The Midlife Chrysalis

You can build a successful life and still reach a point where you need to rebuild yourself.In this episode, Chip Conley sits down with David Gottfried, co-founder of the U.S. Green Building Council and pioneer of the green building movement, for a candid conversation about success, loss, and reinvention.David shares how transforming an industry was followed by a deeply personal transformation when his 20-year marriage ended and forced him to rethink who he was.They explore:How green building went from a fringe idea to a global movementWhy hiding parts of ourselves can come at a profound costWhat divorce taught David about vulnerability and letting others inWhy letting go of old identities can open the door to a new lifeWhy regeneration must go beyond our planet to include ourselvesDavid’s lesson from it all is simple: “Truth is oxygen.”Watch the full episode for an honest conversation about success, identity, and finding the courage to becomeTimestamps:(06:13) From Stanford to Real Estate(10:06) Bringing Solar Into Development(12:00) Founding the U.S. Green Building Council(17:12) Making Green Building Mainstream(20:17) How LEED Took Off(22:05) A Midlife Transformation(26:25) Divorce and a Personal Chrysalis(31:05) What Pain Taught Him(33:45) No More Hiding(35:04) The Dark Night of the Ego(37:05) From Sustainability to Regeneration(43:14) What Gives Him Hope(45:08) Truth Is OxygenLearn more about MEA at ⁠https://www.meawisdom.com/#DavidGottfried #ChipConley #MidlifeChrysalis #GreenBuilding #USGBC #LEED #RegenerativeLiving #MidlifeReinvention #PersonalTransformation #LifeAfterDivorce #FindingYourself #Vulnerability #Sustainability #Regeneration #SecondHalfOfLife

Watch a great film, then share dinner with the person who made it. That’s the spirit of the MEA Film Fest, where stories on screen spark conversations and connections in real life.In this Wisdom Wednesday episode, Chip Conley joins Derek Gehl to preview the festival and explore a question at its heart: how can movies help us see midlife, aging, and our own possibilities differently?Get a preview of the films, special guests, and festival experience.Discover stories of reinvention that go beyond the midlife crisis.Explore what your reactions to characters reveal about your hopes and fears.Bring those conversations home with a simple movie night exercise.Tune in for films worth watching, people worth meetingTimestamps:(01:02) Chip’s Love of Film(02:50) Inside the MEA Film Fest(04:17) Midlife Crisis on Screen(07:44) How Movies Shape Our View of Aging(10:04) Starting a Film Club(11:20) Films to Watch and Discuss(14:51) What Movie Characters Reveal About You(15:44) Finding Meaning in It’s a Wonderful Life(17:06) Closing ThoughtsLearn more about MEA at ⁠https://www.meawisdom.com/#ChipConley #MidlifeChrysalis #WisdomWednesday #MEA #MEAFilmFest #Midlife #MidlifeTransformation #Aging #Ageism #Movies #FilmClub #Reinvention #PersonalGrowth #MeaningfulConnections #SecondAct

Midlife can feel like the life you built suddenly stops fitting. Caroline Myss believes there’s a deeper reason: this is when the soul begins asking something different of you.In this powerful conversation, bestselling author and spiritual teacher Caroline Myss joins Chip Conley to explore the deeper meaning of midlife, purpose, identity, and surrender.Caroline shares:Why a crisis of purpose may actually be a crisis of the soulHow we move from job to career to callingWhy we lose our appetite for the life we’ve builtHow sacred contracts shape our relationships and challengesWhy surrender means releasing fear and controlChip also opens up about his near-death experience and changing identity as Caroline challenges him to see his life through a different lens.Watch the full conversation for a profound look at what happens when the life that once fit you is no longer enough.Timestamps:(3:36) Midlife and the Search for Wisdom(9:15) The Rise of the Inner Self(13:56) When a Crisis Is Spiritual(14:40) What Is Wisdom?(15:30) Sacred Contracts and the Power of Choice(20:45) The People We’re Meant to Meet(23:55) How to Recognize a Sacred Contract(27:16) From Job to Career to Calling(31:00) Why Midlife Changes Us(36:25) Chip’s Near-Death Experience(38:30) Wounds, Identity, and Illness(44:24) Learning to Surrender(47:12) Carolyn’s Hard-Won Wisdom(48:02) God Is LawLearn more about MEA at ⁠https://www.meawisdom.com/#CarolineMyss #ChipConley #Midlife #MidlifeWisdom #MidlifeCrisis #SpiritualAwakening #SpiritualGrowth #SacredContracts #FindingPurpose #LifePurpose #PersonalTransformation #FindingYourCalling #SoulPurpose #Wisdom #Surrender

