Upgrade your life, money and travel.
#268: Learn why setting big goals might actually be holding you back and what to do instead. Chris and Anne-Laure explore how to replace goal-setting with tiny, low-risk experiments that lead to more growth, more joy, and less burnout.
Anne-Laure Le Cunff is a neuroscientist, writer, and founder of Ness Labs, a learning community at the intersection of science and self-development. She is the author of Tiny Experiments and publishes a weekly newsletter on mindful productivity, creativity, and growth.
Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/tiny-experiments-anne-laure-le-cunff/
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Resources Mentioned
Anne-Laure: Website | Newsletter | Instagram
ATH Podcast
Ep #256: The Easy Way to Build and Maintain Meaningful Relationships with Nick Gray
Leave a review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
Email for questions, hacks, deals, and feedback: [email protected]
Full Show Notes
(00:00) Introduction
(01:01) The Problem with Setting Big Goals
(02:42) When Goal Setting Becomes Counterproductive
(03:41) Why Tiny Experiments Beat Goals
(06:07) The Missing Ingredients That Make Experiments Actually Work
(08:29) How an Experimental Mindset Rewires Your Brain
(10:11) How Anne-Laure Adopted an Experimental Mindset
(13:38) What Happened When Anne-Laure Redefined Success
(16:29) How to Run a Tiny Experiment
(18:22) Real-World Examples You Can Try Immediately
(20:10) Why Smaller Is Always Better When Starting Out
(22:28) How to Experiment Without Burning Out
(25:05) Tracking Both External Results and Internal Signals
(30:10) The Simple Weekly Review That Keeps Experiments on Track
(32:18) Balancing Experimentation With Actually Living Your Life
(35:45) Applying Experimentation to Financial Security
(39:33) The Real Reason We Over-Optimize
(42:15) When Optimizing Is Actually the Right Move
(46:09) Balancing Excitement With Long-Term Priorities
(50:12) Measuring Time Differently
(52:20) Simple Rituals for Getting Present
(53:25) Why Experimenting Publicly Accelerates Growth
(57:26) How to Run Your Very First Experiment
(59:26) Where to Find Anne-Laure and Her Work
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Editor’s Note: The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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#267: Chris reviews his credit card lineup for 2026, sharing which cards he's keeping and canceling and why. He also covers how to evaluate annual fees, the best cards across major spending categories, and the apps he uses to stay on top of it all.
Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/whats-in-my-wallet-2026/
Link to Cards Mentioned: https://chrishutchins.com/blog/whats-in-my-wallet-for-2026/
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Resources Mentioned
CardTool App (Free access here)
Blog Posts
Credit Card Trackers
ATH Podcast
Full Show Notes
(00:00) Introduction
(02:42) 3 Key Reasons to Get A Credit Card
(05:23) Chris' Credit Card Goals for 2026
(08:31) Evaluating The Net Annual Fee of A Card
(12:56) The Amex Card Stack
(23:19) Co-Branded Marriott Cards
(25:32) Co-Branded Hilton Cards
(27:00) Co-Branded Delta Cards
(28:12) The Amex Blue Card
(30:34) A Popular Bank's Cards
(33:10) World of Hyatt Business Card
(33:30) Co-Branded Southwest & United Cards
(40:41) More Cards From The Popular Bank
(42:11) Capital One Venture Cards
(45:17) Bank of America Card Stack
(51:09) Alaska Atmos Cards
(53:24) US Bank Cards
(55:22) Citi Bank Cards
(56:56) Wells Fargo Autograph Card
(57:43) The Bilt Palladium Card
(59:25) Assessing The Major Spending Categories
(01:06:32) Cards for Amazon & Costco
(01:07:13) The Best "Everything Else" Card
(01:08:47) Chris's Takeaway on Credit Card Spending Categories
(01:09:26) The Best Card Combos
(01:13:00) Credit Card Trackers
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Editor’s Note: The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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#266: Chris and Maya break down the science-backed tools that make change easier and more intentional. They explore why most people misunderstand change, how to anchor your identity to your deeper “why,” and practical tools to break out of rumination and navigate uncertainty.
