Expected to die, today he's inspiring others to truly live. World-renowned inspirational speaker + national bestselling author John O'Leary wants to help you wake up from accidental living so you can do, be, achieve and impact more through your life. Every Monday, John shares a quick burst of inspiration to help start your week on fire. Every Thursday, John interviews an amazing guest on their story, successes, failures, lessons, and life to help you uncover tips to apply in yours.
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Oct 1, 2026 · 45:23
Wayne Connell is the founder of Invisible Disabilities Association, an organization he launched 30 years ago after watching his wife, Sherri, navigate debilitating illnesses…
Sep 28, 2026 · 7:02
"Do you still believe in miracles?" A smattering of hands went up when I asked that question at a leadership conference last week. Surprised by how few, I tried a different…
Sep 24, 2026 · 54:32
Ron Johnson helped transform the way the world shops. As the creator of the Apple Store, he worked alongside Steve Jobs to build a welcoming retail experience centered on…
Sep 21, 2026 · 5:14
Reading the headlines, there are plenty of reasons to lose hope for tomorrow and slip into anxiety today. Warring nations. Rising prices. Teetering financial markets. Political…
Sep 17, 2026 · 54:11
Lynda Gratton is a renowned professor at London Business School, a global authority on the future of work and longevity, and the author of 11 books, including her latest, Living…
Sep 14, 2026 · 6:12
Years ago, I sat in the back of church and heard a simple challenge: Say 'yes' to opportunities where your life can be used for good. At the time, I had no idea where that yes…
Sep 10, 2026 · 44:55
Neil Taylor is the founder of Me and My Old Man, a project that helps families preserve the voices and life stories of their aging parents. After losing his dad, Patrick, to…
Sep 7, 2026 · 5:36
The final day of filming SOUL ON FIRE began before 5 a.m. on Friday. It ended 19 hours later, getting home after midnight. It was a beautiful, exhausting, unforgettable day. We…
Sep 3, 2026 · 51:39
Ben Kjar was born with Crouzon syndrome, a rare craniofacial condition, and has endured painful surgeries, relentless bullying and the weight of being underestimated. And yet Ben…
Aug 31, 2026 · 5:34
Eleven years ago, I stood in a swimming pool with my arms stretched toward my three-year-old daughter. Grace was learning to swim. She stood on the edge of the pool, blonde hair…
Aug 27, 2026 · 57:37
Elizabeth Svoboda is an award-winning science journalist whose work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post and Scientific American. In her latest book, The Art…
Aug 24, 2026 · 4:34
With summer winding down and our two oldest boys preparing to leave for college, I could feel the familiar pull of time. The family dinners, random conversations and beautiful…
Aug 20, 2026 · 49:18
Danny Bader is a near-death survivor and bestselling author who inspires others to live with greater joy and purpose. In 1992, a workplace accident sent 8,000 volts through his…
Aug 17, 2026 · 4:54
The first time I saw the Rocky Mountains, my dad looked over at me and asked, "What do you think?" We were standing along the Continental Divide in Colorado, watching the sun set…
Aug 13, 2026 · 1:04:35
Sandi E. Smith is remarkable proof that our past may shape us, but it does not have to define us. After enduring a nomadic childhood marked by poverty, abuse and unimaginable…
Aug 10, 2026 · 5:19
As a child, I spent months in the hospital. The pain was constant and hopelessness sometimes crept in. But one of the things that broke through my fear and isolation was Mom…
Aug 6, 2026 · 52:30
Coach Jim Johnson is an award-winning high school basketball coach who spent more than 30 years transforming struggling programs into winning teams. Yet of his 428 career…
Aug 3, 2026 · 4:29
Somewhere between their first steps, the first day of kindergarten, and their first drive, we parents begin to realize something: The chapter of raising our children is slowly…
Jul 30, 2026 · 49:23
Kathryn Nicolai is the creator and host of the beloved podcast Nothing Much Happens , where her soothing bedtime stories help millions of adults quiet their minds and find more…
Jul 27, 2026 · 5:54
There's a part of our family's story I've never shared before. Most people know about the fire in 1987. The gasoline explosion that nearly took my life and forever changed our…
Jul 23, 2026 · 56:02
