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On Fire: The 7 Choices to Ignite a Radically Inspired Life
In the bestselling tradition of Brene Brown’s Daring Greatly and Nick Vujicic’s Life Without Limits comes a rousing 7-step plan for living a life on fire, filled with hope and possibility—from an inspirational speaker who survived a near-fatal fire at the age of nine and now runs a successful business inspiring people all around the world.
When John O’Leary was nine years old, he was almost killed in a devastating house fire. With burns on one hundred percent of his body, O’Leary mustered an almost unimaginable amount of inner strength just to survive the ordeal. The insights he gained through this experience and the heroes who stepped into his life to help him through the journey—his family, the medical staff, and total strangers—changed his life. Now he is committed to living life to the fullest and inspiring others to do the same.
An incredible and emotionally honest account of triumph over tragedy, On Fire contains O’Leary’s reflections on being that little boy, the life-giving choices made then, and the resulting lessons he learned. O’Leary very clearly shares that without the right people providing the right guidance, at the right time, he never would have made it through those five months in the hospital, let alone the years that followed as he struggled to regain mobility, embrace his story, and ignite clarity of his life’s purpose.
On Fire encourages us to seize the power to choose our path and transform our lives from mundane to extraordinary. Once we stop thinking solely on the big moments in our lives, we can begin to focus on those smaller opportunities that tend to pass us by. These are the events—the inflection points in our lives—that can determine how we feel about life now, where we are headed in the future, and how many lives we can impact along the way. We can’t always choose the path we walk, but we can choose how we walk it. Empowering, inspiring, remarkably honest, and heartfelt, O’Leary’s strength and incredible spirit shine through on every page.
When John O’Leary was nine years old, he was almost killed in a devastating house fire. With burns on one hundred percent of his body, O’Leary mustered an almost unimaginable amount of inner strength just to survive the ordeal. The insights he gained through this experience and the heroes who stepped into his life to help him through the journey—his family, the medical staff, and total strangers—changed his life. Now he is committed to living life to the fullest and inspiring others to do the same.
An incredible and emotionally honest account of triumph over tragedy, On Fire contains O’Leary’s reflections on being that little boy, the life-giving choices made then, and the resulting lessons he learned. O’Leary very clearly shares that without the right people providing the right guidance, at the right time, he never would have made it through those five months in the hospital, let alone the years that followed as he struggled to regain mobility, embrace his story, and ignite clarity of his life’s purpose.
On Fire encourages us to seize the power to choose our path and transform our lives from mundane to extraordinary. Once we stop thinking solely on the big moments in our lives, we can begin to focus on those smaller opportunities that tend to pass us by. These are the events—the inflection points in our lives—that can determine how we feel about life now, where we are headed in the future, and how many lives we can impact along the way. We can’t always choose the path we walk, but we can choose how we walk it. Empowering, inspiring, remarkably honest, and heartfelt, O’Leary’s strength and incredible spirit shine through on every page.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2016
611 people are currently reading
5285 people want to read
About the author
John O'Leary
3 books109 followersOnce expected to die, today John O'Leary teaches others how to truly live. As an internationally acclaimed speaker, bestselling author, and podcast host, John helps hundreds of thousands of people to live inspired each year, sharing his insights and inspiring message with emotional storytelling and unexpected humor. He is the founder of Rising Above, a lifestyle organization helping people and companies live an inspired life, and the author of the #1 national bestseller, On Fire. John inspires countless more through his weekly Monday Motivation essays, Live Inspired Podcast episodes, and exclusive membership community. He lives with his wife and four children in St. Louis, Missouri.
John's second book IN AWE publishes 5/5/2020.
John's second book IN AWE publishes 5/5/2020.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 536 reviews
November 6, 2016
This powerful book made me cry several times and has inspired me to try to become a better person. The author, who burned nearly his entire body at the age of nine, does an incredible job telling his own story and how the reader can apply it to one’s own life. I look forward to reading it again. I think that this book is far and above your typical self-help-type book.
Some of my favorite quotes:
“We had it all. Life was perfect. And then life changed. It always does. When life changes in this way, we can beg and plead to go back to the way things were. Feeling entitled to that reality. Waiting for someone to wave the magic wand and put things back to normal; back to the way life was. Or we can step up, recognize that it is time to move forward from here, and embrace total accountability.”
“I believe in the power of prayer. And I know thousands of prayers were offered up for me that night, and every day for the next five months I spent in the hospital. But I also believe that prayer is not so much intended to change God, but to inform and inspire the next steps of the individuals offering the prayer.”
