Behavior Gap Radio

A deep dive into listening as the central skill in financial planning. The conversation contrasts calculation with presence and explores practicing intuition through small, everyday choices. It highlights modeling uncertainty, embracing vulnerability, and prioritizing human facilitation alongside technical competence.

A conversational look at a planner's role as facilitator rather than number cruncher. Uses an archaeology metaphor to show how meaning is uncovered, not installed. Presents the idea of guiding clients on a non-destinational hike toward meaning. Discusses using varied tools from excavators to fine brushes and treating models as tests, not creators, of meaning.

Dive into the intriguing world of financial planning, where meaning takes center stage over money. Discover the concept of 'real financial planning' and why it’s more than just numbers. Carl emphasizes the importance of aligning your resources with what truly matters in life. He tackles the baggage that comes with labels and highlights financial planning as a unique lens for exploring deeper values. Don’t miss the insights on how your capital can reflect your priorities!

In this episode of Behavior Gap Radio, Carl explains why goals should grow out of purpose, not the other way around. Rather than starting with numbers or aspirational targets, he shows how a clear sense of purpose gives goals meaning, flexibility, and durability. When goals emerge from purpose, they stop feeling like pressure or performance metrics and start acting as directional markers that can evolve without shame. Carl shares client stories to illustrate how purpose anchors goals, keeps them from becoming brittle, and reminds us that the point was never the goal itself. The point was living in alignment with what matters in the real world, where plans change and clarity is always provisional.Want more from Carl? Get the shortest, most impactful weekly email on the web! Sign up for the Weekly Letter from Certified Financial Planner™ and New York Times columnist Carl Richards here: https://behaviorgap.com/ 

In this episode of Behavior Gap Radio, Carl walks through how to write a Statement of Financial Purpose and why it matters more than values lists, slogans, or motivation. Drawing from personal experience and years of planning work, he explains how a clear purpose acts as an orientation device, not a prediction or a pep talk. A good statement of purpose narrows choices, reduces decision fatigue, and creates coherence over time, especially when trade-offs show up or conditions change. It doesn’t eliminate fear or guarantee outcomes. It simply gives you a heading when the path isn’t clear and reminds you how to decide when you don’t know.Want more from Carl? Get the shortest, most impactful weekly email on the web! Sign up for the Weekly Letter from Certified Financial Planner™ and New York Times columnist Carl Richards here: https://behaviorgap.com/ 

Explore the fascinating world of purpose-based planning, where clarity and vision align to shape our decisions. Discover how defining your purpose leads to more durable choices, simplifies trade-offs, and empowers you to say no to distractions. Learn why the right environment is crucial for identifying your true goals, allowing for deeper reflection and emotional stability. Carl contrasts traditional problem-solving with a purpose-informed approach, highlighting that true direction comes from understanding the 'why' behind our actions.