What do fighter pilots and founders have in common? Mental performance consultant Gustavo Ruthes explains why the same stress inoculation techniques used to train NATO fighter pilots can rewire how anyone handles high-stakes decisions.

Gustavo Ruthes, a Registered Psychotherapist and Mental Performance Consultant who trains fifth-generation fighter pilots at Canada's International Tactical Training Centre, joins Dr. Jeremy Koenig to unpack the neurobiology of performing under pressure. Ruthes discusses explicit monitoring theory and why choking under pressure often comes from overanalyzing instead of trusting your training, and he breaks down why even one week of six-hour sleep can impair cognitive performance as much as two full nights of no sleep at all, without the person noticing. Drawing on his own path from Brazilian soccer and Jiu-Jitsu into military aviation psychology, he explains why self-compassion, not harsh self-criticism, is what actually builds resilience in high performers. The conversation closes with a candid look at how AI is reshaping cognitive habits in both classrooms and cockpits, and what parents should be doing about it.

Gustavo Ruthes is a Registered Psychotherapist (RP Qualifying, CRPO) and Mental Performance Consultant (MPC, CSPA) and the founder of Perfect Mind Mental Performance, where he works with NATO fighter pilots, athletes, and entrepreneurs. Website: https://perfectmind.ca

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