Maya Shankar is the bestselling author of The Other Side of Change, and hosts the podcast A Slight Change of Plans. She previously served as a Senior Advisor in the Obama White House, where she founded and led the White House Behavioral Science Team.
Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/navigating-change-maya-shankar
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Resources Mentioned
Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away by Annie Duke
ATH Podcast
Full Show Notes
(00:00) Introduction
(00:38) What People Get Wrong About Change
(05:14) The Antidote That Makes Change Easier
(12:11) Past Change vs. Intentional Change
(16:02) Maximisers vs. Satisficers
(19:10) Anchor Your Identity to Your Why
(23:15) How to Discover Your Why
(25:03) Navigating Change With a Very Different Partner
(29:17) Breaking the Rumination Cycle
(29:58) Mental Time Travel
(31:55) Affect Labeling
(32:39) Tools for Better Self-Understanding
(36:01) AI as a Conversational Partner
(39:43) Tactics For Thinking Through Big Changes
(42:01) Moral Elevation
(43:36) Why Reading Fiction Matters
(44:29) Repurposing Your Experience
(45:34) The First Step When Everything Changes
(47:31) Where to Find More From Maya
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#265: Chris explores how modern AI tools have eliminated the barriers to building software, why planning matters more than coding skill, how anyone can turn a simple problem into a working app faster and cheaper than ever before, and how he built a personal AI assistant that's already started to run his life behind the scenes.
Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/how-to-build-with-ai-tools
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Resources Mentioned
AI Models & Assistants
AI Coding & Building Tools
Productivity & Automation Tools
Developer Infrastructure
FinTech: Plaid
How to Run OpenClaw as your Virtual EA
Blogs
Credit Cards
ATH Podcast
Full Show Notes
(00:00) Introduction
(01:41) Why This Is the Best Time Ever to Build Software
(04:14) How to Build Almost Anything with AI
(13:53) Why Context Is the Real Superpower
(15:58) Using Planning Mode Instead of Guessing
(16:41) Which AI Tool Should You Start With?
(17:53) Building a Real Credit Card Optimizer from Scratch
(28:48) What It Actually Costs to Build with AI
(32:38) The Real AI Learning Curve
(33:38) Moving from Cursor to Claude Code
(36:17) Why You Should Try Building Something (Even If You're Not a Coder)
(37:00) How OpenClaw Changes the Game
(38:57) Why Security Still Matters
(42:25) A Conversation with Ted, Chris' AI Assistant
(44:07) Letting AI Work While You Sleep
(49:41) Learning to Be Clear, Specific, and Intentional
(50:03) Start with a Real Problem
(50:39) Breaking Projects into Small, Winnable Pieces
(50:58) What Would You Build If Building Were Easy?
(51:59) Keeping Track of Cost and Budget
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Editor’s Note: The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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#264: Learn how the Bilt ecosystem works, from earning Bilt Rewards to the new cards, transfer partners, perks, and where the real value is. Whether you’re new or already earning, this is a practical guide to using Bilt strategically and avoiding common mistakes.
Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/bilt-ecosystem-explained
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Resources Mentioned
Mastercard World Elite Benefits Guide
Award Search Tools
Frequent Miler Article: Bilt Housing Payments
ATH Podcast
Full Show Notes
(00:00) Introduction
(02:28) What Makes Bilt Rewards Different
(07:03) How to Earn Bilt Points Without a Credit Card
(13:52) Referral Bonuses and Earning Limits
(14:17) How Rent and Mortgage Payments Work
(16:06) Earning Through the Bilt Neighborhood Network
(17:16) Earning Without a Card: The Real Tradeoffs
(17:46) How Bilt Point Redemptions Actually Work
(21:39) Transfer Partners and When Bonuses Matter
(24:18) How Bilt Status and Elite Tiers Work
(25:32) What Each Bilt Status Level Unlocks
(31:49) A Major Caveat With the New Bilt Cards
(34:36) Breaking Down the Current Bilt Card Lineup
(35:33) Bilt Blue Card
(37:34) Bilt Obsidian Card
(41:19) Bilt Palladium Card
(48:59) Housing Payments and What Changed
(50:16) Earning Based on Billing-Cycle Spend
(55:18) The Original Fee-Free Model
(59:26) Cash-Out and Statement Credit Options
(01:08:44) Simplifying the New Bilt Choices
(01:14:21) The Bilt Silver Lining
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Editor’s Note: The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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#263: Chris breaks down exactly how he’s earned millions of points and miles, and why simplicity matters more than optimization. He covers signup bonuses, spending strategies, credit score impacts, business cards, cash-back alternatives, and how to decide when a card (or perk) is actually worth it.
Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/points-and-miles-simplified-credit-cards
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Gelt: Skip the waitlist on personalized tax guidance to maximize your wealth
For all the deals, discounts and promo codes from our partners, go to: chrishutchins.com/deals
Resources Mentioned
Credit Cards: Best Cards Page
Business Payment Platforms: Plastiq | Melio
IRS Authorized Payment Providers
Reddit: Credit Card Spend Needed to Achieve Each Airline Status Tier
ATH Podcast
Full Show Notes
(00:00) Introduction
(01:26) How Chris Has Earned 15+ Million Points
(03:46) Why Signup Bonuses Still Matter More than Everything Else
(05:04) The Role Everyday Spending Actually Plays
(08:42) When Transfer Bonuses Are Worth It
(12:24) How Chris Leverages Referral Bonuses
(13:24) What Having "Too Many" Credit Cards Really Does to Your Credit Score
(16:13) How Many Signup Bonuses per Year Is Reasonable?
(16:44) Why Spend Requirements Are the Real Bottleneck
(18:23) Approval Odds and Timing Applications
(22:04) Getting Approved for Business Cards (Without A Business)
(27:23) Maximizing Rewards without Overcomplicating It
(30:18) When Cash Back Is the Better Option
(32:48) Best Cards for Big, One-Time Expenses like Weddings
(37:24) Making Sense of Card Rules and Restrictions
(38:13) Annual Fees: How to Decide if They're Worth Paying
(41:12) Paying Taxes with a Credit Card
(46:28) How to Think about Points if You Mostly Care about Hotels
(49:10) Is CLEAR Worth It?
(51:48) How DoorDash Credits Work
(53:25) Is There a Shortcut to Airline Loyalty Status?
(57:04) The Best Credit Card for Costco Spending
(59:19) Are the New Bilt Cards Actually Bad?
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#262: Learn how to navigate major changes in points and miles while maximizing travel rewards in 2026. Chris and Brian M cover Bilt 2.0, the Mesa card shutdown, how to evaluate annual fees, find award availability, and what’s likely (and unlikely) to change this year.
Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/latest-on-points-miles-january-2026
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Resources Mentioned
Bilt World Elite Mastercard® (Rates and fees here)
Kalshi Prediction Market
Award Search Tools
ATH Podcast
Full Show Notes
(00:00) Introduction
(01:27) Reactions to Bilt’s New Card Lineup
(04:08) Breakdown of the 3 New Bilt Cards
(05:14) Should You Convert, Apply Fresh, Or Keep the Wells Fargo Card?
(08:16) Questions Around Bilt Cash
(09:50) The Bilt Card Chris Is Leaning Towards
(15:03) Why Bilt's New Earnings Might Be Better Than It Looks
(20:03) Mesa's Overnight Shutdown
(24:25) Silo Markets Brokerage Bonus
(29:54) What’s Coming Up in 2026 For Points, Loyalty, And Cards
(32:25) Thoughts on the Southwest Companion Pass
(35:26) Implications of the Proposed 10% Interest Rate Cap on Credit Cards
(38:19) Will Points Tools Get Better in 2026?