Eleven years after losing her husband, the pain has changed. The love hasn’t.Dr. Lucy Kalanithi, physician and widow of Paul Kalanithi, author of When Breath Becomes Air, joins Chip Conley for a deeply personal conversation about grief, caregiving, uncertainty, and building a meaningful life after profound loss.Drawing on her experience as a wife, mother, caregiver, and doctor, Lucy shares what more than a decade of living with grief has taught her:Why death doesn’t necessarily end our relationship with someone we loveHow grief changes over time, even when the love remainsWhy caregivers need permission to ask for help and protect themselvesHow losing Paul changed the way she cares for patients and their familiesHow to live with uncertainty when there are no clear answersWatch the full episode for a moving perspective on love, loss, and what it means to keep living when life changes forever.Timestamps:(04:14) Lucy Kalanithi’s Story(05:20) When Breath Becomes Air(06:40) Staying Connected After Loss(13:20) How Grief Changes Over Time(14:18) Advice for Living With Grief(16:04) How Loss Changed Her as a Doctor(18:44) The Reality of Caregiving(21:06) What Caregivers Really Need(23:45) Living With Uncertainty(27:33) Finding Acceptance in the Unknown(31:42) Serenity, Courage, and Wisdom(35:05) Raising a Child After Loss(38:13) Wisdom Bumper StickerLearn more about MEA at ⁠https://www.meawisdom.com/Be part of the conversation at the End Well Conference in Los Angeles on November 12, where Lucy Kalanithi and Chip Conley will take the stage to explore how we can live, care, and face life’s biggest transitions with greater meaning.Learn more and get tickets: https://endwellproject.org/end-well-2026/#LucyKalanithi #PaulKalanithi #WhenBreathBecomesAir #Grief #LifeAfterLoss #LoveAfterLoss #Bereavement #Caregiving #LivingWithLoss #Mortality #Uncertainty #Acceptance #MidlifeWisdom #ChipConley #MidlifeChrysalis

Being the person who saves the day feels good. But letting someone else do it can make you a better leader.MEA founder Chip Conley joins Derek Gehl to talk about one of the hardest changes in his career: moving from hero to coach. Chip shares how he is learning to step back, trust his team, and make room for others to lead.Why having all the answers can hold your team backHow asking questions helps others grow into leadersWhy purpose matters as an organization gets biggerHow to build something that can thrive without youWhat leadership can become in your next chapterWatch the full episode to hear Chip’s candid take on letting go and leading with greater wisdom.Timestamps:(00:00) Intro(02:30) From Hero to Coach(04:39) Bill George and Purpose Driven Leadership(07:40) Learning to Lead Together(10:06) Servant Leadership(11:20) Finding Meaning in Work(12:31) Leadership as a Practice(14:19) Building Culture Across an Organization(16:09) Building an Organization That Thrives Without You(18:25) Your Next Chapter of Leadership(22:48) The Bill George Workshop(25:17) A Leadership ExperimentLearn more about MEA at ⁠https://www.meawisdom.com/Listen to the podcast episode with Bill George, CEO of Medtronic: https://youtu.be/M9PuSyubTB0#ChipConley #Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #WiseLeadership #MidlifeLeadership #ServantLeadership #FounderLeadership #LeadershipCoaching #Mentorship #PurposeDrivenLeadership #OrganizationalCulture #BillGeorge #ModernElder #WisdomWednesdays #TeamLeadership

