There are many different types of books that are life-changing, but some books can provide more actionable help than others. Self-help books can help you have more self-awareness, find your life passion, strengthen your relationships, and become more successful. Whether you’re looking for advice, understanding, motivation, or inspiration, there is a book to guide you on your journey. The thousands of self-help books available range from fast, easy reads to longer, more intensive guidebooks. Because it is difficult to sort through the masses of self-help books online or in a bookstore, I have compiled a list of the best self-help books on the market. This list will help you find one or more)books that you should add to your reading list to improve your life.
101 Of The Best Self-Help Books In The History Of The World
1. The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom, by Don Miguel Ruiz
This book covers the common internal struggles and the sources of self-limiting beliefs that keep people from living a happy life. The author describes a strong code of conduct that can quickly transform your life, allowing you to have more freedom, love, and happiness. This profound book will lead you to a better place in life.
2. You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life, by Jen Sincero
This revolutionary and blunt book written by success coach, Jen Sincero, shows you how to begin a positive transformation. With 27 short chapters that are full of funny and inspiring stories and simple exercises, you will gain life-changing insights to get unstuck — while laughing along the way.
3. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen Covey
This popular book offers a step-by-step guide to the seven habits that successful people share, including being productive, starting with the end in mind, putting first things first, synergizing, and sharpening the saw. This is an impactful and inspiring book that uses an infographics format, making the life-enhancing lessons easy to learn.
4. The Power of Positive Thinking, by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale
Dr. Peale’s sole objective in this book is to help readers live happy, satisfying, and rewarding lives. This empowering and time-tested book helps you believe in yourself and improve the relationships in your life. It also helps you take control over your current circumstances so you can begin working toward a better future.
5. 12 Rules for Life, by Jordan Peterson
This funny yet informative book covers how to be successful in life, the ways in which resentment and arrogance can harm you, and other pieces of wisdom to make up the twelve practical and profound rules for life. Renowned psychologist, Jordan Peterson, makes difficult ideas entertaining to help inspire you to improve your life. He has distilled ancient wisdom and traditions into easy-to-understand truths using cutting-edge scientific research.
6. The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle
This guide for day-to-day living revolves around the idea of mindfulness. Tolle draws from several different spiritual traditions to describe a belief system based on letting go of the past and the future to live fully in the moment. The book’s main message is that our emotional issues are rooted in our thinking patterns.
7. The Road Less Traveled, by M. Scott Peck
This timeless book continues to help people explore the nature of loving relationships and aims to lead you to a new sense of serenity and a fulfilled life. You will learn how to identify the differences between dependency and love and ultimately how to become your authentic self. Dr. Peck guides you through the difficult process of gaining a higher level of self-understanding.
8. A Return to Love, by Marianne Williamson
A Return to Love offers the author’s insights on using love in the search for inner peace. Williamson addresses the benefits of accepting God and expressing love on a daily basis. This book reveals how practicing love will give you a more fulfilling life while also making a more peaceful world for our children.
9. You Can Heal Your Life, by Louise Hay
The key message in this book is that you can heal almost anything if you are willing to put in the mental work. The author shares her personal experience of healing herself after being diagnosed with cancer to illustrate her powerful point. After reading this book, you will understand how your thoughts about yourself dictate your reality and your physical and mental health.
10. Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy, by David Burns
Feeling Good reveals how the symptoms of depression can be alleviated without the use of drugs. Dr. Burns teaches scientifically proven techniques that will immediately lift your mood and help you grow a positive viewpoint on life. This edition includes a “Consumer’s Guide To Antidepressant Drugs” and helpful answers to questions about the variety of treatment options for depression.
11. As a Man Thinketh, by James Allen
This classic book has put thousands of men on the direct path to personal and financial growth. James Allen uses aphorisms and quotes to show you simple, yet revealing techniques that will motivate you to improve your character and create the life that you want to live.
12. The Untethered Soul, by Michael Singer
Spiritual teacher, Michael Singer, posits that everyone’s identity can be found in their capacity for self-awareness. This might be the right book for you if you are interested in meditation and mindfulness, as the author focuses on these traditions to demonstrate how developing a conscience can enable people to live in the present moment and release painful thoughts that hinder true happiness.
