John’s much-anticipated first book, ON FIRE: The 7 Choices to Ignite a Radically Inspired Life was an instant #1 National Bestseller! It is already being translated into 7 languages and has sold more than 40,000 copies since it was published in March (a stunning number considering most books sell fewer than 10,000 copies in their first year). Watch the video and join the movement!
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We’ve already experienced so much this year.
A global pandemic.
Intensifying recessionary pressures.
Protests and demands for social justice.
Working and leading and living in ways we never imagined.
It’s been a stunning, dramatic year… (thanks for the adjectives! word cloud to come!) AND YET...
We’ve still got six months left! Many wish they could just cancel 2020, instead let’s take what we’ve learned + use it as a springboard to ensure the best is yet to come for all of us.
3 LESSONS THAT HAVE RISEN TO THE TOP IN 2020:
(1) The value of being transparent, adaptable + steadfastly optimistic. 💜
(2) Reminding people that they matter is important. 🌎
(3) Everyone needs to hear they have the power to unleash inspiration, meaning + joy during this chaotic time. 👈
Read the stories behind these lessons in my #MondayMotivation essay on my website. (Link in comments.)
It’s my great honor to call you my friend. I wish you and yours the very best during this season. Remember, the foundation remains firm, we are all in this together and the best is yet to come.
Today is your day. Live Inspired.
John O’Leary
Three Ways John O'Leary Can Help You Finish 2020 Strong
johnolearyinspires.com
From virtual speaking and online events to being authentic and optimistic, John shares his greatest lessons of 2020 and what they mean for you.One word...
I'm speaking virtually at noon today with a diverse group of 500 leaders. I hope to empower them to imagine - and then take action on - all that remains possible in their lives and through their lives.
And yet, we'll also be acknowledging the profound challenges so many of us have faced so far in 2020.
So, my friends, if you had to sum up the first half of your 2020 in just one word, what word would you use?
We'll be turning this into a word cloud....sharing with them ... and then with you.
Your honest share is appreciated!
J
My friends, on July 4, 2020, I thought you might benefit from reading these words spoken 40 years ago.
The following passage is part of a speech delivered by Billy Graham in Washington DC.
In 1970, the economy was struggling, the nation was divided by racial and gender inequalities, internally at war with itself, and engaged in a terrible war in Vietnam.
There were protests in the streets, a general feeling of despair, and a common belief among many that America - and the very structure of America - was flawed and failing.
Billy Graham wanted to remind the tens of thousands gathered that the country still had a long way to go to live up to the high values and ideals put forward 194 years earlier.
He acknowledged we had failed in numerous areas and needed badly to work through inequalities and injustices. We had challenges with equal pay, equal rights and equal opportunities.
And [and this is the critical piece for today], the foundation of this country remained firm, the fact we were able to publicly disagree remained a gift and the vision set forward by our founding fathers remained right: all people are created equal.
It's a message of unity, of acceptance and of hope.
It's a message demanding a bit more faith, compassion, generosity, gratitude and love from all of us.
It's a message I think we, the people, need to be reminded of on our birthday. Read below and share with your friends. At a time of growing divisions, this is a message reminding us not only of our past, but of the promise of what remains possible for our collective future.
** ** ** ** **
“We are here today not only to honor America but also as citizens to renew our dedication and allegiance to the principles and institutions that made her great.
Lately our institutions have been under attack: the Supreme Court, the Congress, the Presidency, the flag, the home, the educational system, and even the church-but we are here to say with loud voices that in spite of their faults and failures we believe in these institutions!
Let’s let the world know that the vast majority of us still proudly sing: “My country, ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.” America needs to sing again!
America needs to celebrate again!
America needs to wave the flag again!
This flag belongs to all Americans – black and white, rich and poor, liberal and conservative, Republican and Democrat.
There is too much discouragement, despair and negativism in the nation today.
