associations-hero

1 day ago

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 friends, this conversation will leave you asking yourself, “what more can I do?”Listen to Gino on Live Inspired Podcast ep. 536 now.My website: johnolearyinspires.com/podcast/archive/gino-cavallini/Your favorite podcast app: link.chtbl.com/tOmM9ExS ... See MoreSee Less

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John O'Leary - Live Inspired

4 days ago

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.In the 1992 Olympic Games, Derek expected to win gold in the 400-meter. In the first round of qualifications, he posted the fastest time. In the quarterfinals, he won the heat.In the semi-finals, the Olympic Stadium filled to witness the men's 400-meter. When the pistol sounded, Derek raced to an early lead and remained out front with 65,000 cheering from the stands. No one louder than his dad.But then it happened.With a pop in Derek’s right hamstring, his beautiful running cadence transformed into a contorted man grabbing his leg, bouncing on one foot, hobbling forward, and ultimately falling onto the track. Knowing that a similar injury during the Olympics four years earlier had ended Derek’s race, his father's heart sank.Amazingly, though, Derek got up.He began hopping on one leg trying to finish the race. He fell repeatedly, pulled himself up, hopped a few more steps, and fell again.Although the winner had already crossed the finish line, the stadium realized a more important competition was just beginning.Rather than hobbling off and quitting, the injured Derek continued the race on one leg. One painful hop at a time, each one a little slower and more agonizing than the last, Derek continued to limp and lurch and fall his way forward. From the stands, Derek’s dad suddenly appeared on the track. Jim Redmond had jumped over the stadium railing, dodged Olympic security, and raced to his son’s aid.With Dad's help, Derek continued the unorthodox and emotionally stirring race. As they hobbled around the track together, Derek was overcome by the emotion and sobbed. He leaned on his father, occasionally putting his head on his shoulder. Together, arm and arm, father and son- with 65,000 people screaming encouragement, clapping loudly and crying with them- crossed the finish line.It's perhaps the most remarkable finish in Olympic history.My friends, we live in a culture that celebrates winners. We look up to the best athletes and the first-place finishers. We elevate the most attractive celebrities and the biggest personalities. We are fascinated by flash and glamour and beauty and success.And yet, the very things that garner so much envy have short shelf lives. Beauty fades. Medals rust. Money vanishes. Success, it turns out, is fleeting.Few people in the stadium that day could recall who won the 400-meter semi-final race. Far fewer have any clue who won that race more than three decades later.But the story of a father and a son, and the dedication revealed by both to finish strong, continues to be remembered and serves as an outstanding reminder of what real victory looks like.My friends, be reminded that more worthy than the ultimate standings of our lives are the grit, determination, faithfulness and courage to live it well. And be open to leaving the comfort of the stands to race onto the track, put your arms around another in need, and help them finish strong, too.Because the success we aspire to won’t be found in what we accomplish in our lives, but in how we encourage others to finish strong in theirs.This is your day. Live inspired. ... See MoreSee Less

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John O'Leary - Live Inspired

1 week ago

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.Listen to Live Inspired Podcast ep. 534 now:My website: johnolearyinspires.com/podcast/archive/cujo/Your favorite podcast app: link.chtbl.com/tOmM9ExS ... See MoreSee Less

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John O'Leary - Live Inspired

