There’s this old mountaineering strategy called siege style.

You drag everything up the mountain: extra oxygen, fixed ropes, backup boots, food for weeks, a team of porters.

It works. But it’s heavy. Slow. Complicated. Sometimes, it leaves a mess.

Then came a new idea: alpine style.

What’s the minimum amount of gear we can bring and still make it to the top?

It’s lighter. Faster. Riskier, maybe.

But the quality of the experience? Higher. Way higher.

So here’s my question:
Are we climbing our financial mountains using siege style or alpine style?

Because all that extra stuff—bank accounts you forgot about, old investment logins, tools you don’t use, subscriptions you meant to cancel—can start to get in the way.

It feels productive until it doesn’t.

At some point, the stuff stops adding value and starts subtracting from the experience.

This sketch is just a simple downward sloping line: More stuff = Lower quality of experience.

And if I’m honest?

Sometimes I look at my own financial setup and think…
“I might be dragging too much up the mountain.”

This sketch is #76 in the new book. It’s called Alpine Style Life. You’ll find it in ​Your Money: Reimagining Wealth in 101 Simple Sketches​, coming October 21, 2025.

If you want a preview, I’ve put together a beautifully designed excerpt with seven of my favorite essays and sketches. 📩 Just email [email protected] with the subject line "Friend of Carl" and we’ll send it to you.

You can pre-order the book now. My recommendation? Order one copy from ​Amazon​ and one from ​your favorite local bookstore​.

We held a special book launch conversation on September 30 with New York Times money columnist Ron Lieber. If you missed it live, good news: 🎥 ​Watch the full recording on YouTube here.​ We hope it sparks some meaningful conversations for you and those you care about.