13. When Bad Things Happen to Good People, by Harold Kushner
Kushner, the father of a son who was diagnosed with a degenerative disease at the age of three, has often wondered why bad things happen to good people. This book examines the doubts and fears that come up when tragedy occurs. You will learn about Kushner’s wisdom as a rabbi, a parent, and a human. This classic book offers clear thinking and consolation during times of sadness and grief.
14. Peace of Mindfulness, by Barrie Davenport
This is the right book for you if you regularly find yourself overwhelmed, stressed, and anxious. Barrie Davenport teaches proven mindfulness techniques that can be practiced in everyday life. After learning about the peace of mindfulness techniques, you will have the tools to live a tranquil life with a lasting sense of happiness and inner peace that you have never felt before. This book will improve your self-worth and change how you view the world.
15. Way of the Peaceful Warrior, by Dan Millman
This cherished spiritual saga is written as a blend of autobiographical fact and narrative fiction. It is told with both heart and humor and has moved people to rediscover the larger meaning of life and find their purpose. This book will put you on a path to lasting happiness and help you on your own journey of self-discovery and inner awakening.
16. Outliers: The Story of Success, by Malcolm Gladwell
This book takes you on an intellectual journey to explore what makes high-achievers unique. Gladwell argues that we put too much emphasis on what successful people are like and don’t pay enough attention to culture, family, generation, and unique experiences. This book will teach you the secrets of highly successful people in an illuminating and entertaining way.
17. The Last Lecture, by Randy Pausch
What wisdom would you want to leave with the world if it was your last chance? The author of this book was asked to do just that after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Pausch emphasizes the importance of time and seizing every moment. This is an inspiring book for those who are feeling hopeless or lost in life.
18. The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho
This inspirational story by Brazilian author Coelho is a tale of Santiago, a boy who dreams of traveling the world. It offers the many lessons that Santiago learns on his journeys from Spain to Morocco to Egypt, where he eventually meets an alchemist and gains both self-understanding and spiritual enlightenment. The wisdom offered in this book is great if you are looking for self-empowerment, happiness, and the ability to believe in your dreams.
19. Declutter Your Mind, by S.J. Scott and Barrie Davenport
If you frequently feel stressed and overwhelmed, you will learn easy-to-implement mindfulness techniques, habits, actions, and mindsets that will help you clear your mental clutter and enjoy more inner peace. Negative thinking patterns, distractions, and overstimulation can cause anxiety and unhappiness. Davenport and Scott show you how to manage these challenges with mindfulness in your daily life.
20. The Magic of Thinking Big, by David Schwartz
This book inspires you to succeed by creating big goals for yourself. It is written for those people who want to learn how to stop making excuses and start seeing results in their lives. The author shows you how to develop a positive attitude that will turn you into a go-getter and successful person.
21. Tuesdays with Morrie, by Mitch Albom
Many of us have that one person in our lives who makes a huge impression and offers great wisdom. For Albom, it was a college professor. Two decades after college, Albom reconnected with this professor during his dying days to learn the final lessons this man had to teach. In the book, Albom shares these lessons which are applicable to anyone looking to get the most out of life.
22. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, by Carol Dweck
In this bestselling book, you will learn how your mindset influences your endeavors based on groundbreaking research by Dr. Dweck. Having a fixed mindset will prevent you from flourishing while adopting a growth mindset will allow you to believe that your abilities can be developed and improved. With a growth mindset, you can teach and motivate other people to transform their lives as well.
23. The Prophet, by Kahlil Gibran
This inspirational collection of poetic essays offers enlightenment on topics such as self-love, acceptance, marriage, and freedom by the Lebanese artist, philosopher, and writer Kahlil Gibran. This book will give you a new acceptance for yourself and new insights into your heart and mind. Written in 1923, The Prophet remains one of the most inspirational books of all time, with Gibran being the third bestselling poet of all time behind Shakespeare and Laozi.
24. The Art of Happiness, by Dalai Lama
The Art of Happiness is a collaborative work by the Dalai Lama and psychiatrist, Howard Cutler. This book provides an inside look on how to achieve the same unconditional happiness that the Dalai Lama enjoys. It includes direct quotes from the Dalai Lama, as well as explanation and details about his positive mindset. You will learn to achieve inner happiness and realize that happiness is not attached to external forces.
