The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life

Written by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander

Narrated by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander

Presenting twelve breakthrough practices for bringing creativity into all human endeavors, The Art of Possibility is the dynamic product of an extraordinary partnership. The Art of Possibility combines Benjamin Zander's experience as conductor of the Boston Philharmonic and his talent as a teacher and communicator with psychotherapist Rosamund Stone Zander's genius for designing innovative paradigms for personal and professional fulfillment.

The authors' harmoniously interwoven perspectives provide a deep sense of the powerful role that the notion of possibility can play in every aspect of life. Through uplifting stories, parables, and personal anecdotes, the Zanders invite us to become passionate communicators, leaders, and performers whose lives radiate possibility into the world.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Audio
• Release date: Jan 4, 2011
• ISBN: 9781427212856

Rosamund Stone Zander

Rosamund Stone Zander is a family therapist, leadership coach, and landscape painter. She is co-author with Benjamin Zander of the book The Art of Possibility.

Reviews for The Art of Possibility

[rubya_32 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

A little bit too kool-aid/landmarky for me.

[maggiereads · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Around the age of ten, Mother allowed me to spend the night with my new friend Suzanne. A huge event because Suzanne’s family lived in a brand new, paint-still-drying house, and I being ten didn’t get out much.As we were getting ready for bed, Suzanne’s mom pops her head in and says, “When you settle down I’ll tell you a story.” Suzanne began to ham it up, “This is the best story!”, “You will want to tell everyone!”, “Mom will have you in stitches!” and so on like a Barnum and Bailey circus barker. Therefore, I calmed down as fast as anyone full of popcorn and coke, could.With our feet tucked in and the covers to our chins, Suzanne’s mom commences with the story…There is a family with twin sons. One son is an eternal optimist and the other a perpetual pessimist…Brief intermission to allow for definitions…Well, a local doctor claims he can cure the boys. He fills one room full of toys and another full of manure. The doctor leads the brothers down a long hallway and places them in the separate rooms: optimist with manure and pessimist amongst the toys. Before five minutes are up, the pessimist is screaming and wailing in his room.Both parents rush down the hall to his aid. After opening the door, the pessimist starts complaining about the broken toys, and the lack of a playmate. Some toys are too small for him and some require assembling, etc.The parents then realize their other son is awful quiet in his room. Fearing the worst, they inch open the door and are almost hit in the face with manure. Here they see their optimistic son digging furiously like a dog. Upon seeing them at the door the son shouts, “Throw me a shovel! With all this manure, there’s bound to be a pony!”Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander, will have you shouting, “Where’s the pony!” after reading their new book The Art of Possibility. This husband and wife super duo has learned to solve problems with the left sides of their brains. Problem solving that is “outside the box” and lends well to any professional or personal life.If the Zander name sounds familiar, good, Benjamin is the current conductor for the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra and wife Rosamund is a noted psychotherapist. She is also a budding artist and when the couple has trouble at work, she literally draws possible solutions. Let this book draw you in and show you new roads less fret with manure.

[Maurice Cronin · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Well worth the time. Recommend by Tim Ferriss. I will be re listening in the near future

[rchj98_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A very effective and entertaining book. Very "artful" in getting the reader to actually implement the strategies.

[Jessica Ashley Steele · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is phenomenal - it’s helped me reshape my perspectives on “possibility” and openness. The authors bring truly impactful life experiences, anecdotes, and wisdom to life in this book. I highly recommend this book to readers with open minds and open hearts.

[Iwan Kurniawan · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Just Super. The beauty of possibillity. Thank you for Sharing the View from musical(Ben) and Business(Rose) side

[readmore_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

While this is often looks dangerously close to being a YASHB (Yet Another Self Help Book) it proved to be a very good read filled with interesting stories of music and clever conflict resolution and creative living.

[Suzanne Foley · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of the most meaningful and beautiful books I've ever read. I rarely read a book more than once but cannot wait to dive into this one again and continue to fine tune and practice the tools.

[pjhogan_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

More inspiration than practical tips about creativity. It did encourage me to appreciate all the constraints our mental models put on us. I particularly liked the idea of “Rule No. 6”: (name comes from an anecdote) which is not to take yourself too seriously. Coda says book is interested in providing reader with “tools for your transformation.” Concepts are presented in chapters with anecdotes from authors, a husband-wife team. Ben, a conductor of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra and Rosamund, a family therapist.

[verucas_chaos · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of the best "business" books I have ever read. Applicable to education and business philosophy as well. This is a book I will come back to over and over for good ideas.

[vvilliam_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A passionate look at empowerment, leadership, and fulfillment. Roz and Ben compliment each other very well, offering vignettes from their personal lives as a coach and a conductor. The overall theme of inspiring possibility is great, as are the specific techniques for doing so in this book. I easily see myself revisiting this in the future.

[Sandy Jones · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wonderful book. Recommended to me by a leader at my company, it brought home some poignant messages if heard before as well as introducing some new ones I hadn't yet discovered. I will recommend this to others!

[davidgnp · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I worked with Ben for several years, bringing his talks to British audiences, and I produced a video 'Benjamin Zander: Conducting Business' which brought many of the stories in this book to life through Ben's inspirational ways of working with business audiences and musicians directly. Ben's wife Rosamund was kind enough to act as 'first reader' for the facilitator's guide to the video, and I returned the favour for the first draft of this book, so I have to declare my bias. I have met many people (including one in my own family) who have told me that seeing and hearing Ben changed their approach to life and business for the better. Though the book cannot deliver quite so much, it is nevertheless a great and inspiring read.

[steve55_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I remember seeing Benjamin Zander at one of his lectures seven or eight years ago, and being inspired by his message. This book captures much of Benjamin’s philosophy in the topic area of the subtitle, ‘Transforming Professional and Personal Life’.The book is jointly written with Rosamund Stone Zander who is a family therapist. Drawing equally on Rosamund’s experience and that of Benjamin’s conducting the world’s orchestras, including the Boston Philharmonic, the book takes the form of a ‘How to’ which instead of providing strategies to overcome life’s obstacles, invites the reader into a world of opportunities.With many references to his life in music in the form of analogy and experience, the book sets out a dozen practices which will bring the power of opportunity into your life. The practices are all simple. Each provides a story based explanation of its value drawn from the personal experience gained in the USA and UK by the two authors, and straightforward instruction on its use.As always with the best advice, there is no rocket science here, though the book is more powerful for this, not less. For example ‘Giving an A’ simply suggests that by approaching everyone we meet prepared and ready to see their best, this very act has already created energy to improve outcomes and create new opportunities in what they achieve. The book’s graphic examples bring these simple approaches to life and provide evidence of the power of apparently simple ideas.This is a powerful book. I read this book on a flight to Khartoum, and found some of the insights and examples quite moving. Occasionally the musical references left me struggling a little, but served to highlight a need to learn more and in no way diminished the value of the messages.I heartily recommend this book to everyone determined to improve their lives and in search of simple ways in which to begin.

[gshuk_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This audio delivers on its title. It provides thoughts that allow you to step outside the box in how you approach dreams, goals and your outlook on life. I highly recommend this entertaining audio.

[buildingabookshelf · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I've read a million-and-one self improvement books, so it isn't very often that I find something that I haven't heard already. This book had several eye-opening topics for me. I was drawn into the book and had trouble putting it down. I especially liked the topic of 'giving yourself an A.' It is such a simple thing, but really altered my philosophy. This will be a book that I pick up over and over.