“The number one joy indicator, the one thing that will predict whether someone feels joy in their life or not, is the practice of gratitude.”
Some of my favorite quotes:
“We had it all. Life was perfect. And then life changed. It always does. When life changes in this way, we can beg and plead to go back to the way things were. Feeling entitled to that reality. Waiting for someone to wave the magic wand and put things back to normal; back to the way life was. Or we can step up, recognize that it is time to move forward from here, and embrace total accountability.”
“I believe in the power of prayer. And I know thousands of prayers were offered up for me that night, and every day for the next five months I spent in the hospital. But I also believe that prayer is not so much intended to change God, but to inform and inspire the next steps of the individuals offering the prayer.”
“The number one joy indicator, the one thing that will predict whether someone feels joy in their life or not, is the practice of gratitude.”
April 9, 2016
Just pure awesomeness. Incredible story. Incredible truths. I read a lot of non-fiction, but I think this one tops the list for me. I can't remember a book I've read where I've had a perpetual lump in my throat through nearly every page. John's story is tough to read - especially as a mom. But as he continues to unveil the heroes in his story, you see the beauty in it all and you understand why, as he said, he'd do it all again. And the major underlying themes.... that true joy and contentment come from gratitude... that every one and every moment matters... that love is bigger than fear.... YES. YES. YES. I didn't want this book to end and I've been thinking about it ever since... If you only read one book this year, let this be it.
February 5, 2019
If only there was a star for DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME. For some odd reason, a book club I attend when I'm in the sun selected this book. I respect John O'Leary's positive life trajectory after having been burned over his whole body as a child and expected to die, but his story could have been told in just a few pages, and his seven choices to living a purposeful life in one paragraph. Reading the same thing over and over again in each chapter was tiresome. When I told someone I hated the book she asked if I'd finished it--she had given up after only reading half of it. (Didn't matter, she didn't miss anything.)
May 25, 2017
John O'Leary's story really is amazing. He survived an incredible tragedy and then used every lesson learned from this tragedy to live a truly inspired life. The lessons are not new - most of us know what it takes - but the way he lives these lessons is inspiring. It makes us all believe that we can live a truly inspired life!
July 25, 2024
Had to read this for work. I didn’t think I would like it, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book
September 11, 2022
I almost never read "self-help" or "inspirational nonfiction," but one of my favorite idols mentioned in a recent interview that he liked this book, so of course I had to read it. However, this book is also only half self-help; it has a STRONG memoir element to it. This book serves as a way for O'Leary to share some of his advice while also writing extremely candidly about the tragic fire that almost took his life. Because of how intense the memoir elements are, there are some sections that read more like "here is how *I* live a radically inspired life" instead of "here is how *you* can live a radically inspired life."
All that said, this book ended up surprising me. I didn't LOVE it, but I also found it to be a fairly accessible self-help book, especially compared to others I've seen. My biggest problem with these kinds of books is that they generally come with a side of ableism (the "mind over matter" mentality simply is not always feasible, for instance, or not everyone can make some physical changes to their lives so easily, or stories of people who recover from physical disabilities/ailments become nothing more than "inspiration porn"), classism (not everyone has the money or home environment to follow some suggested lifestyle changes, or not everyone has the same money/access/community support), and sometimes a dash of racism or queerphobia (not all choices that lead to personal happiness also lead to safety, for example). There are also a lot of self-help books where the primary takeaway is either "you just need to find MY god" or "you just need to strengthen your relationship with MY god." So yeah, I'm a bit jaded (pun not intended) about this genre more broadly.
While O'Leary's book isn't perfect, of course, it mostly avoids a lot of these issues. Mostly. For example, O'Leary still credits a lot of his recovery from the near-fatal fire to simply "wanting to live," with the access he had to first-rate medical care, dedicated caregivers, a strong community supporting his family, etc. all coming second. There are a LOT of people who would LOVE to survive near-fatal accidents but simply don't have the physical resources--especially in America, where healthcare (let alone GOOD healthcare) isn't a given. O'Leary shared multiple stories about famous sports personalities practically taking him under his wing, and how they continued to "inspire" him to recover. Again--resources that very few people have access to. Still, I'd say O'Leary credits approximately 90% of his near-miraculous recovery to mindset, which just isn't realistic for the vast majority of people--and that is NOT me being a pessimist or refusing to acknowledge that mindset can be important. It's just reality. He was better in other areas, such as never pushing his religion onto readers. He mentions his faith a couple times throughout, but he NEVER places religious beliefs as necessities or tries to convince readers that improving their lives will be easier if they place their faith somewhere higher. I was especially impressed by this, as O'Leary makes it rather apparent that he is highly religious and involved in his faith community.