25. Daring Greatly, by Brene Brown
Growing up, people learn that if you show your vulnerabilities, it can make you appear weak and lacking in confidence. As a result, others often jump on the opportunity to take advantage of you. In this book, Brene Brown shows the side of vulnerability that puts you in control, makes people respect you, and makes you feel appreciated.
26. The 80/20 Principle, by Richard Koch
This book will help you maximize your efficiency with the idea of the Pareto Principle which claims that 80% of your accomplishments come from 20% of your efforts. This means people use 80% of their effort on only 20% of their tasks, leading to the stress and anxiety that partners with procrastination. The guidelines offered in this book show you how to be more effective by leveraging this principle to improve time management and efficiency.
27. Emotional Intelligence 2.0, by Travis Bradberry
In our fast-paced world of competition in the workplace and unstable economic conditions, everyone is looking for tools that can help us get ahead. It is widely known that emotional intelligence is critical to success, but knowing what that is and how to apply it to your life to improve your circumstances are two different things. This step-by-step guide offers four core skills to maximize your potential, including self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. This might be the right book for you if you struggle with making personal decisions or navigating social complexities.
28. Loving What Is, by Byron Katie
In this book, the author presents a technique called “The Work” to increase your happiness and passion for life. The Work is just four questions that you can apply to a specific problem to reveal what is really troubling you. Contrary to what many people believe, it doesn’t work to try to let go of a painful thought. Instead, you have to do The Work so the thought can let go of you. This might be the right book for you if you are having difficulties overcoming problems or negative thoughts on a regular basis.
29. When Things Fall Apart, by Pema Chodron
This book is a collection of seven years’ of conversations with Buddhist teacher, nun, and expert, Pema Chodron. This book touches on a variety of life’s difficulties and how to solve these problems through Buddhist philosophy. With a particular focus on curveballs in life, this guide for Buddhist living serves as a manual for creating a fulfilling life no matter what your faith is.
30. The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook, by Edmund Bourne
The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook focuses on overcoming anxiety through techniques offered in cognitive behavior therapy. Bourne explains the various anxiety disorders and the characteristics of each. He addresses the main causes of each disorder to help you understand your feelings and let you know that you are not alone. This workbook outlines different methods to overcome anxiety disorders without resorting to medication, including changing your self-talk.
31. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, by Mark Manson
Superstar blogger, Mark Manson, uses this book to show you how to be happy without following all of the positivity trends. People are frequently told that positive thinking is the key to happiness. Manson argues that things in life are sometimes just difficult, and you just have to learn to deal with it. Manson does not sugar-coat his message — he delivers a dose of raw and refreshing material to help you live a happy and grounded life.
32. The How of Happiness, by Sonja Lyubomirsky
This comprehensive guide will help you understand the elements of happiness based on years of scientific research by Dr. Lyubomirsky. It incorporates happiness strategies and quizzes to help you understand your individuality so you can realize your potential to live a joyful life. You will learn manageable changes you can make to improve your happiness and positive outlook.
33. Learned Optimism, by Martin Seligman
This book draws on over twenty years of clinical research to show you how optimism can easily enhance your quality of life. Dr. Seligman offers clear techniques to explain how to stop giving up, learn how to interpret your behavior, and learn to benefit from a positive inner dialogue. Learning these skills can help you decrease your depression, boost your immunity, and increase your potential.
34. Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl
This memoir by psychiatrist Viktor Frankl describes life in Nazi death camps and teaches lessons of spiritual survival. During the 1940s, Frankl labored in four camps, while his parents, brother, and pregnant wife all died. In this book, Frankl argues that you cannot avoid suffering, but you can decide how you will cope with it, find meaning in it, and move on with your life with a new sense of purpose.
35. The Mindfulness Journal, by Barrie Davenport and S.J. Scott
The Mindfulness Journal shows you how to build stress-reducing habits that will help you appreciate every day using mindfulness practices. With 365 unique and meaningful prompts, journaling becomes fun and engaging while helping you gain an appreciation for the things around you. This journal is an easy way to ensure you practice mindfulness every day.
