Self-help books are about using psychology to help yourself. This is the same as personal development, self-improvement, or self-actualization. All these can be achieved by reading about them in a book or reading about other people's experiences to get inspiration.
Reading self-help books is beneficial to the learner and society in many ways. It teaches us how to better ourselves, builds our confidence, improves our health, and helps us steer clear of toxic relationships. The more we read, the better versions of ourselves we become.
This list is an excellent collection of the most influential self-help books ever written. It also contains some of the individuals who are at the forefront of modern inspirational literature, educational theory, and related topics.
Here’s a summary of my favorite personal development or self-growth books with a summary of the main ideas:
Let’s get to it…
It could be easy to think a book about success from the 1930s would be irrelevant in today’s workplace. However, I actually found this book really interesting and got a lot out of it – if you want to take the time to read it, I think you will too.
This is not true. Yes, you do need to use modern methods of execution for methods that didn’t exist at the time, but the basic principles themselves are still relevant and just as accurate today as they were 80 years ago.
This book is a classic. Many successful people have read it over the past 80 years and gained insight that has helped them to be more successful in their own careers.
There are so many things happening in our lives every day, with the sheer number of information bombarding us, it is easy to get overwhelmed with all these demands. The key is to adapt to change or make changes when necessary.
The way to become a “super learner” is in this book with Jonathan Levi. The entire system is backed up by neuroscience, and the techniques were mostly honed by top performers in various fields.
From the pages, you’ll learn techniques to read more quickly and strengthen your memory.
The latest reviews show that this book has transformed many people’s lives. Get the chance to unleash your potential greatness with the free copy!
It’s common to find that those people who manage to be successful agree on one thing: it takes a good attitude. Thinking positively will not magically make success happen as some other self-books would have you believe.
However, positive thinking can put you in the right place to capitalize on it when it does occur; so skip the get-rich-quick scheme and work your way to the top. for success.
One slight negative is that some people might not like the book because of the religious overtones. Dr. Peale’s faith is clear, but I feel that this book has merit even if you’re not Christain. Just listen to good advice.
Anyone who’s read any self-help books should know Jack Canfield. He wrote the popular motivational Chicken Soup for the Soul series and has been inspiring people for years.
Success Principles is the type of self-help book that gives you 65 different approaches towards improvement. If you are looking for guidance for your life, this book has it all!
Other people may be put off by this book because some of the principles are rehashed ideas. But these are tried-and-true tactics that have consistently worked for many. It might seem basic, but so is using a hammer! I think it can be an excellent refresher on things you need to do to achieve the success you desire in life.
Outliers, unlike the rest of the books on this list, does not come with a list of specific things to do in order to succeed.
Read about all the interesting anecdotes found in this book and how success is not achieved by luck, attitude, or even skills. The only measuring stick is the time we put into our skills. People with successful careers are more able to devote their time which leads to stronger skills.
People often believe that time is the enemy, and I’ve had many conversations where someone tells me the challenges of not having enough time. The central idea of this book is that people have it backward. Loehr and Schwartz state that energy is the key, not time.
Success comes from making a series of “life-sprints” instead of just running one marathon. By holding back on tasks, then completely resting, you are able to get more done in less time and live a happier and more fulfilling life at the same time.
This book argues some great points the next time you hear yourself saying “I don’t have time” to do something important, reach for a copy of this book.
Reading Getting Things Done was an eye-opening experience, as it gave solid advice on how to effectively plan for any kind of project. This book provides advice on how to handle both business and personal aspects of your life, making it a definite must-read for anyone with any amount of ambition.
This proven and easy-to-understand system will help you conquer all the chaos in your life. Plus, it comes with a quick and effective solution to help you stay organized and on top of everything.
The book “How to Win Friends and Influence People” is a bestseller for good reason. It contains the information you need to convince people to like you and change their opinion on an issue. The author sets out 6 tips for making people like you and 9 tips for influencing them.
You can’t possibly do anything, in any set of circumstances, without the support of other people. With this book, you’ll learn how to get them on board with your vision and how to deal with trade-offs. An absolute classic on building better work relationships
This is another book I struggled with whether to place on this list. On one hand, Anthony Robbins seems to me to be a salesman of change as much as he has fresh ideas. We’re very proud of this book as it tackles a difficult subject but does so in a way that will remain inspirational.
Robbin wants this book to be a guide in life that can help you in four ways: emotional, physical, mental, and financial. All these different parts work together to create the ideal conditions for you to succeed in all areas. When you’re doing well in all aspects, there’s no greater time or place than when you are your best self.
I have to admit, I have a few mixed feelings about The 4-Hour Workweek. Some parts of the book are really insightful, but I’m not sure if it would be useful for me since I just want more from my 9-5 lifestyle.
The book might challenge you to rethink the status quo and evaluate how you spend your time. It does a really good job of this.
Tim does a great job of explaining the ins and outs of the digital lifestyle. He even gets you started with his lively energy that epitomizes how he feels about this amazing business.
Whether you want to make money online or not, this book has some good advice on living a better life. However, if you’re just looking for more productivity tips or want to flip through the pages quickly – it might be one that’ll go untouched.
This is a question that many people ask themselves. Unfortunately, there is no simple answer to this question. You can’t just improve yourself overnight and take a shortcut to your goal. It will take time and effort on your part to reach the level of improvement that you want to reach and sometimes it may take more than one try.
With that said, here are simple things you can do to work on improving yourself right now.
