Suck Less, Do Better

On a recent episode of the Let's Go Win podcast I sat down with Nate Green, a former cop, an entrepreneur who built and sold multiple companies, a bestselling author, and a leadership coach who leads with grit, heart, and family-first values. Nate's story is one of brutal lows and incredible comebacks, and the central thread through our conversation was perspective: how it shifts, why it matters, and how it guides purpose.

Why perspective is the secret weapon

We all blow small things out of proportion. A tech glitch, a flat day, a missed meeting. Nate reminded me (and himself) that perspective is the difference between sinking and stepping forward. After everything he’s been through, a delayed podcast recording or a minor hiccup is simply not that big of a deal. Perspective, he says, is what makes the trivial feel small and the essential feel enormous.

Nate’s story: from cop to paralysis to entrepreneur

Nate was a cop in his early twenties when a car accident left him temporarily paralyzed. He fought to walk again and then endured an alarming episode during a physical test where his heart repeatedly shut down. Doctors initially feared a degenerative condition and told him he might only have about a decade to live. That kind of diagnosis at 23 can crush a person’s identity and purpose, and Nate was honest about sitting in the darkest places, even considering ending his life.

What changed? A whisper of something bigger than himself: the conviction that this pain could be used to help others. He eventually discovered a twist in his spine (a leftover effect from the accident) that disrupted communication between his brain and heart. Years later, a chiropractor fixed the twist, and Nate regained full physical capacity.

From that crucible he pivoted into business. He built companies, scaled, and at 40 achieved an eight-figure exit. But the story didn’t end with financial freedom, it opened a new responsibility: what to do with the freedom and influence he’d earned.

Purpose after the exit: freedom with responsibility

Nate described the quiet shock that followed selling his businesses. He went from being surrounded by 70–80 team members daily to a silence that forced him to ask, “What now?” His answer was to pursue a greater impact beyond his company walls to help people break free from past constraints and step into what they were built for.

That’s where his work as an author and coach comes in: converting hard-earned lessons into a roadmap for others.

Lessons from Suck Less, Do Better

Nate’s book, Suck Less, Do Better, is intentionally direct. It’s not a shame-based callout, it’s a daily challenge to improve incrementally by asking, “How can I suck less and do better today than I did yesterday?”

"Silence the noise. Focus on you. Who are you? What are you built for? How do you chase after that day after day, better day after day?"

The book is a practical roadmap rooted in Nate’s own face-plants and recoveries. It tackles:

• How to center yourself when life derails you

• How to identify and protect your “lighthouse” (your long-term purpose)

• How to stop comparing your first step to someone else’s 20th

• How to build systems and habits that scale who you are and what you want to create

Built Unstoppable: the program

Built Unstoppable is Nate’s 12-week mastermind that guides people to “break free, break through, then break out.” It’s designed to help participants:

1. Identify themselves as their greatest asset

2. Unpack limiting mindsets and childhood patterns

3. Design the displayed or next-level version of themselves

4. Create a concrete plan and deploy it with accountability

It’s not just coaching for performance, it’s transformational work aimed at realignment and sustainable growth.

Practical tools Nate uses (and teaches)

Several practical tactics stood out in our conversation:

• Daily recenters: Nate starts each day with a centering ritual. Reading scripture, asking clarifying questions, and checking alignment with his lighthouse.

• Fast resets: Learn to recenter quickly. You don’t always need a weekend retreat; practice short, intentional resets during the day.

• Reframing comparison: Compare your step to your own path, not someone else’s milestone. Celebrate others genuinely and use their wins as inspiration, not a measuring stick.

• Collecting superpowers: Dark seasons teach resilience, empathy, and insight, the “superpowers” that prepare you to help others later.

• Guarding your inner world: Silence the critics (including your inner voice) and focus on the actions that align with your long-term purpose.

On darkness, faith, and reaching out

This part of our chat is deeply personal. I shared with Nate that I lost my dad to suicide, and his story of having a gun to his head hit me hard. Nate was honest about his darkest hours and what stopped him: a whisper from God telling him this couldn’t be the end — that his life had to become a light for others. He encouraged anyone in that place to hold on and let the pain become fuel for future impact.

"If you're in the darkest moments of your life, this isn't the end. This is just the beginning. You are being prepared to be able to have a superpower that will give you the ability to save somebody else's life down the road."

If you or someone you love is in a dark place, reach out. We have to make it okay to ask for help, to share the story, and to find a way forward together.

How to connect with Nate

If you want to learn more or work with Nate, reach out on his website and book a discovery call there. Nate mentioned that if you put my name in the notes, he'll make time to personally join that conversation, so consider adding "JM" when you reach out.

You can also follow him at LinkedIn, Instagram, or Facebook.

Final takeaways

Nate's journey is a masterclass in perspective: how trauma can recalibrate priorities, how freedom can create new responsibility, and how small daily improvements add up to a life that matters. Here are the key reminders I walked away with:

• Perspective makes small problems small and clarifies what truly matters.

• Purpose evolves as you grow. Revisit your “lighthouse” and adjust course in small degrees, not dramatic swings.

• Darkness can become your training ground for empathy and leadership; let it teach you rather than break you.

• Silence the comparison game and celebrate others while running your own race.

• Daily centering and fast resets keep high-performers aligned and effective.

I left the conversation energized and reminded why I love doing this show: conversations like this lift you up and give you practical, soul-level tools to win from within. If any part of Nate’s story landed with you, whether it’s the resilience, the practical reframes, or the urgent message about reaching out in dark places, share this with someone who needs to hear it.

Remember: your mindset matters. Keep showing up. Keep taking the next step.

Watch this full episode of the Let's Go Win podcast on YouTube.