I also appreciated how O'Leary acknowledged that not every tragedy has to be life-threatening and not every obstacle in life has to be momentous. Sometimes, it's the seemingly mundane day-to-day things that stop us from doing what we want. Similarly, the events that spur you into looking toward an "improved" life don't need to come from life-threatening inflection points, either.
From a writing standpoint, this book was SUPER repetitive, and it was written like a Ted Talk. Not just because it was "filled with inspiration" but because O'Leary would write one thought across SEVERAL lines/paragraphs for emphasis.
Every important moment.
Every example.
Every new thought.
They'd be written like this.
Readers pause at the end of a paragraph, right?
O'Leary apparently banked on it.
Because most of the book was written like this.
This formatting loses its emphasis when EVERYTHING is written like that. Suddenly, it isn't just the most important pieces being offset so they stand out. Instead, NOTHING stands out because it's all written the same way. He's also a big fan of the phrase "You see" when starting a new example, which feels VERY much like a spoken transition.
All that said, this book ended up surprising me. I didn't LOVE it, but I also found it to be a fairly accessible self-help book, especially compared to others I've seen. My biggest problem with these kinds of books is that they generally come with a side of ableism (the "mind over matter" mentality simply is not always feasible, for instance, or not everyone can make some physical changes to their lives so easily, or stories of people who recover from physical disabilities/ailments become nothing more than "inspiration porn"), classism (not everyone has the money or home environment to follow some suggested lifestyle changes, or not everyone has the same money/access/community support), and sometimes a dash of racism or queerphobia (not all choices that lead to personal happiness also lead to safety, for example). There are also a lot of self-help books where the primary takeaway is either "you just need to find MY god" or "you just need to strengthen your relationship with MY god." So yeah, I'm a bit jaded (pun not intended) about this genre more broadly.
While O'Leary's book isn't perfect, of course, it mostly avoids a lot of these issues. Mostly. For example, O'Leary still credits a lot of his recovery from the near-fatal fire to simply "wanting to live," with the access he had to first-rate medical care, dedicated caregivers, a strong community supporting his family, etc. all coming second. There are a LOT of people who would LOVE to survive near-fatal accidents but simply don't have the physical resources--especially in America, where healthcare (let alone GOOD healthcare) isn't a given. O'Leary shared multiple stories about famous sports personalities practically taking him under his wing, and how they continued to "inspire" him to recover. Again--resources that very few people have access to. Still, I'd say O'Leary credits approximately 90% of his near-miraculous recovery to mindset, which just isn't realistic for the vast majority of people--and that is NOT me being a pessimist or refusing to acknowledge that mindset can be important. It's just reality. He was better in other areas, such as never pushing his religion onto readers. He mentions his faith a couple times throughout, but he NEVER places religious beliefs as necessities or tries to convince readers that improving their lives will be easier if they place their faith somewhere higher. I was especially impressed by this, as O'Leary makes it rather apparent that he is highly religious and involved in his faith community.
I also appreciated how O'Leary acknowledged that not every tragedy has to be life-threatening and not every obstacle in life has to be momentous. Sometimes, it's the seemingly mundane day-to-day things that stop us from doing what we want. Similarly, the events that spur you into looking toward an "improved" life don't need to come from life-threatening inflection points, either.
From a writing standpoint, this book was SUPER repetitive, and it was written like a Ted Talk. Not just because it was "filled with inspiration" but because O'Leary would write one thought across SEVERAL lines/paragraphs for emphasis.
Every important moment.
Every example.
Every new thought.
They'd be written like this.
Readers pause at the end of a paragraph, right?
O'Leary apparently banked on it.
Because most of the book was written like this.
This formatting loses its emphasis when EVERYTHING is written like that. Suddenly, it isn't just the most important pieces being offset so they stand out. Instead, NOTHING stands out because it's all written the same way. He's also a big fan of the phrase "You see" when starting a new example, which feels VERY much like a spoken transition.
