Austin Kleon, a bestselling author known for 'Steal Like An Artist,' shares profound insights on creativity and personal growth. He highlights the importance of not waiting to identify yourself before taking action and emphasizes learning to embrace challenges. Kleon discusses how ordinary elements combined with extra attention lead to extraordinary outcomes. He also reflects on the magic of blending words and visuals, the role of comedy in connecting communities, and the transformative impact of mentorship, particularly from the late cartoonist Lynda Barry.

With the new year, we’re doing something new with 2 Pages with MBS. Twice a month, you can listen in to the same excellent conversations, and we’ll also be dedicating a YouTube channel and newsletter to the show. With that said, I didn’t want to leave you without anything to tide you over until February. In this episode, I read from Seth Godin’s book, “Purple Cow,” and ask you the question: are you going to sit out the next round, or will you be a Purple Cow? [Reading begins at 05:25]Get access to full transcripts and past episodes at https://www.MBS.works/podcast

Recommend this show by sharing the link: pod.link/2PagesDo you have a posse of people with whom you create “good trouble?” A small group you can collaborate with to stir the pot, strengthen one another, and step to the edge of what you think is possible? I often wrestle with how to build that type of relationship, and what I should bring to the table as a member. In this interview, we not only get an inside look at relationship building but also, how to identify and overcome the stress that can make us less effective collaborators. Get‌ ‌book‌ ‌links‌ ‌and‌ ‌resources‌ ‌at‌ https://www.mbs.works/2-pages-podcast/ Modupe Akinola is a professor at Columbia Business School, host of the TED Business Podcast, and part of a trio of ladies who set the standard for creating “good trouble.”Modupe reads two pages from the Genesis, the first book of the Bible. [reading begins at 30:52]Hear us discuss:The elusive definition of stress, as given by a stress expert. [00:04:30] | The key factors that create stress in your life: "The demands of a stressful situation can exceed your resources to cope, leading to feelings of stress." [00:05:09] | The first step in addressing the stress: "Noticing your physical and mental state when faced with stress can help you better manage it." [00:06:16] | How to take control and shift your mindset to overcome current stressors. [00:07:02] | Why having stress matters: "Every stressful situation is an opportunity to build resources and overcome future challenges." [00:10:52]

Recommend this show by sharing the link: pod.link/2PagesToday, we're pulling one of our best episodes from the vaults, featuring the brilliant Dave Stachowiak.A famous quote by Albert Schweitzer talks about how small and obscure deeds are far more powerful than public acts that receive acclaim. It goes: ‘[The public acts] were like the foam on the waves of the deep ocean.’ Applying this metaphor to the world of leadership, what’s just foam on the waves, and what’s the sinuous currents of the deep ocean? A great podcast that I often listen to - and one that I have been a guest on four times - is Coaching for Leaders, hosted by Dave Stachowiak. This podcast is the portal for his Coaching for Leaders Academy, which helps managers and executives develop leadership excellence. Dave is someone who, I think, is a masterful surfer: he knows the foam and the waves, but he also knows the deep ocean. Get‌ ‌book‌ ‌links‌ ‌and‌ ‌resources‌ ‌at‌ https://www.mbs.works/2-pages-podcast/ Dave reads two pages from ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’ by Dale Carnegie. [reading begins at 20:55] Hear us discuss: “Talk to the people listening.” [11:21] | ‘We all think we’re more polarised than we actually are.’ [26:29] | Staying present to discomfort. [30:24] | The structure of the Coaching for Leaders Academy: “We learn best when we’re struggling with something.” [37:50] | Finding struggle to keep learning: “Seeing your mistakes is one of the most important parts of the learning process.” [40:13]