36. How To Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie
The advice offered in this groundbreaking and iconic bestseller is both rock-solid and time-tested. It has helped countless people achieve success in their lives and will teach you how to become more likable, influence other, and change people without causing resentment. This might be the right book for you if you want to improve your social and business skills.
37. Influence, by Robert Cialdini
This book looks at the complex idea of human behavior, specifically the psychology behind why people tend to say “yes.” Cialdini is the groundbreaking expert in the expanding field of influence and persuasion. His extensive research and studies on the things that cause people to change their behavior is detailed in this highly acclaimed book.
38. The ONE Thing, by Gary Keller
The simple and powerful concept that is provided in this book focuses on the things that matter the most in people’s personal and work lives. Keller makes the argument that if you focus your energy on one thing at a time, you will be able to live a more rewarding life. Focus only on your career or your finances or getting in shape. As long as you want less, you will have fewer distractions.
39. Awaken the Giant Within, by Tony Robbins
Awaken the Giant Within is a collection of strategies to help you change by learning the behaviors and reasons that are behind bad habits — written by the world’s most famous life coach and self-help teacher. Robbins offers many strategies to help you make your behaviors conscious decisions rather than unconscious habits. You will learn to eliminate negative thought patterns that keep you stuck so you can unlock endless possibilities for accomplishment.
40. Start Where You Are, by Meera Lee Patel
This interactive journal is a powerful tool for positive change. It will help you navigate the confusion of your life by reminding you that you need to take time to know yourself and what your dreams are. This book offers supportive prompts, exercises, and quotes to encourage self-reflection and help you appreciate the surrounding world.
41. The Power of Habit, by Charles Duhigg
This book looks at the relationships between our habits and our psychological processes. Habits that are ingrained in your brain are difficult to break, but this book provides a three-step breakdown of some common habits. Duhigg teaches you how to observe the cues that trigger your habits and the rewards that you get from them. This can help you change your negative behaviors.
42. Wherever You Go, There You Are, by Jon Kabat-Zinn
During its first publication in 1994, no one knew this book would popularize the idea of mindfulness. Kabit-Zinn presents meditation as a natural activity that can be practiced anytime and anywhere and so us how to be mindful by practicing “non-doing,” visualization, and concentration. This book continues to improve lives today and will help you learn to be happy by appreciating the moment and living in a state of awareness.
43. The Obstacle Is the Way, by Ryan Holiday
This book ties in the ancient Greek philosophy of enduring pain along with perseverance. This might be the right book for you if you are feeling stuck, frustrated, or demoralized. It will help you turn your problems into advantages and inspire you with true stories of great people from every age.
44. Essentialism, by Greg McKeown
This might be the right book for you if you are often finding yourself being short on time or having too much to do. It’s about applying a systematic discipline to only get the necessary things done. By eliminating everything else, you can make a bigger contribution to the things that actually matter.
45. A New Earth, by Eckhart Tolle
This life-changing book will help you discover the freedom, joy, and fulfillment of a life lived in the present moment. This is important to personal happiness and is the key to ending conflict throughout the world. Tolle argues that our attachment to the ego leads to dysfunction, anger, jealousy, and unhappiness.
46. Boundaries, by Henry Cloud
This might be the right book for you if you are not confident in the limits that you set with others. Cloud reveals the ten laws of boundaries and shows you how to set them with your family, friends, coworkers, and yourself. You will learn how to improve the health of your relationships with boundaries and learn to reclaim your freedom to be fulfilled.
47. Getting Things Done, by David Allen
This book addresses a new way of approaching professional and personal tasks and offers important perspectives on the modern workplace. It is a great tool to use if you want to increase your productivity. It will help you learn how to decrease your stress while improving your work.
48. Eat That Frog!, by Brian Tracy
The main concept of this book is to avoid procrastination by first doing those tasks that you don’t want to do but are the most important. If you can organize your day this way, you will get the important things done and be able to move forward with other tasks that are easier and more enjoyable.
