Don't Call it a Crisis: Reaching Midlife Clarity

SPEAKER_1 (0:01)

FanDuel is now available everywhere in the US. So you can get in on the sports action no matter where you are.

SPEAKER_2 (0:12)

Including these places.

SPEAKER_1 (0:18)

Make this your most rewarding season ever with FanDuel.

Chris Ying (0:21)

Age and location restrictions apply.

SPEAKER_1 (0:23)

Product availability varies by market.

SPEAKER_2 (0:25)

See fanduel.com for eligibility.

SPEAKER_1 (0:26)

Gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

David Chang (0:36)

Hello, my name is David Chang, and I'm pretty sure I'm in the middle of a midlife crisis. And on today's show, I'm gonna make in Burejige, and I'm talking about why the midlife crisis isn't so bad.

This episode of The Dave Chang Show is presented by Vrbo Vacation Rentals. People are unpredictable, especially when you travel with them. Someone's in a mood, someone's hungry, someone didn't sleep. Something's gonna happen. You can't be worrying about your vacation rental too. That's why when you book with Vrbo, Vrbo Care and 24-7 Live Support is built in. So if something's broken, not as described, or just not right, Vrbo is there 24-7 to help. If you know you Vrbo, book today on the Vrbo app, termsapply.cvrbo.com/trust for details.

Welcome to The Dave Chang Show. I am here with Christopher Yang, young producer David, and we're going to be doing a moif. I'm going to be talking about a little bit about turning 50 and the midlife crisis. It's probably like my fifth, quote unquote, midlife crisis. And we're going to be talking about that with our two dining guests that we'll introduce in a little bit. And I'm making budaejigae, something that came out fantastic today. So again, I'm turning 50 soon.

It's about time for me to figure out what I want to do in my life. That's literally where I'm at right now.

SPEAKER_1 (2:10)

Like, what do I want to do?

David Chang (2:14)

And it's been a long time coming for people that turn 50 Or I feel like around 50 is when people start making what other people see as, oh, that is a clear midlife crisis.

Chris Ying (2:27)

Oh yeah. Anything you do can be explained as a midlife crisis. Any purchase you make, any new hobby you take up, oh, Dave's having a midlife crisis.

David Chang (2:36)

This is probably like my third quote unquote midlife crisis that I've experienced. Maybe I have had more, but like for certain when I turned 22 and I had this existential dread about what I wanted to do after graduation. And then around 26 when I opened up Momofuku, and then 35 when I made some really bad fucking decisions in my life. I really didn't think I was going to live past a certain age, so I really decided to do everything. And then now I'm like, well, I'm well past the age I thought that I'd actually be alive, which sounds like hyperbole, but for those that know me, I really lived like a crazy person for a long time. And now I got two young kids, and I'm like, what do I do? What's, not next, and it sounds crazy, but part of me gets it why some people career change, some people buy ridiculous things, like they get into cars, they get into some kind of hobby that they never gave a shit before, they get into falconry.

This guy right here.

Chris Ying (3:49)

I mean, dabbled. I mean, is the difference between those early quarter life crises and a midlife crisis, like when you're 22, you're like, oh my God, I gotta figure out what's next.

50, you're kind of looking backward and be like, what have I been doing?

David Chang (4:04)

Well, now is the time, and I don't want to say this jokingly, it's like when people die now, it's not like, oh my God. It's still sad. It's incredibly sad.

Chris Ying (4:17)

But it's not a tragic death.

David Chang (4:18)

No, no.

Chris Ying (4:19)

It's an early death. Right.

David Chang (4:21)

And that's sort of with the weird barometer. Right around in your mid 60s, yeah.

Chris Ying (4:27)

Yeah.

David Chang (4:27)

Early 50s, oh, that's still a little early.

Chris Ying (4:30)

Yeah.

David Chang (4:30)

Anytime after 65, you're like, what are you complaining about?

You know? And then anything closer to 85 plus to 100, you're like, Jesus Christ, that's ridiculous.

Chris Ying (4:42)

That's such a harsh characterization. Nobody who's, I don't look at an 85, and you're like, come on, man, what are you still doing here?

David Chang (4:50)

No, but I'm just saying in the general expectations of things.

Chris Ying (4:52)

Sure, okay, okay.

David Chang (4:53)

Now is the time where people, guess what, it happens to everybody.