I'm not in my 40s... or particularly close... but the author of the piece is seriously ignorant about attraction. Women and men are not attracted to same things in general. Women are attracted to success, accomplishment, capability, and yes... looks plays a part in it as well. But one need only need to take a good look at Mick Jagger to realize that other things are way more important to women than looks.
There is no delusion. A successful man in his 40s... at the top of his game... finally master of his career and conquering the world around him can have anything he wants. If he wants a hot college coed... or 3 or 4 of them... he gets them.