49. Building Confidence, by Barrie Davenport
If you are looking for more self-confidence to increase your capacity for success, the steps offered in Building Confidence will give you proven action steps to make real change. It will release you from your fear and self-doubt by learning to determine, deconstruct, and develop — determine what’s holding you back, deconstruct old ways of thinking, and develop new mindsets and skills.
50. The Brain that Changes Itself, by Norman Doidge
This inspiring book focuses on neuroplasticity and the brain’s ability to regenerate itself after trauma. This is a great science-based book with many personal stories tailored for people who are looking for proof that they can change and learn new behaviors.
51. The Gifts of Imperfection, by Brene Brown
This book explores how to gain the courage, empathy, and connection that is needed to embrace anything about yourself that you consider imperfect. Brown teaches you to recognize that you are enough. You will learn that no matter what you accomplish, you are worthy of love and acceptance.
52. The Confidence Code, by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman
This book emphasizes the importance of confidence in women and gives you a guide on how to achieve it. It uses research in genetics, sex, behavior, and cognition to give you the inspiration and advice that you need to close the gender gap and achieve the career that you want.
53. Grit, by Angela Duckworth
Psychologist Angela Duckworth reveals that the secret to achievement is a blend of passion and persistence called “grit.” Duckworth tells stories of struggling cadets and other people in positions that require peak performance. After reading this book, you will understand what all high achievers have in common.
54. The 5 Second Rule, by Mel Robbins
In this book, you will learn about the “push moment” you can use to motivate yourself to get through the toughest times. Rather than relying on others, you learn to push yourself. This book offers a solution to overcoming self-doubt and gaining the confidence you need to do almost anything with a strategy that takes just five seconds to employ.
55. Make Your Bed, by William McRaven
Based on Admiral McRaven’s incredible graduation speech with over 10 million views on YouTube, Make Your Bed shares timeless wisdom that includes one simple daily task to start your day the right way. Told with both humility and optimism, this book will give you clear wisdom, practical advice, and encouraging words to inspire you to achieve more, even during life’s toughest moments.
56. Not Nice, by Dr. Aziz Gazipura
This liberating book is great for people who have a hard time being assertive or saying no when others ask favors of them. Dr. Gazipura takes a deep look at the concept of being nice using engaging stories, humor, and vulnerability to inspire you to be a bold, expressive, and authentic version of yourself.
57. 10% Happier, by Dan Harris
In this book, ABC anchor and reporter Dan Harris, who suffered a panic attack on live television, shares his personal journey to teach you how to rein tame your negative thoughts and anxiety using meditation. Through meditation, you can learn how to have more control over your mind and emotions and relax the hyperactivity that often occurs in your brain.
58. The War of Art, by Steven Pressfield
This book teaches you how to break through anything that is keeping you from using your creativity to become successful. Pressfield helps you create a battle plan to conquer this enemy and turn your passion into a purpose.
59. Big Magic, by Elizabeth Gilbert
Elizabeth Gilbert shares her own creative process and offers wisdom and a unique perspective on creativity. She invites us to embrace what we love and face our fears in order to stoke creativity. After reading this book, you will be able to embrace your curiosity and release your suffering. You will be inspired to live a creative life and uncover your unique talents.
60. The Seat of The Soul, by Gary Zukav
This book offers a unique take on life by blending science, philosophy, and spirituality. Zukav suggests that we are evolving to a higher state of consciousness that focuses on harmony, cooperation, sharing, and reverence for Life. The author’s purpose is to teach you how to develop your inner power to deal with life’s hardships. After reading this book, you will be encouraged to be the authority in your life.
61. Flow, by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
This book teaches you that what makes an experience truly satisfying is a state of awareness called “flow” which can be under your control. During a flow state, you experience deep enjoyment, creativity, and a complete involvement with life. You learn how to order the information that enters your consciousness and discover true happiness to get you to that point.
62. How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, by Dale Carnegie
This book is a classic must-read by Dale Carnegie, a writer and lecturer and the developer of courses in self-improvement, corporate training, public speaking, and interpersonal skills. If you are looking to eliminate debilitating fear and worry from your life and embrace a worry-free future, include this book on your reading list. You will be given a set of practical formulas that you can use right away to help you start living a happier life.
