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#374: Chip Conley — Building Empires, Tackling Cancer, and Surfing the Liminal

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Jun 20, 2019

Guest

Chip Conley

Chip Conley, a leading authority at the nexus of psychology and business, shares his journey from a successful hotelier to guiding Airbnb's growth. He discusses the establishment of the Modern Elder Academy, aimed at turning midlife into a period for growth. Conley dives into personal health battles, highlighting the impact of facing cancer on life's perspectives. He explores emotional resilience, the teachings of stoicism, and the importance of lifelong learning in navigating life's uncertainties, making for an inspiring conversation on personal transformation.

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ANECDOTE

Cancer Diagnosis

Chip Conley was diagnosed with intermediate-stage prostate cancer.
This diagnosis prompted reflection on life's purpose and urgency.

insights

INSIGHT

Life Chapters

Chip Conley's self-awareness and deliberate chapter changes are notable.
He emphasizes aligning life with one's gifts and purpose.

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ANECDOTE

Business School Brainstorming

Chip Conley, Seth Godin, and three others formed a brainstorming group in business school.
They critiqued business ideas, leading to valuable learning experiences.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Navigating Life's Transitions and Wisdom in Business

01:46 • 2min

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Navigating Health and Harmony

03:38 • 4min

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The Journey of Self-Discovery and Entrepreneurship

08:08 • 16min

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Emotional Resilience and Mindful Practices

24:16 • 7min

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Connecting with Giants: A Serendipitous Encounter

30:56 • 2min

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From Motel to Music Mecca

32:48 • 12min

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Karmic Capitalism and Personal Transformation

44:47 • 19min

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Navigating Midlife and Personal Growth

01:03:23 • 16min

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Navigating Personal Growth and Identity

01:19:00 • 13min

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Journey of Self-Discovery and Modern Family Dynamics

01:31:40 • 17min

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Embracing Uncertainty and Lifelong Learning

In *Awake in the Wild*, Mark Coleman offers a path to self-discovery by reconnecting with nature through mindfulness and Buddhist teachings. The book includes short chapters with concrete nature meditations, aiming to help readers develop a loving connection with the earth and embody nature's peaceful presence. It combines anecdotes from Coleman's retreats, Buddhist wisdom, and nature writings to foster a deeper connection with the natural world.

Emotional Equations

Chip Conley

In 'Emotional Equations', Chip Conley presents a unique approach to understanding emotions through simple, non-numeric equations. The book offers practical strategies for managing emotions and finding happiness by focusing on controllable variables in life. Conley shares personal stories and those of inspiring role models who have applied these emotional equations to overcome challenges.

The Rebel Rules

Daring to be Yourself in Business

Chip Conley

The 100-Year Life

Living and Working in an Age of Longevity

Lynda Gratton

Andrew J Scott

This book challenges the traditional three-stage approach to life (education, work, and retirement) in light of rising life expectancy. Lynda Gratton and Andrew J. Scott offer a broad-ranging analysis and practical solutions on how to rethink finances, education, career paths, and relationships to create a fulfilling 100-year life. The authors provide insights on boosting physical and mental health, making the most of intangible assets like family and friends, and navigating multiple career stages. The book is a call to action for individuals, politicians, firms, and governments to adapt to the new realities of longevity.

Business Rules of Thumb

Seth Godin

Chip Conley

On the Shortness of Life

Seneca

In this essay, Seneca addresses the common complaint that life is too short by arguing that life is sufficiently long if one uses it wisely. He contends that people waste much of their time in luxury, carelessness, and pointless activities. Seneca emphasizes the importance of living in the present, pursuing philosophical wisdom, and avoiding the distractions that make life seem short. He advises readers to organize each day as if it were their last and to avoid procrastination and the preoccupation with future or past concerns.

Setting the Table

Danny Meyer

In this landmark book, Danny Meyer recounts his experiences and the lessons he learned in developing his philosophy of Enlightened Hospitality. Meyer started Union Square Cafe at the age of 27 and has since built a restaurant empire. His philosophy, which emphasizes strong in-house relationships and customer satisfaction, is applicable to any business. The book covers various aspects of running a restaurant, including selecting real estate, hiring, training, and providing exceptional service. Meyer's approach to hospitality extends to guests, the community, suppliers, and investors, and he provides practical advice on how to maintain long-term success through these relationships.

