Confession: This episode is raw and mostly unedited. I lost signal completely (turns out leafy woods don’t love Wi-Fi – who knew?) and had to rejoin mid-recording. Luckily, Joe was incredibly patient and we were able to carry on. I did trim out a few “Can you hear me?" and some slightly panicked filler words – just enough to keep it flowing – but the spirit of the episode remains totally intact “Raw” but a tiny bit edited for the listers benefit. 😊

Keywords

Resilience, recovery, military, mindset, coaching, adversity, thriving, personal growth, leadership, positivity

 Summary

In this episode of Thriving Not Surviving, host Helen Valentino sits down with Joe O'Connor — a former military man whose journey is nothing short of extraordinary. Having broken his neck twice, Joe shares how he rebuilt his life through sheer mindset, resilience, and a healthy dose of humour.

He opens up about the powerful lessons he gained from his time in the military, how they shaped his approach to adversity, and why mindset is everything when it comes to personal growth. From recovery to leadership, Joe’s story is a testament to the strength of the human spirit.

Together, they explore the impact of self-talk, the importance of laughter during hardship, and the beauty of helping others thrive through shared experience.

Takeaways

• Mindset plays a pivotal role in both recovery and growth

• Resilience is built through life’s toughest moments

• Humour can be a powerful coping tool in hard times

• Military life teaches transferable lessons in leadership and adaptability

• The way we speak to ourselves shapes our outcomes

• Not every day will be perfect — but every day offers something to learn

• Knowing where you are is the first step to setting meaningful goals

• Failure isn’t the end — it’s a stepping stone

• By sharing our story, we empower others to thrive

• True success is found in the journey, not the destination

Sound Bites

• “Your number one team is yourself.”

• “Improvise, adapt, and overcome.”

• “Failure isn’t fatal — it’s a lesson.”

Resources

JoeTeams.com

Pathfinder Book LinkedIn -Free downloadable book (£9.99 on Amazon)

https://thetransformer.co.uk/

🎧 For full transcription, contact: [email protected]

Instagram: helens_inspired_healing

www.inspiredhealing.co.uk

🎵 Music: Pixabay – “Upbeat Acoustic” by Stockaudios

🎨 Cover art: Dave Champagne

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