Today, we're pulling one of our best episodes from the vaults, featuring the brilliant Stephanie Harrison.Recommend this show by sharing the link: pod.link/2PagesChristmastime in Australia is in mid-summer. The Northern hemisphere traditions of ugly sweaters, roasted meats, and roaring fires really just don’t vibe there. We’ve even got a Christmas carol about Santa’s sleigh being pulled along by kangaroos, rather than reindeer. Many years ago, on a hot Christmas day, my family packed a picnic and headed for Tidbinbilla, the nature reserve about an hour’s drive away. When we arrived, we laid out all the food, hung up some wind chimes, and set up a table and chairs in the middle of a river. Sitting there, eating my mum’s plum pudding with the water flowing by waist-deep, with my family - I knew I was happy. Of course, happiness is elusive. The stories and expectations we’ve internalised about the requirements to achieve happiness are mostly illusions. Stephanie Harrison is a champion for a wiser path to happiness, or as she calls it, The New Happy. Get‌ ‌book‌ ‌links‌ ‌and‌ ‌resources‌ ‌at‌ https://www.mbs.works/2-pages-podcast/ Stephanie reads two pages from ‘The Way of the Bodhisattva’ by Śāntideva. [reading begins at 12:40]Hear us discuss:The reluctance to give back to others: “The path to experiencing fulfilment and well-being is the ways in which we relate to other people.”  [16:15] | The process of learning to serve. [20:06] | Transcending ‘The Eye.’ [24:48] | Is happiness always a spiritual practice?: “Spirituality is about helping us to be human.” [27:28] | Self-care and self-renewal. [34:35]

Today, we're pulling one of our best episodes from the vaults, featuring the brilliant Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe.Recommend this show by sharing the link: pod.link/2PagesWhat’s the language you go to when you think of resilience? Common answers include, ‘bouncing back,’ ‘bouncing forward,’ ‘what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,’ or ‘a regathering of yourself.’ I truly believe that the words and metaphors we choose to use around resilience actually influence how accessible that resilience is, to us. Get‌ ‌book‌ ‌links‌ ‌and‌ ‌resources‌ ‌at‌ https://www.mbs.works/2-pages-podcast/ Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe has spent two decades researching, teaching, and advocating for simple and powerful language around resilience, and the way she puts it is beautiful; resilience is being okay. Robyne reads two pages from ‘Man’s Search for Meaning,’ by Viktor Frankl. [reading begins at 20:35] Hear us discuss: “The weight of the world becomes heavy to carry with two hands.” [4:02] | Describing resilience: “Resiliency is a verb.” [6:44] | Unlearning what’s ‘normal.’ [24:49] | What to unlearn about resilience: “Stoicism is not resiliency.” [27:36] | Getting better at falling apart: “Mistakes are not characteristics.” [29:57]

Recommend this show by sharing the link: pod.link/2PagesOne of my favorite songs is Hole In The Bucket by Spearhead, the band fronted by Michael Franti. It’s the story of someone walking along and deciding whether or not to give to someone else asking for a dime, for a nickel, for a quarter. As we approach the holiday season, perhaps you’re wrestling with the same challenge as I am - what does it mean to be charitable? How altruistic are you willing to be? In this interview, there’s a twist on that; one that might change everything. Get‌ ‌book‌ ‌links‌ ‌and‌ ‌resources‌ ‌at‌ https://www.mbs.works/2-pages-podcast/ Charlie Bresler is the volunteer executive director of the nonprofit organization The Life You Can Save, and he’s truly been central to it becoming a force.  Charlie reads two pages from ‘The Life You Can Save’ by Peter Singer. [reading begins at 20:25]  Hear us discuss: Keeping the connection to your values alive. [8:58] | The relationship between structural change and individual change. [15:11] | A combined view of humankind: “I look around the world and I despair, but I also look at human potential and I’m optimistic.” [27:13] | Overcoming your natural selfishness: “It is a missed opportunity to not see the incredible amount of pleasure you can get from saving lives and helping other people.” [28:21] | The challenges of running a nonprofit. [32:04] | Effective hedonism rather than effective altruism: “You don’t have to be an altruist.” [37:51] | The meaning of success. [40:38]

