From Nike CEO to Starting Over at 65: John Donahoe’s Reinvention

<p>After decades at the top, <strong>John Donahoe</strong> found himself starting over at 65.</p><p><br /></p><p>John has led eBay, ServiceNow, and Nike. But some of his most important lessons came from burnout, failure, and the difficult transitions between success and what comes next.</p><p><br /></p><p><strong>In this deeply personal conversation, John shares:</strong></p><ul><li>Why stepping away at 55 changed the way he saw success and himself</li><li>What 50 wise elders taught him about vitality, purpose, and aging</li><li>How his painful departure from Nike challenged his identity at 65</li><li>Why adversity can become a source of meaning and growth</li><li>How an unexpected opportunity at Stanford became his next chapter</li></ul><p><br /></p><p>This is a powerful conversation about starting again, letting go of outcomes, and finding purpose beyond achievement.</p><p><br /></p><p>Watch the full episode with John Donahoe.</p><p><br /></p><p><strong>Timestamps:</strong></p><p>(03:16) Reinventing Life After 50</p><p>(05:07) Burnout and Taking a Year Off</p><p>(07:56) The Retreat That Changed Everything</p><p>(10:21) Leaving the Gladiator Ring</p><p>(13:59) The Search for Vitality</p><p>(16:12) Lessons From 50 Wise Elders</p><p>(20:15) Service, Purpose and Serendipity</p><p>(23:24) The Road to Nike</p><p>(28:04) Crisis and Failure at Nike</p><p>(33:15) Lessons From Failure</p><p>(37:26) A New Chapter at Stanford</p><p>(41:09) Finding Purpose Again</p><p>(44:15) The Gift of Adversity</p><p>(47:33) Turning Pain Into Wisdom</p><p>Check out Chip's Celebrating Life's Wisdom Oct 25-29 2026 workshop: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&amp;redir_token=QUZZTVljSDIyYjJXaXhGaUd0TEtVN0tMMGNYbXxBTl9pYzRmamlNYmM1Y0tqdE9SMVNpZVlTQ3VZY25YZEJveW16cHFhTk1jcVJLOFkwMGxtNFdNc05aX2dHZTZ2ZUkyZ2t6TTh1cHMyYUZ1RTN1OGZJOTFxN3hIQ1lEclBQeXJi&amp;q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.meawisdom.com%2Fcelebrate&amp;v=O4VKACZF_00" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://www.meawisdom.com/celebrate</a></p><p><strong>Learn more about MEA</strong> at ⁠https://www.meawisdom.com/</p><p><br /></p><p>#JohnDonahoe #NikeCEO #LifeAfterNike #StartingOverAt65 #MidlifeReinvention #WisdomJourney #LeadershipLessons #CareerReinvention #SecondAct #FindingPurpose #Adversity #LifeTransitions #StanfordAthletics #PurposeAfterSuccess #MidlifeChrysalis</p>