Self Improvement Books
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To live is to improve ourselves. And to improve is to become better at everything we do – from daily chores to doing meaningful work, from getting up in the morning to retiring well, and from reading more books to becoming better versions of ourselves. Below is the list of books on self-improvement to read in 2023:
Let us discuss each of the self-improvement books in detail, along with their key takeaways and reviews.
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#1 – Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy
by Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant
This book comes from two New York Times Bestselling Authors and is one of the few masterpieces you should not miss out on.
Book Review:
Death isn’t easy to receive when you see one of your dearest ones crashing on the gym floor. Author and Facebook COOCOOCOO stands for Chief Operating Officer. It is a position of Top Management that reports to the Chief Operating Officer (CEO) and is in charge of the day-to-day operations and execution of business more
Sheryl’s husband, Dave, died suddenly, which made her feel that she would never find pure joy again. However, she shared her grief with a friend and Wharton Professor Adam Grant, who told Sheryl that it is possible to find joy irrespective of this painful experience.
And as a result, this book was born. Life is not certain, and we don’t know what awaits us in the next corner. Option B teaches us to be resilient and ready and find joy within those darkest hours where there is no room for light. Readers worldwide read and mentioned their deep-felt appreciation for this book. This book is not for grief; it includes not only Sheryl’s story but also ways to embrace uncertainty and fascinating research through which it can be possible.
Key Takeaways:
We recommend you read this book in one sitting to get the benefit. From real-life experience to research, you will find ways to cope with uncertainty, from a job loss to a sudden disease, from being anxious about life to be ready, and so on.
This self-improvement book will teach you to walk toward Option B when Option A is unavailable. Often, we don’t dare to let go of Option A to embrace the next best. This book will teach you how.
by Timothy Ferris
This book is the culmination of distilled strategies, ideas, and insights from Tim’s interviews with giants.
Book Review:
The book is a powerful collection of tips, tricks, and insights from people who have achieved tremendous success. Tim has mentioned that he didn’t only publish these tactics; he also tested them, all of them in his own life, to see whether they work. And according to him, these strategies work.
Readers all over the world, there are two kinds of opinion. One type of reader mentioned that this book is very useful to them. There is a lot to learn from this book. Another kind of reader didn’t like the arrangement of the book. So, before purchasing the book, you can go to iTunes and check out Tim’s podcasts, and if you feel convinced, you can go and buy this book.
Key Takeaways:
This edition is very comprehensive, and you will find everything (health, career advice, mindfulness, cooking, and so on) in this 707-page book.
This self-improvement book can be used as a reference to improve many areas of your life. You can go to a section called “health” and apply one of the strategies in your life to see whether it works. And then, you can pick up the next strategy and apply it.
#3 – The 48 Laws of Power
by Robert Greene
This book would seem contradictory to what you believe to be fair in this world but read its cover to know its magnificence.
Book Review:
This book is a guide you should always keep. Even if you are fair in your dealings, ethical in your business, and good with people, the world does not work that way. Power-hungry people work and think much differently than you can ever know.
From all over the world, readers have mentioned that there are two things you will learn from this book – first, how not to get exploited by people in this power-hungry world; second, how to use power to dictate your magnificence. The book is very controversial but, at the same time, enlightening to people who want to work their way up to power. It also has a concise version. But you will get the maximum benefit by reading the actual one.
Key Takeaways:
All the laws of power are incredible. And the author not only tells you the principles but also shares many historical examples to illustrate his points.
One should give this self-improvement book more time (no, it’s not a book to slide your eyes through). Read, highlight, apply, and know why the laws of power work.
The book is produced after a lot of research. You will know once you grab the book.
#4 – The 5 Second Rule: Transform Your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage
by Mel Robbins
Go read it right away, 5 4 3 2 1.
Book Review:
The author Mel Robbins is a powerful speaker, and she gave a TED talk a while ago where she mentioned a rule she uses to get anything done and cure any bad habit. She called it the “5-second rule”. And that concept has now become a book. In this book, Mel will show you how to create powerful habits that last, break the habit of anxiety, get things done, procrastinate less, and become the person you always wanted to be. The opinions of readers are mixed for this book.
Few readers mentioned that one could write the entire concept of the book in a single blog post. That’s not valid because the book has explained not only the 5-second rule but also presented many research, ideas, insights, and personal stories that couldn’t fit into a blog article. Most readers like this book and start using the magic formula easily.
Key Takeaways:
This self-improvement book is not on theoretical musings. This book is practical. Once you read it, you will know that Mel has used the tactics of the books to change her life. And it has done the same for many others.
