Episode 19

full
Published on:

5th May 2026

Quick Spoon: When the threat system takes over

Why do good people sometimes say things they later regret?

Why do we shut down, snap, or go into fight mode when pressure rises?

In this Quick Spoon from my conversation with Dr Eric Goodman, we explore a powerful idea:

Sometimes it’s not weakness.

Sometimes your threat system is driving the bus.

And when that happens, we can find ourselves reacting in ways that don’t reflect who we want to be.

A practical and compassionate reminder that awareness creates choice… especially in difficult moments.

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

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Transcript

QS2 When the Threat System Takes Over

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[00:00:18] [00:00:20] airplanes, people just seeming to be driven by their threat systems. I looked at that as [00:00:30] their threat systems were just driving the bus and that they were being swept along for the ride and, who among us [00:00:40] hasn't had their threat system take over and have them do things

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[00:00:45]

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[00:01:03] This one's about why we sometimes react in ways we later regret.

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[00:01:22] So maybe just notice this week, When pressure rises, what signs tell you your threat system might be taking [00:01:30] over?

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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.

About your host

Profile picture for Ross McIntosh

Ross McIntosh

I'm a work psychologist. I want to help you navigate the daily challenges of work by sharing behavioural science in a way that's accessible, useful and fun.
I'm originally from Northumberland in the UK and I now live near Seville in Spain with my husband.