Lana Wilhelm is a nurse, case manager, and caregiver advocate. After her husband suffered a stroke in 2021, Lana found herself on the other side of the healthcare system and…
Jul 20, 2026 · 5:21
Looking at this old photo of my Grandpa Bob and me, I don't remember anything about the day it was taken. But what I do remember is the man beside me and the countless lessons I…
Jul 16, 2026 · 59:27
Paul Anleitner is a cultural theologian, author of Based on a True Story, and President & CEO of Goodmakers, where he helps people understand how culture and the stories we…
Jul 13, 2026 · 5:20
They'll never make the news. The most joyful, most faithful, most humble people rarely do. Instead, the headlines seem to celebrate the loudest voices, the biggest scandals, and…
Jul 9, 2026 · 59:13
Brad Ryan is a wildlife veterinarian, conservationist, and bestselling author whose remarkable journey with his grandmother inspired millions. After battling depression, anxiety,…
Jul 6, 2026 · 6:05
Last week, I attended funerals for two men. Two young wives grieving. Two families shattered by losses neither imagined possible. And amid profound sadness, I witnessed two…
Jul 2, 2026 · 48:02
Karen Olson is the founder and CEO emeritus of Family Promise, the national nonprofit that has helped more than one million people experiencing homelessness through the support…
Jun 29, 2026 · 5:28
For the past several summers, each of my four kids has been able to pick one work trip they want to join me on. They look through my speaking schedule, choose the destination,…
Jun 25, 2026 · 54:31
Thais Gibson is a counselor, relationship expert, and founder of The Personal Development School. And yet, before helping others transform their lives, she was a teenager…
Jun 22, 2026 · 5:06
At a speaking event last week, someone asked me a question I've been asked many times since the release of SOUL ON FIRE: "What scene from the film moves you the most?" It's a…
Jun 18, 2026 · 55:52
Stephen (Steve) Starring Grant spent decades helping some of the world's biggest brands, including IBM, Prudential, Jaguar, and Burger King, better understand human behavior. But…
Jun 15, 2026 · 4:56
A year ago, we gathered as a family around my dad's bed as he took his final breath. Last week, that same family gathered again. Mom, my five siblings, spouses, children,…
Jun 11, 2026 · 57:46
Neil Pasricha is a 10-time New York Times bestselling author, one of the world's leading voices on happiness, and the creator of 1000 Awesome Things, the award-winning blog that…
Jun 8, 2026 · 6:12
"Why didn't you go to Jack Buck's funeral?" That was the very first question asked during a Q&A after I spoke in New Jersey last month. I bought a little time by responding,…
Jun 4, 2026 · 42:40
Kevin Clark is an entrepreneur, Emmy Award-winning producer, and co-founder of Blessn, a faith-based social media platform designed to bring more positivity, encouragement, and…
Jun 1, 2026 · 4:55
Most of us believe making a difference requires something big. A big platform. A big title. A big personality. A big story. Trust me, I understand why. For much of my life,…
May 28, 2026 · 44:10
Glenn Sturm is an attorney, entrepreneur, photographer, and cancer survivor whose life changed forever after receiving a stage four cancer diagnosis nearly two decades ago. What…
May 25, 2026 · 5:11
While heading to the final speaking event of a very full, very hectic year, I found myself doing what so many of us do this time of year: rushing. It was a tight connection…
May 21, 2026 · 52:02
Haley Scott DeMaria is a speaker, author, and former University of Notre Dame swimmer whose life changed forever after surviving a tragic team bus crash that left her temporarily…
May 18, 2026 · 5:19
It's difficult when a chapter that once felt endless suddenly comes to an end. Sixteen years ago, Beth and I stood nervously outside a little school in St. Louis called Holy…
May 14, 2026 · 1:02:39
Nicholas Epley is a behavioral scientist, bestselling author, and professor at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business whose groundbreaking research explores why we as…
May 11, 2026 · 6:28
At a recent speaking engagement, I asked the audience to turn to a neighbor and share what they were grateful for in the moment. On this morning, hundreds of new friends turned…
May 7, 2026 · 54:34
Chad Robichaux is a former Force Recon Marine, USA Today bestselling author, and founder of Mighty Oaks , a nonprofit that has helped thousands of veterans and first responders…
May 4, 2026 · 5:54