You will be able to become much more confident, embrace uncertainty, share ideas on stage with courage and passion, stop that negative, vicious cycle of anxiousness, and break the habit of procrastination and a laid-back attitude.
#5 – The Obstacle is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trails into Triumph
by Ryan Holiday
See any obstacle on your path? The obstacle is the way.
Book Review:
Often in our lives, we are our greatest obstacle. This book will teach you how to overcome yourself and find a way to triumph. If you’re new to stoicism, you would know how this 2,000-year-old philosophy can revolutionize your life. Amid all positive-thinking-revolution, this book is the harsh light, making sense of how much we don’t control and how we can embrace the obstacles along the way. In the author’s own words – “Whatever we face, we have a choice: Will obstacles block us, or will we advance through and over them?” The whole book is written based on the above theme. Many readers have mentioned that this self-improvement book has changed their way of life.
Key Takeaways:
If you need to learn who Marcus Aurelius or stoicism is, this best self-improvement book will be a great introductory course on stoicism. Moreover, it’s relevant in present life scenarios and provides action steps and insights to discover the hidden paths within your obstacles.
You will learn why stoicism can help you advance through pains and become more than your intellect, intelligence, and talent.
#6 – The Compound Effect
by Darren Hardy
If you want to kick-start the life of your dreams, then read this book.
Book Review:
This self-improvement book is a masterpiece. Within 173 pages, you will get everything you need to improve your life. Do you want to improve any area of your life? Track that area daily. Do you want to reach from A to B? Set powerful goals and take massive action. As a founding editor of Success Magazine, Darren Hardy gets to sit with the giants, pundits, best creators, and best businessmen/women of the world. And from these suggestions, insights, ideas, and tips, he has taken the best ideas and used them to revolutionize his life. Now, it’s your turn to do the same through this book. Most of the readers told me that this book had given them a blueprint for life improvement.
Key Takeaways:
This book is on how little daily decisions can improve your life. And it does not only talk about a single area; it’s about every area of your life – from money and health to career and relationship.
This book is with beautiful stories from Darren’s personal life and the lives of the moguls he interviewed.
#7 – The 10X Rule: The Only Difference Between Success and Failure
by Grant Cardone
Book Review:
There is only one theme in this book – massive action required to achieve anything worthwhile. No matter where you are or what you do, anything is possible if you take 10X action. The author mentioned that anything he approaches in his life, he does with 10X action. If the norm is to make 10 calls a day, he will make 100.
And as a result, he could stir in his life and create multi-million dollar businesses. You can read this book if you want to hear the reasons why extreme effort is necessary. The only pitfall of this book is it may be more suited for sales professionals than entrepreneurs because a bad idea can only improve by taking massive action.
Key Takeaways:
You will learn a few things from this best self-improvement book, e.g., becoming omnipresent in the market; you don’t need to become competitive, rather dominate your market; set goals 10X higher than you need, and so on.
It includes many personal stories that will educate, entertain, and teach you how to create success from scratch.
#8 – What Got You Here Won’t Get You There: How successful people become even more successful
by Marshall Goldsmith
If you want to know why your growth stopped, this book is for you.
Book Review:
This self-improvement book won’t preach that “hard work is what you need to do.” No, this book is for those who are already successful, know the value of arduous effort and have already hit the plateau. The author has trained thousands of people over the years and sat with many one-to-one, and he found that becoming more successful needs a different version of an already successful person. So he wrote this book to help you climb up the ladder, discover your blind spots, and change multiple bad habits to create a “new you” to achieve excellence in your life and career. In addition, this book is on coaching models and many stories of clients and people the author has coached. And that’s why readers can relate to the book at a deep level. It should be your top go-to resource if you’re struggling with being more successful.
Key Takeaways:
This top self-improvement book will help you become aware of your blind spots and will tell you how to overcome them slowly and eventually.
This book is not for everybody; thus, its audience is limited. You should only read this book if you believe you have achieved a level of success and have hit a plateau.
The “stop list” is an excellent culmination of some bad habits that will make you aware and nudge you to improve.
#9 – Mastery
by Robert Greene
This best self-improvement book is a masterpiece, just like any other book written by Robert Greene.
Book Review:
This book is un-missable and un-put-down-able. If you read one book on finding one’s calling and applying practical steps to live your purpose, this is the book you must read. You will learn a lot about finding a mentor, finding your niche, becoming an apprentice, improving social skills, practicing your craft, and much more. Robert Greene is very well-read and can synthesize knowledge so that readers find it fascinating to read any book he writes. Of course, this book is a how-to guide; along with that, this is a biographical book as well. You would be able to peep through the masters’ early lives and would be able to discover what made them great.
