Behavior Gap Radio

Ever found yourself spiraling into a story before you even know what’s happening? In this episode of Behavior Gap Radio, Carl shares a powerful tool he picked up from a conversation with Henry Shukman: SOS—Sensations Over Stories. When money decisions trigger anxiety, the key isn’t to analyze the story… it’s to drop into the body. Carl unpacks how this simple practice of noticing sensations can sh...

When life feels out of control—markets crashing, job uncertainty, financial stress—Carl shares the most reliable response: a flight to simplicity. In this episode of Behavior Gap Radio, he explains how shrinking the problem and focusing on what you can control (even something as small as a single breath) helps restore calm and clarity. It's not about fixing everything. It's about finding solid gro...

Ever nailed your morning routine only to find yourself doom-scrolling by 2:47 p.m.? In this episode of Behavior Gap Radio, Carl unpacks why we fall off track—even when we know better—and how the real solution isn’t a hack or shortcut… it’s practice. The kind that stings. The kind that invites us to notice, realign, and try again. Again and again. This is about treating creative work—and entreprene...

In this episode of Behavior Gap Radio, Carl explores the strange magic of urgency and asks a simple question: What are you waiting for? Whether it’s sending that email, raising your fees, or finally writing the thing you’ve been thinking about for years, the time between idea and action doesn’t have to be so long. Carl shares real stories—his own and those of others—to show how much time we waste...

In this episode of Behavior Gap Radio, Carl shares his most tactical money decision-making tool: the Financial Pause. Forget budgets and spreadsheets—this is about noticing what you're feeling before you act. Carl walks through a four-step process that starts with tuning into your body and ends with making choices from a calm, centered place. It’s simple, powerful, and might just save you from mak...

In this gentle reminder from Behavior Gap Radio, Carl shares what to do when someone comes to you feeling nervous, scared, or uncertain—and thinks action is the answer. Instead of rushing to give advice, Carl encourages us to slow down, lead with empathy, and ask thoughtful questions. Because often, the wisest answers come not from us but from the person sitting across from us—if we’re willing to...

In this quiet but powerful episode of Behavior Gap Radio, Carl shares a simple phrase that might just rearrange the furniture in your brain: We live in the feeling of our thinking. Not our circumstances. Not the email. Not the number on the statement. Carl unpacks how noticing our thoughts—not fixing or fighting them—can shift everything. It’s not self-help. It’s not mindset hacks. It’s just aware...

In this episode of Behavior Gap Radio, Carl comes in hot with a wake-up call about the hidden cost of distractions. He shares shocking stats about how often we're interrupted, how much time we lose to switching tasks, and why most knowledge workers only get two hours of deep work a day—on a good day. But this isn't just finger-pointing. It's Carl confronting his own habits and offering two tiny ex...

In this episode, Carl takes on the wild, stretchy nature of time—why we can procrastinate for months on a task that only takes minutes. He explores Parkinson’s Law, the mental weight of unfinished tasks, and the surprising productivity gains of adding constraints. With practical tools like the two-minute rule and a three-hour workday experiment, Carl invites you to test the "time illusion" for you...

In this episode, Carl explores a powerful framework for navigating creative and financial risk: understanding whether you're playing a luck-based or skill-based game. Drawing on insights from Michael Mauboussin’s book, The Success Equation, Carl explains why sharpening your decision-making process is essential in luck-driven environments—like markets or venture capital—while skill-building is key...

In this episode, Carl shares a personal experiment in breaking free from the “dopamine machine”—those tempting websites and distractions that quietly steal our time. He talks about using defensive measures like locking down access, creating space between stimulus and response, and replacing old habits with more meaningful activities. Along the way, he reflects on meditation, addiction, and the sur...

In this episode, Carl explores what he believes is the greatest risk of all—not failure, but waking up one day and realizing we haven’t been the person we hoped to be. He reflects on daily regrets, the subtle ways distraction can derail our intentions, and why ignoring that quiet sense of misalignment only makes it worse. Most importantly, he offers a gentle reminder: notice the feeling, use it to...