On every hand critics tell us what is wrong with America, where we have failed, and why we are hated. We have listened and watched while a relatively small extremist element, both to the left and the right in our society, have knocked our courts, desecrated our flag, disrupted our educational system, laughed at our religious heritage, and threatened to burn down our cities-and are now threatening to assassinate our leaders.
The overwhelming majority of concerned Americans - white and black, hawks and doves, parents and students, Republicans and Democrats - who hate violence have stood by and viewed all this with mounting alarm and concern.
Today we call upon all Americans to stop this polarization before it is too late - and let’s proudly gather around our flag and all that it stands for.
As a Christian, or as a Jew, or as an atheist, we have a responsibility to an America that has always stood for liberty, protection and opportunity.....
....Today I call upon all Americans to raise your voices in prayer and dedication to God and in recommitment to the ideals and dreams upon which our country was founded. Let’s dedicate ourselves to a renewal of faith in God, equality, justice and peace for all. Let’s dedicate ourselves to building rather than burning.
What our forefathers began we must work to fulfill. Their goal must be our goal and we must pursue it. Their vision must be our vision and we must pursue it. It is the vision of one nation under God, where men can live as brothers in peace and in freedom.
I’m asking all Americans today, especially our young people, to pursue this vision under God, to work for freedom and for peace, to labor relentlessly, to love passionately, to serve selflessly, to pray earnestly, and to die nobly if need be. It will not be easy. The journey will be hard. The day will be long. And the obstacles will be many."
** ** ** ** **
My friends, the obstacles are indeed many. But together [and it does require us to be together], the best days for all of us are yet to come.
This is your day. Live Inspired. J
"Will it be ok?"
Several times a week we receive emails from individuals who have recently endured a sudden challenge in their live. Sometimes it's a shocking diagnosis, a painful loss, a job displacement, or an unexpected tragedy.
Today, I visited on a call with a young man who was burned less than a year ago. After listening to all he's endured, current challenges he faces, and future concerns, I was able reassure him that the answer to his question is an absolute "Yes."
Yes, it will be hard.
It will be difficult.
It will be brutal.
It will be full of ups and downs.
It will require the help of others.
And the absolute best of his efforts.
But, yes, it will be ok.
Because in spite of the difficulties he faces today, the wounds that still need to heal, or even the scars that never will, I am absolutely convinced that his best days remain ahead.
It was reassuring for my new friend today who still has a long, difficult but navigable journey ahead of him.
But my friends, as you look at the pessimistic headlines, the recessionary headwinds, the negativity that abounds, and the divisions that seem to separate, I thought it might be reassuring for you, too.
Because what we all know is that out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; and the most massive characters are seared with scars.
This is your day. Live Inspired. J
PS: here is one of my favorite podcast episodes reminding us that the best is still yet to come and miracles still happen! ... take a listen! johnolearyinspires.com/2019/07/john-smith-168/
When you flipped the calendar from December to January, what were you certain was going to happen this year? Maybe a family vacation, wedding, simply going to the store as often as you needed! And then...
Borders closed. Events were canceled. Online learning became the norm. Dining room tables, pets and children replaced offices and coworkers.
Today, Janine Urbaniak Reid shares her own reluctant journey with unexpected chaos - hers is in the form of mothering a son with cancer. But the truth she shares is applicable to all of us navigating these uncertain times:
This crisis can pull away the distractions and leave you with focus on only the essentials; clarity on what truly matters.
Now that is a gift.
Listen to Live Inspired Podcast ep. 268:
Apple Podcasts: bit.ly/JUR268
Spotify: bit.ly/JUReid268
My website: bit.ly/JCReid268
I was diagnosed this year with an autoimmune disease that is progressive and incurable. I happened upon your book in a Barnes and Noble and
I not only took the book home with me, I took you home with me. The words in your book completely changed my perspective on my “death sentence”
and left me committed to living a life that matters. I hope one day to be able to see one of your presentations. Until then, thank you for writing this
book. Anyone facing something hard that can never be changed needs a copy. I cannot imagine that I will ever be without a copy close by so that
I can turn to to as my survival guide. The bottom line for me as my takeaway, “God Always Has the Last Word, Always.”
