- Overcame unbelievable odds and now shares his story to inspire others
- John inspires nearly 75,000 people at 100+ events each year
- He is also a bestselling author and the host of his own podcast
In 1987, John O’Leary was a curious nine-year-old boy. Playing with fire and gasoline, John created a massive explosion in his home and was burned on 100% of his body. He was given less than a 1% chance to live.
This epic story of survival was first showcased in his parents’ book, Overwhelming Odds, in 2006. Originally printing 200 copies for friends and family, his parents have sold 60,000+ copies. It was this book that first invited John to embrace his miraculous recovery and share it with the world.
John inspires 50,000+ people at 100+ events each year. He speaks to companies and organizations across industries, such as: sales, healthcare, safety, marketing, finance, faith, education and insurance.
Consistently described as “the best speaker we’ve ever had,” John receives nearly 100% of his engagements from referrals. His schedule is a testament to the power of his message and who he is as an individual. His emotional story-telling, unexpected humor and authenticity make each of his presentations truly transformational.
John’s first book ON FIRE: The 7 Choices to Ignite a Radically Inspired Life was an instant #1 National Bestseller; 200,000+ copies have sold and it has been translated into 12 languages. John’s Live Inspired Podcast is top rated on Apple Podcast and has more than 2,000,000 downloads.
His second book IN AWE: Rediscover Your Childlike Wonder to Unleash Inspiration, Meaning and Joy will be published by Penguin Random House in May 2020.
John considers his greatest success to be his marriage to his wife Beth, their four children and his relationships with friends and family.
The #1 bestselling author of On Fire shows us how to rediscover our childlike sense of wonder to unleash inspiration, meaning and joy.
There was a time when we once joyfully raised our hand high to answer every question, connected more easily with others around us, believed that anything was possible and fearlessly jumped into new experiences; when we experienced our days, not as something to endure, but as a marvelous gift to absorb and savor; when we danced through our days In Awe of the ordinary moments of the day and eager for the promise of tomorrow.
Unfortunately, many of us experience life very differently today. The pace of change has never been so stunningly rapid, and it will never be this slow again. With engagement within our professional organizations waning and burnout rising, many of us find ourselves caught in a life of dogged responsibility and mind-numbing repetition, we feel disconnected and burned out. Social media reminds us we don’t measure up and mainstream media barrages us with constant negativity. The years of test-taking, relentless striving toward someone else’s goals, and the daily struggle to earn a living, have caused us to lose the sense of wonder that we once awoke with every day.
In his new book, In Awe, John O’Leary invites us to return to the joy of navigating life like a child. He identifies the five senses children innately possess, explains why those senses fade, and shares emotional, humorous and inspirational stories of how we can return to them.
Where John’s first book On Fire leveraged his life experiences and challenges as a mirror for readers to better navigate their own, In Awe specifically identifies the most substantial challenges readers face in living more fully. It then calls out the cause of those challenges, while providing practical and inspired solutions to address them.
Strengthened by the past, and empowered for the future, In Awe shows us how to seek fresh insights, reach for new solutions, and live our best lives.
OBJECTIVES:
Innovation:
Whether they want to play professional sports, think they can fly, or expect that there is a solution to every problem, children are born with a naturally curious spirit that challenges the status quo. John invites us to explore what might happen when we no longer see obstacles as impossibilities, or rely on what has always been done, but reengage our childlike sense of possibility and our natural curiosity that asks questions, pushes boundaries, and liberates us to innovate with new ways of thinking, solving, leading, and living.
Collaboration:
Many of us find ourselves in a society where we feel isolated, alone, and enduring an epidemic of loneliness. Yet, we once were in touch with our sense of openness. Kids are always looking to expand their world, see potential friends everywhere and aren’t afraid to start conversations with those around them. John invites us to stop building fences focusing on our differences, and instead show our vulnerability and need for others, which resuscitates the feeling of acceptance, belonging and community. Learn how to reignite an environment built on shared goals, values and focus.
Empowerment and Accountability:
Despite our best exhortations, kids don’t like to play it safe, but are natural risk-takers and adventurers, dreaming big and boldly going after what they want. John invites to see what’s possible when we set aside the protectionism that keeps us safe, begin to own our choices, claim our power, and live again as if anything is possible.
“John is well spoken, thought provoking, and inspiring. In addition to his phenomenal message he is a super nice guy and extremely easy to work with. I would highly recommend him.”
“John was our speaker for our kick-off and was simply amazing. There are not enough words to express how impactful his talk was.”
“Your organization name – John O’Leary Inspires – is an understatement! You connect, you educate, you encourage, you open the mind to the possibilities of living life fully….and you do you inspire. Thank you for sharing your story, your talent, your lessons, your energy, and your inspiration.” For a gathering of caregivers, you and your message were simply perfect.”
“The feedback from John’s presentation has been overwhelming awesome.”
“John was absolutely phenomenal. The response we’ve received from not only our clients but our staff has been amazing. Everyone has said that he really is the best speaker they’ve ever heard.”
“Words cannot express my gratitude for your contribution at our National Conference. I know you surely changed alot of lives that day!”
“John’s presentation was great. Expectations were high, and he exceeded them.”
“John absolutely set the tone for the our conference. It was all positive and upbeat. In my opinion, it was the best conference we have had in years, and I know that John played a major role in that.”