(40:02) Why 2026 Might Be Quiet on Major Credit Card Changes
(43:18) How Brian Decides Whether an Annual Fee Card is Worth Keeping
(46:50) Chris’ Order of Operations For Analyzing Cards
(51:42) Ways to Plan A Trip Using Points
(57:49) How Brian Leverages Flexibility for Travel
(01:00:04) Strategies for Booking Flights
(01:03:23) The Best Award Flight Search Tools
(01:04:58) Booking Hotels With Points
(01:09:38) Timeshares: When They Make Sense (and When They Don’t)
(01:11:51) Using Alerts to Monitor Award Availability
(01:13:12) Changing the Connecting City After Booking a Flight
(01:15:14) Business Cards for Personal Spend (and Vice Versa)
(01:17:09) What to Do When You Stop Getting Approved for Cards
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Editor’s Note: The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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#261: Chris and Kevin reflect on 2025’s biggest wins and lessons, then dive into how they're planning 2026. They share their goals, the tools they're using, and why they're designing a year that’s easier, not just more optimized.
Kevin Rose is the host of Diggnation and a partner at True Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm that has invested over $4 billion in a portfolio of over 400+ founders. Kevin previously founded Zero and Oak, and was a partner at Google Ventures.
Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/reflecting-and-planning-2026
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For all the deals, discounts and promo codes from our partners, go to: chrishutchins.com/deals
Resources Mentioned
Kevin Rose: Diggnation | Newsletter
Books
Jesse Itzler: Plan An Incredible 2026 In 12 Minutes
Podcasts
ATH Podcast
Full Show Notes
(00:00) Introduction
(00:45) Kevin's 2025 Goals & How They Came to Fruition
(04:34) Chris's Challenging End to 2025
(06:53) How Chris is Approaching Optimization in 2026
(09:33) Stepping Up Your Ability to Spend Money
(15:55) What Chris and Kevin Changed Their Minds About in 2025
(20:11) The Many Different Uses of AI
(29:16) Chris's Energy Generators and Drainers
(33:40) Kevin's Energy Generators and Drainers
(36:56) Decluttering for A Peace of Mind
(41:09) How To Identify The Boat Anchors in Your Life
(49:18) Chris's Hits and Misses in 2025
(52:10) Kevin's Hits and Misses for 2025
(54:19) How Kevin Plans His Year Ahead
(57:53) Outsourcing to Make Things Easier
(01:05:12) Focus on Making Lasting Memories
(01:06:34) Ways to Pick Up New Skills
(01:09:36) The Life Blender Concept
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Editor’s Note: The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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#260: Chris distills the most powerful lessons from over 50 episodes in 2025 into 10 actionable takeaways that changed how he thinks about money, time, health, relationships, purpose, and more.
Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/top-takeaways-2025-optimize-money-travel-life
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Resources Mentioned
The 5 Types of Wealth: A Transformative Guide to Design Your Dream Life
The Wealth Ladder: Proven Strategies for Every Step of Your Financial Life
Die With Zero: Getting All You Can from Your Money and Your Life
ATH Podcast
Full Show Notes
(00:00) Introduction
(01:24) #1: True Wealth Is Multidimensional
(03:13) #2: Focus on What Moves the Needle
(10:24) #3: Build a Portfolio That Can Weather Any Storm
(13:40) #4: Scale Horizontally, Not Vertically
(17:04) #5: Stop Waiting for the Perfect Time
(22:38) #6: Scale Yourself With Technology
(25:36) #7: You Need to Be the CEO of Your Own Health
(29:54) #8: Prioritize Friendship Like You Prioritize Your Health
(33:25) #9: Your Purpose Is Already Here, You’re Just Too Close to See It
(36:13) #10: The Ultimate Optimization Is Knowing When to Stop
(38:44) Bonus: Optimize for What Matters
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#259: Learn how to pick the challenges in life that actually matter. We break down how to stop optimizing for the wrong things, why values trump goals in decision-making, practical strategies for building real friendships, and more.
