Before the Panic: What You Do in the First 90 Seconds

When life punches you in the gut—a lost wallet, bad news, a broken relationship—it's not the event that defines you, it's what you do in the next 90 seconds.

Show Notes – You are now listening to Shark Theory…

In this episode, Baylor shares a recent "gut punch" moment: realizing his wallet was gone and feeling that instant wave of panic and what-if scenarios. Instead of spiraling, he walks through how he used praxis—moving from theory to action—to keep his mind from running wild and to take back control of the situation.

Drawing on a Marcus Aurelius quote, "This doesn't have to be something. This doesn't have to hurt you," Baylor breaks down how to intercept that first emotional hit, why the first 90 seconds after bad news are crucial, and how action can stop your brain from marinating in worst-case scenarios.

He also reframes loss by separating what can be replaced (money, cards, IDs) from what can't (people, time, health), and challenges you to stop giving "thing-level" problems life-level power.

In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• Why what you do immediately after bad news determines how hard it hits you

• What praxis really is—and how to use it when your emotions are screaming

• How Marcus Aurelius' line "This doesn't have to be something" can become a mental reset button

• The 90-second rule of thoughts and why acting fast keeps your mind from spiraling

• How to shift your focus from panic to a checklist: cancel cards, protect your identity, secure what you can

• The difference between losing things and losing what truly matters—and how that perspective can calm you down fast

Featured Quote:

"You can't always control what you lose, but you can control whether that loss owns the rest of your day."