Behavior Gap Radio

In this special 1,300th episode, Carl kicks off a new series called Your Wise Money Friend. Episode one starts with a simple but powerful idea: A wise money friend doesn’t shame you. They don’t scold, lecture, or judge—they lean in with curiosity. Instead of asking, “Can you afford it?” They ask, “Tell me more.” Because real wisdom isn’t about telling you what to do—it’s about helping you explore why.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 kickoff episode, Carl introduces a new series called Your Wise Money Friend—a collection of short, gentle reflections to help you pause, notice your money patterns, and choose on purpose. No hype. No shame. Just tiny moments of clarity, like a quiet walk with someone who really gets it. Because money isn’t just math, it’s meaning.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/ 

It’s not about what you spent—it’s about what you felt. In this field episode from Los Angeles, Carl shares a shift in how he thinks about money decisions. Whether it’s a new truck or a fancy coffee, the real question isn’t “Can you afford it?” It’s “What are you hoping this will do for you?” Because every financial choice has a feeling underneath it—and that’s where the real insight lives.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/ 

Money isn’t math—it’s practice. In this episode, Carl reframes every financial decision as a chance to get more aligned with who you really are. Not perfect. Just intentional. Not based on someone else’s rules, but rooted in your own values. One choice at a time.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/ 

What if every transaction became a moment of transformation? In this episode, Carl asks what would happen if your values showed up not after you spend, but right before—before the tap, the click, the buy. Because every transaction builds your story, and with one simple pause, you can start writing it on purpose.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/ 

What if every transaction was a chance to practice your values? In this episode, Carl explores how even the smallest purchases—coffee, groceries, flights—can move from invisible habits to intentional choices. This isn’t about spending less. It’s about spending in alignment, where your money reflects the life you actually want to live.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/ 

Emotions play a pivotal role in our financial decisions, often driving choices we may not fully understand. This discussion emphasizes the value of reflecting on these feelings to cultivate awareness and make informed financial choices. By recognizing and embracing our emotional connections to money, we can achieve greater clarity and control in our financial lives.

Most people didn’t choose their relationship with money—it was installed by accident. In this short episode, Carl unpacks how our money stories get shaped by childhood, culture, and random moments… and how those unexamined stories still run the show. The good news? You can rewrite the code.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 invites us to imagine a different kind of financial tool—one with a soul. Instead of pushing speed and convenience, what if your banking app paused to ask, “Is this you? Is this what you really want?” Not to judge, but to remind. What if every purchase included a breath—a moment of alignment? Soul and humanity at the center of your spending.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 reframes the idea of “managing money” by asking a bold question: What if the real work isn’t about money at all? What if it’s about rewriting the invisible code running in the background—those old stories, patterns, and emotions driving your decisions? Because let’s be honest… you don’t need another budget. You need better code.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/