From Adversity to Purpose: Amy Wong on Living Intentionally & Leadership

In this episode of the Wisdom Lifestyle Money Show, host Scott Dillingham sits down with Amy Eliza Wong, a transformational leadership coach and author. Amy shares her upbringing in Sacramento, California, surrounded by unconditional love from her parents who overcame poverty and hardship to build a life filled with joy and hard work. She opens up about the chaos of growing up with a home daycare, which contributed to her developing a severe eating disorder from ages 15 to 21 as a way to cope with stress. Through resilience and self-reflection, Amy transformed this dark period into a foundation for her coaching career, emphasizing that growth happens equally in light and dark times. She discusses her "painting forward" technique for reframing challenges by visualizing future appreciation for current struggles.

Amy's professional journey includes a bachelor's in pure mathematics from UC Berkeley and a master's in transpersonal psychology, blending logical rigor with human-centered insights. She founded Always On Purpose in 2011 and has coached leaders worldwide for over a decade, focusing on growth, transformation, and flow. Her work helps teams overcome blind spots like fear, self-doubt, and resistance to reality, often rooted in the fear of rejection. Amy explains how most fears tie back to concerns about perception and belonging, drawing from neuroscience on trust and communication. As of November 2025, her coaching services remain virtual and accessible globally, with no major changes reported in her offerings or bio.

The conversation dives into Amy's book, "Living on Purpose: Five Deliberate Choices to Realize Fulfillment and Joy," written during the 2020 pandemic and published in 2022. Inspired by thousands of coaching sessions, the book provides tools for authentic living and is available in print, ebook, and audiobook formats (narrated by Amy). She highlights how COVID-19's disruptions created synchronicity for completing the manuscript, reinforcing her message of embracing flow. This episode offers actionable insights for entrepreneurs and leaders seeking to break through personal barriers, build high-trust teams, and live with purpose amid life's uncertainties.