January 2, 2018
What a great book to start reading for a new year! This book is so inspiring and so dang positive. I will take so much away from this book- lessons in how to be positive, how to parent with more love, and how to be more fully present in my life and my relationships. A life changing read. Bravo, Mr. O’Leary, thanks for choosing to share your story.
September 28, 2022
Не те щоб я планувала навіть читати якісь self-help посібники найближчим часом, та раптом я усвідомила, що мені конче потрібно було зануритися в історію людини, яка теж пережила в своєму житті щось жахливе, побувати в мізках того, хто подолав, переміг і зміг жити далі. А автор цієї книги пережив дитиною страшні опіки майже всієї поверхні свого тіла, ампутацію пальців, численні операції з пересадки шкіри та болісну реабілітацію.
«Чи буде ваше життя визначним та святковим, чи буде воно трагічним і сумним – має дуже мало спільного з подіями вашого життя, але цілком залежить від того, як ви їх сприймаєте» - угу, тільки якщо ці події – не війна та геноцид твого народу.
В результаті, визнаю, що очікувала чогось…особистішого, може більш справжнього за «Велике Натхнення» та типове «той, хто оточує себе страхами, може зачинити всі виходи до світла». Ні, це не те(
«Чи буде ваше життя визначним та святковим, чи буде воно трагічним і сумним – має дуже мало спільного з подіями вашого життя, але цілком залежить від того, як ви їх сприймаєте» - угу, тільки якщо ці події – не війна та геноцид твого народу.
В результаті, визнаю, що очікувала чогось…особистішого, може більш справжнього за «Велике Натхнення» та типове «той, хто оточує себе страхами, може зачинити всі виходи до світла». Ні, це не те(
April 19, 2019
I liked the story and found it inspirational. It’s not a “self-help” book but more of a memoir of his life and experience surviving the fire.
My problem was, he repeated the same stories in multiple chapters...I was thinking, “I already read this”, and then looked back a couple chapters and there it was. I feel like this book could’ve been a hundred pages shorter.
My problem was, he repeated the same stories in multiple chapters...I was thinking, “I already read this”, and then looked back a couple chapters and there it was. I feel like this book could’ve been a hundred pages shorter.
October 29, 2020
I saw John O’Leary speak only 2016. I didn’t have a clue who he was or his story. He is absolutely amazing and of course very inspirational. This book was no different. An amazing example and reminder to always choose to live in love and be fully awake with your life.
February 27, 2018
VERY inspiring story, but nothing new.
October 1, 2020
З якою б повагою я не ставилася до мужності автора після його трагедії з отриманням майже стовідсоткових опіків тіла у 9 років, цю книжку важко читати через банальність мотивуючих тез. Сама б я її не купила, але як вже подарували, вирішила прочитати. Вона дуже схожа на велику кількість вже написаної популярної психології. Тези ну просто однаковісінькі: насолоджуйся моментом, візьми на себе відповідальність, страх відбирає в тебе можливості, любов навпаки дарує, дій через біль, живи натхненно тощо тощо тощо. Мені здається, чи це саме в Америці такий жанр настільки популярний? Мотиваційна література, мотиваційні спікери, лектори, коучі. У мене однієї передоз таким фідом? В Україні це теж стало популярним років 10 тому, напевно, але в США, мабуть, найбільша кількість мотиваційних спікерів і авторів на душу населення.
2 (а не 1) з 5 зірок, тому що цей автор дійсно пережив серйозну травму і навчає з неї, а не просто "Ти можеш, я в тебе вірю! Ходи по вугіллю!"
2 (а не 1) з 5 зірок, тому що цей автор дійсно пережив серйозну травму і навчає з неї, а не просто "Ти можеш, я в тебе вірю! Ходи по вугіллю!"
March 24, 2025
“But don’t confuse being out of bed with being awake.
Don’t confuse being superbly with being actually effective.
And don’t confuse not being dead with being fully alive.”
This guy has a very compelling story, being essentially burned alive as a kid and living to tell about it (and the long, subsequent recovery). It’s nothing short of a miracle, and has given him a perspective that is only obtained through a trial by fire (pardon the reference). This perspective is worth sharing, since it is one that is so unfortunately little-shared by most of us. I enjoyed reading this, and am more inspired to live a radically ignited life!
Don’t confuse being superbly with being actually effective.
And don’t confuse not being dead with being fully alive.”
This guy has a very compelling story, being essentially burned alive as a kid and living to tell about it (and the long, subsequent recovery). It’s nothing short of a miracle, and has given him a perspective that is only obtained through a trial by fire (pardon the reference). This perspective is worth sharing, since it is one that is so unfortunately little-shared by most of us. I enjoyed reading this, and am more inspired to live a radically ignited life!
