Over the last 15 years, I have read over 700 books. A significant percentage of these have been self-help and personal improvement books.
I am so incredibly grateful for the authors of these books because they have helped me become better. Also, each, in their own individual way, has influenced my thinking and writing as I have written my upcoming book: Becoming Better: The Groundbreaking Science of Personal Transformation.
I want to share with you my top recommendations for the best self-help books broken down in two different ways:
- By topic area (e.g., Mind, Body, & Brain Health; Self-Leadership)
- By where you are in your development journey
I have starter-level books for people who are new to that space, deep-level books for people who want to dig deeper, and deeper-level books for people who really want to sink their teeth in.
My Recommendations
Taking the Leap from Good to Awesome
Starter-Level:
- The Traveler’s Gift by Andy Andrews
- The Go-Giver by Bob Burg & John David Mann
Deep-Level: You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero
Deeper-Level: The Mountain is You by Brianna Wiest
Taking the Leap from Awesome to Amazing
Starter-Level:
- High Performance Habits by Brendon Burchard
- Be Your Future Self Now by Ben Hardy
Deep-Level: The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander
Deeper-Level: Daring Greatly by Brené Brown
Inspirational & Powerful Memoirs of Personal Transformation
Starter-Level: Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
Deep-Level: Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins
Deeper-Level: The Choice by Edith Eger
Mind, Body & Brain Health
Starter-Level: 10% Happier by Dan Harris
Deep-Level: Outlive by Peter Attia
Deeper-Level:
- Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself by Dr. Joe Dispenza
- The End of Mental Illness by Daniel Amen
Healing Yourself
Starter-Level: The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown
Deep-Level: What Happened to You? by Bruce Perry & Oprah Winfrey
Deeper-Level: The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk
Self-Leadership
Starter-Level:
- Atomic Habits by James Clear
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
Deep-Level:
- (Pardon the self plug): Success Mindsets by Ryan Gottfredson
- Positive Intelligence by Shirzad Chamine
Deeper-Level: Mindsight by Daniel Siegel
Self-Awakening
Starter-Level:
- Attached by Amir Levine
- How to Meet Yourself by Dr. Nicole LePera
Deep-Level: The Seven Primal Questions by Mike Foster
Deeper-Level: Loving What Is by Byron Katie
Your Turn
What self-help books do you feel should be included in this list? Put your recommendations below in the comments.
5 Responses
A Christmas Carol is a story transformational to me which is about becoming and self awakening. I read it every year at Christmas.
The Book of Mormon and the New Testament have helped me become a different man both spiritually and emotionally.
I really liked Limitless by Jim Kwik for self help.
The Effective Executive by Peter Drucker is timeless.
Iam impressed and highly Interested in all of the books.
This article offers an exceptional compilation of transformative self-help and personal improvement books, providing readers with valuable resources to enhance their personal growth. Ryan Gottfredson’s thoughtful curation and insightful commentary on each selection make this list a truly comprehensive guide for those looking to invest in their self-development journey. A well-researched and highly useful resource for anyone seeking to expand their knowledge and improve their life.