“What you do in that specific second where you could react a negative way is going to impact the way that you continue for that climb or that you start the descent downward on the side of the mountain, literally free falling or just going down on your ass and sliding down and having to figure out how to climb your way back up with a lot of extra baggage. And if this is something that you struggle with, understand that you’re not alone.” Episode summary: In this episode, Nick talks about reactions, specifically our first reaction, and how we can conquer that first reaction. It can either help you climb up a mountain, or it can have you just slide directly down the side of it. What to listen for: How we react to situations isn’t always because of the actual situation What it means to react and climb or react and slide down the mountain How our traumas trigger our reactions About learning how “to take a beat” and react differently “There have been times where I’ve reacted to things and then thought afterward like oh, oh shit I probably shouldn’t have said that or I probably shouldn’t have done that or I probably shouldn’t have acted that way or I shouldn’t have felt like that. Can you relate?” What it’s like to go on an apology tour because you said something stupid or emotionally reactive How we can stop ourselves in that quick nano-second to take a beat and reset before reacting The importance of that first split second before we react and how that helps us or puts us in a really bad place How I reacted as a child and young adult and WHY I reacted in such ways “Here I am, closer to 40, and there are times when somebody will say something to me, and I can feel that I’m triggered inside, and I can feel that the reaction is about to come out. And I’ve started over the past handful of years being able to really capture that energy as it’s getting closer to coming out.” I share a couple of stories of getting into physical altercations during my younger years and how those experiences prompted me to consider how I reacted to other situations Taking the time to process past experiences and understanding how we can best learn and grow from them What it’s like as we “grow up” and look back on our past experiences to use them as case studies for our present and future selves “When you think about the times that you’ve been through, where you’ve reacted to something in a way that you didn’t want to react, think about other times where you have reacted in a way that you wanted to react. Maybe you took that second. It may have even been subconscious. It may have been something that kind of knocked you off your rocker and you were like, whoa, I need a second to process through that.” Some experiences may not trigger us and in those experiences, we’ll react differently Understanding our triggers and therefore the responses that come from them will help us as we grow Understanding the repercussions of our reactions and how we can physically and emotionally climb or slide down the mountain About Nick McGowan I’m Nick McGowan, entrepreneur, podcaster, and mental health advocate, and I've been on a 20+ year journey of personal development, learning to master my mindset, emotions, and the art of living with purpose. As a Mindset and Self-Mastery Mentor, I work with ambitious men and women who want to live their most authentic and joyous life, by helping them master their mindset, emotional awareness, and authentic communication. My mission is to empower people to lead lives that feel aligned, grounded, and truly their own. Throughout my career, I’ve built teams, streamlined systems, and improved client experiences across SaaS, media, marketing, and personal development spaces. Whether I’m leading cross-functional projects, optimizing SEO, Podcasting, designing strategies, or guiding clients through transformation, I bring a hands-on, solution-focused approach to everything I do. I’m also the host of The Mindset and Self-Mastery Show,