Guest: Chip Conley, Founder of the Modern Elder Academy

Show Summary

Join us for an inspiring journey into midlife transformation with Chip Conley, founder of Modern Elder Academy and author of Learning to Love Midlife. Listen in as Chip shares how maintaining energy, curiosity, and openness to new experiences can position us as role models and leaders. Reflecting on Carol Dweck's growth mindset, Chip emphasizes the importance of wisdom over mere knowledge in midlife. Discover his personal practice of documenting life lessons in a "wisdom book" and learn how metabolizing life experiences into wisdom can guide us through the second half of life, making it richer and more meaningful.

We also explore an expansive concept of midlife, spanning from ages 35 to 75, and the unique challenges and opportunities each phase presents. Inspirational stories, like an 89-year-old woman writing her first novel, underscore the importance of continuous learning and curiosity. Chip discusses the significance of social relationships in fostering longer, healthier, and happier lives, advocating for the conscious practice of friendship during midlife transitions. Additionally, we touch on emotional authenticity, vulnerability, and the power of a pro-aging (vs. anti-aging) perspective to build emotional strength and resilience. Don't miss this engaging conversation filled with practical advice and valuable insights for embracing your midlife with vitality and wisdom.

Guest Bio

Chip Conley is on a mission. After disrupting the hospitality industry twice, first as the founder of Joie de Vivre Hospitality, the second-largest operator of boutique hotels in the U.S., and then as Airbnb’s Head of Global Hospitality and Strategy, leading a worldwide revolution in travel, Conley co-founded MEA (Modern Elder Academy) in January 2018. Inspired by his experience of intergenerational mentoring as a ‘modern elder’ at Airbnb, where his guidance was instrumental to the company’s extraordinary transformation from fast-growing start-up to the world’s most valuable hospitality brand, MEA is the world's first ‘midlife wisdom school’. Dedicated to reframing the concept of aging, MEA supports students to navigate midlife with a renewed sense of purpose and possibility. A New York Times best-selling author, Conley's 7th book, Learning to Love Midlife: 12 Reasons Why Life Gets Better with Age, is about rebranding midlife to help people understand the upside of this often-misunderstood life stage.

Key Moments

00:00 Unlocking Wisdom in Midlife

03:55 Using Core Wisdom

12:40 Embracing Midlife Community for Growth

16:37 Communities for Men and Women

26:14 Building Emotional Strength and Resilience

Connect with Chip

• IG: @ChipConley
• FB: https://www.facebook.com/chipconleyauthor
• LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chipconleysf/
• X: @ChipConley

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