By Rick Banas of assisted living and senior living provider BMA Management, Ltd.
John O’Leary cautioned those of us attending his keynote address at the Life Services Network’s (LSN) 2013 Annual Meeting & Exhibition about a couple of pictures that he was about to show.
John is President of Rising Above. LSN is the largest elder care association in Illinois and the state affiliate of Leading Age and the Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA).
He was talking about growing and thriving through adversity, igniting your life, and making a difference in the lives of others.
John is living proof of the message he delivers.
The pictures that John was about to show those attending the keynote address, were of John lying in a hospital bed when he was nine years of age. Burns covered 100% of his body. Nearly 90% of the burns were third degree. His chances of making it through the night were less than 1%.
He was an adventurous boy who had been playing with gasoline in the garage.
He endured months in the hospital, including a five-month period in which his arms and legs were strapped down. He underwent dozens of surgeries and spent years in therapy. All of his fingers had to be amputated.
Today, he is a business owner and international speaker, who defines his greatest success in life as marriage to his wife, Beth, and their four children.
What I most noticed about John during this presentation and in meeting with him afterward is his remarkable spark for live.
What I will remember most were his comments and stories about the Powers of Love, One and More.
Igniting your life so that you thrive both professionally and personally starts with the Power of Love. A heart on fire is powerful.
The Power of One reflects the ability of each of us individually to change the world. In John’s case, it was the Power of One plus One. He talked about the two individuals, each acting alone, who had the biggest impact on his recovery. The individuals were a care aide and Jack Buck, the announcer for the St. Louis Cardinals. John is a native of the St. Louis area and a big Cardinal fan.
The Power of More reflects a focus on what more can I do for myself and for others. After you do something for someone, ask yourself what else can I do to make a difference.
As John said, everything you do has the power to push people down or pull people up.
What are your thoughts? Leave a comment and let us know.
“BMA Management is the leading provider of assisted living in Illinois
and one of the 20 largest providers of assisted living in the United States.”