In this episode, Carl dives into one of his most-quoted ideas: "Risk is what's left over after you think you've thought of everything." He unpacks the concept of residual risk, why it matters in everything from investing to skiing, and how small, safe-to-fail actions can help us navigate uncertainty. Plus, he explores the idea of general resilience—the kind of strength that helps you deal with the...

In this episode of Behavior Gap Radio, Carl shares a simple but powerful idea: When something feels too scary—whether it’s launching a business, writing a book, or making a big change—just make it smaller. He introduces the concept of microactions: tiny steps that feel almost too small to matter but are exactly what we need to get unstuck and start moving. Want more from Carl? Get the shortest, mo...

In this episode of Behavior Gap Radio, Carl shares a powerful mindset for navigating uncertainty—whether it’s a looming recession or just a vague feeling of unease. Borrowing from his backcountry experience, he introduces the idea of a “flight to simplicity” as a way to reduce exposure to risk. From creative businesses to household budgets, Carl walks through practical ways to make things simpler,...

In this episode of Behavior Gap Radio, Carl explores the terrifying beauty of doing work no one asked for. He challenges the conventional path of chasing demand and instead makes a case for following the quiet compulsion to create—especially when it feels scary, uncertain, or totally invalidated. If you’ve ever felt called to make something simply because it lights you up, this one's for you. Want...

In this episode of Behavior Gap Radio, Carl questions the very idea of financial "problems." What if most of what we worry about isn’t actually a problem at all—just imagined futures that may never happen? He explores how shifting our mindset (and maybe even our language) can help us stop spinning in thought and start doing the simple things that actually move us forward. Want more from Carl? Get...

In this episode of Behavior Gap Radio, Carl shares one of the most powerful tools he's ever created: The Overnight Test. Through stories of stocks, cabins, businesses, and even old clothes, Carl explores how this simple mental exercise helps reveal when we’re making emotional decisions disguised as financial ones. If you’ve ever struggled to let go of something—just because it’s always been there—...

In this short and powerful episode of Behavior Gap Radio, Carl offers just one thought—“If you don’t know who you are, money is a very expensive way to find out.” Then he invites you to sit with it. No answers, no unpacking—just space to let the idea settle and do its work. Want more from Carl? Get the shortest, most impactful weekly email on the web! Sign up for the Weekly Letter from Certified F...

In this episode of Behavior Gap Radio, Carl reflects on the challenge of communicating hard truths with people we care about. Inspired by a principle from Buddhism, he explores the delicate balance between saying what is kind, true, and necessary. Through personal stories and honest introspection—especially around parenting—Carl unpacks how even well-intentioned kindness can sometimes be a misappl...

In this episode of Behavior Gap Radio, Carl reads a new essay from his upcoming book, Your Money: Reimagining Wealth Through Simple Sketches. The essay is titled You Can’t Hedge Yesterday, and it uses a simple circle sketch to illustrate a powerful truth: The time to prepare is before the crisis, not after. Carl reflects on how we often react to past events with elaborate solutions that can’t chan...

In this episode of Behavior Gap Radio, Carl explores what Henry Shukman calls the fundamental investigation of a lifetime: the search for our identity. Drawing from Shukman’s book One Blade of Grass, Lao Tzu’s wisdom, and reflections from thinkers like David Whyte and Jim Collins, Carl unpacks the power of asking, "Who am I? and What do I want?" He shares how this practice can create distance from...

In this episode of Behavior Gap Radio, Carl shares a deeply personal story about a recent argument with his wife over money—one sparked by the language he used. He unpacks how the phrase "beast of burden" shaped his mindset around financial pressure, risk, and creative work, and how words carry unintended weight in conversations about money. Through this reflection, Carl explores the power of lang...

What do you truly want? In this episode of Behavior Gap Radio, Carl Richards continues the conversation on the two fundamental questions that shape financial decisions—and life itself: Who are you? And what’s important to you? He explores how our desires evolve, how cultural and social influences shape what we think we want, and why living with these questions (rather than rushing to answer them)...

At the heart of real financial planning—and a meaningful life—are two fundamental questions: Who are you? And what do you desire? In this episode of Behavior Gap Radio, Carl Richards explores why the practice of digging into these questions is essential for making financial decisions that truly align with your values. Without clarity on what matters most, it’s easy to get distracted by fleeting op...