Welcome back to Tools of Fighter Pilots, the show where lessons from the cockpit meet the realities of business, leadership, sport, and life. I’m TC, your host, and in this solo episode, I’m breaking down the five principles fighter pilots live by, and why they’re just as essential outside the jet.
Before I ever strapped into an F-16, my instructors drilled one truth into me: You don’t rise to the occasion, you sink to your level of preparation. In combat, there’s no pause button. What you’ve prepared on the ground is all you can draw on in the air.
Over the years, I’ve learned that there are five non-negotiables every fighter pilot carries into the cockpit:
✈️ Be on Time – Punctuality is not about the clock; it’s about trust and reliability.
✈️ Be Prepared – No plan survives first contact, but preparation creates options.
✈️ Structure and Checklists – Systems free the mind to focus on what matters most.
✈️ Assertive Communication – Clear, direct language keeps teams aligned under pressure.
✈️ Control the Controllables – Focus energy where it makes an impact, not where it’s wasted.
These aren’t just aviation rules. They’re baseline operating codes for leading high-performance teams, competing in sport, and navigating life. In this episode, I share real stories from missions that nearly went sideways, the habits that kept us alive, and the practical ways you can apply these same tools to your own world.
Because in the air and in life, you only get one pass. Make it count.
🎧 Listen now and download the free reflection worksheet to apply the Five Non-Negotiables in your business, sport, and life.
📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ToolsofFighterPilots
🎧 Spotify: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/toolsoffighterpilots
📰 Substack: https://toolsoffighterpilots.substack.com/podcast
👇 Connect with TC:
💼 www.linkedin.com/in/tommasocartacci
Welcome back to Tools of Fighter Pilots — where lessons from the cockpit meet leadership, sport, and life.
In this episode, I sit down with Tamara Miles, researcher, leadership professor, and co-author of Meaningful Work, to explore how we can build purpose-driven teams and careers. Together, we dive into the Three Cs that make work truly meaningful:
✨ Community → Feeling that you belong and that your voice matters
✨ Contribution → Knowing that what you do makes an impact
✨ Challenge → Being pushed to grow, learn, and develop
We connect these to the Five Non-Negotiables of Fighter Pilots, being on time, being prepared, structure and checklists, assertive communication, and controlling the controllable, and show how these principles apply to high performance in the air and in the boardroom.
If you’ve ever wondered how to turn work into something more than just a paycheck, this conversation will give you a practical framework backed by research, lived experience, and tactical lessons.
Key takeaways from this episode:
✈️ Why meaningful work is less about what you do and more about how you experience it
✈️ How leaders can create trust, connection, and impact inside their teams
✈️ Why community, contribution, and challenge are the building blocks of engagement and performance
✈️ How fighter pilot principles translate into business, leadership, and sport
🎧 Tune in now to learn how to design a culture where people don’t just work, they thrive.
📺 Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ToolsofFighterPilots
🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/toolsoffighterpilots
📰 Subscribe on Substack: https://toolsoffighterpilots.substack.com/podcast
👇 Connect with Tamara Miles:
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamaramyles/
👇 Connect with TC:
🌐 Website: https://tommasocartacci.com
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommasocartacci/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tri_coach_tc/
📅 Book a call: https://calendly.com/tommaso-cartacci/30min
In this episode of Tools of Fighter Pilots, Tommaso Cartacci sits down with Jason “RICHO” Richardson — fighter pilot, airline captain, and Formula 1 synergy coach — to explore why psychological safety is the foundation of high-performing teams.
Together, they unpack:
✈️ What silence in meetings really signals about team health
🧠 Why vulnerability from leaders creates trust and growth
🎯 How fighter pilot debriefs teach us to learn from mistakes, not hide them
⚖️ The difference between accountability and blame
🏁 What corporate teams can learn from squadrons and Formula 1 crews
Whether you’re building teams in the sky, in sport, or in business, this conversation reveals why safety and standards together create the “learning zone” where people and performance thrive.
Subscribe for more on high-performance leadership, coaching, and operational excellence.
🎧 Tune in for insights from a fighter pilot… and the person who has seen what high performance looks like at 35,000 feet and inside Formula 1.
Now on Spotify, YouTube, and all major platforms.
🔗 Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ToolsofFighterPilots
🔗 Listen on Spotify: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/toolsoffighterpilots
🔗 Read on Substack: https://toolsoffighterpilots.substack.com/podcast
Connect with Jason Richardson
🌐 Website: www.richardsonhps.com
📸 Instagram: @richardsonhps
▶️ YouTube: Richardson HPS
𝕏 Twitter/X: @richardson_hps
Connect with TC
🌐 Website: www.tommasocartacci.com
💼 LinkedIn: Tommaso Cartacci
📸 Instagram: @tri_coach_tc
📅 Book Time: Calendly
In this episode of Tools of Fighter Pilots, Tommaso Cartacci sits down with Jim Cook — executive coach, founding member of Netflix, former CFO of Mozilla, and creator of Cook’s PlayBooks — to explore the mindset, structure, and emotional intelligence required to delegate effectively under pressure.
