#80 - Why Your Brain Sabotages You | The Chimp Paradox Explained w/ Dr Sarah Caddy

#80 - Why Your Brain Sabotages You | The Chimp Paradox Explained w/ Dr Sarah Caddy

From The Struggle by Gregor S Thomson

May 3, 2026 · Episode 80

About this episode

This episode explores The Chimp Model and its implications for understanding self-sabotage and emotional management.

Why do we keep repeating behaviours we know are bad for us? In this episode of The Struggle, I’m joined by Dr Sarah Caddy to explore The Chimp Model, developed by Professor Steve Peters, and how it explains self-sabotage, emotional reactions, bad habits, social media scrolling, motivation, discipline, anxiety, and why we so often feel at war with ourselves. We discuss the three “teams” in the mind — the Chimp, Human and Computer — and how understanding them can help us manage emotions, change habits, stop relying on willpower, and become more compassionate toward ourselves. This conversation covers: Why your emotional brain reacts faster than your rational brain How habits form in the “computer” Why motivation is unreliable How to manage social media scrolling and instant gratification Why self-sabotage is normal but unhelpful The importance of naming emotions How to build a “human-led, chimp-friendly” plan Why looking after yourself is not selfish How to stop beating yourself up and start changing properly If you’ve ever thought, “Why do I keep doing this when I know better?” — this episode is for you. Find Out More About The Chimp Model Here - https://chimpmanagement.com Books…

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