2 weeks ago

What’s your date?You know, the date when the phone rang, a friend moved, a partner walked out, the unexpected and unwanted became the new reality? What’s the date when the life you planned dramatically and painfully changed forever?We all have one. What’s yours?One such date for me is January 17, 1987.It marks the date at age nine I was burned on 100% of my body. It is the date I should have lost my life and that I was forever changed dramatically and physically. And it’s the date of an anniversary I celebrate tomorrow.A year into recovery, still in and out of doctors’ appointments, therapy sessions and surgeries, I wasn’t celebrating it, though. I was still hoping my fingers might magically grow back. I still wasn’t back in school and I still was very concerned about how others might respond to the new me.As the first anniversary of that date approached, I just hoped no one would notice. I hoped the date would pass. I still wished life would return to how it was before being burned.Surprisingly to me, my family treated it more as a birthday than as a date to mourn.There were balloons in the morning, cards on the table, a few gifts and my favorite breakfast.Later that day, there was a larger family celebration. After dinner, my grandfather guided me away from the commotion and love of the family. I shuffled next to him through the front hall and into the living room. He helped me sit down, then pulled up a chair so we could sit, as he liked to say, “man to man.”Me, a t-shirt wearing, scarred-up and bandaged little boy trying to figure out what life might look like going forward. Him, a stately man, wearing a suit, who served in the Pacific during World War II, married, became a father and relished his role as a grandfather.He asked me if I understood why everyone had gathered that night?After responding that it was about the fire, he compassionately put his arm around me, looked me in the eyes and said, “It’s not just the fire, John. We are celebrating you, your life and the fact that the fire may have hurt and changed you, but it didn’t break you.”He told me, as only a grandfather of that generation could, that I have a choice. To view this date as a painful reminder of what I lost or as a magnificent gift of all I still had. He then handed me a gold chain with a simple cross on it. On the back, were the words: “Bravest of the family.”Below the words, a date: “January 17, 1987.”I was ten.I didn’t feel very brave at all. And that date still confused me.My wise grandfather provided me a simple truth we all must be reminded of from time to time: life happens, tragedies strike, bad things occur. And then, in our very next breath, the next moment, we get to determine what we do with it.This was a very hard truth to understand as a child. It’s a difficult reality to embrace 36 years later. But the journey to where we are now began with an important gift a wise man shared with me on that very first anniversary.Not just a gold cross or kind words, but the underlying fact they represented: The collection of all events in our life forge and form us perfectly into the individuals we are today. And perhaps none of those dates have the power of truly transforming our life stories as radically, and surprisingly, as positively as the difficult ones.My friends, tragedy is certain to make its way into your life. Here’s the good news, borrowed from my favorite writer, Viktor Frankl: It turns out that even helpless victims of seemingly hopeless situations, facing fates they cannot change, may rise above it, may grow beyond it, and in doing so, may change not only themselves, but those lucky enough to know us.It’s not easy. But it’s possible.This is your date. Live Inspired. ... See MoreSee Less

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John O'Leary - Live Inspired

2 weeks ago

There are numerous health and wellbeing challenges associated with isolation, cynicism, burnout, negativity, and divisiveness. And yet there is one surprising solution to circumvent each of the challenges: FUN.😍 Having more fun improves your relationships, both at work and in life💡 Fun makes us smarter💆‍♀️ Fun reduces stress🏃‍♂️ Finding more fun in physical activity balances your hormone levels🔋 Fun can make you more energetic and youthful💰 Fun elevates our culture, retention, impact, and profitability professionallyMike Rucker, Ph.D. reminds us that fun is a resource available to each of us almost any time, yet most of us are not having nearly enough of it.As an organizational psychologist and behavioral scientist, Mike has critically evaluated modern approaches to happiness and has developed science-backed and actionable tips that reinforce the importance of seeking fun, rather than happiness, in our daily lives.Today, Mike shares how intentionally increasing your joyful moments can improve your health, relationships, and productivity, while also providing specific guidance to help you make the most of your time and create more space for having fun.Whether you’re a frustrated high-achiever trying to find a better work-life balance or someone who is seeking relief from life’s overwhelming challenges, this conversation is for you.Listen to Mike on Live Inspired Podcast ep. 532 now:My website: johnolearyinspires.com/podcast/archive/mike-rucker/Your favorite podcast app: link.chtbl.com/tOmM9ExS ... See MoreSee Less

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John O'Leary - Live Inspired

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Husband. Father. Son. Friend. Live event + virtual speaker. Coach. Two-time bestselling author. Live Inspired Podcast host.
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