Sometimes the most powerful way forward begins by doing less.Filmmaker Nic Askew has spent more than two decades capturing what happens when people stop performing and simply allow themselves to be seen. Through his Soul Biographies, he has discovered a different way of approaching connection, identity, and life itself.In this episode, Nic explores:Why “starting with nothing” can reveal what effort cannotHow stillness creates space for the soul rather than the ego to leadWhy doing less can help us truly see and connect with othersHow letting go of control can reveal what comes next in lifeIt’s a fascinating conversation about soul, human connection, and learning to let life lead.Watch the full episode and discover the power of starting with nothing. Timestamps:(03:24) Discovering Filmmaking at Midlife(04:18) Picking Up a Camera(08:54) A Calling Out of Nowhere(12:14) Starting With Nothing(16:53) The Soul Biographies(17:32) Speaking From Ego vs. Soul(19:17) Letting Life Lead(23:48) Stillness Before Action(28:13) Truly Seeing Others(31:07) Deepening Connection(37:34) Filming the MEA Community(42:13) Seeing Beyond the Persona(46:51) Nic’s Life Wisdom The Soul of MEA, the link is: MEAWisdom.com/SoulLearn more about MEA at ⁠https://www.meawisdom.com/#NicAskew⁠ ⁠#SoulBiographies⁠ ⁠#Midlife⁠ ⁠#MidlifeTransformation⁠ ⁠#PersonalGrowth⁠ ⁠#SelfDiscovery⁠ ⁠#AuthenticLiving⁠ ⁠#LifePurpose⁠ ⁠#HumanConnection⁠ ⁠#Stillness⁠ ⁠#SoulWork⁠ ⁠#MidlifeWisdom⁠ ⁠#LetLifeLead⁠ ⁠#Presence⁠ ⁠#MEA

We’re taught to expect decline as we get older. But the science tells a far more hopeful story.In this episode, bestselling author and positive psychology expert Shawn Achor joins us to explore how our beliefs can shape the way we age. Drawing from his new book, The Power of Beliefs, groundbreaking research, and his own midlife experience, Shawn reveals why getting older can bring new opportunities for growth, meaning, happiness, and wisdom.You’ll discover:How beliefs about aging can influence our physical and cognitive outcomesWhy midlife doesn’t have to mark the beginning of declineHow negative expectations can become powerful nocebo effectsWhy life can become more meaningful even as our priorities changeHow “neuroscaping” can reshape the stories we tell about our livesFrom stepping away from career success to rediscovering what truly matters, Shawn offers a compelling new perspective on aging and the potential that remains ahead.Watch now to discover why your beliefs about getting older may matter more than you think.Timestamps:(03:04) Finding Joy and Wonder in Family Life(04:54) Rethinking Potential in Midlife(09:07) How Fatherhood Changed His Priorities(12:47) Feeling Replaced and Rediscovering Meaning(15:20) How Divinity School Reshaped His Faith(20:16) The Power of Beliefs(24:18) The Nocebo Effect(25:38) How Beliefs About Aging Shape Outcomes(29:09) Optimism and the U-Curve of Happiness(34:11) Why Meaning Can Grow With Age(38:51) Neuroscaping Your Memories(45:59) Turning Possibility Into Reality(47:21) Why Happiness Leads to Success(50:58) Growing Wiser With AgeLearn more about MEA at ⁠https://www.meawisdom.com/#ShawnAchor #PositivePsychology #PowerOfBeliefs #Midlife #HealthyAging #PsychologyOfAging #Happiness #Mindset #AgingWell #PersonalGrowth #MeaningAndPurpose #Optimism #Neuroscaping #MidlifeGrowth #SuccessfulAging