Key Takeaways:
There is not one takeaway from this best self-improvement book. The book has biographical accounts, insights, and ideas you can apply immediately. For example, how John Keats decided to practice his craft, how Benjamin Franklin started his apprenticeship, how Faraday found his mentor, and so on.
This book is very lucid. It divides into sections that help you apply concepts with ease.
One of the best takeaways is the author, Robert Greene. You must read this book and all of his books.
#10 – Awaken the Giant Within How to Take Immediate Control of Your Mental, Emotional, Physical and Financial Destiny!
By Tony Robbins
This book is old but is also full of wise insights and breakthrough ideas.
Book Review:
If one can express this top self-improvement book in one word, it would be “self-fulfillment.” Imagine a book of 544 pages! Imagine how comprehensive the book can be. All the years of experience, insights, failures, and lessons Tony put into this book for you, the reader. If you have ever attended Tony’s seminar, you would know how powerful Tony’s coaching style is. And by purchasing this book, you can experience the same coaching method. Tony will coach you one-on-one through this book. No matter what area you’re struggling with, you will find one or more ways in this book to improve that area. If you have not read this book by thinking it is one of the self-help books, it’s time to change your mind. Once you pick up this book and start reading it, you will realize that you should have read it earlier.
Key Takeaways:
It is not a book. Rather, a program to change any area of your life. As Tony says, your life will change just by making a decision. Why not decide to read this book now?
This book is not focused on one aspect of life. It includes all areas of your life – financial, emotional, personal, and well-being. If you read one book this year, make it that book.
You will learn to rewire your beliefs, take charge of your life, and transform yourself from “being stuck” to “climbing around the world.” This book could be your first step if you can follow your dream.
Recommended Articles
This article guides Self Improvement Books to read in 2023. Here, we discuss the book’s proposal, review, and key takeaways. You may also read the following books: –
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Trending eBooks about Self-improvement
Look me in the eye! The ability to make high-level eye contact is a skill every man should work on, as it has been shown to create some incredible benefits for the gazer. Numerous studies have shown that people who make higher-levels of eye contact with others are perceived as being: More dominant and powerful. More warm and personable.
10 Self-Development Books You Should Read In Your Twenties
A few of my favorite methods of self care: a nice walk around Lady Bird lake, a 90-minute massage at milk + honey, and a looooong binge reading session on the couch. Call me a self-help junkie, but I just can’t get enough of these books! I pour through several self-development books every month, so my list of recommendations has gotten pretty long! The ten that I’m sharing with you here are books that have profoundly changed my life for the better. Many of them I’ve read more than once.
Of course, these books could be read during any decade of life; learning is a life-long endeavor. But I’m in my late twenties while I’m writing this, and I’m reflecting on the many, many changes I’ve noticed since I first left my teenage years. Thank GOD that we don’t leave our twenties in the same state that we started them!
Care to add to this list? Share your favorite self-development book below! I’d love to hear how it’s changed your life.
This is one of my recent reads, but I’ve already gifted this book to my friends and family. Essentialism is the idea of doing less, but better. Do you often feel that you’re spinning your wheels, stressed and spread too thin, but not actually accomplishing anything? If so, this book is perfect for you. It’s about learning to define the absolute necessary things to do, and letting the rest go. It’s about doing less, but better.
This book has changed the way I’ve approached blogging. Instead of trying to do absolutely everything, I’m learning to focus on the few things I want to do well; the rest I delegate, defer, and just say “no.”
Oh, how I want to find Susan Cain and give her a big hug for writing this book! Through reading it, I’ve recognized that being an introvert isn’t a weakness or anything that I have to fix. My desire to re-charge by being alone, the chaos I feel in my brain when I’m around too many people for too long, and my love of one-on-one coffee dates (and hatred of big group discussions) are all powerful, beautiful things that allow me to make my own contribution to society.
Whether you’re an introvert, extrovert, or don’t completely know yet, this book is a beautiful way to appreciate and understand the introverts in your life.
Arianna Huffington calls money and power, which are the two main motivating factors in our current work force, “two legs on a three-legged stool.” They will sustain you to a certain extent, but eventually you’ll topple over without the third leg. In Thrive, she spends the book defining that third metric, the thing that will truly bring you success, longevity, and fulfillment.
This book is especially practical for millennials, as we are stuggling with always being “on,” rarely disconnecting from our devices, our society, and our minds. Learning to sleep, meditate, be alone, play, and ponder are all key components to this third metric of success. A must read!!
If you’ve walked into any bookstore since 2013, you’ve no doubt seen this bright yellow book with its screaming words on a front display table. I avoided it for many years because it seemed, well, fluffy. “I don’t want to read a book that just makes me feel good about myself. I want depth.”