Four astronauts recently returned from space. Part of the Artemis II mission, they went up as pilots, engineers, and explorers. They came back entirely changed; their perspective…
Apr 30, 2026 · 46:47
Erik Rees is the founder of NEGU, Never Ever Give Up, which is a global movement inspired by the life of his daughter Jessie. What began as a father walking through unimaginable…
Apr 27, 2026 · 6:26
Self-assured. Self-made. Quick to decide. Successful. Sarcastic. Snarky. Recently, I asked a classroom of high school students studying leadership to describe the traits they…
Apr 23, 2026 · 47:07
Willow Weston is an author, speaker, and founder of Collide, a ministry impacting women nationwide through honest conversations around pain, faith, and healing. Drawing from…
Apr 20, 2026 · 5:02
Recently, 130,000 graduates of Saint Louis University received a magazine in the mail. Inside was a story about one of their own making a difference in the world. The feature…
Apr 16, 2026 · 1:00:59
Claude M. Steele is a legendary social psychologist whose groundbreaking research on stereotype threat, self-image, and self-affirmation has reshaped how we understand identity.…
Apr 13, 2026 · 5:49
Recently, Mom and I shared coffee with a man who helped shape our lives decades ago. He wasn't a celebrity. He didn't make headlines. He was a caregiver at Mercy Hospital's burn…
Apr 9, 2026 · 55:08
Piera Gelardi is a creative entrepreneur passionate about helping others reclaim creativity and possibility through the power of play. As the co-founder of Refinery29 and author…
Apr 6, 2026 · 4:38
On any given day in Marietta, Georgia, men line up for a haircut from Travis Sanders. But what draws them in and liberates them to wait isn't simply getting their hair styled.…
Apr 2, 2026 · 48:39
Demond Martin is an investor, philanthropist, and CEO of WellWithAll, a health and wellness company committed to closing gaps in care by reinvesting profits into underserved…
Mar 30, 2026 · 5:39
What would you do if you knew today was your last? At nine years old, that wasn't a hypothetical question for me. It was my reality. After being burned on 100% of my body in a…
Mar 26, 2026 · 1:02:33
Erik Weihenmayer is an adventurer, bestselling author, and motivational speaker… but he's perhaps best known as the first blind person to summit Mount Everest. After losing his…
Mar 23, 2026 · 5:09
In a world overflowing with pessimism, cynicism, and negativity, what might happen if we chose something different? What might change if we instead stepped into life with hope,…
Mar 19, 2026 · 52:39
Masami Sato is the Founder and CEO of B1G1 (Buy1Give1), a global giving movement that has helped thousands of businesses turn everyday transactions into acts of generosity. A…
Mar 16, 2026 · 5:01
Ten years ago this week, ON FIRE was released. When the book first went out into the world, I wasn't expecting bestseller lists, translations into a dozen languages, or a feature…
Mar 12, 2026 · 49:50
Chris Seilkop is a four-time Paralympian and longtime member of the U.S. men's sitting volleyball team. After losing his leg in a lawnmower accident at just seven years old,…
Mar 9, 2026 · 5:04
Years ago, I spoke with 40 business owners. The goal of the event was to bring together some of the highest achievers, connect them with one another, and expand their businesses…
Mar 5, 2026 · 1:11:31
Today, we're joined by Lauren Abraham, a leader helping guide the national Student to Student Program of the Newark Institute, as well as two student participants of the program:…
Mar 2, 2026 · 4:55
Nearing the end of a hectic week of speaking, I could feel it coming. What began as a raspy voice at the start of one talk turned into a whisper by the end. As a sinus infection…
Feb 26, 2026 · 50:02
Mary DeMuth is a bestselling author, international speaker, host of the Pray Every Day podcast, and has devoted her life to helping people heal from difficult stories. And yet,…
Feb 23, 2026 · 6:13
Early in life, I learned an important truth that would guide the rest of my life: growth rarely happens in comfort. It happens in supply closets when scarred knees are stretched,…
Feb 19, 2026 · 57:25
Candace Lightner is the founder of MADD: Mothers Against Drunk Driving and We Save Lives, nationally and internationally recognized organizations reshaping America's response to…
Feb 16, 2026 · 5:30
"John, everything is going to work out fine." With these words my sweet dad was trying to encourage me and cheer me up. It wasn't working, though. Let me explain.
