The war outside ended, but the firefight between your ears rages on. What if pain is the fastest way to freedom?

Nathan Mechikoff served nine years in the Army and National Guard as a Signal Corps IT specialist. Today he runs Forge Forward Coaching, turning chronic stress and transition struggles into unshakable purpose for veterans and high performers.

He woke up mid air certain it was the end The panic attack that almost cost him his badge Breathing through 3 a.m. flashbacks instead of drowning them Turning cliff edge terror into a business plan Teaching vets to anchor purpose when the uniform is gone The daily ritual that silences the inner critic

⏱ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 02:05 The mission that went sideways 08:40 Coming home to an unsettling silence 14:12 First panic attack in aisle seven 20:55 Choosing breathwork over the bottle 27:30 Forge Forward begins in a garage 35:18 Building a civilian tribe 42:10 Coaching framework: PAUSE - PLAN - PUSH 50:45 Using adversity loops for growth 58:20 Advice for vets stuck in idle 1:05:00 Final charge: own your story

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

Subscribe to the newsletter: https://strategicveteran.com/newsletter My name is Adam Peters, and I’m here to unf*ck the transition.