194 episodes

Discover the best bits of the best books read by people you admire. Michael Bungay Stanier hosts the podcast where brilliant people read the best two pages of a favourite book. Listen as authors, leaders, activists, academics, celebrities, and entrepreneurs dig in with MBS to explore the insights and ideas within. Whether it’s books that inspire leadership, change, self-development and growth, power, strategy, ambition, productivity, or creativity and innovation - this is hand-curated wisdom from people who know. These are the books that change minds, shape lives, and inspire great work and worthy goals.

2 Pages with MBS Michael Bungay Stanier

    • Business
    • 5.0 • 34 Ratings

Discover the best bits of the best books read by people you admire. Michael Bungay Stanier hosts the podcast where brilliant people read the best two pages of a favourite book. Listen as authors, leaders, activists, academics, celebrities, and entrepreneurs dig in with MBS to explore the insights and ideas within. Whether it’s books that inspire leadership, change, self-development and growth, power, strategy, ambition, productivity, or creativity and innovation - this is hand-curated wisdom from people who know. These are the books that change minds, shape lives, and inspire great work and worthy goals.

    193. How to be Radically Generous: Vicki Saunders [reads] "Astonishing the Gods" by Ben Okri

    193. How to be Radically Generous: Vicki Saunders [reads] "Astonishing the Gods" by Ben Okri

    Vicki is the “Founding Activator” of Coralus, a venture capital company with a unique approach to reimagining the world of entrepreneurship. With a background in social entrepreneurship and a deep commitment to radical generosity, Vicki is a highly hopeful and optimistic individual who is dedicated to making a positive impact on the world.

    Get book links and resources at http://2pageswithmbs.com and subscribe to the 2 Pages newsletter at https://2pageswithmbs.substack.com.

    Vicki Saunders reads from "Astonishing the Gods" by Ben Okri. [reading begins at 18:40]

    Hear us discuss:

    “I can feel myself being pulled two ways because definitely things are atomizing. Content is coming in shorter and shorter clips. Even paragraphs are shrinking. Shrinking, just like my attention.” [00:00] | "I just don't understand why we… make money, and then give it away to make things better, to solve the crappy things that we did when we made money." [03:04] | “How much energy is this taking? Is it actually creating any impact? And so at some point in the last 30 years, I was like, you know, changing the system is not why I'm here. It's to build a new one.” [11:05] | “How do we want to be together and live together? How do we want to be with one another, to witness each other's gifts, and to share ours with others in this act of reciprocity?” [21:15] | "Dreaming is a muscle. Courage is a muscle. You need to work it, stress it, be kind to it. That's how muscle grows. That's how muscle stays healthy." [37:07]

    • 39 min
    192. Learn Faster, Learn Better: Scott Young, Author of “Get Better at Anything” [reads] "The Principles of Teaching Based on Psychology" by Edward Thorndike

    192. Learn Faster, Learn Better: Scott Young, Author of “Get Better at Anything” [reads] "The Principles of Teaching Based on Psychology" by Edward Thorndike

    Scott is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, a podcast host, computer programmer, and an avid reader. He’s also an autodidact, who spends his time teaching people how to learn. Scott is the author of “Ultralearning” and “Get Better at Anything,” and he has been featured in The New York Times, BBC, TEDx, Pocket, Business Insider and more.

    Get book links and resources at http://2pageswithmbs.com and subscribe to the 2 Pages newsletter at https://2pageswithmbs.substack.com.

    Scott reads two pages from “The Principles of Teaching Based on Psychology” by Edward Thorndike. [reading begins at 20:30]

    Hear us discuss:

    "Mastery is a journey that diverts and separates individuals, leading them towards their unique style, voice, and signature move." [01:58] | "The mind is made of specific building blocks, not broad faculties." [26:14] | "The road to improvement is long but sure." [30:26] | "The mysteriousness of talent is that when you get someone who is a real skilled practitioner, they often can't even articulate what the building blocks are." [43:27] | "I feel I'm hungry to find more gaps, not fewer." [44:56]

    • 47 min
    191. Obsessed (in a good way): Kaya Thomas [reads] “Positive Obsession” by Octavia Butler

    191. Obsessed (in a good way): Kaya Thomas [reads] “Positive Obsession” by Octavia Butler

    Kaya Thomas is an app builder and creator of the We Read Too app, a mobile directory of children and young adult books written by authors of color. With a background in working with well-known companies like Slack and Calm, Kaya's career has been a journey of blending her expertise in coding with her passion for promoting diversity in literature. Though the book is closing on the We Read Too app, her work has touched thousands of young lives.

    Get book links and resources at http://2pageswithmbs.com and subscribe to the 2 Pages newsletter at https://2pageswithmbs.substack.com.