Feb 12, 2026 · 43:52
Rudy Ruettiger is the legendary underdog behind the iconic film RUDY, the walk-on who made one unforgettable play for the University of Notre Dame and became the first player in…
Feb 9, 2026 · 6:27
Recently I shared a story online about a flight delayed because of the arrogance of one person. Thousands of people liked the post. Hundreds more commented. And the vast majority…
Feb 5, 2026 · 58:09
Andrew Zimmern is an Emmy-winning, James Beard Award-winning chef, television host, author, and global food advocate. Recognized from the wildly popular show Bizarre Foods,…
Feb 2, 2026 · 6:19
Some stories don't gently ask for your attention. They demand it. Rhonda Bear's story is one of them. Like so many lives lived on fire for good, her story doesn't begin with…
Jan 29, 2026 · 1:02:20
Robert Paylor is a former collegiate rugby standout whose life changed in an instant during a national championship match. A spinal cord injury left him paralyzed from the neck…
Jan 26, 2026 · 4:59
As a kid, meeting someone new often sent my heart racing. You see, I worried they'd judge me by the scars on my face, the burns on my arms, or the fingers that were no longer…
Jan 22, 2026 · 1:00:00
Harold Dennis Jr. is a survivor of the Carrollton Bus Crash, one of the deadliest drunk-driving tragedies in U.S. history. He was just 14 years old when everything changed. What…
Jan 19, 2026 · 4:31
Two years ago, Beth and I anxiously dropped off our oldest son, Jack, for his first year of college. The school Jack chose- Indiana University- is renowned for its strong…
Jan 15, 2026 · 52:29
Father Joe Detweiler is a Catholic priest, pastor, and living testament to what is possible when hope refuses to let go. As a teenager, Father Joe survived a catastrophic car…
Jan 12, 2026 · 4:51
A friend said this about a show he'd spent dozens of hours watching, and what struck me wasn't his patience, but his willingness to endure something that never truly moved him.…
Jan 8, 2026 · 47:03
Aaron Golub is the first legally blind athlete to ever play in a Division I football game. With no vision in his right eye and only a small, central "tiny hole" field of sight in…
Jan 5, 2026 · 4:34
As we stand at the start of a new year, with to-do lists drafted, words chosen and intentions set, I want to offer you a question to consider. One that has a way of slowing us…
Jan 1, 2026 · 49:22
Jason O. Harris is a retired Lieutenant Colonel, fourth-generation service member, professional pilot, best-selling author, and nationally sought-after keynote speaker on trust…
Dec 29, 2025 · 5:45
One of the great joys of On Fire For Good is celebrating people who change lives through a kind word or a quiet act. And every so often, we meet a leader who has figured out how…
Dec 24, 2025 · 1:03:14
Colleen Costigan is the co-founder and executive director of BEAM Kenya, an organization built on the belief that every child deserves the chance to heal, learn, and lead. While…
Dec 22, 2025 · 5:41
With Christmas just days away, excitement fills our homes… twinkling lights, festive music, and hardly any sleep. Growing up, every tradition seemed to build toward Christmas…
Dec 18, 2025 · 55:02
Dave Sanderson is a nationally recognized leadership speaker, accomplished author, and the last passenger of US Airways Flight 1549, the Miracle on the Hudson. On January 15,…
Dec 15, 2025 · 5:42