63. Radical Acceptance, by Tara Brach
This book addresses the struggle and debilitating effects of self-judgment. Tara Brach offers a clear guide to trusting your innate goodness and shows you how to develop both clarity and compassion to ultimately obtain radical acceptance of yourself. This is an empowering book that inspires genuine change.
64. The Happiness Advantage, by Shawn Achor
To be successful, you have to be happy first. In The Happiness Advantage, you will learn that positivity leads to creativity and motivation. It is only when you have a positive outlook that you can retrain your brain and gain a competitive edge that will ultimately make you successful.
65. Self-Compassion, by Kristin Neff
This book helps you stop self-criticism to lead a more fulfilling life. Rather than focusing on self-esteem, Neff suggests that self-compassion ultimately leads to personal success and happiness. This book offers exercises and action plans to help you deal with your emotionally debilitating struggles.
66. Finely Tuned: How to Thrive As a Highly Sensitive Person or Empath, by Barrie Davenport
This guidebook is for people who are highly sensitive and empathic and want to be understood. Davenport shows you why you have such a sensitive nature and how you are completely normal in your personal characteristics and needs. You will learn skills to help you understand yourself, communicate your traits with others, and reshape your life around your talents so you and other people can benefit from them.
67. The Achievement Habit, by Bernard Roth
In this book, Roth applies insights that originate with design thinking to help you realize how much power you hold for positive change. He offers discussions, stories, recommendations, and techniques that are designed to help you create a new life. You can use his insights to gain the confidence to do what you want and overcome obstacles that are hindering you from reaching your potential.
68. Thrive, by Arianna Huffington
Huffington talks about her challenges with time management and prioritizing her personal and professional lives. She uses the latest research and scientific findings in psychology, health, sleep, and physiology to show the transformative effects that meditation, mindfulness, unplugging, and giving can have on your life.
69. Failing Forward, by John Maxwell
Maxwell takes a close look at failure to reveal that the secret to moving past failures is to learn from them. He argues that the difference between high achievers and other people is their response to failure. In this book, you will learn that positive benefits can come from negative experiences.
70. Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson
This business classic will teach you how to better deal with change to have less stress in your working life. It explores an easy way to eliminate fear and anxiety and learn how to anticipate and accept change to positively impact your job, relationships, and other parts of your life.
71. Think and Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill
This timeless book offers money-making tips that can improve your life using the “Law of Success” philosophy. Drawing on stories of Andrew Carnegie, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, and other millionaires of his generation, Hill teaches the secrets to help you make money and shows you how to do it. The techniques in this book will help you master the secret of lasting success.
72. Callings, by Gregg Levoy
This might be the right book for you if you are trying to find your passion or calling. It gives an overview of what some possible callings are and how people find them. Levoy draws on the knowledge and stories of people who have successfully followed their callings in the past to show that you, too, can find your own personal authenticity.
73. The Life Passion Journal, by Barrie Davenport
If you have been looking for something that makes you feel enthusiastic and gives you a purpose in life, this journal for you. The Life Passion Journal poses powerful questions to help you find what you are supposed to do with your life. It will help you discover what you want out of life and what may be holding you back from getting it.
74. The Slight Edge, by Jeff Olson
This book offers a way of thinking and processing information that will let you make choices resulting in happiness and success. Olson shows you how to achieve great results from the daily activities of your life by using the tools you already have.
75. The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, by Deepak Chopra
The renowned doctor, author, and speaker, Deepak Chopra, offers seven simple, powerful principles that you can apply to your life to be successful. Chopra shares timeless wisdom of a life-changing perspective on success: Once you understand your nature and are able to live in harmony with natural law, you will have health, a sense of well-being, fulfilling relationships, and enthusiasm for life.
76. The Success Principles, by Jack Canfield
This book offers the best tips, tricks, and skills that motivational speaker Jack Canfield has developed. Canfield covers 64 principles of success, addressing love, money, and interpersonal relationships. He also shares stories of famous celebrities and historical figures who have used these principles to achieve success.
77. Blink, by Malcolm Gladwell
Gladwell uses this book to discuss choices that are made in an instant that aren’t really as simple as they seem. He reveals that effective decision makers aren’t those who think about the decision the most but rather people who have perfected the art of filtering out the few factors that matter from a lot of variables.
