From Skateboarding Icon to Modern Elder: Stacy Peralta
The Midlife Chrysalis
Intro
Chip introduces Stacy Peralta and the episode's theme of reinvention and being a beginner again.
He didn’t plan on being successful. He just followed what pulled at him and kept letting go when it stopped working. In this episode, Stacy Peralta, legendary skateboarder, filmmaker behind Dogtown and Z-Boys, and modern elder, shares how a life built on passion, curiosity, and vulnerability led him from skateboarding to filmmaking to painting, without clinging to any single identity.
Rather than chasing security or certainty, Stacy reveals why reinvention requires becoming a beginner again and why midlife may be the most powerful time to do it.
In this conversation, Stacy explores:
- Why holding onto past identities quietly blocks your future
- How embracing vulnerability and being a “kook” unlocks growth
- The difference between loving something and knowing when to let it go
- How intuition, not logic, often guides the most meaningful transitions
- Daily practices that keep creativity, curiosity, and vitality alive
👉 Watch the full episode now and discover why letting go might be the most powerful move you can make.
Timestamps:
00:58 Early life mischief and finding skateboarding
03:32 Understanding transitions and success
05:57 Realizing it was time to leave skateboarding
06:38 Becoming a beginner in filmmaking
10:46 Family influence and unconventional paths
13:16 Work ethic creativity and self reliance
15:19 Learning from surfer elders
16:59 Following what you love in midlife
18:41 Giving your gift and letting it go
20:00 Embracing vulnerability and being a kook
24:10 Facing fear of being too old
28:00 Flow challenge and skill
31:10 MEA workshops experience
34:25 Quiet rebellion and midlife dreams
37:05 Listening intuition and creating space
39:05 Letting go of control
41:23 Daily practices for vitality
42:46 Harmonizing heart and mind
43:07 The power of listening
44:51 Closing reflections and gratitude
Learn more about MEA at https://www.meawisdom.com/
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