25 Must Read Books on How To Become A Millionaire
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Becoming a millionaire may seem like an impossible goal, but it’s not necessarily out of reach. From 2018 to 2019, 675,000 new people became millionaires in the United States, and this increase in the millionaire population is expected to continue for at least the next five years. Itching to increase your earning potential and join the newest crop of future millionaires? We rounded up 25 books on how to become a millionaire and organized them by the highest ratings to start you on your path to financial success.
As you read your way through this book list, put your millionaire mindset to work by making smart money moves like contributing to monthly savings and budgeting your living expenses.
1. “The Simple Path to Wealth” by J.L. Collins
Goodreads Rating: 4.47/5 | Audible Rating: 4.8 stars
Topping our list with the highest ratings, “The Simple Path to Wealth” provides a clear way to achieve financial independence. Collins maintains that money is the “single most powerful tool” and shows you exactly how to use it to grow your wealth. Reviewers from Goodreads and Amazon alike praise the book as an accessible guide to investment and portfolio building with clear takeaways on how to approach debt, investing, and your mindset.
2. “The Millionaire Fastlane” by M.J. DeMarco
Goodreads Rating: 4.36/5 | Audible Rating: 4.5 stars
In the number two spot on this list, author M.J. DeMarco distinguishes between life in the Slowlane (following the mainstream path to potential elderly wealth) and life in the Fastlane (the alternative path to extraordinary wealth). As a self-made millionaire, DeMarco advocates that the key to generating wealth lies in identifying a need and offering a solution. This is a good read for problem-solvers and entrepreneurs alike.
3. “The Bogleheads’ Guide to Investing” by Taylor Larimore, Michael LeBoeuf, and Mel Lindauer
Goodreads Rating: 4.30/5 | Audible Rating: 4.5 stars
This well-respected, practical guide to investing champions the philosophy of business magnate and Vanguard founder, John “Jack” Bogle. In the introduction, the authors state that their mission is to instruct others on the best way to receive long-term returns on their investments. Learn to be a Boglehead by focusing on growing your riches over time and attaining financial wellbeing.
4. “The Richest Man in Babylon” by George S. Clason
Goodreads Rating: 4.26/5 | Audible Rating: 4.5 stars
Known as a classic work on financial planning and personal wealth, this book uses Babylonian parables to teach financial wisdom. It offers lessons on the basics such as saving a portion of your income, living within your means, and making your money work for you.
5. “The Intelligent Investor” by Benjamin Graham
Goodreads Rating: 4.23/5 | Audible Rating: 4.5 stars
Learn the philosophy of “value investing” from renowned investment advisor, Benjamin Graham. As a stock market staple, this book breaks down the facade of Wall Street and outlines long-term strategies to help you achieve the results you want from your investments. Originally published in 1949, this text is still relevant today and even recommended by Warren Buffett.
6. “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie
Goodreads Rating: 4.21/5 | Audible Rating: 4.5 stars
While not so much a resource on personal finance, the best-selling first book of Dale Carnegie offers advice for people hoping to reach success in life and in business. It outlines various ways to get people to like you, ways to persuade people to think how you think, and how to influence others without inspiring negative feelings.
7. “Conscious Business” by Fred Kofman
Goodreads Rating: 4.21/5 | Audible Rating: 4.5 stars
Recommended by Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, in a New York Times interview, “Conscious Business” advocates that you apply more awareness to all aspects of your work. It prompts you to recognize obstacles, identify the needs of your team, and engage in good communication and decision-making. The book also has a spiritual element that investigates who you are and what your purpose is in order to bring that consciousness to the surface.
8. “Secrets of the Millionaire Mind” by T. Harv Eker
Goodreads Rating: 4.20/5 | Audible Rating: 5 stars
“Secrets of the Millionaire Mind” makes the connection between aspiring to be rich and actually being rich. It’s separated into two parts, with part one focusing on identifying and resetting your money blueprint while part two provides insight into the thoughts and behaviors of the rich. The book champions that some people aren’t prewired for financial success, but if you change your money blueprint and start thinking like the wealthy do, you can rewire yourself to be rich too.
9. “The Millionaire Mind” by Thomas J. Stanley
Goodreads Rating: 4.20/5 | Audible Rating: 4.5 stars
A distinctly different book from number eight, “The Millionaire Mind” by Thomas J. Stanley surveys over 1,000 millionaires to gain more insight into the lives of the ultra-wealthy. Stanley identifies common factors of success among millionaires such as living frugally and taking financial risks. Additionally, millionaires find more success in both work and marriage, so applying their mindset to your life may help you succeed in all aspects.
10. “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill
Goodreads Rating: 4.17/5 | Audible Rating: 4.5 stars
Originally published in 1937, this motivational book draws inspiration from business tycoons like Henry Ford and King Gillette to demonstrate the secrets to financial success. Hill claims that these secrets have generated wealth for many over the years and can bring you fortune if you are ready and know what you want.
11. “Thinking, Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman
Goodreads Rating: 4.16/5 | Audible Rating: 4.5 stars
Nobel Prize winning cognitive psychologist, Daniel Kahneman, offers insight into the systems of logical and emotional thinking in this book. He highlights the cognitive biases that affect how we play the stock market or perceive risks in our lives. By understanding our two systems of thought, we can make better decisions for our personal and professional lives and prevent the negative effects of our biases.
12. “I Will Teach You to Be Rich” by Ramit Sethi
Goodreads Rating: 4.12/5 | Audible Rating: 4.5 stars
If you want a step-by-step guide on how to be rich, the Forbes proclaimed “wealth wizard,” Ramit Sethi, has you covered. His book details a six-week program on how to save more, pay off debt, and negotiate your finances while also getting to spend your hard-earned money.
13. “How to Be a No-Limit Person” by Wayne W. Dyer
Goodreads Rating: 4.11/5 | Audible Rating: 4.8 stars
In this motivational resource, Dr. Wayne Dyer teaches you how to take control of the way that you approach problems and people. As a self-help advocate and counselor, he instructs you to reflect on the origins of your feelings in order to deal with them in an action-oriented, positive way. Sara Blakely, founder of SPANX and the first self-made female billionaire, credits her success to the audio version of this book.
14. “How to Be Rich” by J. Paul Getty
Goodreads Rating: 4.09/5 | Audible Rating: N/A
When taking advice on how to be rich, you’d want to hear from someone who has the credibility of demonstrated financial success. Named the world’s richest private citizen in the 1966 “Guinness Book of Records,” J. Paul Getty definitely qualifies as an authority in this space. In his book, he shares the blueprint to earning his billions and his philosophy behind being rich.
15. “Your Money or Your Life” by Vicki Robin
Goodreads Rating: 4.05/5 | Audible Rating: 4.5 stars
There’s a difference between just making a living and making a meaningful life. Author Vicki Robin provides a nine-step program that seeks to change how you manage your money and helps you live more deliberately. Robin advocates that money should be saved through good habits and mindfulness and that you can live well for less. Not only will this book change your relationship with money, but as Oprah Winfrey says, “it can really change your life.”
16. “The Millionaire Next Door” by Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko
Goodreads Rating: 4.04/5 | Audible Rating: 4.5 stars
Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko reveal the surprising characteristics shared by America’s richest in this book. Learn important life lessons from the wealthy like spending time and resources efficiently, living below your means, and valuing financial freedom and self-sufficiency above all else. If you use these lessons, you can become a “prodigious accumulator of wealth” instead of an “under-accumulator of wealth.”
17. “Built to Last” by James C. