Af Carl Richards

Ever felt that spark when watching someone do something incredible—like you're catching a glimpse of pure passion in action? That feeling isn't random. It's a clue, a breadcrumb, guiding you toward what makes you come alive. In this episode of Behavior Gap Radio, Carl reveals exactly how to decode these moments, uncover your own passion, and turn i…

Af Carl Richards

Af Carl Richards

When everything feels risky, uncertain, or just plain overwhelming, the answer isn’t to do more—it’s to do less. In this episode, Carl shares a simple, surprising way to find solid ground when life feels like it's spinning. It starts with one square inch. And it might be enough to change everything.Af Carl Richards

Af Carl Richards

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 a…

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 c…

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, Ca…

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 marke…

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,…

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 offer…

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…

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…

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 wa…

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 …

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 a…

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…

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 w…

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 we…

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 pa…

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…