The Light Watkins Show 293: How to Escape Survival Mode and Rewire Your Mind and Body with Nate Ortiz
In this powerful and unfiltered conversation, Light Watkins sits down with holistic health coach, author, and one-percenter Nate Ortiz. Nate’s life began in crisis—born with heroin in his system and abandoned in the ICU. What followed was years of instability: foster homes, abuse, addiction in the family, and the trauma of watching loved ones go to prison. But instead of letting that define him, Nate transformed pain into purpose.
In this episode, Nate shares how he found his way out of survival mode by pursuing an unlikely dream—earning a full scholarship to the #1 basketball high school in the country—and how he turned that momentum into a life of service, coaching elite clients like Lin-Manuel Miranda and Cordae. He breaks down what’s really happening in your body when you’re stuck in fight-or-flight and why survival mode makes it almost impossible to think clearly or pursue your goals.
Through grounded, relatable language, Nate reveals his original frameworks—the Stopwatch Method, Dream Team Jersey, and the One Percenter mindset—that helped him heal trauma, build discipline, and show up consistently for his purpose. Whether you’re burned out, stuck, or just trying to level up, this episode is packed with raw truth and practical tools to help you reclaim your power and rewrite your story.