The importance of keeping a gratitude journal of everything you have to be thankful for can’t be stressed enough. Not only does it help relieve stress and improve sleep, but research has shown that incorporating gratitude into your daily time can also ward off depression.
Anna Hennings, a mental performance coach in sport psychology, suggests the use of the acronym GIFTS. This stands for Growth, Inspiration, Friends/family, Tranquility, and Surprise. It’s a simple way to be mindful of what makes you happy.
Whenever you come across people outside or inside the office, make an extra effort to remember their names. Expert Madeleine Mason Roantree says that this can make a “big difference” in someone’s day and will help “build interpersonal connections.”
Cultivating mindfulness can help you feel so much more present in your relationships, no matter how distant the relationship may be.
Unplugging can be a good way to take a break from your device and take time away from updating your social media. It’s also a great opportunity to do something different by taking part in an activity or interacting with people around you.
Instead, try going for a walk and connecting with your thoughts to clear your mind and allow you to find new perspectives.
Unplug from technology for a little while. Get outdoors or catch up with old friends in person. Try giving your mind some freedom by avoiding your phone & other screens for a few hours or day*. Knowing you can leave your devices behind helps you clear your head, improve focus, and feel more connected now.
Although we all have shortcomings and take some time to perfect our talents, it’s easy to become overly critical of ourselves. This can lead to a decrease in motivation and productivity.
Asking yourself too many negative questions like “Am I a good person?” can lead to self-doubt and pessimism, and make it difficult to do anything to make your life better.
You can start being more optimistic by speaking positively to yourself. The hardest part is catching yourself when you’re in a negative thought pattern and intentionally thinking differently, but with some practice, this should get easier.
Doing something kind for others can really lift your spirits and help you feel better about yourself – even if it’s something small like paying a compliment, buying lunch, or sending a card can make a world of difference to someone’s day or week.
Counting up the kind deeds you do throughout the week can generate a lot of happiness and increase feelings of gratitude in your daily life, says Roantree. Research shows that simply counting the good deeds you’ve done for five days will cause an improvement in mood and happiness.
It may be tempting on hectic days to focus solely on pushing through your meal like you don’t have time for food, but your body deserves the attention.
Mindful eating provides you with the opportunity to check in with your physical feelings as well as your emotions. Next time you have lunch, slow down to take notice of the different tastes & textures. Mindful eating can be used to successfully control your appetite by concentrating on being present
It might seem like a no-brainer but getting enough sleep is really important to how you feel the next morning. Aim for seven to eight hours of sleep each night and see how much more refreshed you feel. You’ll also want to set up a space that is safe and comfortable enough that if your mind wanders it will eventually be pulled back into dreamland
Find ways to improve the quality of your sleep by reducing your caffeine consumption late in the day, taking a melatonin supplement, or relaxing in a warm bath or shower before bedtime.
Focusing on your breathing for a few minutes every day is really important to our well-being. You can take this time to practice even when you are at the bus stop, waiting in line for groceries, or even when you are in the office. We found that people who do this come out feeling refreshed and energized.
The way you feel about your home can influence how relaxing or stressful your time there is. For an instant mood boost, the next time you have a free 30 minutes try tackling some quick household chores that will brighten up your day, like shining your bathroom mirror, decorating your favorite painting, or organizing paperwork.
Reward yourself by treating yourself to something you enjoy. Perhaps take some time to relax in your newly refreshed space with a face mask or pet your favorite animal?
Holding onto negative emotions like regret, pain, and resentment only hurts the people around you. It also makes you feel down and take it out on everyone close to you including yourself.
A licensed psychologist tells us it’s important to forgive anyone who has wronged you so the negative thoughts they created can be eliminated. It’s also key to never go to bed angry.
We often underestimate the power of self-care and just think about manicures and spa treatments. But according to one renounce speaker, there’s more than that: “It’s also about eating well and getting enough nutrition to support your brain and body,”
Another way to prepare is to make sure you’re moving your body somehow throughout the day, whether that means taking a walk, touching someone else’s hand or holding their gaze–or even just taking care of some household tasks. If you have time, do something fun outside. And don’t forget to give yourself some “downtime”–even if it’s just for 10 minutes.
These don’t need to be time-consuming endeavors. Look for quick 10- or 20-minute pockets of time in your day where you can head outside for a walk or prepare yourself a bowl of fresh fruit.
A lot of people tend to turn conversations they’re having with others into imaginary dialogue by having “conversations” with themselves. That’s not the best approach, though! What you should do is take things personally and evaluate them on your own. One speaker suggests offering empathy and understanding instead of just telling others what to think.
Spend some time each day thinking about all the ways you positively impact those around you. These don’t have to be huge gestures but they show that you care.
You may have also held the door open for someone carrying heavy bags or made a fresh pot of coffee at work when you noticed it was getting low.
You may still struggle with embracing a new frame of mind — but don’t worry about that. One speaker said, “Tomorrow is a new day, so if you b
Being a better person starts with being the best version of yourself. It starts with treating yourself with the same love and kindness that you give others.
This means not being hard on yourself when you don’t achieve the things you set out to do, and being patient, kind, and caring with yourself during your low days.
It’s important to remember that there are diverse ways in which one can become a better person, and what might work best for one person may not be the best way to go for someone else. Put your focus on what you’re most passionate about to live a life full of joyous moments.
Bonus Video:
Here is a quick video from Jim Rohn that will help you with your self-growth journey.