Points of Failure
Points of Failure
Steve Cauthren
Points of Failure is a podcast about what actually goes wrong, and the part people don't want to look at.Most conversations about failure happen after it's been cleaned up, framed, and turned into a lesson. This one starts at the breakdown and works backward. Through guest interviews and solo episodes, we examine the patterns behind failure in work, relationships, identity, and decision-making, with a bias toward what people are avoiding rather than what they're processing.If you're noticing a pattern you can't explain away anymore, you're probably in the right place.Questions, topic ideas, or guest suggestions: [email protected]
S4E30 - WealthNWisdom: Why Do We Fail?
Tell us what you think Tyler Kreiling had me on his show to talk all things failure. Tyler writes for his publication, WealthNWisdom, on Substack: https://substack.com/@wealthnwisdom Support the show You can support the show by going to: https://pointsoffailure.buzzsprout.com
Jun 18
55 min
S4E29 - Banana fibers and triathlons
Tell us what you think On this episode, we talk to Carli Rosencranz. Carli has a 25-year corporate career in CPG and retail. She is the Co-founder of 10X Impact Ventures. She is married with two teenagers, and is a "back of the pack" endurance athlete, competing in triathlons. Now, she’s working to find balance as a consultant while building a startup. Carli and I discuss banana fibers, life as an adventure hike, and learning to rest. We hope you enjoy this episode. Support the sh...
Apr 20
1 hr 16 min
S4E28 - Circling
Tell us what you think On this episode, I explore the cost of not choosing. Not as a character flaw, but as something that happens when we keep revisiting the same decision without ever making it. I talk about how avoiding commitment keeps us stuck in potential, why the language we use around indecision is often just a cover for staying comfortable, and how the slow drift of not choosing eventually becomes a direction of its own. If you've ever found yourself circling the same decision, telli...
Apr 13
10 min
S4E27 - Social Atrophy
Tell us what you think On this episode, I explore the idea of social atrophy. Not as a flaw in who we are, but as something that develops when we spend less and less time engaging with the people around us. I talk about how modern life makes it easy to withdraw, why awkwardness and uncertainty are normal parts of interaction, and how avoiding those moments can slowly make connection feel harder than it actually is. If you’ve ever felt out of practice socially, noticed yourself pulling back fr...
Mar 18
10 min
S4E26 - Becoming the Partner You're Looking For
Tell us what you think On this episode, I explore the idea of becoming the partner we want to find instead of focusing only on finding the right person. I talk about what it means to meet ourselves first, how relationships tend to expose the parts of us we haven’t faced, and how alignment with our values changes how we approach connection. If you’ve ever spent time wondering why relationships keep repeating the same patterns, or questioning whether you’re looking for a partner or looking for ...
Mar 9
17 min
S4E25 - Transactional Relationships: A Follow-up
Tell us what you think On this episode, I follow up on my conversation with Dustin about whether healthy relationships are transactional. I unpack why that word made me bristle, the difference between giving to get and giving freely while expecting reciprocity, and how unclear expectations can quietly turn compromise into sacrifice. If you’ve ever struggled to know when you’re flexing in a healthy way and when you’re slowly absorbing more than your share, this episode is for you. We hope you ...
Mar 1
12 min
S4E24 - Fear of the unknown
Tell us what you think On this episode, we talk to John Hewitt. John co-founded the Jackson Hewitt tax company, Liberty Tax in Canada, and his current company, Loyalty Brands. John’s career spans 54 years. We discuss competing against yourself, fear of the unknown, and quitting before you win. We hope you enjoy this episode. Support the show You can support the show by going to: https://pointsoffailure.buzzsprout.com
Feb 23
46 min
S4E23 - Are Healthy Relationships Transactional?
Tell us what you think On this episode, guest co-host Dustin Solomon joins me to explore the difference between compromise and sacrifice. We talk about knowing your values and prioritizing what matters most, so it becomes clearer where compromise makes sense and where it starts to cost too much. We examine how compromise is necessary in healthy relationships, but how it can drift into sacrifice when the weight is no longer shared. We also discuss analysis paralysis, fear of missin...
Feb 16
42 min
S4E22 - The Failure of Being Nice
Tell us what you think On this episode, I explore the failure of being nice. Not as a personality trait or moral virtue. But as a pattern that feels safe and quietly disconnects us from ourselves over time. I examine why niceness often becomes a substitute for honesty, how approval replaces self-trust, why conflict avoidance gets mistaken for maturity, and how unspoken expectations slowly turn into resentment. I break down how this pattern forms, why it’s so socially reinforced, and what happ...
Feb 9
8 min
S4E21 - It's good to get a no
Tell us what you think On this episode, we talk to Sara Becht. Sara is a young professional balancing a full-time career, her college coursework, and a commitment to continuous self-improvement. She’s passionate about wellness and mindset, and she’s focused on building a life rooted in discipline, growth, and authenticity. As she navigates her 20s, Sara is intentional about becoming the best version of herself. She believes that leaning into the difficult seasons in her life has b...
Feb 2
37 min
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