Why do we celebrate birthdays as kids, then slowly stop celebrating ourselves as we get older?In this episode of The Midlife Chrysalis, Chip Conley joins Derek Gehl for a conversation about birthdays, aging, and why life’s milestones deserve more attention, not less.After decades of marking his own milestone birthdays in memorable ways, Chip shares why celebration has become even more meaningful as he’s grown older and faced his own mortality.Key insights from the episode:Birthdays are more than a number. They can become rituals that help us recognize where we’ve been and who we’re becoming.Turning 50 deserves to be celebrated. Midlife is a major transition and an opportunity to consciously mark a new chapter.Celebration doesn’t have to mean being the center of attention. It can be an experience shared with the people who matter most.One of the gifts of aging is wisdom. Instead of focusing only on getting older, we can recognize everything we’ve learned along the way.Life gives us more reasons to celebrate than we notice. Careers, relationships, transitions, achievements, and even unexpected milestones can all be worth honoring.Tune in for a refreshing conversation about aging, wisdom, and why celebrating life may matter more than ever as we get older.Timestamps:(00:00) Introduction(00:25) Celebrating Life Through Milestone Birthdays(05:10) Why We Stop Celebrating as We Age(07:17) Why Turning 50 Deserves a Ritual(09:11) Resistance to Celebrating Yourself(10:26) Reframing Birthdays as Celebrations of Life(12:14) Why Adults Stop Celebrating Birthdays(15:11) Making Your Birthday a Gift to Others(15:54) Celebrating the Wisdom That Comes With Age(18:43) What Else Should We Celebrate?(19:41) Experiment of the WeekCheck out Chip's Celebrating Life's Wisdom Oct 25-29 2026 workshop: https://www.meawisdom.com/celebrateLearn more about MEA at ⁠https://www.meawisdom.com/#ChipConley #WisdomWednesday #MidlifeWisdom #CelebrateLife #CelebratingAging #MilestoneBirthday #Turning50 #LifeAfter50 #MidlifeMilestones #PositiveAging #WisdomAndAging #BirthdayCelebration #MidlifeTransition #RitesOfPassage #AgingWithPurpose

Aging isn’t just about getting older. It’s about discovering who you are when the roles that once defined you begin to fall away.In this episode, Chip Conley sits down with Connie Zweig, author of The Inner Work of Age, to explore the deeper psychological and spiritual work of midlife and beyond.Connie shares what it takes to move from simply growing old to becoming an elder, including:Moving from role to soul: Why identity built around achievement and productivity may need to loosen as we age.Meeting your shadow: How the parts of ourselves we ignore can surface during major life transitions and shape our choices without us realizing it.Listening to the unlived life: Why buried desires, abandoned paths, and old patterns often reappear at midlife.Learning to let go: How releasing outdated roles, beliefs, relationships, and attachments can make space for a new stage of life.Accepting impermanence: What Connie has learned in her 70s about mortality, control, self-reflection, and living more consciously.This is a thoughtful conversation about aging not as decline, but as a profound inner transition.Watch now and discover what it means to move from role to soul.Timestamps:(02:40) Growing and Aging Throughout Life(08:17) Letting Go of Roles and Identities(10:02) Moving From Doing to Being(17:28) What Is Shadow Work?(20:05) From Role to Soul(23:17) The Unlived Life and Midlife Crisis(29:14) The Inner Ageist(31:58) The Chrysalis of Midlife(34:41) Facing Death and Mortality(39:37) What Rumi Can Teach Us(43:35) Wisdom for Younger Generations(45:40) Impermanence, Control, and Conscious LivingLearn more about MEA at ⁠https://www.meawisdom.com/#Midlife #ConsciousAging #ShadowWork #MidlifeTransformation #HealthyAging #InnerWork #CarlJung #RoleToSoul #MidlifeCrisis #PersonalGrowth #SelfReflection #AgingWell #SecondHalfOfLife #UnlivedLife #ConnieZweig