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Episode 2

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Published on:

1st Apr 2026

Quick Spoon: Do It Scared

“If I have to convince myself I’m extraordinary… it’s never going to happen.”

In this Quick Spoon, Dr. Jill Stoddard shares a powerful truth: confidence isn’t a prerequisite for action.

A short, practical insight into moving forward — even when your mind says you’re not ready.

People Soup: Real conversations about work, leadership, and being human — grounded in behavioural science, with practical ideas you can actually use.

If this episode resonated with you, please consider following People Soup, leaving a rating or review, or sharing it with someone who might find it useful.

Every recommendation helps more people discover practical, evidence-based conversations about work, leadership and being human.

Here's the People Soup Website.

Visit Ross' Website.

Connect with Ross on LinkedIn

People Soup on Instagram which also features plenty of Ross' photos of the Andalusian life

He's now also on Bluesky

Dr Jill Stoddard

Jill's Website.

Jill's Books.

Jill's TEDx Talk - How to Succeed in Every Moment Even When You're Failing

Connect with Jill on LinkedIn.

Transcript

QS01 - Do it scared

Jill: [:

Speaker 4: Hi there, and welcome to People Soup, quick Spoon, real conversations about work leadership and being human grounded in behavioral science. With practical ideas you can actually use. I'm Ross Macintosh and here's your quick spoon.

Jill: You know, my core belief that comes up the most, ironically, is I'm mediocre. I'm average. It's not like I'm worthless, And all that comparison of all the people who are. More extraordinary and you know, that's one of the reasons I feel passionate about sharing these kinds of tools is because most of the other stuff that you find out there is about battling those thoughts, trying to convince yourself that you're extraordinary, that you're successful, trying to, boost your confidence.

often backfires. And I did a [:

It's do it scared. It's like not waiting around until you feel convinced that you're. good enough, or smart enough, or skillful enough, and, to do it anyway, because if I have to convince myself I'm extraordinary before I'm willing to do hard things, it's never gonna happen. And you could try to convince me, and we could look at my CV, and my brain's just gonna go, yeah, but, yeah, but, yeah, but, and give you all the data that, shows the opposite of that.

it's just how brains work.

Speaker 4: and that's your quick spoon. If this resonated, why not share it with one other person? And if you'd like the full conversation with Dr. Jill s You'll find it wherever you get your podcasts.

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About the Podcast

People Soup
Real conversations about work, leadership and being human
A podcast exploring work, leadership, and being human through real conversations - grounded in behavioural science and full of practical ideas you can apply straight away.

The name People Soup was inspired by a quote from the psychologist Abraham Maslow:

"A first-rate soup is more creative than a second-rate painting."

I've always loved that idea. Creativity isn't confined to art, it can be found in the way we live, work, lead and relate to one another.

Work can sometimes feel like a soup: a rich, sometimes bewildering mix of people, personalities, decisions, pressures, relationships and unexpected challenges. Every day we're trying to make sense of the ingredients we've been given.

Behavioural science can't remove the complexity, but it can help us work with it. It offers practical ingredients, useful tools and simple ways of thinking that help us respond more effectively—to ourselves, to other people and to the situations we face.

That's what People Soup is all about.

Work is rarely tidy. It's a soup rather than a recipe. We don't get to choose every ingredient, but we can learn how to work skilfully with what's already in the pot.

About your host

Profile picture for Ross McIntosh

Ross McIntosh

I'm Ross McIntosh, a business psychologist, coach and facilitator, with over 30 years' experience helping people thrive at work.

People Soup grew from a simple belief: work is an important part of life, but it doesn't have to come at the expense of our wellbeing, our relationships or our values.

Each episode explores the realities of work, leadership and being human through the lens of behavioural science. Sometimes that's a conversation with an inspiring guest. Sometimes it's a short "Quick Spoon" offering a practical idea you can put into practice straight away.

My work is grounded in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), an evidence-based approach that helps people develop psychological flexibility: the ability to stay purposeful, adaptable and effective, even when life gets messy.

Whether you're leading a team, supporting others, or simply trying to navigate the pressures of modern work, my hope is that People Soup gives you practical tools, fresh perspectives and the confidence to take your next meaningful step.

A few things about me
Chartered Fellow of the CIPD.
Fellow of the Association for Coaching.
Research collaborator with City St George's, University of London.
Speaker, facilitator and leadership development consultant.
Founder and Host of the People Soup podcast.

When I'm not recording the podcast or working with clients, you'll usually find me reading, cycling, improving my Spanish, or enjoying life in southern Spain with my husband.