Together, they unpack:
✈️ The real meaning of delegation in high-stakes teams
🧠 The 3 lies leaders tell themselves that sabotage growth
🎯 How to coach "young guns" to lead without micromanaging
⚖️ Why responsibility can be shared — but accountability never leaves the leader
🏁 What startup teams can learn from elite flying formations
Whether you're leading squadrons or scaling startups, this conversation bridges tactical leadership and emotional clarity with lessons from the air and the boardroom.
Subscribe for more on high-performance leadership, coaching, and operational excellence.
🔗 Connect with Jim Cook:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cookflix/
Jim’s Playbooks: https://cooksplaybooks.substack.com/
🎧 Tune in for insights from a fighter pilot... Now on Spotify, YouTube, and all major platforms.
🔗 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ToolsofFighterPilots
🔗 Spotify: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/toolsoffighterpilots
🔗 Substack: https://toolsoffighterpilots.substack.com/podcast
If you want to connect with TC, click here:
🌐 On the Web: https://tommasocartacci.com
💼 On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommasocartacci/
📸 On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tri_coach_tc/
📅 Book some time: https://calendly.com/tommaso-cartacci/30min
In our first-ever Ask Me Anything episode, we flip the script. Fighter pilot TC, host and fan favorite, joins the mic with someone who knows him better than most: his daughter Allegra. Together, they tackle your questions about the fighter pilot mindset, training, discipline, fear, confidence, and how these lessons land beyond the cockpit, in parenting, leadership, sports, and everyday life.Allegra doesn’t hold back. From childhood memories of squadron life to asking what really scares a fighter pilot, this AMA explores the human side of high performance. TC shares stories that haven’t made it into the flight briefings, honest, funny, and sometimes surprising.
📩 Want to ask a question for the next AMA? Reach out via Instagram, LinkedIn, or Substack. No question is too tactical, too personal, or too out there.
🎧 Tune in for insights from a fighter pilot… and the person who’s seen what that life looks like behind the callsign. Now on Spotify, YouTube, and all major platforms.
https://www.youtube.com/@ToolsofFighterPilots
https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/toolsoffighterpilots
https://toolsoffighterpilots.substack.com/podcast
If you want to connect with TC, click here:
If you want to connect with TC, click here:
…on the Web: https://tommasocartacci.com
…on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommasocartacci/
…on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tri_coach_tc/
…book some time: https://calendly.com/tommaso-cartacci/30min
#ToolsofFighterPilots #MentalTraining #HighPerformance #Aviation #Leadership #MentalHealth #PodcastLaunch #FighterPilotMindset #PerformancePsychology #Resilience #MissionReady
What separates a good performer from an elite one? In fighter aviation, the answer is often mental readiness. In this episode of Tools of Fighter Pilots, TC and Guga uncover the hidden psychological training that keeps pilots sharp, resilient, mission-ready and how those same tools can serve athletes, executives, and high performers across any field.Mental toughness isn’t born, it’s trained!🎧 Listen now on Spotify, YouTube, and all major platforms.https://www.youtube.com/@ToolsofFighterPilotshttps://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/toolsoffighterpilotshttps://toolsoffighterpilots.substack.com/podcastIf you have any questions about Mental Training or want to simply connect with Gustavo Ruthes here are all the handles:...on the web at: https://www.perfectmind.ca/...on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/perfectmind.mp/...on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gustavoruthes/ If you want to connect with TC, click here:…on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommasocartacci/ …on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tri_coach_tc/…book some time: https://cal.com/tommaso.cartacci#ToolsofFighterPilots #MentalTraining #HighPerformance #Aviation #Leadership #MentalHealth #PodcastLaunch #FighterPilotMindset #PerformancePsychology #Resilience #MissionReady
🎧 Episode 4 is LIVE!
"Task Rehearsal: The Fighter Pilot Secret to Flawless Execution" is out now!
Jason and Tommaso reveal how elite performers prepare under pressure — not by luck, but by rehearsing like their lives depend on it.
From Mission Commanders to business leaders, this episode is packed with actionable tools you can use today to rehearse smarter, lead better, and perform under fire.
🎯 Define the critical actions.
🗣 Rehearse them mentally and verbally.
⚠️ Plan for contingencies.
It’s not just practice. It’s fighter pilot practice.