Turns out, You Are A Badass is actually pretty intense and woo-woo, and I can totally get down with that! This book pairs well with Ask And It Is Given (which I’m mentioning next), but it’s the modern, in-your-face, cuss-word-friendly-zone that kind of feels like you’re having a chat with your best totally believes that you can do anything in this life if you tell yourself you can.
I found out about this book from reading Jen Sincero’s recommended reads at the end of “You Are A Badass.” Jen warns us by saying that “the freak factor is pretty high” in Ask And It Is Given, but if you can tap into your spirituality and read it with an open mind, this book has the potential to help you.
Here’s the main idea: the universe is buzzing with vibrational energy. For every thought you think, you’ll receive a matching vibration. So, if you’re thinking about how strong, fit, and thin you are, you’ll start to become just that. But if you’re giving all your thought to thinking about how sluggish, tired, fat, and ugly you are, you’ll continue to receive those things.
Regardless of whether you agree Law of Attraction 100%, I feel that we can all recognize that when we put our attention on something, that becomes our reality. Our minds are strong, and we get to shape our truth. If you truly believe that you’re a moron who fails at everything she tries, that will probably happen. And if you believe you’re a successful business person who will eventually run a multimillion dollar company and donate hundreds of thousands of dollars to your favorite charities every year, that will be your reality.
This is a must-read for every according to Elizabeth Gilbert, is all of us! Big Magic is about learning to tap into your creativity to find a life-long love for mystery, curiosity, and learning to tackle your biggest fears.
If you do something creative, like writing a blog, making art, playing music, or cooking, you’ll love this book. One of my favorite things about Big Magic is how Elizabeth emphasizes protecting the art by not asking too much of it. She didn’t quit her day job until she had written three books, and she encourages us to nurture, love, and protect our art by allowing it to be art and not necessarily our full time income. A thought-provoking book (that would be perfect for a book club discussion!)
Without a doubt, this is the best book I’ve ever read about practicing productivity. There’s nothing else like it! David Allen has captured the best, most reliable method of getting ideas out of our heads, on to paper, and organized in a systematic method that will help us figure out what we should be doing, for how long, and at what time of day.
I’ve read this book twice (because sometimes I fall off the band wagon and need to remind myself how to organize my to-do list). I also enjoy listening to the podcast, Getting Things Done.
Beyond being a smart, hilarious, snarky, clever writer (Shonda Rhimes is one of the writers behind Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal, and she’s the executive producer of How to Get Away With Murder), she has an incredibly deep, potent message: say YES. Say yes to the things that scare you, say yes to the unknown, and say yes to respecting yourself and believing that YOU ARE ENOUGH.
Year of Yes isn’t telling you to go out there and try every little thing until you’re spinning in circles and burned out. Instead, it’s Shonda’s encouraging story of finding things that things that are meaningful (family time, weight loss, big scary speaking engagements), and screaming YES to them with all her magnificent gusto.
I appreciated her take on body image and weight loss. Shonda has been a large woman her whole life, and she decided she could either say YES to getting rid of the weight, or she would say YES to embracing who she is a a big, curvy woman, and live that as whole-heartedly as she could. But she had to say YES to something.
Perhaps I should mention that this book is most beneficial after first reading Daring Greatly, Dr. Brown’s book about first learning to step into the vulnerability arena. Regardless of the order in which you read them, Rising Strong contains a powerful message about getting back up after you’ve allowed yourself to become vulnerable and fall.
I have quotes from this booked tucked into little corners of my life everywhere – my journal, my iPhone, and all over my Pinterest page. Whenever I feel hurt by someone else’s words, by my own shame, or by a voice in my head, I turn to this book for reminders. One of my favorite quotes:
“A lot of cheap seats in the arena are filled with people who never venture onto the floor. They just hurl mean-spirited criticisms and put-downs from a safe distance. The problem is, when we stop caring what people think and stop feeling hurt by cruelty, we lose our ability to connect. But when we’re defined by what people think, we lose the courage to be vulnerable. Therefore, we need to be selective about the feedback we let into our lives. For me, if you’re not in the arena getting your ass kicked, I’m not interested in your feedback.”
This is a particularly useful book for anyone who is seeking her “true calling.” What is it that makes you work for hours on end, never checking the clock, and focusing so intently that you accidentally miss dinner but you don’t even mind? Whatever it is, that’s your state of what Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi calls “Flow.” It’s when you feel deep creativity, complete focus, and total enjoyment of life.
According to his years of research, Csikszentmihalyi says that finding your state of flow doesn’t have to be left up to chance! Your most positive, optimal experience can be reached be reached intentionally. I found this book incredibly helpful when thinking through career options and what it was that made me reach my own personal state of “flow.”
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