Live Inspired Podcast with John O'Leary

Wayne Connell is the founder of Invisible Disabilities Association, an organization he launched 30 years ago after watching his wife, Sherri, navigate debilitating illnesses others couldn't see or understand. As her husband and caregiver for 32 years, Wayne has turned that deeply personal experience into a lifelong mission to help others living with invisible disabilities to feel seen, believed, and valued.

Today, Wayne shares what decades of caregiving have taught him about love, why believing someone can be one of the greatest gifts we offer, and how to better support those carrying struggles we cannot see. We also discuss the difference between fixing and simply being present, the assumptions we make about others, and the power of listening.

My friends, if you're carrying an unseen burden or love someone who is, this conversation is for you. You'll be reminded to slow down, listen well and recognize the value in every person you meet.

"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 approach.

"How many of you saw the sun rise this morning? How many of you stopped to consider how incredibly unlikely it is that you are here at all? That your heart beats without being reminded. That your eyes capture light and turn it into images. That you can laugh, love, work, walk, and dance through your days"

More hands went up, but still not all of them!

Well, my friends, I am certain miracles still happen.

And Brent Oliver's life is proof. Let me explain.

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 learning and human connection. Before Apple, he helped make good design accessible at Target, and he later served as CEO of J.C. Penney. In his new book, Shop Different, Ron shares the leadership lessons he gained through extraordinary successes and humbling setbacks.

Today, Ron shares how a childhood love of retail shaped his career, why the Apple Store was designed around relationships rather than transactions, and what his difficult experience at J.C. Penney taught him about listening, humility and moving forward. He also explains why kindness belongs in the boardroom and how focusing on the person in front of us can transform the way we lead, work and live.

My friends, you'll leave this conversation inspired to pursue what you love, strengthen the relationships that matter and measure success by the lives you enrich along the way. Whether you're leading a team, navigating a setback or searching for greater purpose, Ron's journey is a powerful reminder that success and failure are fleeting, but the way we treat others endures.

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 upheaval.

And then there are the concerns closer to home. Caring for aging parents or grieving their loss. Wrestling with the difficulties of raising kids or the ache of being unable to have them. Enduring yet another flight delay on a work trip (hits home as I write this!) or the far heavier struggle of being unable to find work.

We all carry something.

So, what are we to do with all this stress, all these conflicts, all these struggles? Let me explain.

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 the 100-Year Life. For decades, she has explored how longer lives are reshaping the way we learn, work, build relationships and find meaning.

Today, Lynda Gratton shares how her mother and grandmother shaped her steady optimism, why living longer requires curiosity and reinvention, and how we can move beyond the traditional path of education, work and retirement. She invites us to see life as a tapestry woven from our experiences, relationships and choices, with each season offering new possibilities.

My friends, if you've been moving through life on autopilot or wondering what your next chapter could hold, this conversation is for you. You'll leave encouraged to invest in what matters most, remain open to new possibilities and make your longer life not only fuller, but more meaningful.

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 might lead. I never imagined the following day I'd be invited to share my story with a small group of third-grade Girl Scouts. Or that in time, living the 'yes' would grow into a career speaking around the world, lead to books and a movie, or open the door to meeting so many extraordinary people.

I just felt moved by something I heard: Say "yes" to being used for good.

Which is why I love the story of this month's On Fire For Good honoree, Dan Rogers. Let me explain.

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 dementia just six days before welcoming his son, Neil began recording guided conversations and transforming them into keepsake audiobooks. He has now captured more than 350 hours of stories for 32 families across six countries. Today, Neil shares the loss that inspired his mission, what hundreds of hours of listening have taught him about the extraordinary stories hidden within ordinary lives, and why preserving a loved one's voice can be even more meaningful than preserving memories. He also reveals how thoughtful questions and genuine listening can deepen our understanding of the people closest to us, bridge generations and even bring comfort amid grief. My friends, if there is someone you love whose stories you have always meant to ask about, this conversation is for you. You'll leave inspired to slow down, listen more closely and begin asking the questions that can transform everyday conversations into a legacy your family will treasure for generations.

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 filmed some of the most iconic scenes in the movie, including my graduation from St. Louis University and Beth and I's wedding at the Shrine of Saint Joseph.

After countless loops of Sweet Caroline, it eventually went silent. Sean McNamara rose from his director's chair, took off his headset and proclaimed loudly, "That's a wrap!"

After eight years of effort, the movie had been filmed.

Throughout that long day, my phone never stopped buzzing. By the time I went to bed, it had logged 250 text messages.

Then Monday arrived.

I rolled over, looked down at my phone and squinted.

Hmmm. Strange. Zero messages.

By noon there were a total of three.

Two were from Beth reminding me to take the trash out.

The sudden change made me realize something about what truly makes a life meaningful. Let me explain.

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 refused to let others define what was possible for his life. He became Utah Valley University's first NCAA Division I Wrestling All-American, a world champion wrestler and an international motivational speaker whose extraordinary journey is featured in the award-winning documentary STANDOUT: The Ben Kjar Story.

Today, Ben shares how his mother's reminder that he was "born different to make a difference" changed the course of his life, how wrestling helped him turn pain into purpose, and why the challenges we face can become our greatest source of strength. He also reminds us that we may not control what happens to us, but we can always choose whether we live as victims or victors.

My friends, if you have ever felt different, underestimated or discouraged by the obstacles in front of you, this conversation is for you. You'll leave inspired to embrace what makes you unique, meet adversity with courage and recognize that the very thing you once wished you could change may be what allows you to make your greatest difference.

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 draped across her face, staring nervously down at the water.

"Come on, Grace. Jump in. I've got you."

She looked away from the water, glanced anxiously at me and said, "Dad, I don't think I can. What if it doesn't work? What if I fail?"

Reasonable questions from a three-year-old standing at the edge of something new.

With a little coaxing and a lot of assurance, Grace finally stopped focusing on what might go wrong. She bent her knees, brushed the bangs away from her face, shut her eyes, pushed off the side…and jumped.

Earlier this month, that little girl began high school.

And as our family enters yet another new season- two kids leaving for college and the younger ones racing toward milestones of their own- I've been thinking again about that pool.

About the ledge. About the hesitation. And especially about the jump.

Because some of the hardest transitions in life aren't about stretching forward; they're about letting go. Let me explain.