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About
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 Overwhelming Odds, the book his parents wrote in 2006. It was this book that first invited John to embrace his miraculous recovery and share it with the world.
Today, John inspires tens of thousands of people at more than 100 live and virtual events each year. He partners with companies and organizations across fields, such as: sales, healthcare, safety, marketing, finance, faith, education and insurance.
Consistently described as “the best speaker we’ve ever had,” John’s tireless schedule is a testament to the power of his message. His emotional storytelling, unexpected humor and authenticity make each presentation unforgettable.
John is a two-time bestselling author of On Fire: The 7 Choices to Ignite a Radically Inspired Life and In Awe: Rediscover Your Childlike Wonder to Unleash Inspiration, Meaning and Joy.
John’s award-winning Live Inspired Podcast has more than seven million downloads and enjoys world-class guests such as Brené Brown, Mitch Albom, Jackie Joyner-Kersee and Bob Costas.
Amazingly, John’s story is taking on a new form: a full-length feature film starring Joel Courtney, John Corbett, and William H. Macy. SOUL ON FIRE will be release in theaters nationwide on October 10, 2025.
Regardless of his professional accomplishments, John considers his greatest success to be his marriage to his wife Beth, their four children and his relationships with friends and family.
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Video Clips
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Topics
THE POWER OF ONE
Expected to die, John O’Leary now teaches others how to truly live.
John was a curious nine-year-old boy. Playing with fire and gasoline, he created a massive explosion in his garage and was burned on 100% of his body. Given less than 1% chance of survival, John is proof of the power of the human spirit.
His unlikely recovery meant a journey of pain and loss that could have easily been insurmountable. However, far from being an example of someone who simply endured tragedy, John is a luminous example of thriving through adversity.
Surprisingly, this “survivor” story isn’t focused on John – rather, it is a celebration of heroes who intimately served him and his family. From a dedicated Hall of Fame sports announcer to a visionary burn nurse (and countless others), every individual involved in this 1987 fire teaches us this truth: one person can make a profound difference in the lives of others.
With emotional storytelling and unexpected humor, John reminds audiences of the significance of daily attitudes, the power of gratitude, and the impact of serving others with courage. He reawakens audiences to realize the gift of today and the possibility of tomorrow.
IN AWE: Rediscover Your Childlike Wonder
Based on his #1 bestselling book, John O’Leary shows us how to rediscover our childlike sense of wonder to unleash inspiration, meaning and joy.
Key Themes:
There was a time when we once joyfully raised our hand high to answer every question, believed that anything was possible and fearlessly jumped into new experiences. 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. 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 at work and at home. We feel disconnected and depleted.
In this talk, based on his latest book In Awe, John:
• Invites us to return to the joy and creativity of navigating life like a child
• Defines 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.
• Identifies the most substantial interpersonal challenges we face in living more fully and calls out the roots of those challenges, while providing practical and inspired solutions to address them.
INNOVATION:
Whether they want to play professional sports, think they can fly, or expect 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. Learn how to reengage our natural curiosity that spurs us to ask questions, push boundaries, and liberates us to innovate with new ways of thinking, solving, leading, and living.
COLLABORATION:
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 at your organization built on shared goals, values and focus.
EMPOWERMENT:
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. Learn what happens when we begin to own our choices, claim our power, and live again as if anything is possible.
ON FIRE: Ignite a Radically Inspired Life
Best-selling author John O’Leary reminds us that just because we got out of bed this morning, does not mean that we are truly living.
Key Themes
We live in a world where “accidental living” – mindlessly moving through routines, wasting countless hours on social media, or complaining about what’s wrong in our jobs, families, and society – has become the norm. But John reminds us that just because we got out of bed this morning, does not mean that we are truly living.
What would our day, impact and output look like if we lived a radically inspired life, every, single day? Living radically inspired means you learn from past mistakes, rise above challenges, and thrive no matter the circumstances.
No one embodies this more than powerhouse inspirational speaker John O’Leary – who was nearly killed in a devastating fire at age nine.
In this talk, John:
• Shares the critical truth that “inflection points” – moments in time that change everything that follows – occur daily.
• Empowers audiences through mighty examples that life has far less to do with what happens to us, and much more to do with how we respond.
• Uses key questions to explore the difference between a victim and victor mindset, sharing tactics for how to apply them in ways that can catalyze transformational growth in life and in your organization.
ACCOUNTABILITY:
Accept our wins and our failures so that we can truly celebrate our outcomes. Discover the power of taking ownership of our lives and the impact doing so will have on our most important relationships and on our organizations bottom-line. Learn how to replace blame shifting and apathy with taking ownership and living bravely.
POWER OF MINDSET:
Our perspective colors every interaction we have in our lives. Shifting our perspectives allows us to leverage our personal strengths and reclaim our freedom. Learn how to strive for progress (not perfection) and learn from defeat.
OVERCOMING OBSTACLES:
Life has far less to do with what happens to us, and much more to do with how we respond. Learn to recognize that we can’t always choose the path we walk, but we can always choose the manner in which we walk it.
BE THE LIGHT
Bestselling author John O’Leary encourages us to lean into our faith and follow our calling to ‘Be the Light’ in the modern world.Key Themes:With the current global tensions, political unrest, fragmented communities and intensifying violence, today’s world can feel dark sometimes.No one understands the importance of having light in a dark world more than powerhouse inspirational speaker John O’Leary- who was nearly killed in a devastating fire at age nine. Today, John inspires 50,000+ people each year around the world at live and virtual events.In his faith-focused keynote Be the Light, John reminds us that light pushes back darkness, love destroys evil, God still reigns, and the best is yet to come. Most importantly, we’re reminded that we are called to be the light. In his keynote, John shares the keys to empower us to fulfill this calling.John’s poignant storytelling is a blend of emotion, humor and authenticity. His faith testimony beautifully illustrates the power of prayer and God’s presence during our times of greatest challenge.In this talk, John helps audiences to:• Energize their faith.• Hear an outside perspective on religious concepts.• Brainstorm ways to re-engage withdrawn community members.FELLOWSHIP:John helps organizations and congregations build a positive atmosphereto increase dialogue and connection. Learn how to reignite an environment built on prayer, values and hope.FAITH:John reminds us that even when we feel our worst pain, there is a loving God who shares in our burdens, celebrates our joys and leads us forward. Learn how to reawaken your faith and recognize the power it has in your life. -
Testimonials
2 people have recommended this speaker
“John did an outstanding job captivating the hearts and minds of our attendees…at the business and personal levels and his talk was the highlight of the weekend.”
“Our consultants are viewing their business and lives in ways they never have before. John touched our souls!”
“John did an outstanding job captivating the hearts and minds of our attendees…at the business and personal levels and his talk was the highlight of the weekend.”