Behavior Gap Radio

1472 | The time to awareness

1471 | Rough Stone Rolling

In this episode, Carl explores the idea of public work as a spiritual practice and reflects on the uncomfortable emotions that surface when we compare ourselves to others. After seeing someone launch a project similar to one he’d been thinking about for years, Carl examines his own reactions: jealousy, insecurity, ego, and the stories we quickly tell ourselves. He shares why building a business, making art, and doing work in public can become powerful opportunities for self-awareness, growth, an...

1470 | Peeling Back the Layers

In this episode, Carl reflects on the difficult and deeply personal work of unwinding the stories we’ve inherited about success, work, relationships, achievement, and identity. He explores how many of our financial decisions are shaped by assumptions we never consciously chose, and why real financial planning often means slowly peeling back those layers to discover what actually matters to us. It’s a thoughtful conversation about alignment, self-awareness, and the lifelong process of becoming mo...

1469 | How Could I Possibly Say No to This?

In this episode, Carl explores the rare moments in life when an opportunity feels so deeply aligned that the question becomes, “How could I possibly say no to this?” Using the example of getting into a dream school like Juilliard, he reflects on regret minimization, the difference between making the “right” decision and making a decision right, and the mysterious way life sometimes rearranges itself after we commit to something meaningful. It’s a thoughtful conversation about risk, dreams, uncer...

1468 | Anxiety vs. Insight

In this episode, Carl explores one of the hardest questions that comes with making meaningful life decisions: How do you tell the difference between anxiety and insight? Reflecting on career changes, relationships, financial decisions, and the messy middle of personal growth, he examines the different textures of fear, urgency, clarity, and alignment. It’s a thoughtful exploration of slowing down, listening carefully, and learning to recognize whether we’re spinning in circles or moving toward s...

1467 | What to Do With Obsession?

In this episode, Carl reflects on a quote from Howard Thurman that has shaped his thinking for years: “Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it.” He explores the tension between building a life around demand versus building one around aliveness, and the complicated reality that often follows when what makes us come alive doesn’t fit neatly into stability, responsibility, or conventional success. It’s a thoughtful exploration of ambition, freedom, roots, creativi...

1466 | Fear-Based Selling

In this episode, Carl reflects on a recent conversation with Michael Kitces about fear-based selling and the surprising world of “disturb tracks” designed to create urgency and anxiety. Carl explores why tactics built on fear, complexity, and pressure may “work” in the short term, but ultimately erode trust and connection. It’s a thoughtful conversation about values-based selling, long-term relationships, and the kind of work Carl actually wants to do in the world. Want more from Carl? Get the s...

1465 | How to Deal With Overwhelm

In this episode, Carl reflects on what it feels like to live in a world where the list of things that matter seems impossibly large, while the list of things we can actually control feels painfully small. Revisiting one of his earliest sketches, he explores the overlap between concern and agency, and why focusing on the small, local things we can actually do may be one of the most grounding responses to overwhelm, uncertainty, and modern life. Want more from Carl? Get the shortest, most impactfu...

1464 | Selling the Feeling

In this episode, Carl explores what it really means to help people change. Building on yesterday’s idea that the market for feeling something is much larger than the market for becoming it, he reflects on the delicate work of helping clients move from awareness to identity to action. It’s a thoughtful look at financial advice, behavior change, and the quiet, human work of helping someone become the kind of person they want to be. Want more from Carl? Get the shortest, most impactful weekly email...

1463 | The Market for Feeling

In this episode, Carl explores the surprisingly large gap between feeling productive, being seen as productive, and actually doing meaningful work. He reflects on how easy it is to confuse organizing, planning, researching, or publicly announcing our intentions with the vulnerable act of creating something real. It’s a thoughtful look at identity, risk, and the subtle ways we avoid uncertainty while still convincing ourselves we’re making progress. Want more from Carl? Get the shortest, most imp...

