Episode 519: Andrew Bustamante: Reading People, Predicting Behavior and Creating Leverage

Success is often attributed to confidence or charisma, yet many capable people still misread situations, misjudge authority, and lose leverage under pressure. The real disadvantage is not lack of effort, but relying on false assumptions about how people and systems behave.

We dive deeper into this in the latest Habits & Hustle Podcast episode with Andrew Bustamante. We also chat about predicting human behavior, controlling emotional responses in high-stakes moments, and using leverage ethically in business and leadership.

Andrew Bustamante is a former clandestine CIA intelligence officer and co-founder of EverydaySpy, a global training platform applying spy skills to business and life. He is a decorated U.S. Air Force combat veteran, a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, and a former member of CIA’s National Clandestine Service. 

What We Discuss:

(11:08) Why perception is not reality and how authority conditioning begins early  

(12:05) Why following social rules often leads to weaker outcomes  

(24:36) How professional liars control body language and emotion  

(25:16) Why speaking less creates more credibility  

(27:14) Operational utility versus opportunism in decision making  

(38:49) Why institutions are looser than they appear  

(39:18) How authority bias quietly shapes adult behavior  

(47:17) Why human behavior becomes predictable under pressure

(02:02:47) Thoughts on the Jeffrey Epstein case

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Find more from Jen: 

Website: www.jennifercohen.com

Instagram: @therealjencohen  

Books: www.jennifercohen.com/books

Speaking: www.jennifercohen.com/speaking-engagement

Find more from Andrew Bustamante:

Instagram: @everydayspy

Youtube: @Andrew-Bustamante

X: @EverydaySpy

Facebook: @EverydaySpy

Find your Spy Superpower: https://yt.everydayspy.com/4ozGI3F

Read Andrew’s CIA book ‘Shadow Cell’: https://geni.us/ShadowCellBook 

Explore Spy School: https://everydayspy.com/ 

Support Andy's sponsor Axolt Brain: https://axoltbrain.com/andy

Listen to the podcast: https://youtube.com/@EverydaySpyPodcast