Listen now on all platforms. Link in bio. 👇https://linktr.ee/toolsoffighterpilotshttps://www.youtube.com/@ToolsofFighterPilots https://www.instagram.com/tools_of_fighter_pilotshttps://open.spotify.com/show/2uW4iIncbDvyRjFaLne8ua?si=43e44732de1d492bTommaso Cartacci "I am a fighter pilot instructor, No Judgmental Plant Powered Triathlete in the 50s, an Ironman Coach".Connect at https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommasocartacciJason Richardson "I am a fighter pilot - airline pilot - formula 1 synergy coach. I work with the highest performing teams and individuals to help them achieve the almost impossible".Find out more......on the web at: www.richardsonhps.com...on Instagram at: @richardsonhps...on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/@jasonrichardson2950…on X at: @richardson_hps#Highstandards #EliteMindset #ToolsOfFighterPilots #AviationLeadership #PrecisionMatters #WinningMindset #BusinessExcellence #LessonsFromTheCockpit #SuccessBlueprint #PeakPerformance
What do fighter pilots, elite athletes, and top business leaders have in common? High Standards. In this episode of Tools of Fighter Pilots, we explore how setting and maintaining elite standards drives success in aviation, leadership, and competition.Featuring insights from TC and Richo, this is a must-listen for anyone serious about excellence.
Subscribe, Share, Listen and Watch on Spotify, YouTube, Substack or wherever you get your podcasts.https://linktr.ee/toolsoffighterpilots
Tommaso Cartacci
"I am a fighter pilot instructor, No Judgmental Plant Powered Triathlete in the 50s, an Ironman Coach".
Connect at https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommasocartacci
Jason Richardson
"I am a fighter pilot - airline pilot - formula 1 synergy coach. I work with the highest performing teams and individuals to help them achieve the almost impossible".
Find out more...
...on the web at: www.richardsonhps.com
...on Instagram at: @richardsonhps
...on YouTube at: https://lnkd.in/gbfFZ7if…on X at: @richardson_hps
#HighStandards #EliteMindset #ToolsOfFighterPilots #AviationLeadership #PrecisionMatters #WinningMindset #BusinessExcellence #LessonsFromTheCockpit #SuccessBlueprint #PeakPerformance
What do fighter pilots, elite athletes, and top business leaders have in common?
High Standards.
🎯In this episode of Tools of Fighter Pilots, we explore how setting and maintaining elite standards drives success in aviation, leadership, and competition.
Featuring insights from TC and Richo, this is a must-listen for anyone serious about excellence.
🔥 Tap here https://linktr.ee/toolsoffighterpilots to listen and watch the full episode!
Thanks to all the friends who contributed to this Trailer.Simone, AW, Stef, Nick, Jo, Dani, Valter.
Tommaso Cartacci "I am a fighter pilot instructor, No Judgmental Plant Powered Triathlete in the 50s, an Ironman Coach".
Connect at https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommasocartacci
Jason Richardson "I am a fighter pilot - airline pilot - formula 1 synergy coach. I work with the highest performing teams and individuals to help them achieve the almost impossible".
Find out more...
...on the web at: www.richardsonhps.com
...on Instagram at: @_richardsonhps_
...on YouTube at: https://lnkd.in/gbfFZ7if
…on X at: @richardson_hps
#HighStandards #EliteMindset #ToolsOfFighterPilots #AviationLeadership #PrecisionMatters #WinningMindset #BusinessExcellence #LessonsFromTheCockpit #SuccessBlueprint #PeakPerformance
In Episode 2 of Tools of Fighter Pilots, Tommaso and Jason explore the transformative power of debriefing in aviation and high-performance teams. Drawing from their rich experiences in fighter pilot operations and endurance coaching, they highlight how debriefing helps extract critical lessons from past actions, improve future execution, and minimize errors. Jason shares powerful anecdotes from aviation, illustrating how debriefing refines execution and reinforces team cohesion, while Tommaso connects these principles to sports and endurance training. Together, they discuss the role of leadership in modeling these practices and driving success in their respective fields. Whether you're leading a team, managing a project, or pursuing personal growth, this episode offers actionable insights into the art of learning from experience and fostering a culture of excellence. Subscribe, Listen, Watch on Spotify, YouTube, Substack or wherever you get your podcast. https://linktr.ee/toolsoffighterpilots #Debriefing #Leadership #HighPerformanceTeams #ToolsOfFighterPilots #ContinuousImprovement#FighterPilotWisdom #LeadershipLessons#FromCockpitToLife #LifeHacks#Inspiration #Motivation #SuccessStory
In this first episode of Tools of Fighter Pilots, TC and Jason break down the core non-negotiables that drive elite fighter pilots and high-performance teams to succeed. They explore how discipline, trust, and precision lay the foundation for teams operating in the most demanding environments.
Discover how the fighter pilot mindset—focused, adaptable, and mission-driven—fuels collaboration and decision-making under pressure. TC and Jason share actionable insights on how to implement these principles to build and lead teams that thrive in high-stakes situations.
Subscribe, Listen, Watch on Spotify, YouTube, Substack or wherever you get your podcast. https://linktr.ee/toolsoffighterpilots #FighterPilotWisdom #LeadershipLessons#FromCockpitToLife #LifeHacks#Inspiration #Motivation #SuccessStory