    Kaya Thomas reads two pages from "Positive Obsession" by Octavia Butler. [reading begins at 15:51]

    Hear us discuss:

    "I think a good mentor listens and understands what the person that they're mentoring really needs, where they're trying to go in their journey and help them just guide them and help them shape their goals." [14:05] | "Positive obsession is about not being able to stop just because you're afraid and full of doubts. Positive obsession is dangerous. It's about not being able to stop at all." [16:16] | "I think for me, it doesn't always manifest in like one particular skill, because for me, I'm not trying to be the best programmer ever or the best software engineer. But I think for me, it's more project based, right?" [18:40] | "Success just looks like more young kids being exposed to these books, because it's important, I think, for all children, no matter their background, to read these types of stories and to realize that difference can be celebrated." [29:13] | "I think for me, WeReadToo is a resource, and it's a free resource. And I always intend to keep it as a free resource. It's not an income-generating thing for me, and that's not the purpose." [30:30]

    • 37 min
    190. How Empathy Calms Anxiety: Marc Brackett, author of “Permission to Feel,” [reads] “7 ½ Lessons about the Brain”

    190. How Empathy Calms Anxiety: Marc Brackett, author of “Permission to Feel,” [reads] “7 ½ Lessons about the Brain”

    Mark Brackett is a psychologist and professor at Yale University, known for his groundbreaking work in emotional intelligence and the impact of emotions on daily life. He is the founder and director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. Through his book, “Permission to Feel,” and his work at Yale, Marc helps others give themselves permission to feel, and teaches them to create a safe space for emotional exploration.

    Get book links and resources at http://2pageswithmbs.com and subscribe to the 2 Pages newsletter at https://2pageswithmbs.substack.com.

    Marc Brackett reads two pages from “7 ½ Lessons about the Brain” by Lisa Feldman Barrett. [reading begins at 11:57]

    Hear us discuss:

    "Emotions are signals to approach or avoid. People's facial expressions, body language, and tone all send signals. I wanna be with you, I don't wanna be with you. I like you, I don't like you, I respect you, I don't." [20:12] | "All emotions are information. The idea that there are good and bad emotions is a myth. Emotions are a product of things happening in our body and mind, based on our life experiences." [25:54] | "Just because you have a proclivity to experience strong emotions like anxiety or frustration doesn't mean you're not good at dealing with it or labeling it. It just means that you have a tendency to feel that way more." [26:47] | "We're endlessly making predictions based on what's going on inside of us and what we're observing in the world around us. That's our emotional life." [36:59] | "The core of this work is that concept that we have to give ourselves the permission to be our true, full, feeling selves, nonjudgmental, compassionate, self-scientists." [38:30]

    • 41 min
    189. Beware Your Shadow Career: Jay Papasan, author of “The One Thing,” [reads] “Turning Pro”

    189. Beware Your Shadow Career: Jay Papasan, author of “The One Thing,” [reads] “Turning Pro”

    Jay Papasan is the best-selling author of The One Thing, which has sold over 3 million copies and appeared on numerous bestseller lists. Jay's career trajectory has been a series of evolutions, from working in publishing at HarperCollins, to freelance writing, to finding a deep expression of his mission to create impact working in collaboration with Gary Keller. Jay's journey exemplifies the courage and (useful) restlessness to pursue a calling and make a difference in the world. Get book links and resources at http://2pageswithmbs.com and subscribe to the 2 Pages newsletter at https://2pageswithmbs.substack.com.

    Jay reads two pages from “Turning Pro” by Steven Pressfield. [reading begins at 27:25]

    Hear us discuss:

    “When we wrote The One Thing, what became really clear from the success stories is that the people that achieve the most, the businesses that achieve the most, the athletes, the artists, were driven by some inner drive.” [12:16] | “If I'm focused on impact, whatever I'm working on has to matter to me and others. And I don't define the scope of others, because that's a trap.” [21:28] | "Sometimes, when we're terrified of embracing our true calling, we pursue a shadow calling instead. That shadow career is a metaphor for our real career." [29:51] | “The first question we ask is, when someone finishes this book that we haven't written yet, what's the first thing they're going to say about it? And what's the first thing they're going to do differently?” [43:12] | “The things that come with maintaining success are not what got you there.” [52:24]

    • 56 min
    188. Frailty, Strength, and Leadership: Amy Elizabeth Fox, CEO of Mobius Executive Leadership, [reads] ‘Attuned’

    188. Frailty, Strength, and Leadership: Amy Elizabeth Fox, CEO of Mobius Executive Leadership, [reads] ‘Attuned’

    Amy Elizabeth Fox is a transformative figure in the realm of leadership development and personal growth. As the co-founder and CEO of Mobius Executive Leadership, she brings a unique perspective to the field, emphasizing the importance of inner transformation for effective leadership. Get book links and resources at http://2pageswithmbs.com/

    Amy reads two pages from Attuned by Thomas Hübl. [reading begins at 23:03]

    Hear us discuss:

    "Trauma energy creates a filter over our perception. Where we are traumatized, our perception of the world is distorted and limited. Awareness is reduced and overshadowed." [26:51] | "Genuine healing has the power to restore distortions and bring about inner and outer coherence, including improved relationships." [27:24] | "In precision is love. Being precise about who you're talking to and present." [30:15] |"We need to get rid of the bifurcation of a leadership development path with the cultivation of spiritual, psychological, and spiritual intelligence. They can't be two separate things." [39:15] | "We naturally care about each other. We naturally care about the world we live in. It's only a traumatized society that doesn't take that as a premise." [40:47]

    • 45 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
34 Ratings

34 Ratings

sassygirl10 ,

A source

Wisdom and inspiration abound

Monkeybalz ,

This podcast will change your life.

Michael’s way of looking at the world has improved my business and my life. Let him enhance yours too.

Qby4 ,

Insightful and relatable

Michael provides a space for guests to share what moves them and to share their insights. The conversations help me make connections to my own thinking and help me think how it relates to my work. Thank you!

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