{"podcast":{"title":"The Midlife Chrysalis","slug":"the-midlife-chrysalis-7361713","podcast_index_feed_id":7361713,"rss_url":"https://anchor.fm/s/105945268/podcast/rss","website_url":"https://www.meawisdom.com/podcast","image_url":"https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_nologo/43785738/43785738-1748630750525-5568715944a63.jpg","author":"Chip Conley","episode_count":137,"summary":"The Midlife Chrysalis is a one-hour podcast hosted by Chip Conley, bestselling author of Learning to Love Midlife and founder of MEA (Modern Elder Academy). Chip and his high-profile guests – including Maria Shriver, Hoda Kotb, Elizabeth Gilbert, Michael Franti, and more – dive into raw, vulnerable conversations about the profound transitions they’ve experienced in midlife. Listeners get a rare look at how even the most successful individuals have to navigate life’s pivotal changes – and gain practical wisdom they can apply in their own lives for a more fulfilling and purposeful next chapter.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-22T22:19:30.272818+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-midlife-chrysalis-7361713"},"episode":{"title":"Why We Spend Years Chasing Things We Don't Really Want | Alain de Botton","slug":"why-we-spend-years-chasing-things-we-don-t-really-want-alain-de-botton","published_at":"2026-06-26T10:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-midlife-chrysalis-7361713/why-we-spend-years-chasing-things-we-don-t-really-want-alain-de-botton","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-midlife-chrysalis-7361713","url":"https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/themidlifechrysalis/episodes/Why-We-Spend-Years-Chasing-Things-We-Dont-Really-Want--Alain-de-Botton-e3kri6q","audio_url":"https://anchor.fm/s/105945268/podcast/play/121538202/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-5-16%2F426220662-44100-2-bae25707ac0ed.mp3","summary":"You followed the rules, built a successful career, and checked the boxes you thought would make you happy. So why does something still feel missing? In this powerful conversation, bestselling author, philosopher, psychotherapist, and founder of The School of Life, Alain de Botton joins Chip Conley to explore what midlife teaches us about happiness, relationships, purpose, and becoming more fully ourselves. In this episode, you'll learn: Why status, success, and achievement often fail to deliver lasting fulfillment How heartbreak, loneliness, and setbacks can become sources of wisdom Why friendship becomes more valuable as we get older The hidden reason so many relationships struggle and what better love requires Why self-knowledge is the foundation of a meaningful life Filled with insight, honesty, and practical wisdom, this conversation offers a refreshing perspective on aging, growth, and what truly matters. Watch now and discover why midlife may not be a crisis at all. It may be the beginning of your most authentic chapter. Timestamps: (02:00) Meet Alain de Botton (03:25) Philosophy vs Psychotherapy (05:59) The Origin of The School of Life (07:42) Knowledge vs Wisdom (11:33) Status Anxiety Explained (14:48) Why Midlife Changes Us (17:12) What Gets Better After 50 (19:10) Friendship and Heartbreak (21:23) Modern Love and Relationships (24:52) The Art of Travel (27:14) Travel as Self-Discovery (30:15) Places That Feed the Soul (31:24) Childhood and Curiosity (33:46) Solving Our Parents' Problems (34:35) Becoming a Psychotherapist at 50 (37:33) A Wisdom Bumper Sticker (40:40) Know Yourself (41:16) Learning New Things Later in Life (43:17) Final Thoughts Learn more about MEA at ⁠https://www.meawisdom.com/ #Midlife #PersonalGrowth #SelfKnowledge #Happiness #SuccessMindse…","meta_description":"You followed the rules, built a successful career, and checked the boxes you thought would make you happy. So why does something still feel missing? In th…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2821,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-midlife-chrysalis-7361713/episodes/why-we-spend-years-chasing-things-we-don-t-really-want-alain-de-botton/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-midlife-chrysalis-7361713/why-we-spend-years-chasing-things-we-don-t-really-want-alain-de-botton.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}