly bestsellers list. Prior to The Art of Work, Goins published The In-Between: Embracing the Tensi

"You shattered my darkness... I'm alive again." These are lyrics from Alive Again by Matt Maher. When clients ask Matt what "walk-on song" he wants playing when he goes on stage to speak, this is the song he picks. Matt is an internationally acclaimed Christian singer; earlier this year he performed at World Youth Day in Rio in front of 3 million people. Matt teaches us that faith exists so you come to know how loved you are...so that you might be motivated by that love to live a life of abundance, outwardly focused. He shows us that the moments that bring us to our knees can be our greatest teachers and when your interior needs are met, you're free to give of yourself. Today, he joins us to talk about his faith, life, music and what it means for your life. SHOW NOTES:  I never didn't believe in God, I just didn't believe how much God believed in me.  Choose wisely. We all tether ourselves to people and communities that inform our worldview & the way we look at things. We are at an amazing time in human

"What you put out in the world is what you get back." Becky James Hatter grew up in a small Louisiana town where she was surrounded by family, freedom and unconditional love. "That was an extraordinary gift to be given as a young person." Her entire career has been creating the same environment for underserved youth through the Big Brothers Big Sisters Program. Today, Becky will share what it's like to have a personal + professional mission that is one (adults pouring love, goodness, experience, exposure, and support into the life of a child)... and what it means for your life, too. SHOW NOTES: Becky loved to get in trouble + work hard; her parents let her do both.  "To wake up every day and give away what I've been given makes so much sense. And really, it's all I've got." What you put out in the world is what you get back.  Becky believes every one of us has something to give. It may not be a million dollars or even a dollar, but a smile, story, love. And when you give it - they receive it and can then giv

"I. YOU. WE. MATTER." To the outside world, Matt Emerzian was living the “American Dream”. He was a gifted athlete, successful in the entertainment industry, hung out with famous people, and was living the “Hollywood lifestyle”. Until one Monday morning when it fell apart and his life changed forever. The author of Every Monday Matters, Matt tells his story of brokenness and the long process of rebuilding his spirit. He now shares his story and experiences around the country, speaking to people about depression, anxiety, and feeling unworthy, unappreciated, and unloved.    Join me and Matt as we talk about his journey back from the dark years to finding a calming and grounded existence. SHOW NOTES: Matt realized his “ladder was leaning against the wrong wall” and thought about taking his life because he felt he didn’t really matter. Get Matt's book, Every Monday Matters which offers 52 ideas for doing something positive. One of his father's favorite sayings is, “good for goodness’s sake” and it is now the mo