Gary Direnfeld

I go in and I say to the attendant, see that young woman out there?

Put her on my credit card.

I'm being a smartass.

This was my midlife crisis.

Have I lost my youth?

Why do you think so many guys go out and, as you said, buy the motorcycle, buy the fancy car?

Another friend said to me, whatever you do, Gary, don't buy a car.

Those payments last for years.

Buy yourself a leather jacket.

It's a one-off purchase.

So, you know, at 40, under the advice of my psychologist, a friend of mine, I did ditch the beard.

And it took me about four to six weeks before I said to heck with this and I grew it back.

as an outcome of this midlife crisis.

If you are in a relationship, by the way, and you're going through this midlife crisis, I hope, because not everyone has this in their relationship, but I hope that this is something that you can actually discuss with your partner and that your partner takes it seriously.

You know, I've done that in my business life.

You know, although a therapist throughout, I've been entrepreneurial as well in and out of different businesses.

So you can reinvent yourself.

Now, as my grandmother used to say, don't throw away dirty until you have clean.

Was there a new skill or creative outlet that I've been looking for?

And pursue it.