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Episode 3

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Published on:

3rd Apr 2026

Quick Spoon: Not Today, Kevin

What if your inner critic had a name… and you didn’t have to believe it?

In this Quick Spoon, Dr. Jill Stoddard shares a simple but powerful technique for creating distance from self-doubt.

“Not today, Kevin” might be exactly what you need.

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.

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Visit Ross' Website.

Connect with Ross on LinkedIn

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

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

QS02 - Not today, Kevin

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: So the book's only been out a handful of days

but of my first, what, four or five reviews, one of them was a one star review. from Kevin, and Kevin wanted a different book. Kevin basically said, you didn't deliver on your promise to build my self confidence and get rid of my anxiety. I'm like, oh yeah, sorry, you're right. That's not actually what this book was about.

There's lots of other books that claim to do that. This book is like kind of the opposite that. So he just, he wanted a different book. But I've turned this into my own diffusion exercise.

o that's like kind of in the [:

But I got this. Right? And it's sort of this way to, like, detach from that thinking and put it, put it over here. Not suppress it, not try to push it away, but just sort of, like, observe it and detach from it. And when I was telling one of my, my friend Emily about this, Kevin review in our back and forth. At one point she said, not today, Kevin.

And I just laughed so hard. I was like, Oh my my diffusion. I'm going to like, you know, she, I'm going to put Sheila's going to take a back seat. And from now on, when that voice pops up, I'm going to be like, not today, Kevin. I've got this. You can give me that one star review and I'm going to keep doing my thing.

Speaker 4: And that's your quick spoon. Imposter thoughts are part of being human, not a sign that something's wrong.

your critical mind a playful [:

Speaker 4: If this was useful, why not share it with someone who might need to hear it?

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About the Podcast

People Soup
Real conversations about work, leadership and being human.
Grounded in behavioural science, each episode is packed with practical ideas you can put into practice straight away.

The name People Soup comes from a quote by 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 shows up in how 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 doesn't remove the complexity, but it gives us practical ways to navigate it. It offers ideas, skills and evidence-based tools 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.

Through conversations, solo episodes and practical tools, People Soup explores how behavioural science—and particularly Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)—can help us lead, work and live with greater purpose, psychological flexibility and practical wisdom.

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.