Your seminar at Haysville last Friday was outstanding! I wish it had lasted all day!!!
God Bless You!!!!
Thanks,
George Kelley
Thank you for your inspiring and engaging book! I am so grateful you put yourself out there outside of your comfort zone. Your real ness is so welcome and needed.
It’s one of only 3 books in my life that I started reading and could not put down. I am 66 years old. I had a box of Kleenex and used the whole box, not from just crying, but also from laughing and considering. Best book I have read in many, many years. Love and hugs to John for sharing his love to all.
Love this book! It was gifted to me. I’m reading it again for the third time. After receiving it, I read it within 48 hours. Then I read it again, section by section, over the summer. Each chapter, each section speaks directly to me. I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to live an inspired life.
Good reading
I listen to John O’Leary speak in Richmond today and I have to say he had one of the most inspirational stories I have ever heard. He is a truly amazing person from his charm to sense of humor. May God continue to bless this man.
Will have to read this! Heard John on Chris Brown then Dave Ramsey. One amazing human! Go Cards!
If you haven’t heard John O’Leary speak from the platform of a sold out arena, you’re missing out on an incredible message. But you’re in luck! John has put his inspirational and life- changing message into this brilliant book. His story and words of wisdom will not only encourage you, they will ignite a passion to live your life to the fullest.
My company gets the chance to hear from some of the country’s best speakers, and my friend John O’Leary is one of the best we’ve ever had. His incredible story of persistence, passion, and intense focus left a mark on my team that we were still talking about more than a year later. Don’t miss John’s message—he will change your life!
When he was only nine years old John O’Leary survived a fire that should have killed him. But as he quickly learned, surviving is only the first step. In the ensuing years O’Leary and his family figured out how to move forward in life, how to get past the bitterness, anger and depression to thrive. O’Leary weaves his own riveting story around his hard-won lessons about how to engage with the world, to demand the most from yourself and how to live a full and meaningful life. On Fire is true-life story of post-traumatic growth that everyone can learn from.
There a rare handful of people in the world whose life story will change you forever. John O’Leary is one of these people. The powerful life lessons in this book will forever inspire you to live, lead and love differently.
John is the embodiment of someone who made a powerful choice to not be defined by his challenges. This book is a reminder to us all that no matter what happens in life, we deserve and are capable of discovering our passion, pursuing our dreams and making a meaningful impact on the world.
John O’Leary is truly one of the most amazing humans on the planet. His story will not only inspire you but give you practical ideas for how to enjoy your life more, appreciate all that you have, and push you to achieve all that you are capable of doing.
I can count on one hand the number of books I’ve read that created an urgency to push away my fears and past mistakes to step fully into life. Drawn in by John’s incredible story and conversational writing style, On Fire helped me see life’s trials as steppingstones to an enhanced version of me. John’s powerful truths enabled me to stop seeing what I can’t do and see the opportunities still available. On Fire offers a redemptive invitation to all, leading us to believe that no matter how many times we’ve fall down, no matter how dismal the current situation, the best is yet to come.
On Fire, by John O’Leary, celebrates the beauty of LIFE! Through courageously sharing his own pain and devastating loss, O’Leary reveals how crucial it is for us to keep moving forward after a setback or trial—still hope, still dream, still see the possibilities before us. Eventually we must all make the choice to truly live or just exist. A magnificent and inspiring read!
Fast paced, emotional, and surprisingly funny, On Fire is an amazing reminder that, as John says, we might not be able to choose the path we walk in life, but we can always choose the manner in which we walk it.
This is a book about coming alive – about practicing courage and fully showing up at home, work, and with the people we love. John is a storyteller, change-maker, and cage-rattler. Reading this book is like having a good friend look you square in the eye and say, ‘The time to be brave is now.’