Let Your Yes Be Yes
Shark Theory
If your word doesn’t mean something, neither does your ambition. Show Notes In this episode of Shark Theory, Baylor shares a simple story with a powerful lesson. After an incredible experience at a new Italian steakhouse in Dallas, Baylor told the hostess and waitress he would leave them a review. They had gone above and beyond. The service was excellent. He meant it when he said it. But he forgot. At 2:30 in the morning, he woke up remembering the promise he had made. Most people would roll over and say, “I’ll do it tomorrow.” But that wasn’t what he said he would do. So he got up...
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Precision vs. Volume
Shark Theory
Some people win by volume. Others win by precision. The key is knowing which one you are. Show Notes In this episode of Shark Theory, Baylor breaks down a powerful analogy that explains why different approaches to success can both be effective. There are two types of soldiers in war: the militia and the snipers. The militia are the frontline forces. High volume. High activity. Constant motion. They kick in doors, move quickly, and engage often. In life, this looks like the salesperson making hundreds of calls, the entrepreneur trying multiple ventures, the person who believes momentum comes...
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Where Do You Run?
Shark Theory
When life starts chasing you, where do you run? Show Notes In this episode of Shark Theory, Baylor shares the viral story of a baby monkey abandoned at a zoo in Tokyo, bullied by other monkeys, and clinging to a stuffed animal for comfort. The image is heartbreaking. The monkey runs from group to group, searching for belonging, searching for safety, searching for something to hold onto. And eventually, after days of isolation, it finds acceptance. Baylor connects this powerful image to the human experience. At some point, we’ve all felt like that monkey. Overwhelmed. Outnumbered. Running...
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The Three People You Need in Order to Grow
Shark Theory
No one succeeds alone. Behind every spotlight are people introducing, guiding, and amplifying. Show Notes In this episode of Shark Theory, Baylor shifts the focus from life on stage to the people behind the scenes who make everything possible. After a recent Call it Closed Realty conference, he reflected on how many pivotal roles are played by individuals most people never see. And from that reflection came a powerful framework: there are three types of people you need in your corner. First, you need someone who introduces you. Doors rarely open themselves. Someone has to believe in you...
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Find the Thing That Silences Everything Else
Shark Theory
For one hour on stage, I only have one problem in my life. What if you could find something that does that for you? Show Notes In this episode of Shark Theory, Baylor answers a question he was asked after a recent keynote: What is it like on your side of the stage? Public speaking is often labeled as the number one fear in the world. But Baylor challenges the idea that fear is universal. Many fears are borrowed. Many limitations come from opinions, polls, or statistics that never actually included you. Instead of asking whether something is scary, ask whether you’re looking at it through...
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Nerves vs. Nervous
Shark Theory
There’s a difference between having nerves and being nervous. One means you care. The other means you didn’t prepare. Show Notes In this episode of Shark Theory, Baylor pulls back the curtain on building a brand-new keynote from scratch and the psychology behind performance pressure. Unlike refining a talk over months like a comedian workshops material, this time Baylor had to deliver something completely new. New stories. New structure. New neuroscience. And with that came something he doesn’t often feel: nerves. But here’s the distinction that changed everything. Nerves simply mean...
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What Are You Really Mad At?
Shark Theory
Before you explode, ask yourself one question: What am I actually mad at? Show Notes In this episode of Shark Theory, Baylor shares a frustrating piano lesson that almost ended with a keyboard through the wall and the powerful insight that came from it. While trying to master a section of the James Bond theme, he hit a wall. Repeated mistakes. Rising frustration. Boiling anger. The kind that makes you want to quit. But instead of staying in that emotion, he paused and asked a deeper question: What is the real source of this frustration? From that moment, two powerful categories emerged....
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Reverse Engineer Joy
Shark Theory
You say certain things make you happy. But what does happiness actually feel like to you? Show Notes In this episode of Shark Theory, Baylor shares a powerful question from a recent therapy session that completely shifted his perspective: What does happiness feel like? Not what makes you happy. Not what you’re doing when you’re happy. But what does it feel like? At first, Baylor listed activities. Walking his dog. Playing golf. Spending time with friends. But his therapist pressed further. Feelings aren’t events. They’re states. That distinction changes everything. Too often, people...
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Stand Tall in the Storm
Shark Theory
When the storm comes, giraffes don’t run. They don’t hide. They stand tall and face away from it. Maybe that’s exactly what we need to do. Show Notes In this episode of Shark Theory, Baylor shares one of his favorite late-night research discoveries and the powerful life lesson hidden in how giraffes handle storms. At three in the morning, a random question led to a fascinating insight: where do giraffes hide when it rains? The answer is simple and powerful. They don’t. Instead of trying to curl up or seek shelter they can’t find, giraffes stand tall and face away from the storm....
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Go for the Gold
Shark Theory
t’s easy to judge from the couch. It’s harder to compete in the arena. The question is which one you want to be. Show Notes In this episode of Shark Theory, Baylor breaks down powerful lessons from the Winter Olympics and what they reveal about competition, criticism, and courage. Watching elite athletes perform at the highest level makes one thing clear: there are countless ways to be great. Some sports may not make sense to you. Some events may look strange or unfamiliar. But at the highest level, everything is competitive. Everything has a degree of difficulty. And every gold medal...
info_outlineIf your word doesn’t mean something, neither does your ambition.
Show Notes
In this episode of Shark Theory, Baylor shares a simple story with a powerful lesson.
After an incredible experience at a new Italian steakhouse in Dallas, Baylor told the hostess and waitress he would leave them a review. They had gone above and beyond. The service was excellent. He meant it when he said it.
But he forgot.
At 2:30 in the morning, he woke up remembering the promise he had made. Most people would roll over and say, “I’ll do it tomorrow.” But that wasn’t what he said he would do.
So he got up and left the review.
Not to be dramatic. Not for applause. But because your word has to mean something.
When you promise something, you’re not promising to speak. You’re promising to act. The etymology of “promise” means to send forth. To move something forward. To take action. A promise is an extension of your integrity.
In a world where people are quick to complain but slow to praise, quick to agree but slow to follow through, your consistency becomes your competitive advantage.
Let your yes be yes. Let your no be no.
If you know you’re not going to do something, say no. Don’t delay it. Don’t soften it. Don’t string someone along to avoid discomfort. Delaying the truth only compounds the disappointment.
When your words align with your actions, you create peace for the people around you. They don’t have to follow up. They don’t have to double-check. They don’t have to stress. They know if you said it, it’s handled.
And in business, in leadership, in relationships, that reliability puts you ahead of most people without learning a single new skill.
Success doesn’t always come from complexity. Sometimes it comes from simply doing what you said you would do.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
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Why your word is a reflection of your integrity
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The true meaning of making a promise
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How inconsistency quietly damages trust
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Why “maybe” often causes more harm than “no”
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How reliability creates peace for others
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The simple habit that separates you from 95% of people
Featured Quote
“If you say you’re going to do it, do it. Your word is your brand.”