Episode 163

September 23, 2026

Chip Conley

Be Useful, Not Youthful: The Secret to Aging Well

Be Useful, Not Youthful: The Secret to Aging Well

At some point in midlife, achievement stops being enough. The titles matter less, the phone may stop ringing, and the question becomes: where does your value come from now?

In this episode of Wisdom Wednesday, MEA founder Chip Conley joins Derek Gehl to explore the shift from achievement and admiration toward generativity, usefulness, and helping others grow.

Key insights include:

  • Why feeling invisible doesn’t mean becoming irrelevant
  • How to move from “sage on the stage” to “guide on the side”
  • Why being useful matters more than staying youthful
  • How becoming “good soil” helps other people and future generations flourish
  • Why doing good without getting credit can be one of the most meaningful forms of contribution

Watch the full episode to discover a different way to think about purpose, relevance, and growing older.

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