As a 9-year-old, Missouri native John O'Leary wasnearly killed while playing with fire. Burned on 100 percent of his body with89 percent covered in third-degree burns, John was not expected to live thefirst night.
But then something happened, call it a miracle. Through thepower of countless people all striving to keep John alive, not to mention thewell wishes from near and far, including President Ronald Reagan, Pope JohnPaul II, sports announcer Jack Buck, NHL star Gino Cavallini and the entire St.Louis Blues hockey team, John pulled through.
But that's just John's origin story. John survived, but hefelt lost trying to fit in. Throughout his youth, he would try to be likeeveryone else by taking big risks, whether physical feats, drinking, or otherextreme behavior.
"Anything someone else would do I would do even biggerand better to prove that I was ordinary," he said. "I wasn'tchiseled, I was bandaged. I was just raft with lies and a mask."
At age 28 while working construction, John was asked to sharethe story of how he was burned — and he said "yes" for the firsttime. So, he spoke to a Girl Scout troop of three.
"I did a lousy job. I was not even paid with a box ofSamoas," he joked.
But one of the girl's fathers asked John to speak at hisRotary Club. That grew to another speaking gig and then more and more speakingengagements, not to mention two books, including the Number 1 bestseller,"On Fire, The Seven Choices to Ignite a Radically Inspired Life,"which has sold 250,000 copies and been translated into 12 languages.
"I'm not afraid of the scars anymore," John said."By saying 'yes' to others, I began to realize the dignity of my ownstory."
Over the years, John has spoken publicly 2,500 times andreached several million people to reveal "what happens when we allowourselves to be used for something bigger than ourselves."
I am so inspired by John, not only because of the greatbaseball stories he shares about Jack Buck and the dozens of signed baseballshe received, but also because John embodies the principles of faith, healing,and dedication to purpose.
John shares his story and the lessons he's learned in thisweek's episode of Chiseled. If you'd like to reach John, you can do soon one of his two websites, JohnOLearyInspires.com and readinawe.com, whichwill also give you the opportunity to take the 21-day challenge to sparkinspiration, meaning, and joy. Check it out and enjoy this week's podcast.