78. The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem, by Nathaniel Branden
This book is a recap of the author’s lifetime of clinical practice focusing on human motivation and behavior. This might be the right book for you if you have any personal or professional interest in self-esteem. You will learn why self-esteem is basic to your overall health and a fundamental part of your power.
79. 10-Minute Mindfulness, by S.J. Scott and Barrie Davenport
If you live unconsciously, you are likely to experience stress and overwhelming feelings as you rush through your day. Scott and Davenport help you learn how to take small breaks throughout the day to recenter yourself and incorporate mindfulness and live in the present moment. This is the perfect book for those who feel they don’t have enough time to be mindful.
80. Love Yourself, by Kamal Ravikant
It is not selfish to have both self-love and appreciation. Having these positive self-thoughts will make you a more loving and understanding person in relationships, which will help those around you as well. This book teaches you how to love yourself and reveals why it is important.
81. Mini Habits, by Stephen Guise
This is a great book if you want to make a change that you just can’t seem to get motivated to do. The author teaches you to pay attention to very small positive behaviors that will lead to an ultimate change rather than focusing on the final goal. If you can adopt many small habits, they will add up and eventually lead you to your final goal.
82. Get Out of Your Own Way, by Mark Goulston
In this book, you will learn practical strategies to help you overcome forty of the most common self-sabotaging behaviors. If you find yourself suffering from things like procrastination, jealousy, obsession, irritation, destitution, guilt, or inaction, this might be the right book for you.
83. Getting Past Your Past, by Francine Shapiro
No matter how good or bad your past is, you are influenced by experiences that you may not remember or understand. This book provides strategies to take the mystery out of the human condition and empower you to achieve positive change. Using detailed examples and exercises, Shapiro shows you how to better understand yourself and why the people in your life act how they do. You will also learn techniques to improve your relationships, conquer emotional barriers, and overcome limitations.
84. Willpower Doesn’t Work, by Benjamin Hardy
People rely on willpower to make changes, but you may be going about it wrong. In his book, Hardy explains that willpower is only a fad that is ultimately destined to fail. Rather than forcing yourself to change, you need to alter your environment to support your goals — which is what Hardy teaches you to do in this book.
85. The Motivation Manifesto, by Brendon Burchard
Motivational writer and teacher Brendon Burchard urges you to reclaim your life and find your freedom. It will lift you into a purposeful and meaningful existence and help you claim personal power despite social oppression and self-oppression, which is caused by your own fears and doubts. This book motivates you to free yourself from fear and regain your life.
86. The Element, by Ken Robinson
This book reveals the point where your natural talent intersects with your personal passion and you are able to feel truly yourself and inspired — your element. Robinson offers various ways to find your element in this book, along with things you can do to hinder your chances of getting to this point. Robinson references personal stories of well-known people to show that age and occupation are not barriers and that finding your element is the best strategy for success.
87. Feel The Fear and Do It Anyway, by Susan Jeffers
This book offers dynamic techniques and profound advice to guide you to turn your fear, indecisiveness, and anger into power and action. You will learn about the tools you need to help you become powerful and decisive when facing your fears. Jeffers reveals that everyone shares the same fears, but with the knowledge and wisdom she offers in this book, you will learn how to feel fear and face it anyway.
88. No Excuses! by Brian Tracy
If you are like most people, you believe success stems from good luck or talent, but a lot of successful people become that way through self-discipline. This book shows you how you can be successful and achieve overall happiness by having discipline in every aspect of your life. After reading this book, you will know how to be more successful in your endeavors instead of seeing other people as luckier than you are.
89. Before Happiness, by Shawn Achor
Do you see other people making positive changes and wish you could do the same? Achor describes why happiness is the antecedent to greater success. However, before you can be happy or successful, you need to recognize that positive change is possible. This book reveals five proven strategies for creating a positive lens. After mastering the strategies, you will be able to generate positivity and motivation that will let you reach your fullest potential in life.
