Chip Conley: Midlife Reinvention Blueprint

About Chip Conley:

Chip Conley is a renowned entrepreneur, best-selling author, and dynamic speaker celebrated for his innovative approach to leadership and hospitality. He founded Joie de Vivre Hospitality, transforming a single boutique hotel into the second-largest boutique hotel brand in the United States. In 2013, he joined Airbnb as Head of Global Hospitality and Strategy, mentoring its Millennial founders and guiding the company to become the world’s most valuable hospitality brand. Inspired by his own midlife journey and experiences, Chip co-founded the Modern Elder Academy (MEA) in 2018, the world’s first midlife wisdom school. Located in Baja California, MEA helps individuals navigate midlife transitions and cultivate a renewed sense of purpose.

In this episode, Dean Newlund and Chip Conley discuss:

• Happiness, Wisdom, and Emotional Growth in the Second Half of Life
• The role of emotional intelligence in aging and leadership
• Cultivating awe and wisdom
• Redefining aging and the midlife experience
• Social infrastructure and community building

Key Takeaways:

• The "U-curve of happiness" shows that after hitting a low point around age 47-50, people often experience increasing happiness due to emotional intelligence and growing contentment.
• Midlife can be seen as a chrysalis for personal transformation, offering opportunities to repurpose one’s life rather than succumbing to societal narratives of crisis.
• Viewing friendship as a practice, with intentional deep conversations and emotional openness, strengthens connections and provides resilience during challenges.
• Reframing aging involves shifting from a negative perception of decline to a positive focus on growth, allowing midlife to become a transformative period for cultivating wisdom, discovering purpose, and fostering meaningful connections.

"Our painful life lessons are the raw material for our future wisdom.” — Chip Conley

Connect with Chip Conley:  

Website: https://chipconley.com/ & https://www.meawisdom.com/

Email: chip@chipconley.com

Book: https://chipconley.com/my-books/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chipconleysf/

See Dean’s TedTalk “Why Business Needs Intuition” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEq9IYvgV7I

Connect with Dean:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgqRK8GC8jBIFYPmECUCMkw

Website: https://www.mfileadership.com/

The Mission Statement E-Newsletter: https://www.mfileadership.com/blog/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deannewlund/

X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/deannewlund

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MissionFacilitators/

Email: dean.newlund@mfileadership.com

Phone: 1-800-926-7370

Show notes by Podcastologist: Hanz Jimuel Alvarez

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.