September 28, 2025
Not giving it 5 stars just because I was in his movie but I mainly read the audiobook version and it was just like the podcasts he does.
Hit very close to home but it was also good to really see his journey and the gratitude he carries throughout his life experiences.
Honestly I think everyone should read this bc I didn’t think I would genuinely like it as much as I did
Hit very close to home but it was also good to really see his journey and the gratitude he carries throughout his life experiences.
Honestly I think everyone should read this bc I didn’t think I would genuinely like it as much as I did
January 14, 2021
This book was very riveting and It made me think a lot about how my life was going and so when I read this book it made me want to change everything I was doing and think about how everything affects me. So I totally recommend this book, it is so life-changing and mind-blowing at the same time to read how a horrible accident changed his life.
February 27, 2026
A long day of travel allowed me to read and be inspired by John O'Leary and how a life changing event changed his whole life trajectory.
I recently saw the movie and found the book a great accompaniment for understanding and learning more.
I recently saw the movie and found the book a great accompaniment for understanding and learning more.
January 20, 2023
When John O'Leary was nine years old, he was almost killed in a devastating house fire that left him with burns on 100% of his body, and 87% of them were third-degree. In this book, he shares how he mustered up the strength to carry on. The power and bravery of his family (his siblings, ages 7 to 17) and how they stepped up in the moment of crisis saved his life. During his recovery over the years, John found life lessons, and in this book, he shares the 7 choices we can make to inspire our lives and live them to the fullest radically.
The author shared such a personal, moving, disturbing, inspiring, incredible story in this book not only from her point of view but also took us through the point of view of all of the family members as they dealt with the trauma of the event. This story is about survival, faith, and living life to the fullest. The author structures the story around his steps to recovery and. begins every chapter with a question. In Chapter 1, a book about life, starts with the title, do you want to die? And in Chapter 4, are you in jail?
To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at:
https://www.momsdonthavetimetoreadboo...
The author shared such a personal, moving, disturbing, inspiring, incredible story in this book not only from her point of view but also took us through the point of view of all of the family members as they dealt with the trauma of the event. This story is about survival, faith, and living life to the fullest. The author structures the story around his steps to recovery and. begins every chapter with a question. In Chapter 1, a book about life, starts with the title, do you want to die? And in Chapter 4, are you in jail?
To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at:
https://www.momsdonthavetimetoreadboo...
March 23, 2023
This book has lived unread on my shelves for far too long. This year I finally picked it up and I'm so glad I did!
This book explains the theme of my life so fantastically: live on purpose for a purpose. John's story is beautiful and inspiring. It's motivating and invigorating! I teared up several times, and not just at the beauty of how God has moved in John's life, the poignant lessons he's learned and shared, but also because of the deeply resonant reminder that our God is good and he has plans for us. This book reminds me of what is noble and good and true and challenges me to live life ignited passionately for the One who made me and calls me to His great works.
I was fully invested in hearing John's story. I enjoyed how snippets of his story were interspersed with the lessons he's drawn from his incredible life. His points were well organized and beautifully illustrated. He challenges readers to do more with their lives than succumb to mediocrity. (Man, Ima get fired up just talking about it! This is literally my life motto!) Each chapter starts with another breathtaking segment of John's incredible story and ends with a personal challenge to choose a radically inspired life.
The book is a beautiful blend of inspiration and memoir, a plethora of wisdom and practical life lessons. An emotional, funny, inspiring read that I'd highly recommend to anyone who needs motivation and inspiration to pursue the life God has called them to.
This book explains the theme of my life so fantastically: live on purpose for a purpose. John's story is beautiful and inspiring. It's motivating and invigorating! I teared up several times, and not just at the beauty of how God has moved in John's life, the poignant lessons he's learned and shared, but also because of the deeply resonant reminder that our God is good and he has plans for us. This book reminds me of what is noble and good and true and challenges me to live life ignited passionately for the One who made me and calls me to His great works.
I was fully invested in hearing John's story. I enjoyed how snippets of his story were interspersed with the lessons he's drawn from his incredible life. His points were well organized and beautifully illustrated. He challenges readers to do more with their lives than succumb to mediocrity. (Man, Ima get fired up just talking about it! This is literally my life motto!) Each chapter starts with another breathtaking segment of John's incredible story and ends with a personal challenge to choose a radically inspired life.