1462 | Confessions of a Market Illiterate

In this episode, Carl shares a moment of clarity after being told he wasn’t a fit for a market-focused podcast—and why that turned out to be exactly right. He explores the important difference between markets and investing, and why chasing daily commentary isn’t the same as doing the real work of aligning money with a meaningful life. It’s a reflection on knowing what game you’re playing, letting go of noise, and focusing on the kind of thinking that actually helps people make better decisions o...

1461 | Money and the Arc of Morality

In this episode, Carl reflects on a powerful idea inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.: The arc of the moral universe bends toward justice—but what about our own personal arc? He explores how money and power can quietly influence our decisions, sometimes pulling us away from what we say we believe. Rather than judging others, Carl turns the lens inward, asking where we might bend our own standards under pressure—and how to notice those moments before they shape who we become. Want more from Carl? ...

1460 | I Finally Got Fired!

In this episode, Carl shares a surprising personal story about being “fired” from his own financial planning meetings—and why he was secretly thrilled about it. That experience leads to a deeper question: What if the so-called “disengaged” partner isn’t a problem to fix, but simply someone who's playing to their strengths? Carl challenges a common assumption in financial planning and explores a different approach—one rooted in trust, clear communication, and letting people focus on what they’re ...

1259 | You're speaking a different language

1458 | Kindness Is the Point

In this episode, Carl reflects on the deeper purpose behind his work and a simple realization that keeps guiding him: Money is the entry point, but kindness is the point. While conversations often start with money, they quickly reveal what really matters—how we spend our time, energy, and attention, and what we want to build in the world. Carl shares why he continues to use money as the doorway, even though the real work has always been about love, connection, and being human. Want more from Car...

1457 | Compound Kindness

In this episode, Carl shares a personal story about a decision to step away from social media noise and focus on one-to-one connection—and the surprising long-term impact it’s had. What started as replying thoughtfully to emails turned into years of meaningful moments with people who never forgot being seen and heard. Carl reflects on a simple idea: Kindness compounds. Not in an abstract way, but in real relationships, trust, and unexpected returns over time—while the opposite carries a cost tha...

1456 | Finance Borrowed It From Life

In this episode, Carl explores the deeper meaning of compounding—not just as a financial concept, but as a universal life principle. Drawing from wisdom across cultures and centuries, he reflects on how the most valuable things in life—health, relationships, skills, and creativity—are built slowly through consistent, repeated effort. Instead of chasing shortcuts, Carl makes the case for investing your time, energy, and attention into things that grow over time and letting them compound into some...

1455 | Oh… You Think This Is About Money

In this episode, Carl shares a story from a trip to Chamonix that challenged his assumptions about money, value, and how the world works. After a failed attempt to order eggs outside of breakfast hours, he’s reminded that not everything is about paying more to get what you want—sometimes it’s about craft, culture, and a completely different way of seeing things. Carl reflects on how travel and new environments can expand our perspective on money and life, and why those moments of friction might ...

1454 | Being Scared Is OK

In this episode, Carl talks openly about the rise in economic anxiety and what to do when fear shows up. Instead of rushing to answers or hiding behind data, he makes a simple point: It’s normal to feel scared when things are uncertain. The real first step isn’t solving the problem, it’s creating space to talk about it honestly—with empathy, not dismissal. Whether you’re the one feeling the fear or the one others turn to for guidance, Carl explores how making room for that emotion can lead to be...

1453 | Enough Is Here

In this episode, Carl reflects on a simple but elusive idea inspired by Zen teaching: If you can’t find “enough” where you are, where do you expect to find it? He explores how easily we fall into the trap of believing satisfaction is just one step ahead—a bigger number, a future milestone—only to have the goalposts move again. What if enough isn’t something you reach, but something you decide? Carl invites you to sit with that question and consider what might change if you chose, right now, that...

1452 | Turns Out I Don't Like That

In this episode, Carl shares a slightly uncomfortable but honest reflection about giving yourself permission to like what you actually like—and to stop pretending otherwise. After declining an invitation to a high-profile economic talk, he explores how often we go along with things simply because we think we’re supposed to, from market forecasts to popular books to even skiing. Through a few relatable stories, Carl invites you to notice where you might be following expectations instead of your o...

