EP #04 Beyond the Obvious: From Loss to Legacy – Lawrence Tuazon on Turning Pain into Purpose
Listen episode now on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4j1MegQRqms6eZMeix3pBs
How do you lead when everything familiar falls away, and who do you become in the process?
In this thoughtful and deeply human episode, Lawrence Tuazon shares his personal and professional journey through reinvention, vulnerability, and quiet strength. After losing his leg in a life-altering event, Lawrence was thrust into a profound transformation that reshaped not only how he lives, but how he leads.
From growing up in a traditional Filipino household to holding senior HR roles across continents, Lawrence explores what it really takes to lead with integrity in fast-moving, high-pressure environments, and how adversity can unexpectedly become a doorway to deeper alignment.
This episode goes beyond buzzwords, diving into the lived experience of navigating culture, identity, and ambition without losing yourself. We talk about burnout, self-compassion, and the long arc of redefining success from the inside out.
Lawrence doesn’t give a playbook. He shares something rarer: presence, reflection, and real-life wisdom earned through challenge and choice.
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
Growing up between worlds and creating your own
Why authenticity in leadership is a long game
The toll of "always holding it together"
How burnout cracked open something more meaningful
The courage to ask what if I don’t want the old definition of success
Why community, boundaries, and laughter are survival tools
Timestamps:
00:01:10 – A childhood in contrast: growing up in Manila
00:07:30 – Building a global career and identity abroad
00:13:50 – Burnout and the wake-up call
00:19:40 – Learning to lead with vulnerability
00:27:00 – Shifting from ambition to authenticity
00:34:10 – Holding space for identity and complexity in leadership
Lawrence’s story is a rare invitation to slow down and look inward, to question what we’ve inherited about success, and to rebuild something more aligned. His mix of humor, humility, and clarity makes this episode both grounding and uplifting.
About the guest:
Lawrence Tuazon is a global Health & Peak Performance Coach coach, and Co-founder of Be Extraordinary Publishing, a platform focused on transformational storytelling. Originally from the Philippines and now based in Japan, Lawrence brings over 20 years of corporate experience leading talent and transformation across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
His coaching and creative work center on helping professionals navigate change, find their voice, and lead more consciously without burning out. With deep empathy and insight, Lawrence helps others reconnect with what matters most.
🔗 Links & Resources
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🎥 Prefer to watch this episode?
Check it out on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Bq3zcmHPHtk
🔗 Connect with Lawrence Tuazon:
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawrence-tuazon-b32725239
📚 Be Extraordinary Publishing: https://www.beextraordinarypublishing.com
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