The book is a beautiful blend of inspiration and memoir, a plethora of wisdom and practical life lessons. An emotional, funny, inspiring read that I'd highly recommend to anyone who needs motivation and inspiration to pursue the life God has called them to.
February 26, 2017
I have truly mixed feelings about this book. Self-help (which is what this really is) books are not my style (I like to say that I'm perfectly imperfect ;) ). I found this man's story fascinating. For a young kid to have recovered from such burns is nothing short of miraculous. For him to go on and live a basically normal live was pretty awesome too. I liked how he pointed out how many people helped in, in both big and small ways and that we can therefore all have an impact. It was difficult for me to read about the actual fire and what he went through, there are many times that my eyes were watering throughout the book. I was turned off by the way it sometimes sounded like I was supposed to yell a mantra back at the book, as if we were in a big convention hall listening to him speak. I think the story is worth sharing and his conclusions great, though not original. If you are looking for a book that will help you see the point of life, this isn't a bad one to pick up. It just wasn't what I needed right now.
June 7, 2020
I had the opportunity to hear John O'Leary speak on a virtual coffee chat. What he said sparked interest, so I bought the book on Kindle that night. John asks us to think about our stories--the stories that we don't share with other people. He has inspired me to start sharing my story, as painful as that might be. During this time of racial tensions, a lot of uncomfortable memories are bubbling to the surface. My hope and prayer is that in sharing parts of my story, it might help address issues of injustice in our systems today. Thanks, John, for helping me be brave.
September 29, 2016
Fantastic personal development book! Definitely the best one I've read, yet. It was easy to read, hard to put down, caused occasional tears and a gut punch or two (or twenty) when you felt as though he were speaking right to you. I definitely recommend it!
January 20, 2025
The book combines autobiography with motivational insights, drawing from O'Leary's experience of surviving a near-fatal fire at age nine that left him with burns on 100% of his body. The book offers a 7-step plan for living a purposeful and inspired life, emphasizing resilience, personal responsibility, and the power of choice. I loved this read and highly recommend.
“A radically inspired life means you embrace the lessons from your past, actively engage in the miracle of each moment, and ignite the limitless possibility of tomorrow…It means you possess the ability to learn from past mistakes, rise above personal challenges, and thrive in life, no matter your circumstances.”
Here is my summary and "best of" for 6 & 7 as a teaser.
6- Choose significance. The key to true greatness in life is to choose to pursue significance over success.
Simple action and ordinary people change the world. It starts with one. It starts with you. But you have to pay attention.
What are you paying attention to? Most of us pay attention to our problems. We look at our to-do list, our balance sheet, our waistline, our kids. We spend our days looking at our phones, checking our email, scrolling through our Facebook posts.
Significance is greater than success. Significance is what you gave, success is what you did. When you chase success, your spark burns out quickly. When you do something of significance, the spark jumps to life, spreads to others, and burns brightly long after you are gone. The work you do quietly for others gives your life significance.
Decide to make the world a better place.
You just need to serve where you’re able. Ask yourself: “What more can I do?”
You just need to live a yes life.
“We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill
“Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” – Desmond Tutu
7- Choose love. Choose to let go of fear and operate, lead, and live from a place of unconditional love. Love is intended to be the currency of our world. Love is a verb. Love is always about others. And truly caring for others we are taken care of, too.
What if we approached each situation in our lives through the lens of love rather than the lens of fear?
What is it about our culture that we are so uncomfortable expressing love?
Say: “I love you, and there’s nothing you can do about it!”
Fear is selfish; it’s concerned with what you can get, what you need, what might happen to you. Fear keeps you from being accountable; it suffocates possibility. Fear keeps you from fully embracing your story. It silences your ability to be, celebrate, and share who you really are. Fear keeps you from going all in. It keeps you from risking greatly and impacting profoundly. Fear keeps you locked in a victim mentality. It murmurs that you should blame others, wallow in pity, and sink in despair. Fear keeps you from growing and stretching; it makes us feel it’s easier to stay where things are comfortable. Fear keeps you focused on yourself. Fear keeps you stuck right where you are, worried about the what-ifs, the oh-nos, the what-can-I-dos.
Fear suffocates; love liberates. The echo of fear silences opportunity. Fear is a cage where we feel totally confined, but faith is the key that sets us free. Fear is rooted in what may happen, something that does not even exist in reality. Yet how frequently we allow this emotion to consume our thoughts, ultimately deciding the course of our lives. Mark Twain said, “I have been through some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened.”
