What if true peace isn’t something you earn, but something you already have? In this episode, Natalie sits down with executive coach and author Amy Balog to revisit and deepen the conversation around "Peace Over Performance." Known for her work helping high-achieving leaders reconnect with their sense of inner worth, Amy opens up about the personal journey that led her to center her coaching around a "peace self"—an identity rooted in worthiness, love, and growth, regardless of output or achievement. From childhood wounds to spiritual revelations, Amy shares how faith became the foundation for her teaching, why performance-based identity falls short, and how to move forward from trauma through the lens of Jesus. This isn’t just a mindset shift—it’s an identity reset.

[00:01 - 06:00] Peace Over Performance: The Origin Story

- How the concept began as a business message but grew into a faith-rooted framework

- The “peace self” and “performance self” as two competing identities

- Christ becomes central to her understanding of peace

[06:01 - 12:58] Unworthiness Encounters

- A traumatic childhood story of bullying that planted seeds of unworthiness

- How tough moments shape our lifelong behavior

- How trauma often births the performance self

[12:59 - 18:23] The Armor We Wear

- How the performance self protects us, but also isolates us

- How sin and the fallen world distort our identity

- The tendency to armor up emotionally and how it shaped her leadership

[18:24 - 24:18] The Jesus Encounter

- A turning point after Amy's stepson’s overdose, when she heard God’s voice

- That moment led her to Scripture and a deeper spiritual journey

- How suffering opened her up to transformation

[24:19 - 29:56] Always Worthy, Always Loved, Always Learning

- The three pillars of the peace self: worth, love, and learning

- The peace self frees us from the endless chase of achievement

- How we show up differently when we're not trying to prove our value

Key Quotes:

"Your peace has to be the fuel to your performance.” - Amy Balog

“I was trying to have a business conversation, but really, I was trying to talk about Christ.” - Amy Balog

Connect with Amy:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amybalog/

Follow Thrive Today on Instagram (@thrivetodaywomen) and visit our website at Thrive Today.

Don't forget to subscribe and leave a 5-STAR Review!