The Midlife Makeover: Redefining Success and Happiness After 40 with Chip Conley

The One You Feed

iHeartPodcasts

Education, Self-improvement, Religion & Spirituality, Health & Fitness, Buddhism, Mental Health

4.6 • 2.5K Ratings

🗓️ 18 April 2025

⏱️ 56 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this episode, Chip Conley defines a midlife makeover and how to redefine success and happiness after 40. He shares how the most difficult stretches of his life ended up being the start of something completely new. Chip also explains the pull of the ego, the search for identity and how letting go of traditional success can open the door for something more meaningful. If you’re in a season of life where things feel uncertain, or if you’re wondering what this phase of life is really for, this episode will help you feel a little more hopeful.

Key Takeaways:
- Personal experiences and challenges faced during midlife, including burnout and loss.
- The importance of perspective on aging and reframing societal perceptions of midlife.
- The concept of a growth mindset versus a fixed mindset in personal development.
- The relationship between time management and personal autonomy in midlife.
- The physical and emotional changes associated with aging, particularly for men.
- The role of purpose in maintaining energy and engagement in life.
- The significance of gratitude and specificity in practicing gratitude.
- The idea of positive commitments versus commandments in guiding life choices.
- Navigating disappointment and expectations during midlife transitions.

If you enjoyed this conversation with Chip Conley, check out these other episodes:

Life Transitions with Bruce Feiler

Successful Aging with Alan Castel

The Happiness Curve with Jonathan Rauch

For full show notes, click here!

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey friends, Eric here with some exciting news. I've been writing a book, and it's about to be out in the world in April of 2026.
0:09.4	The working title is how a little becomes a lot, and it's all about how small, consistent actions,
0:15.4	the kind that we talk about all the time on this show, can lead to real meaningful change.
0:20.5	Right now, the book is in the editing process
0:22.7	and there's still some shaping to do, which is where you come in. I'd love your input on what to
0:28.4	focus on how to talk about the book, even what it should be called. If you've got a few minutes
0:33.9	and a couple thoughts on what would make this book most helpful for you, I'd be
0:38.7	really grateful to hear them. Just head to One You Feed.net slash book survey. You'll also get
0:45.4	early updates, fun giveaways, and a behind the scenes look at what it actually takes to make a book,
0:51.1	editing marathons, title debates, existential spirals, and me questioning all of my
0:56.8	life choices at 2 a.m. over one stubborn sentence. Again, that's when you feed.net slash book
1:03.8	survey. Thank you so much for being part of this. Your feedback really means a lot to me, truly.
1:10.9	Back to Socrates times, he laughed when people said, you know everything.
1:14.6	It's like, no, I'm still learning.
1:16.4	And it's that learning perspective that really makes the most difference.
1:20.5	Being willing to become a beginner at something in your life, at every time of your life.
1:33.4	Yeah. your life at every time of your life. Welcome to the one you feed.
1:35.7	Throughout time, great thinkers have recognized the importance of the thoughts we have.
1:40.3	Quotes like, garbage in, garbage out, or you are what you think, ring true. And yet, for many of us,
1:47.3	our thoughts don't strengthen or empower us. We tend toward negativity, self-pity, jealousy, or fear.
1:54.9	We see what we don't have instead of what we do. We think things that hold us back and dampen our
2:00.1	spirit. But it's not just about
	...

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