For Patrick Natale, Positive Attitude Wins the Day

Anyone who knows Patrick Natale is familiar with his signature mantra. “Win the Day” is in his email signature, on his coffee mug and even printed inside the Managing Director’s suit jacket. He borrows it from Chip Kelly, the former University of Oregon head football coach who emphasized daily excellence, not just game-day performance. Give your best every single day, and the results will follow naturally.

“For me, it’s about being in the present and focusing on the task at hand—not on what happened yesterday or what will happen tomorrow,” says Patrick, head of equities for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management.

Born and raised in New Jersey, Patrick learned the importance of hard work through his experiences working at the family bakery his grandfather started in 1938 and by playing various sports. His growth mindset has defined him ever since. After every baseball and football game or wrestling match, Patrick would ask himself: “How can we do better?” The answer always included a plan and a positive attitude, no matter the outcome. 

He applies the same upbeat outlook and encouraging spirit at work to inspire those around him, especially as he nurtures the next generation of Morgan Stanley leaders. The consummate coach, he invests in his team members, providing motivation and opportunities.

“I try to be a positive, communicative and inspirational leader and mentor, especially for newer employees,” says Patrick, who offers summer interns and rotational analysts “at-bats” to “get them on the field” quickly. “I want them to learn by doing and receive feedback on how to do the work even better.”

It was 32 years ago when Patrick himself was one of those new employees. After graduating from Rutgers University with a degree in Economics, Patrick landed an administrative position at Morgan Stanley. In the decades that followed, he was given multiple opportunities to learn and grow. “If others hadn’t believed in me, I wouldn’t be here,” says Patrick, who now pays that forward.

AN ALLY

A champion of all talent and a mentor, he’s also an ally focused on “being a multiplier, lifting up others and participating in their success,” he explains. Patrick has become especially known for his allyship with women, supporting and participating in networking groups, events and women-led initiatives at the firm and through his alma mater.

Recognizing these efforts, Patrick was named a Morgan Stanley MAKER, Class of 2025—a distinction reserved for innovators, advocates and groundbreakers in inclusion, all nominated by their peers. It’s an honor he hopes to live up to. “I want to earn this, to be more inspirational, to be a greater ally and to win the day even more,” he says.

FROM ADMIN TO MD

Advancing from an administrative role to Managing Director required unwavering dedication and was not without its hurdles. During a pivotal period after the financial crisis, Patrick encountered significant professional challenges. When Patrick’s manager gave him constructive feedback, Patrick chose to embrace it as an opportunity for growth and improvement.

It’s a lesson he takes from the Stonecutter’s Credo: “When nothing seems to help, I go and look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock, perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that blow that did it but all that had gone before.”

That trust in the process and honoring the grind is what got Patrick to where he is today. Still, he doesn’t lose sight of how far he’s come. “Too many people focus on the finish line and lose sight of the starting line,” he adds.

Patrick also keeps his eye on how the process can be improved, especially when it comes to helping colleagues and mentees, always asking them: “How are you hitting your rock? Do you need a bigger hammer, swing harder, or hit it from a different angle?”

NO LOSSES IN LIFE, ONLY LEARNING

Sometimes it’s time to find a new rock. “I often talk with employees about career mobility, asking, “Are you learning, growing and being impactful? Does your team value you? Are you happy? If you can answer yes to those questions on most days,” says Patrick, “you're probably in the right seat. If not, it’s time to pivot.”

As a leader and mentor, Patrick is highly focused on goalsetting. “Yes, as with sports, sometimes you don’t always win and meet your objective. Still,” he says, “there are no losses in life—only learning experiences.”

When asked what success means, Patrick borrows a definition from the legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden: “Success is peace of mind, a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you can possibly be.”

Outside of work, Patrick takes part in causes close to his heart. Once a year for the past 10 years, he’s shaved his head to raise money for childhood cancer research. He grows a mustache every “Movember” to raise awareness and funds for men’s health issues.

He shares motivational quotes with his two sons every day. While his teenage boys are less than impressed, Patrick hopes that someday they’ll appreciate having learned the importance of the process and the value of having a positive attitude. For now, “nothing makes me happier than to see people I've mentored achieve success at this firm,” says Patrick. “And if you ask, I bet they’d quote ‘Win the Day’ and The Stonecutter’s Credo.”