90. Creating Your Best Life, by Caroline Adams Miller and Dr. Michael Frisch
This book is a useful, scientifically-based, and current guide on setting goals and achieving accomplishments. There are dozens of interactive exercises in this book along with quizzes that readers can use to pinpoint their needs and wishes. The authors lead you on a fun process of self-discovery that is sure to help you live a happier life. Miller and Frish offer research-validated information on why specific steps make a difference in accomplishing goals.
91. The More You Do, The Better You Feel, by David Parker
If you often find yourself suffering from procrastination, this might be the right book for you. This informative book reveals the golden rules of overcoming procrastination to prevent you from falling victim to the procrastination cycle. David Parker helps you stop feeling overwhelmed with fear by learning how to handle your responsibilities.
92. The Miracle Morning, by Hal Elrod
Hal Elrod offers a surprisingly simple approach to achieving everything that you want — faster than you ever imagined. He uses his own personal tragedy to highlight how to create your own miracle mornings. He poses the question, “What if you could wake up in the morning and everything in your life was starting to transform?” What would you want to change? You will learn how to start each day with more focus, energy, and motivation so you can bring your life to the next level.
93. What to Say When You Talk to Yourself, by Shad Helmstetter
Everyone is programmed from birth, and up to 75% of our programming may be working against us. Helmstetter teaches you how to get rid of past negative mental programs and replace them with healthy programs that will greatly benefit your life. Many people have found this to be one of the best personal growth books on the market.
94. The Power of Your Subconscious Mind, by Joseph Murphy
Murphy’s book on the subconscious mind illustrates how much people live every day of their lives on autopilot. He reveals how your subconscious is the key to many aspects of life, such as healing physical illness, building relationships, overcoming phobias, and developing the necessary confidence to advance your career. Murphy backs up his claims using scientific research. His techniques help you change your thought patterns to create a better life for yourself.
95. Healing Your Emotional Self, by Beverly Engel
If you have suffered from emotional hardships in your life such as abuse, this is a good book for you. Beverly Engel addresses the wide array of psychological abuses that children may endure and offers adults clear reminders that it is common to still be limited by the defenses we formed as children. The author provides engaging questionnaires and exercises to help people who are in the healing process.
96. Self-Esteem, by Matthew McKay
This book might be right for you if you suffer from low self-esteem or self-worth. One factor that everyone with low self-esteem has in common is negative thinking. Your interpretation of your circumstances is what determines how you feel — even if your interpretation is flawed. McKay uses proven methods to help you raise your self-esteem and reframe your interpretations of your circumstances.
97. Soul Without Shame, by Byron Brown
Do you struggle with your inner critic? If so, this book is a comprehensive guide to understanding how your inner critic works. Byron Brown gives you practical suggestions for silencing that voice. Brown uses straightforward language and common examples of how the inner critic works. Each chapter includes a simple exercise created to help you move on in your journey of self-discovery.
98. Presence, by Amy Cuddy
Amy Cuddy helps you access your personal sense of power so you can stop worrying about the impression that you make on other people. Cuddy uses research and individual stories to teach you how to confidently approach your biggest challenges and walk away from situations with satisfaction rather than regret.
99. The Confidence Gap, by Russ Harris and Steven Hayes
This is a great book for you if you feel you are missing out on opportunities in life because of a lack of self-confidence. The authors offer an unexpected solution to low self-confidence and insecurity — developing a wiser relationship with your fears. You learn that once you can stop struggling with your fears, you are able to find freedom from them.
100. Habit Stacking, by S.J. Scott
Scott teaches you how to make many small changes that work together to create a big change by “stacking” positive habits. Habit stacking is easier than it sounds and creates a new routine for you that will become second-nature. If there is something about your life that you want to change but don’t know where to start, this is the right book for you.
101. The Gratitude Diaries, by Janice Kaplan
Sharing amusing personal stories along with extensive research, Kaplan uses this book to describe how gratitude has the ability to profoundly change your life. It can impact your relationships, career, and health. Through conversations and interviews with experts and celebrities like Jerry Seinfeld, Kaplan reveals the role that gratitude plays in everything from your sense of achievement to your family’s happiness. Final Thoughts After reading this list, you will find few self-help books that pique your interest and address your personal challeges and goals. Every book on this list has made a lasting impression on a lot of people, so you are almost sure to get something out of any books you choose. What is youur favorite self-improvement book?