Peak

Secrets from the New Science of Expertise

Anders Ericsson

Robert Pool

This book summarizes Anders Ericsson's 30-year research on the acquisition of expertise. It introduces the concept of 'deliberate practice,' a specific learning method used by experts to achieve superior performance. The authors distinguish between different types of practice, such as naive practice, purposeful practice, and deliberate practice, emphasizing the importance of mental representations in achieving expertise. The book also addresses the misconception of the '10,000-hour rule' popularized by Malcolm Gladwell and provides practical tips for improving skills in various areas.

Meditations

Marcus Aurelius

Meditations is a series of private writings composed by Marcus Aurelius, one of Rome's greatest emperors, as he struggled to understand himself and make sense of the universe. Written between 170 and 180 CE while on military campaigns, this work combines Stoic philosophy with personal observations on leadership, duty, mortality, and human nature. Through twelve books of intimate thoughts never intended for publication, Marcus Aurelius explores themes of self-improvement, resilience in the face of adversity, and living virtuously while accepting what cannot be changed.

The happiness curve

Why Life Gets Better After Midlife

Jonathan Rauch

Drawing on cutting-edge research, Jonathan Rauch explains that happiness follows a U-shaped trajectory, declining from the optimism of youth into a low trough in middle age before rising again in the 50s. This midlife slump is defined as a natural stage of life, equipping individuals with new tools for wisdom and gratitude. The book features insights from various individuals, including everyday people and notable figures, and discusses how social, rather than material, factors influence happiness in later life.

Search inside yourself

Chade-Meng Tan

In 'Search Inside Yourself', Chade-Meng Tan offers a proven method for enhancing mindfulness and emotional intelligence, drawing from his experience teaching Google's best and brightest. The book provides insider access to one of the most sought-after classes in the country, focusing on health, happiness, and creativity. With forewords by Daniel Goleman and Jon Kabat-Zinn, it serves as an invaluable guide to achieving one's best potential.

Man's Search for Meaning

Viktor Frankl

The book is divided into two parts. The first part recounts Frankl's harrowing experiences as a prisoner in Nazi concentration camps, including Auschwitz, between 1942 and 1945. He describes the inhumane conditions and the psychological and emotional struggles of the prisoners. The second part introduces Frankl's theory of logotherapy, which posits that the primary human drive is the search for meaning, rather than pleasure. Frankl argues that meaning can be found through three main avenues: work (doing something significant), love (caring for another), and suffering (finding meaning in one's own suffering). The book emphasizes the importance of finding purpose and meaning in life, even in the most adverse conditions, as a key factor in survival and personal growth.

Wisdom at Work

Chip Conley

Chip Conley's "Wisdom at Work" explores the concept of the modern elder, emphasizing the value of experience and wisdom in today's rapidly changing world. The book challenges traditional notions of aging and retirement, suggesting that older individuals can maintain relevance and contribute significantly to society. Conley shares his personal journey, including near-death experiences and career transitions, to illustrate his points. He offers practical advice and strategies for navigating midlife transitions, fostering creativity, and cultivating wisdom. The book encourages readers to embrace lifelong learning and find purpose in their second half of life.

Joy on demand

Chade-Meng Tan

In 'Joy on Demand,' Chade-Meng Tan offers practical tools for achieving lasting joy through meditation, emphasizing that consistent access to joy is possible in as little as fifteen seconds. The book outlines the three pillars of joy—inner peace, insight, and happiness—and demonstrates how these can be sustained in daily life through mindfulness and 'wise laziness. '

"The question would be: 'What mastery can you offer?' So have a friend of yours ask that question of you five times, and you'll be sort of surprised at, by the fifth time you get asked that question, and you've had to come up with four other answers before that, what kind of revelation you may have in this archaeological dig." — Chip Conley

At age 52, after selling the company he founded and ran as CEO for 24 years, rebel boutique hotelier Chip Conley (@chipconley) was looking for a new chapter in life. Then he received a call from the young founders of Airbnb, asking him to help grow their disruptive start-up into a global hospitality giant. He became their head of global hospitality and strategy.

Chip is a leading authority at the intersection of psychology and business. He is a New York Times bestselling author, and his latest, Wisdom @ Work: The Making of a Modern Elder, inspired him to build the world's first midlife wisdom school. Located in Baja California Sur, the Modern Elder Academy provides the place and the tools to start reframing a lifetime of experience for what comes next.

Click here for the show notes for this episode.

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