A health professional for over a decade, Nathan Carroll served as a triage nurse as part of a study abroad program in Guatemala in 2014 before becoming a staff nurse in 2015 and certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) in 2022. In his most recent role, Nathan Carroll was a CRNA nurse anesthetist at an Illinois hospital. While earning his bachelor’s degree in nursing, Mr. Carroll served as a staff nurse at a hospital, where he provided care for patients with cardiac conditions in 2015. In 2016, he worked at another hospital as a staff nurse, educating patients and their families on illness management and postoperative care at home. Then, in 2019, he returned to university to earn a doctor of nursing degree. After earning his degree in 2022, Mr. Carroll served as a nurse anesthetist, where he prepared pre-operative patient assessment, determined appropriate anesthetics, intubated patients, managed patients during and after operations, and performed evaluations. In addition to his role in health care, Mr. Carroll is a member of the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiologists, Sigma Theta Tau International, and the Alpha Delta Nu and Phi Theta Kappa honor societies. He enjoys traveling throughout the US, northern Ireland, Scotland, Switzerland, and Italy. His other interests include hiking, snow skiing, waterskiing, horseback riding, riding off-road motorcycles, and cooking.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
My typical day begins the night before when I make a list of the tasks I want to complete the next day. I make sure I get at least eight hours of sleep each night. I do not eat food for breakfast but drink a big glass of water. Throughout my day, I make sure to wear a watch to keep on schedule and track my productivity. I give myself breaks every two or three hours to evaluate what I have completed relative to what is still left to do. In the evenings, I go to a gym. Once the gym is complete, I fix dinner, followed by some television. Before going to bed, I will make my list for the next day.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I am a visual learner, so I have to draw out my ideas or write down the steps to make the idea real. Showing my ideas or designs to others gets their perspective. Seeing how others react or understand your visuals guides me toward refining and improving my ideas. My visual ideas frequently evolve over time. I also find that my understanding and retention of information improve significantly when I can see it laid out in front of me. Writing out my ideas, for me, isn’t just about putting thoughts on paper—it’s about creating a visual structure that allows me to see connections, patterns, and relationships between concepts. This process of organizing my ideas visually helps to solidify them in my mind.
What’s one trend that excites you?
I’m really excited about the Caveman Diet, or what’s commonly known as the Paleo Diet, because it focuses on eating whole, natural foods—much like our ancient ancestors would have consumed. The idea behind it is simple: eat foods that would have been available to humans before the advent of agriculture and processed foods. This includes lean meats, fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables, seeds, and nuts, all of which provide essential nutrients in their most natural, unrefined forms.
What excites me most about this diet is how it aligns with what our bodies are likely evolved to thrive on. It’s not about counting calories or following complex rules; it’s about returning to a more intuitive way of eating that is based on whole foods and nutrient-dense ingredients. Lean meats provide high-quality protein that supports muscle growth and repair, while eggs are an excellent source of healthy fats and essential vitamins. The fruits and vegetables, packed with antioxidants and fiber, help boost overall health and digestion, while the seeds and nuts offer healthy fats, protein, and various minerals.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
I choose not to drink alcohol because I value my time and productivity too much to let it slip away. Alcohol, while it might seem like a way to relax or have fun in the moment, often comes with a significant cost in terms of both time and energy. When I think about the hours lost to drinking, it’s not just the time spent actually consuming alcohol, but also the recovery time needed the next day. The sluggishness, the foggy mind, the low energy—it all adds up to a considerable portion of my life being drained. And for me, I simply don’t have the luxury of wasting those hours.
Being productive every day is incredibly important to me. Whether it’s working on personal goals, career projects, or learning new skills, I need every moment to count. Alcohol often gets in the way of that. The hangovers, the lack of clarity, and the dip in energy levels can derail my whole routine. I’ve noticed that when I avoid alcohol, I’m able to approach each day with a clear mind and high energy, ready to tackle whatever comes my way.
What advice would you give your younger self?
I would tell myself to not be scared of challenges. When I was younger, I only wanted to do things that I was sure I could complete easily. The best things in my life came from challenges that made me struggle. We learn so much about ourselves and those around us when we struggle to be successful.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you on?
When people work out, frequently they try to lift more than their ideal body weight. When I am working out, I never lift more than my ideal body weight. Higher repetitions and lower weight will minimize the risk of injury.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
I visualize my future in my mind. I imagine how good the success will feel once it happens. This helps me focus on the future. I do not focus on what I am sacrificing now to be successful. I only think about what life will be like when I reach my goal.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
If there is one change task that is overwhelming me and really occupying my mind, I do not fight it. I dive into the task completely. I will study or think about the task as much as I possibly can. I will have a one-track mind until the task is complete. Young adults need to recognize that they will have opportunities that will determine the rest of their life. Sometimes in life there are no second chances. Life will still go on if they do not seize the opportunity, but their life will be on a completely different course once the opportunity has disappeared. When these opportunities have presented to me, the way I control my anxiety is to work as hard as I possibly can. This helps me to be at peace because I know I could not have tried any harder.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
Perseverance. There are many setbacks as people strive for success. The most important characteristic is the ability to recover quickly. Do not waste time thinking about something that did not turn out the way you wanted or expected. Once it has happened, plan your next move and implement it.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
Early in my career, I struggled with public speaking despite classes to improve this skill. I eventually became comfortable speaking in front of large groups of people, but it took many years of using this skill. Repetition and doing exercises on spontaneous topics helps me. It is very important to ask for feedback from people who you trust to give you honest and constructive criticism. Working on weaknesses is essential for growth.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
A business plan that can apply to anyone with a couple years of experience in their field is to become a consultant. They can start a LLC specializing in their area of expertise, where small or struggling businesses bring them in as a third party to assess the overall business model, evaluate profit margins, and make recommendations for improvement. The consultant would have to have excellent experience and a preexisting reputation in their specific field.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
My cell phone it the best piece of hardware, with many software programs on it. It is a piece of technology that is irreplaceable in my daily life for arranging meetings, clients, emails, notes, recording, and quick research on the latest evidence-based practice guidelines.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
The Ramsey Show. Dave Ramsey’s Baby Steps are very logical and straightforward. I like listening to the individuals that call in and ask for financial advice. Listening to Dave’s recommendations for how to get out of financial trouble has helped me avoid financial trouble before it happens.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
Young Sheldon. Sheldon’s quirks and the family dynamics offer viewers humor and warmth to the show. Mary and Georgie add a sense of realism and emotional depth. The show balances humor with heartfelt moments. While Sheldon’s intelligence and social awkwardness often lead to funny situations, there are moments of genuine emotion that resonate with me, particularly when dealing with family relationships and personal growth.
Key learnings
- Self-discipline is crucial to success.
- A successful day begins the night before.
- Complete immersion can be necessary for important life events.
- Everyone fails, but the outcome will be determined by the speed of recovery.