In this first episode of The Cognitive Athlete Podcast, Clint Rahe — high performance coach, speaker, and author of The Cognitive Athlete — shares the personal story behind the book and why he believes we need a new approach to performance.
After more than two decades working with fighter pilots, athletes, and corporate leaders, Clint noticed the same pattern everywhere: smart, capable people running themselves into the ground. The harder they worked, the less effective they became.
This episode takes you behind the scenes of the book’s creation — from the moment Clint recognised that traditional productivity advice was broken, to how his time in the Royal Air Force shaped his philosophy on energy, rhythm, and recovery.
You’ll hear how The Cognitive Athlete framework was born: blending lessons from elite sport, military conditioning, and neuroscience to help leaders think, work, and recover like high-performance athletes — without burning out in the process.
In this episode you'l learn:
Key Takeaway
You can’t out-work biology. Peak performance isn’t about doing more; it’s about training smarter. Start paying attention to your energy cycles, not just your calendar.
Take the free Cognitive Athlete Self-Assessment at thecognitiveathlete.com.au to discover your performance profile.
Pre-order The Cognitive Athlete book — in stores 29th December 2025 👉 https://amzn.to/4fVUHwZ
New episodes every Monday — short, practical, science-backed strategies to help you perform at your best without burning out.