Recommend this show by sharing the link: pod.link/2PagesI remember being in New Orleans some years ago where people were offering to read your palm and tell your future. I was interested – I’d like to know how the future pans out. So, I picked somebody, and she proceeded to provide an amazingly disappointing performance that was mostly a combination of boring, wrong, and clichéd. I didn’t get my $20 worth, but what if you could see the future? What would you want to know, and what would you not want to know?Jonathan Brill is an author and a speaker, but perhaps he’s also the oracle that I’ve been seeking. He is, according to his business card, a Futurist. For the first years of his career, his focus revolved around innovation and what products would shape the future. But then he accepted a new role in a new organization, which he assumed would be more of the same. Irony alert – turns out the future wasn’t as predictable as he thought. Get‌ ‌book‌ ‌links‌ ‌and‌ ‌resources‌ ‌at‌ https://www.mbs.works/2-pages-podcast/   Jonathan reads two pages from ‘The Medium Is the Massage’ by Marshall McLuhan. [reading begins at 17:05]  Hear us discuss: Understanding the shape of a question. [8:13]| Three tips for community building. [11:19] | How to stay engaged, yet be removed. [23:13] | “There are three conversations to have about any situation with another person; What happened? How do we feel about it? And What Happens Next?” [28:15]  | System observation and pattern recognition: “If you have a process for looking at the future, you can know a whole lot more than you imagine.” [30:19]  | Jonathan’s book, Rogue Waves: “How do I increase my optionality and potential, no matter what happens?” [36:59]

Recommend this show by sharing the link: pod.link/2PagesAre you living for 70 years, or are you living the same year 70 times?It’s one of the great existential questions that writers and creators face, too – Am I writing many books, or am I writing the same book many times? Sure, the “best” answer seems obvious, but I’m not sure the true answer is always clear-cut. Malcolm Galdwell made popular a study that showed the difference between two great artists, Picasso and Cezanne; there’s deep and there’s wide, and it’s an eternal rhythm. Get‌ ‌book‌ ‌links‌ ‌and‌ ‌resources‌ ‌at‌ https://www.mbs.works/2-pages-podcast/Geoff Dyer is a real writer. He’s the award-winning author of four novels, as well as numerous non-fiction titles on D. H. Lawrence, understanding photography, yoga, and more. Geoff reads two pages from ‘The Country and the City’ by Raymond Williams. [reading begins at 23:45]  Hear us discuss: The relationship between photography and writing. [6:33] | “Write the book that only you can write.” [11:47] | Self-expression as a learnt practice: “I became a very original writer by being incredibly susceptible to influences.” [11:53] | “The writing life is full of surprises.” [35:06] | The most important lessons in writing. [36:53]

Recommend this show by sharing the link: pod.link/2PagesSo how are politics going in your country? ... No, no, don't tell me - you're just delighted with how your version of democracy is currently showing up. ... I am truly feeling the pain and the confusion. And the inadequacy, of course, not knowing what to do about it right now.But what if in the future the good guys win? And if you knew that you were one of the good guys - and I think you are - what would that call forth from you? On Rob Hopkins’ website there is a photo of him holding a sign that says, ‘I've been to the future…’ Rob is a father, a husband, a speaker. He's an author, he's an artist. He's a gardener. And perhaps central to all of that. He is an activist. Rob co-founded Transition Network and also Transition Town. Rob reads two pages from ‘We Do This ‘Til We Free Us’ by Mariame Kaba. [reading begins at 13:50]  Hear us discuss: “We need to build what I like to think of as being an imagination infrastructure.” [3:32] | How to sustain energy as an activist. [6:09] | The power of ‘What if?’ [11:41] | “And the only reason we're going to do it is if we're able to talk about what the radical transformation of society would be like in a way that is so irresistible and delicious and magnificent that of course, we want to do that.” [18:50] | “What does it mean to be someone whose work unlocks different possibilities and different ways of thinking about the future?” [21:03] | The goal of enlightenment is to free others. [26:41] | “The kind of activist [anyone] can be is entirely something that they shape themselves and is a reflection of what they're passionate about and what they care about and what they grieve for and what delights them.” [39:40]