A common myth in US culture is that midlife crisis is an inevitable part of life that we all experience. In fact, researchers estimate that only 10% to 20% of Americans actually experience a midlife crisis. It is important to distinguish between midlife transition and midlife crisis. A midlife transition generally begins in our forties and fifties. It is a period of reflection, reassessment, and redefinition. It is also a time when many of us realize our own mortality and begin to set new personal goals. However, these feelings themselves do not signal a midlife crisis. It is important for the individual to understand the difference between making a life change and a crisis. The psychologist Carl Jung identified five phases of midlife: