Behavior Gap Radio

In this episode of Behavior Gap Radio, Carl unpacks the power of visual shortcuts and meaningful souvenirs—how his sketches distill complex ideas into simple, conversation-starting icons. He shares an essay from his upcoming book, Your Money: Reimagining Wealth Through Simple Sketches, exploring the foundational idea that a plan must come before anything else. Too often, we obsess over products—stocks, credit cards, investments—without first deciding where we’re headed. Through his well-known sketch, The Plan Comes First, Carl explains why products only make sense in the context of a plan and how visuals serve as both a shortcut to understanding and a lasting souvenir of a learning experience.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 dives into the never-ending search for purpose. Once believing he'd eventually find his purpose and be done searching, he now sees the search itself as the point—the driving force of his life. He explores how we can be both content and striving, fulfilled and still growing, holding both truths at the same time. What if purpose isn’t something to capture but something to keep discovering?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 explores the paradox of being content in his discontent—the idea that growth, searching, and pushing boundaries don’t have to come from a place of dissatisfaction. He wrestles with the tension between striving for more and embracing the present moment, questioning where the line is between creative curiosity and restless grasping. Can we hold both? Is the desire to explore something to be resolved or something to be cherished?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 shares an essay titled Range of Outcomes from his upcoming book—a simple sketch that captures the messy, uncertain, and unpredictable nature of the future. He explores the tension between fear and excitement and how we chase certainty but could instead embrace mystery, adventure, and surprise. Some days, uncertainty feels overwhelming, while on other days, it feels exhilarating. Both are true. Both are human.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 poses a simple yet powerful question: What’s your earliest memory of money? He explores how this question can unlock deep conversations, from childhood experiences to the emotions tied to financial moments. Whether it's recalling a childhood paper route or the tension of overheard arguments, these memories shape our relationship with money. Carl encourages listeners to try asking the question—especially with kids—and to embrace the conversations that follow.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 dives into why he’s writing another book—Your Money: Reimagining Wealth Through Simple Sketches—and what drives the project. He sees books as tools for meaningful conversations, whether around the dinner table, on a walk with a partner, or in an advisor’s office. He shares his ambitious goal of sparking a million conversations a month and gives a behind-the-scenes look at upcoming book launch plans, from virtual chats to live events.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 unpacks the surprising power of goals—even when they’re just guesses. He shares a personal financial goal and how setting a clear target creates both direction and an almost magical gravitational pull that brings new opportunities into focus. From cutting unnecessary subscriptions to resisting impulse purchases, he explores how small choices compound into real progress. If you've ever questioned whether goals matter, this episode might just change your mind.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/ 

On this episode of Behavior Gap Radio, Carl wrestles with the tension between escape and engagement, reflecting on a moment when watching football brought him to tears—not because of the game, but because he knew he was avoiding something deeper. Drawing from Camus, Rumi, and Lao Tzu, he explores the idea that meaning is found through active exploration, even when part of us just wants to check out. What happens when we go too far into our escapes? Maybe that’s where the truth finally reveals itself.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/ 

Risk asks what could happen. Exposure asks what it would mean if it did. But maybe the real question is—can we be okay with being vulnerable? In this episode of Behavior Gap Radio, Carl unpacks the relationship between risk, exposure, and vulnerability, exploring how they shape our decisions, relationships, and work. If caring about anything means opening ourselves up to uncertainty, then maybe vulnerability isn’t a weakness—it’s the price of truly being alive.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 shares an essay from his upcoming book exploring the crucial difference between risk and exposure. While risk is ever-present, what really matters is how exposed we are to it. He dives into the challenge of simplifying complex ideas without losing their essence—something he’s wrestled with for over 20 years. 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/