Confession time – I love a self-help book. And I’m not afraid to admit it. From increasing my productivity to improving my mindset, I love reading about new ways to better myself. I’ve compiled a list of books that make for great self-help reads, from the slightly spiritual to the highly scientific, so there’s something in there for everyone!
1. You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero
If you haven’t already heard of this book, they you’ve probably been living under a rock (or you’re a newbie to the world of self-help). This book helps you to identify and alter your self-sabotaging behaviours in order to create a life you love. Jen Sincero makes the woo-woo stuff feel a little bit less crazy and lot more accessible. I have both the hard copy and audiobook and love both. In fact, it’s something that I go back to every year whenever I’m having a bit of slump.
2. Everything is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo
Marie Forleo is the queen of self-helpery. In this book she suggests that in order to be successful in life and get what you want, you have to adopt the adage ‘everything is figureoutable’. A simple but brilliant concept, it encourages you to maintain a positive and inquisitive attitude, to search for solutions and to not give up if things don’t work out at first. She also includes testimonials from people who have adopted the ‘everything is figureoutable’ attitude that are bound to keep you inspired.
3. The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod
In his book The Miracle Morning, Elrod lays out the ultimate morning routine, including the 6 habits he believes will set you up for the best day possible. These key practices are dubbed life S.A.V.E.R.S, standing for silence, affirmations, visualisation, exercise, reading, and scribe. Thousands of people have now adopted the ‘Miracle Morning’ way of life in the hopes of transforming their day and increasing their motivation.
4. The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
The book that led to the massive Netflix show, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up will help you to transform your space from cluttered mess to clear haven. The KonMari Method is based on a once-cleaned, never-messy-again approach that encourages the reader to keep only what he or she needs and to discard the excess. She also delves into how a clean space can positively affect us, encouraging us to make other changes in our lives.
5. The 10x Rule by Grant Cardone
The 10X Rule works on the premise that we underestimate ourselves and what we can do. Grant Cardone makes two major points in this book: 1) that we should set ourselves targets that are 10X greater than what we believe we can achieve, and 2) we should take actions that are 10X greater than what we believe is necessary to achieve our goals. He argues that the key to being successful and reaching our full potential is to set big goals and take massive action.
6. The Stress Solution by Dr. Rangan Chatterjee
It’s a well-known fact that as a population, we’re over-stressed. In his fantastic book, Chatterjee uncovers why this is the case and provides highly practical tips on how to reduce our stress levels. This includes everything from the foods we eat to the way we breathe to our phone addictions to finding our life’s purpose. It covers a massive amount of ground and lacks a lot of the fluff you often find in other self-help books.
7. Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker
Despite it being something we do everyday, most of us give very little thought to sleep – to why we do it or how much we need. In this book Walker explores the innovative research that’s gone into sleep, uncovering how sleep (or lack thereof) can affect us in ways that we’d never imagine. This book is full of interesting information and will turn you into a vigilant 8-hour sleeper.
8. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
Popular since its first publication in 1989, this book does what it says on the tin. Covey explores the 7 habits that he suggests successful people practice & possess. His simple concepts encourage readers to radically shift their mindset and put in place specific practices, in order to meet their goals and live a successful life.
9. The 80/20 Principle by Richard Koch
This book is all about maximising results whilst minimising efforts in any area of your life. It works on the 80/20 principle – the idea that 80% of all our outcomes, in both business and life, are a result of only 20% of our efforts. For example, 20% of customers account for 80% of revenue. Or 20% percent of the things we do bring us 80% of the happiness we feel. This book takes you through each area of life, showing you how you can implement the 80/20 rule in order to streamline, prioritise, and improve it.
