Carl Barney is an educational entrepreneur, philanthropist, and author of The Happiness Experiment, committed to promoting rational, life-serving ideas. His leadership and business strategies are influenced by Aristotle and Ayn Rand’s Objectivism, which Carl regards as the “philosophy for success and happiness.”

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Guest Resources

The Happiness Experiment Website – Forget everything you thought you knew about happiness — The Happiness Experiment Book introduces a revolutionary method for creating lasting happiness for yourself and others.

The Happiness Experiment – Pre-order the book on Amazon. Its official release is on July 8. It is also available everywhere where books are sold. Leave a 5-star rating on Carl’s book.

3 Value Bombs

1. Happiness is not a gift—it’s a pursuit. You must define, plan, and chase happiness with the same intention you apply to building a business.

2. Gratitude is born from generosity. When you give meaningfully—whether time, love, or wealth—you generate genuine gratitude and deeper human connection.

3. Create your heaven. Design a happiness vision rooted in your values, dreams, and purpose—and work toward living it every day.

Sponsors

HighLevel: The ultimate all-in-one platform for entrepreneurs, marketers, coaches, and agencies! Learn more at HighLevelFire.com!

ThriveTime Show: Attend the world’s highest rated business growth workshop taught personally by Clay Clark and now featuring Football Star, Tim Tebow, and President Trump’s son, Eric Trump, at ThrivetimeShow.com/eofire!

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All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. Brokerage services for US-listed, registered securities, options and bonds in a self-directed account are offered by Public Investing, Inc., member FINRA & SIPC. Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank. Cryptocurrency trading services are offered by Bakkt Crypto Solutions, LLC (NMLS ID 1890144), which is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the NYSDFS. Cryptocurrency is highly speculative, involves a high degree of risk, and has the potential for loss of the entire amount of an investment. Cryptocurrency holdings are not protected by the FDIC or SIPC. Alpha is an experimental AI tool powered by GPT-4. Its output may be inaccurate and is not investment advice. Public makes no guarantees about its accuracy or reliability—verify independently before use. *Rate as of 6/24/25. APY is variable and subject to change. **Terms and Conditions apply.

Show Notes

**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode.

Today’s Audio MASTERCLASS: The Happiness Experiment with Carl Barney

[1:38] – Carl shares something that he believes about success that most people disagree with.

Profit and wealth creation are virtuous—but they are not the full picture of success.
True success includes loving relationships, personal fulfillment, and meaningful living.

[3:13] – Carl defines happiness beyond money.

Happiness is the successful state of life.
Aristotle and Jefferson agreed: happiness is the meaning and purpose of life.
It’s about identifying and achieving your values.

[4:38] – Carl talks about prequests and gratitude grants.

After a near-death plane incident, Carl re-evaluated his will.
A “prequest” is a living gift—a bequest given while still alive.
Gratitude comes from generosity, not just feelings.

[8:30] – Carl tell how people react to prequests.

Not everyone accepts generosity easily because some feel undeserving.
Carl prepares recipients by reflecting with them on their impact on his life.
He requires a “happiness plan” to ensure the gift brings joy, not stress.

[11:38] – A timeout to thank our sponsors!

Airbnb: Your home might be worth more than you think! Find out how much at Airbnb.com/host.
Public: Build a multi-asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto, and more. Go to Public.com/fire to fund your account in five minutes or less!
- All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. Brokerage services for US-listed, registered securities, options and bonds in a self-directed account are offered by Public Investing, Inc., member FINRA & SIPC. Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank. Cryptocurrency trading services are offered by Bakkt Crypto Solutions, LLC (NMLS ID 1890144), which is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the NYSDFS. Cryptocurrency is highly speculative, involves a high degree of risk, and has the potential for loss of the entire amount of an investment. Cryptocurrency holdings are not protected by the FDIC or SIPC. Alpha is an experimental AI tool powered by GPT-4. Its output may be inaccurate and is not investment advice. Public makes no guarantees about its accuracy or reliability—verify independently before use. *Rate as of 6/24/25. APY is variable and subject to change. **Terms and Conditions apply.

[14:45] – Carl says happiness can be engineered like a business plan.

Just like in business, happiness grows with intentional planning.
His book includes a workbook and step-by-step framework to build your happiness blueprint.

[17:02] – Carl talks about why the pursuit of happiness matter.

The journey toward happiness is as fulfilling as the destination.
Small, deliberate steps toward your dreams can transform your life.

[17:20] – Carl talks about how entrepreneurs can use happiness planning to improve both business and life.

A successful business should increase happiness for founders, employees, and customers.
Carl focused on employee satisfaction knowing it would elevate customer experience.

[18:36] – Carl shares one action you can take today to increase your happiness.

Create a “dreams list”—if time, money, and skill were unlimited, what would you do?
Write it down and start taking small actions toward those dreams.

[19:33] – Carl tells why read The Happiness Experiment.

Learn how happiness really works—beyond vague positivity.
Real stories of people who became happier through structured planning.
Tools, habits, and frameworks to increase your life satisfaction.

[20:21] – Call to action.

The Happiness Experiment Website – Forget everything you thought you knew about happiness — The Happiness Experiment Book introduces a revolutionary method for creating lasting happiness for yourself and others.
The Happiness Experiment – Pre-order the book on Amazon. Its official release is on July 8. It is also available everywhere where books are sold. Leave a 5-star rating on Carl’s book.

[21:49] – Carl gives his final takeaway.

Envision your personal heaven and what would be in it.
Craft a vision built on dreams, purpose, and values.
Then pursue that vision with clarity and joy.

[22:58] – Thank you to our Sponsor!

ThriveTime Show: Attend the world’s highest rated business growth workshop taught personally by Clay Clark and now featuring Football Star, Tim Tebow, and President Trump’s son, Eric Trump, at ThrivetimeShow.com/eofire!

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