I've held many titles in my life, and I'm grateful for all of them. But my favorite job title, by far, has always been Dad. As Patrick moves through his senior year of high…
Dec 11, 2025 · 46:39
Josh Pauls is a four-time Paralympic gold medalist, longtime captain of Team USA Sled Hockey, and a keynote speaker whose story of resilience has inspired audiences around the…
Dec 8, 2025 · 5:41
In preparing to close the chapter on another year, I find myself reflecting on the innumerable ups and downs of 2025. If your year looked anything like mine, it held moments of…
Dec 4, 2025 · 52:01
Dr. Gregory Ross is President and Head of School at the remarkable West End School in Louisville, Kentucky. A nationally recognized educator and transformational leader, Greg has…
Dec 1, 2025 · 5:24
Have you ever had a holiday hangover? No, I am not referring to the kind you might get from staying out too late or having one too many drinks. I mean how you feel after all the…
Nov 26, 2025 · 47:07
Donnie Campbell is a longtime math teacher, four-decade coach, national leadership speaker, and the real-life inspiration behind the beloved TV character Ted Lasso. Donnie has…
Nov 24, 2025 · 5:11
Some people carry a light within them that's impossible to miss. It isn't loud or showy — it's steady, warm, and contagious. That's how I felt the first time I learned about…
Nov 20, 2025 · 1:06:00
Chris Trapper is the platinum-selling singer-songwriter whose unmistakable blend of honesty, humor, and heart has made his music a source of comfort for listeners around the…
Nov 17, 2025 · 4:56
Everywhere we look the world highlights everything separating us. From our news headlines, social media feeds, even across the dinner table, differences are magnified, divisions…
Nov 13, 2025 · 57:58
Claude Silver is on a mission to bring more humanity into the workplace. As the world's first Chief Heart Officer at VaynerX, she partners with CEO Gary Vaynerchuk to drive their…
Nov 10, 2025 · 4:40
Looking back at last month, I'm in awe of all we've been a part of. I had the honor of speaking at dozens of events around the country, participated in more than 100 media…
Nov 6, 2025 · 52:23
Glen Henry is a creator, husband, father of four, and the heart behind Beleaf in Fatherhood, a YouTube community of more than a million people. Once a hip-hop artist who didn't…
Nov 3, 2025 · 5:01
A few critics said SOUL ON FIRE couldn't possibly be true: that no one survives burns that severe, that Jack Buck wouldn't visit a stranger's hospital room, that the "O'Reily"…
Oct 30, 2025 · 51:37
David Green is the founder of Hobby Lobby, one of the largest privately owned arts and crafts retailers in the world. Bill High is the CEO of Legacy Stone, a nonprofit that helps…
Oct 27, 2025 · 4:44
Throughout the promotion of SOUL ON FIRE , one name kept coming up around our office- Jan Roseberry! She was booking theaters, posting constantly on social media, even sending…
Oct 23, 2025 · 1:05:34
This week, The Voices of SOUL ON FIRE series concludes by welcoming Mark Isham, the award-winning composer for film and television whose music has shaped some of the most moving…
Oct 20, 2025 · 7:46
The past few weeks have been humbling and joy-filled. Interviews, headlines, sold-out theaters, and messages from around the world have celebrated SOUL ON FIRE. But the greatest…
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