Do something out of obligation, out of fear, out of I have to. Or do it out of joy, out of love, out of I want to. Wanting to do something is much more liberating than having to do something.
“You only have one life to live. Do you want to lead it cowering in fear, stressed by things that might never happen, hiding from possibilities that lurk around every corner? Living in the I have to mentality? Or do you want to wake up each day energized with possibility, knowing that you hold the power to change your life, and the lives of others, by living each day on fire with love? Eager to see what is around each corner? Ready to take life by the reins? Every day we can choose: Shut people out or open our hearts; clench our fists or open up our arms? The choice we have can transform lives.”
Every day holds the potential of a miracle. Don’t sleepwalk through life. Be fully awake; be present. The name Buddha means “awakened” or “I am awake.” Don’t wait for the perfect circumstances to join the party. Participate now. Choose to dance through the imperfection. Adversity is not the end of the story. See it as an opportunity to overcome, to learn, to stretch, to wake up, to ask, Where might this be leading me?
O'Leary's book encourages readers to seize control of their lives, make empowering choices, and transform challenges into opportunities for growth and inspiration. It emphasizes that while we may not control all circumstances, we have the power to choose our responses and attitudes, ultimately shaping our lives and positively impacting others.
“A radically inspired life means you embrace the lessons from your past, actively engage in the miracle of each moment, and ignite the limitless possibility of tomorrow…It means you possess the ability to learn from past mistakes, rise above personal challenges, and thrive in life, no matter your circumstances.”
Here is my summary and "best of" for 6 & 7 as a teaser.
6- Choose significance. The key to true greatness in life is to choose to pursue significance over success.
Simple action and ordinary people change the world. It starts with one. It starts with you. But you have to pay attention.
What are you paying attention to? Most of us pay attention to our problems. We look at our to-do list, our balance sheet, our waistline, our kids. We spend our days looking at our phones, checking our email, scrolling through our Facebook posts.
Significance is greater than success. Significance is what you gave, success is what you did. When you chase success, your spark burns out quickly. When you do something of significance, the spark jumps to life, spreads to others, and burns brightly long after you are gone. The work you do quietly for others gives your life significance.
Decide to make the world a better place.
You just need to serve where you’re able. Ask yourself: “What more can I do?”
You just need to live a yes life.
“We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill
“Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” – Desmond Tutu
7- Choose love. Choose to let go of fear and operate, lead, and live from a place of unconditional love. Love is intended to be the currency of our world. Love is a verb. Love is always about others. And truly caring for others we are taken care of, too.
What if we approached each situation in our lives through the lens of love rather than the lens of fear?
What is it about our culture that we are so uncomfortable expressing love?
Say: “I love you, and there’s nothing you can do about it!”
Fear is selfish; it’s concerned with what you can get, what you need, what might happen to you. Fear keeps you from being accountable; it suffocates possibility. Fear keeps you from fully embracing your story. It silences your ability to be, celebrate, and share who you really are. Fear keeps you from going all in. It keeps you from risking greatly and impacting profoundly. Fear keeps you locked in a victim mentality. It murmurs that you should blame others, wallow in pity, and sink in despair. Fear keeps you from growing and stretching; it makes us feel it’s easier to stay where things are comfortable. Fear keeps you focused on yourself. Fear keeps you stuck right where you are, worried about the what-ifs, the oh-nos, the what-can-I-dos.
Fear suffocates; love liberates. The echo of fear silences opportunity. Fear is a cage where we feel totally confined, but faith is the key that sets us free. Fear is rooted in what may happen, something that does not even exist in reality. Yet how frequently we allow this emotion to consume our thoughts, ultimately deciding the course of our lives. Mark Twain said, “I have been through some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened.”
Do something out of obligation, out of fear, out of I have to. Or do it out of joy, out of love, out of I want to. Wanting to do something is much more liberating than having to do something.
“You only have one life to live. Do you want to lead it cowering in fear, stressed by things that might never happen, hiding from possibilities that lurk around every corner? Living in the I have to mentality? Or do you want to wake up each day energized with possibility, knowing that you hold the power to change your life, and the lives of others, by living each day on fire with love? Eager to see what is around each corner? Ready to take life by the reins? Every day we can choose: Shut people out or open our hearts; clench our fists or open up our arms? The choice we have can transform lives.”
