Brendon Burchard spent over a decade as one of the highest-paid performance coaches in the world. After coaching and surveying the world’s best, he discovered that there are really only 6 habits that lead to long-term success. This is a book that can help anyone at any stage in their self improvement journey.
Life can be overwhelming and we’re often guilty of biting off more than we can chew. Gary Keller cuts through the clutter and shows you the principles for staying productive and knocking out even your biggest dreams.
There are books about habits and then there’s Atomic Habits. James Clear has written a masterclass in habit psychology and shows you how to reverse engineer the habits you hate and gives you the tools you need to set up the habits you can be proud of.
This book may have been written in the early ’90s, but it made it onto our list of the best personal growth books because the content is still just as solid. There’s a reason Tony Robbins is still one of the most respected personal growth experts in the world and this book will walk through some of his most effective strategies and techniques for mastering your emotions, your body, your relationships, your finances, and your life.
Look past the strange title and the author’s name you may have never heard of because this book is essential reading. Maxwell Maltz is a plastic surgeon who became a self-help author in the 1960’s. He’s one of the first to discover the importance of self-image and self-awareness which led to this gem of a book. This is a must-read and can change how you see yourself for the rest of your life.
According to Mel Robbins, The 5 Second Rule is a simple, one-size-fits-all solution for the one problem we all face — we hold ourselves back. It’s inspired by her famous TedX talk and one that’s definitely worth picking up if you’re needing a good kick in the pants. The secret isn’t knowing what to do—it’s knowing how to make yourself do it.
Ever had something not go exactly how you planned? Yeah, us too. In The Obstacle Is The Way, Ryan Holiday teaches his Stoic tactics for rolling with the punches and working through whatever life throws at you. If you want to accomplish anything of significance, this will be useful advice.
The title may sound a little cheesy but the advice couldn’t be more solid. Since 1936, it’s sold over 30 million copies. If you want to make more friends and become a better friend in the process, grab this book.
Lady O’s latest book contains her thoughts on creating a clear vision for your life, and it also features snippets of wisdom throughout the book. You’ll hear from the minds of Jay-Z, Ellen DeGeneres, and many others. Even if you’re not an audiobook fan, this one is a must-listen. It’s read by Oprah and each snippet of wisdom is read aloud by the respective thought leader.
It’s important to know what you want to accomplish, but if you want it to last, Simon Sinek explains you need to know your why. This book will help you build a firmer foundation for your job or your business.
Brene Brown believes that leading well begins and ends with empathy and understanding. This isn’t your typical leadership book but it’s the one we’ve all been needing to read and didn’t have until now.
In Principles, Ray Dalio gives us a look at what he’s learned over the course of his incredible career. He makes the argument that life, management, economics, and investing can all be systemized into rules and understood like machines. We’re still trying to figure out if Ray Dalio is part robot, but the book is definitely solid. There’s even a free Principles app that’s definitely checking out as well!
Remember that wild Wolf of Wall Street movie featuring the outlandish character played by Leonardo DiCaprio? Well, that’s a true story and that character’s name in real life is Jordan Belfort. In Way of the Wolf, Belfort reveals his proven principles for selling, persuading, and building unshakeable confidence. This time, thankfully, it’s to help others rather than steal from them.
If you love Disney and Pixar, you’ll love this book. The transparent stories and life lessons Ed Catmull shares from the early days from Pixar will stick with you for years to come. And if you’re over the age of 25, the nostalgia factor is reason alone to check this one out.
John Maxwell is THE authority on leadership and organizational influence. If you lead others, this one needs to be on your nightstand.
Making your bed every day might seem like a silly exercise to some, but to Admiral William McRaven, it’s a defining factor for having a successful day. Each chapter contains a brief anecdote with an underlying principle derived from McRaven’s life as a military leader. It’s a short read, but well worth putting on your shelf.
Seth Godin is the greatest marketing mind alive and This Is Marketing is his masterpiece. Seth Godin distills the essentials of real marketing and dispels the assumed effectiveness of slimy sales tactics. If you’d like a masterclass in the kind of marketing that matters, there’s no better place to start than here.
Whether you’re growing a business, leading a team of people, or simply trying to get a good deal on a car — negotiation is a task we all must engage with from time to time. Contrary to popular belief, the goal of negotiation shouldn’t be about winning, but rather winning over someone with common ground. It’s a fascinating read that’s even better when you listen to former FBI hostage negotiator, Chris Voss, deliver it audibly.
Best Personal Growth Books
Productivity & Life Hacking
Time is one of our most valuable resources, which is why it’s so important that we make the most of it. Enhancing your productivity and introducing life hacks could be the difference-maker you’re looking for and these books are a great place to start.
Ever seen the movie, Limitless, where Bradley Cooper takes that super brain pill and his brain becomes an invincible superpower? Well, this book helps you supercharge your brain and improve your productivity — and you don’t even have to take a super illegal pill.
Tim Ferriss is the godfather of life hacking and this book helped forever cement his footprint in this space. The advice given in this book is timeless and a great starting point for upgrading your approach to work.
Two Tim Ferriss books in a row? Sorry, we couldn’t help it. This one is too important to pass over. It’s a huge book that’s filled with the most actionable insights taken from over 2 years of interviews featuring the world’s highest performers and earners.
One of our biggest problems with habits is often over estimating what we’re capable of in the short term and underestimating what’s possible in the long term. B.J. Fogg encourages us to break things down as tiny as possible so that we can ultimately achieve the consistency we’re craving with our habit aspirations.
This book is a full breakdown of habit building. If you want to understand the ins, the outs, and the in-betweens of habits — this book is for you.
This book was written by a writer and (primarily) for writers, but the advice can easily apply elsewhere in life. Pressfield introduces readers to our ancient foe, he refers to as The Resistance. In his opinion, it’s our fight against The Resistance that ultimately determines the success of our greatest endeavors.
Final Thoughts On
Best Personal Growth Books (Ever)
The Definitive Guide
You can’t go wrong by adding any of these books to your to-read list. The most important thing, however, is actually picking one of these up and mining its wisdom. If you feel like we missed an important read on our list of the best personal growth books, we’d love to hear about it. Send us a message at hello@learnstash.com or tweet us @LearnStash.