1451 | Flaws Are Human

In this episode, Carl explores a simple idea that keeps proving true: What you think is a flaw might actually be the thing that makes your work resonate. From his hand-drawn sketches to the raw, unedited format of Behavior Gap Radio, he reflects on how the very imperfections he once tried to fix became the most meaningful parts. In a world increasingly optimized to remove friction and polish everything smooth, Carl makes the case for leaning into what’s human, messy, and real—and why that may ma...

1450 | The Fever Has You

In this episode, Carl explores a surprising idea from Seneca: The real shortcut to riches isn’t earning more—it’s learning to want less. Drawing from Seneca’s writings and his own experience, Carl unpacks why more money rarely leads to a lasting feeling of “enough,” and how our desires quietly expand along with our income. This isn’t about rejecting money, but about asking a deeper question: How will you know when you have enough—and what happens if you never decide? Want more from Carl? Get the...

1449 | Poisonous Snake

In this episode, Carl shares a timeless story often told in Buddhist traditions about a piece of gold mistaken for a “poisonous snake”—and what it reveals about our relationship with money. The story isn’t about wealth being good or bad, but about perception: the gap between what something looks like and what it actually does to us. Carl reflects on how easily we chase what glitters without seeing the full consequences, and invites you to slow down long enough to ask a simple but powerful questi...

1448 | Keep Up With Who?

In this episode, Carl tackles the quiet but powerful force of comparison and how it distorts the way we see our own lives. From a conversation about vacations to global data that reframes what “wealth” actually means, he explores how easily we feel behind simply because of who we’re standing next to. The real issue isn’t what we have—it’s who we’re comparing ourselves to. Carl invites you to question that comparison set, because changing it might be one of the fastest ways to change how you expe...

1447 | When Things Don't Go Your Way

In this episode, Carl shares a powerful lesson from Olympic silver medalist Haley Batten about what happens when things don’t go your way—and how you respond. Reflecting on her race, where setbacks like a bad start and a flat tire could have ended everything, Carl explores the idea that resilience isn’t accidental—it’s practiced. From everyday frustrations to high-stakes moments, he invites you to consider how you might train your response, creating space between stimulus and reaction so, when t...

1446 | Durable Confidence

In this episode, Carl shares a powerful idea from Olympic silver medalist Haley Batten: the practice of building “durable confidence.” Instead of relying on vague encouragement like “be confident,” Haley describes intentionally creating evidence you can trust—through journaling, tracking wins, and capturing moments that prove you can do hard things. Carl explores how this kind of grounded confidence becomes especially valuable when things get tough, offering a way to steady yourself when doubt c...

1445 | Money as Bridge or Barrier

In this episode, Carl reflects on a simple but powerful question: When does money bring us together and when does it pull us apart? Through a memorable exchange at a local farmers market, he explores the difference between transactions that feel human and connected versus those that are optimized, abstract, and distant. Same product, completely different experience. Carl invites you to notice where money becomes a bridge—deepening relationships and community—and where it quietly becomes a barrie...

1444 | The Power You’re Dealing With

In this episode, Carl shares a dream that left him with a simple but haunting question: Do you understand the power you’re dealing with? Reflecting on themes found across philosophy, literature, and spiritual traditions, he explores the idea that money isn’t inherently good or bad—but it is powerful, and often more powerful than we admit. Through insights inspired by voices like Austin Kleon, Carl invites you to consider how money can quietly shift from servant to master, and why awareness—not a...

1443 | The Previous Week’s Newspaper

In this episode, Carl reflects on a provocative idea from Nassim Nicholas Taleb: If you want to break your addiction to the news, try reading it a week late. Using this lens, he explores how little of what we consume is actually useful—and how much of it is just noise dressed up as urgency. From the illusion of staying informed to the subtle pull of constant updates, Carl invites you to question whether the news is helping you make better decisions or simply keeping you distracted. Want more fro...