Every day holds the potential of a miracle. Don’t sleepwalk through life. Be fully awake; be present. The name Buddha means “awakened” or “I am awake.” Don’t wait for the perfect circumstances to join the party. Participate now. Choose to dance through the imperfection. Adversity is not the end of the story. See it as an opportunity to overcome, to learn, to stretch, to wake up, to ask, Where might this be leading me?
O'Leary's book encourages readers to seize control of their lives, make empowering choices, and transform challenges into opportunities for growth and inspiration. It emphasizes that while we may not control all circumstances, we have the power to choose our responses and attitudes, ultimately shaping our lives and positively impacting others.
November 6, 2016
Sempre há uma chance de reconstrução. Sempre há um milagre esperando logo ali na esquina. Mas é preciso abrir os olhos para ver.
March 30, 2016
Powerful book with a great message. Actually brought me to tears at two incredible moments.
July 28, 2019
Cuốn sách mình đọc trong mùa hè rồi, với tâm thếkhông có gì làm, chán quá mình vớ được quyển sách này của em mình đọc để giết thời gian. Bản mình đọc là tiếng việt có tên: Đừng tồn tại, hãy sống; nhưng vì trên Good read không có nên mình đành lấy bản tiếng anh để review :). Sách thuộc thể loại self-help dưới hình thức tự truyện của tác giả, nội dung không hề mới, cũng là vượt qua số phận nghiệt ngã để thành công nhưng câu chuyện của John O'Leary lại hoàn toàn khác. Ấn tượng ban đầu của mình khi đọc tên sách là: chắc lại sách self-help hô hào phải như này, phải thế kia, phải đứng lên, vượt lười, abcd các thứ; nhưng ở giai đoạn đó mình đang vô hướng nên nghĩ đọc để lên tinh thần cũng được. Ồ không, khi đọc mình bị cuốn hút vào câu chuyện hoàn toàn, mình đọc liên tục khi có thời gian, tức là ngoài ăn, ngủ thì mình lại đọc và đọc cho đến hết. John O'Leary trong một lần nghịch dại năm 9 tuổi đã làm đổ thùng xăng, gây ra cháy nổ dẫn đến bỏng toàn thân trừ khuôn mặt, chỉ có 1% cơ hội sống mong manh. Nhưng cậu không chết mà vẫn sống sót như một điều kì diệu, nhưng không phải nhờ phép màu nào cả, đó là nhờ sự nỗ lực kinh khủng khiếp của cậu, mình phải phải dùng từ kinh khủng vì chỉ nghĩ đến những điều mà cậu trải qua mình cũng thấy rùng mình và đau đớn thay, chưa kể lại xảy ra ở một cậu bé 9 tuổi. Nhưng điều mình cảm thấy tâm đắc, hay nhất nhất, muốn học nhất từ truyện là cách mà bố mẹ cậu giải quyết vấn đề khi điều tồi tệ xảy đến với con mình, cùng cậu vượt qua những khủng hoảng mà không phải bố mẹ nào trong trường hợp đó cũng có thể sáng suốt mà suy nghĩ được như vậy. Xuyên suốt câu chuyện là một tình cảm gia đình đáng ngưỡng mộ, từ bố mẹ đến anh chị em ruột đều yêu thương, thấu hiểu và hi sinh vì nhau; là hình mẫu một gia đình mà mình muốn trở thành
October 28, 2023
Wow! And whoa…this guy went through a lot!! Burned over 100% of his body as a 9yr old child, playing with fire and gasoline—blew his garage/house up. Jeez. Incredible healing story from the outside, and more importantly and powerfully, the inside. Many inspiring and motivating insights and one that stuck with me…know your why. Good stuff—Lots of good stuff to be reminded of.
February 12, 2024
Finished in a day - such an inspirational story! Love his positive outlook on overlooking life’s toughest obstacles. A true testament of how to live a radically inspired life. Looking forward to the film ✨
March 10, 2025
This was a book I read for book club. It’s a true story about a 9 year old boy who receives burns on 100% of his body. His miracle of surviving, and the people in his life who helped him. He later becomes a motivational speaker to help others!
October 4, 2025
With the sharing of his story in the beginning and repeating the parts of it with additional details this book provides simple, memorable and actionable choices to think about and choose how to love forward with it in your own life.
May 22, 2019
I’m not usually one for self-help/motivational/positive thinking books but this one was shared with me at a much needed time and had so many a-ha moments!
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