System, apparatus, and method of accelerated training for performance under stress

A method for installing a critical skill path in a trainee, the critical skill path comprising one or more critical skills for successfully achieving an outcome in a stressful environment likely to elicit one or more stress response states in the trainee, comprising:

• developing a series of experiences, each including an instruction and a simulation, designed to subconsciously install the critical skill path in the trainee;
• presenting a first instruction to the trainee prompting the trainee to perform a first task using an essential critical skill of the critical skill path;
• introducing the trainee into a first simulated environment, within a first brief period of time after presenting the first instruction, exposing the trainee to a first stressor and requiring the trainee to use the essential critical skill to successfully perform the first task, wherein the first stressor is designed to elicit a first stress response state in the trainee, and wherein the first simulated environment is designed to favor successful performance of the first task by the trainee in the first stress response state;
• presenting a second instruction to the trainee, within a second brief period of time after completing the first task, prompting the trainee to perform a second task using the essential critical skill and at least another critical skill of the critical skill path;
• introducing the trainee into a second simulated environment, within a third brief period of time after presenting the second instruction, exposing the trainee to a second stressor and requiring the trainee to use the essential critical skill and the at least another critical skill to successfully perform the second task, wherein the second stressor is designed to elicit a second stress response state in the trainee more stressful than the first stress response state, and wherein the second simulated environment is designed to favor successful performance of the second task by the trainee in the second stress response state;
• continuing to present one or more additional instructions to the trainee, within a brief period of time after completing an immediately preceding task, each additional instruction prompting the trainee to perform a task and to use a critical skill set including the critical skills used in the immediately preceding task and at least one additional critical skill, until all critical skills in the critical skill path have been used in performing the immediately preceding task;
• and
• continuing to introduce the trainee into one or more additional simulated environments within a brief period of time after presenting each additional instruction until all critical skill in the critical skill path have been used in performing the immediately preceding task, each additional simulated environment exposing the trainee to a stressor designed to elicit a stress response state in the trainee more stressful than the immediately preceding stress response state and requiring the trainee to use the corresponding critical skill set to successfully perform the task as instructed, wherein each additional simulated environment is designed to favor successful performance of the task, as instructed, by the trainee in the stress response state.