Mark Manson is the bestselling author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck (20M+ copies sold). He hosts the Solved podcast, writes the newsletter Your Next Breakthrough, and co-founded Purpose, an AI tool for exploring purpose and values.
Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/mark-manson-purpose-and-meaning
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For all the deals, discounts and promo codes from our partners, go to: chrishutchins.com/deals
Resources Mentioned
Mark: Website | Newsletter | X
Full Show Notes
(00:00) Introduction
(00:47) What Most People Get Wrong About Living a Good Life
(01:13) Why Struggle Is Inevitable and Necessary
(02:18) Why Purpose Is Revealed, Not Found
(04:34) Choosing the Right Metric To Optimize Your Life
(06:26) The Three Ingredients of Meaningful Purpose
(08:32) Why Purpose Doesn’t Require Changing the World
(12:33) Radical Honesty as the Starting Point for Meaning
(14:32) What Happens After You Achieve Everything You Wanted
(17:48) Why Other People Can See Your Purpose Before You Do
(21:06) Why Honest Conversations Are So Hard (and So Necessary)
(28:41) Why Adult Friendship Is Uniquely Difficult
(32:29) How Work, Kids, and Technology Changed Friendship
(33:27) Why “Shared Stakes” Matter More Than Shared Spaces in Adult Friendships
(37:02) When Life Feels Hard and Why That’s Normal
(42:21) Making Better Decisions by Clarifying Your Values
(43:57) How To Check In on Your Life Without Obsessing Over Goals
(46:57) When Quitting a Goal Is the Right Decision
(50:48) Why We Rarely Talk About Meaning With Friends
(53:30) Building an AI To Ask Better Life Questions
(55:04) How AI and Therapy Can Work Together
(57:52) Is It Okay If Your Job Is Not Your Purpose?
(01:00:07) The First Step Toward a More Meaningful Life
(01:01:06) How To Define Value Beyond Status
(01:02:08) Where To Find More From Mark
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Editor’s Note: The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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#258: The 5 biggest mistakes Chris has made in his points & miles journey. He dives into the hidden cost of status, the math behind point values, the power of opportunity cost, and why hoarding points quietly destroys value.
Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/top-5-points-and-miles-mistakes
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Gelt: Skip the waitlist on personalized tax guidance to maximize your wealth
NetSuite: Free KPI checklist to upgrade your business performance
For all the deals, discounts and promo codes from our partners, go to: chrishutchins.com/deals
Resources Mentioned
Credit Cards
Award Search Tools
ATH Podcast
Full Show Notes
(00:00) Introduction
(00:28) Mistake #1: Not Valuing My Time
(02:09) Setting a Personal Minimum Hourly Rate
(03:51) Step Back and Ask “Is This Worth It?”
(04:23) The Hidden Cost of Mental Overhead
(05:48) Using Daily and Weekly Priorities to Stay Focused
(07:00) Mistake #2: Not Considering the Opportunity Cost
(11:34) Mistake #3: Chasing Status
(16:56) Airline by Airline: The Value of Status in Real Life
(20:52) Reframing the Cost of Status
(24:09) When Milestone Benefits Change the Math
(28:33) Chris’s Status Plan Going Forward
(31:52) How to Decide Whether Status Is Worth Chasing
(32:50) Mistake #4: Overvaluing Points
(34:20) What the Data Actually Shows
(35:43) Why “Retail Value” Is Misleading
(41:22) When Paying Cash Can Be the Better Value
(46:03) Mistake #5: Not Cashing Out Points
(49:27) Chris's Plan for 2026
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Editor’s Note: The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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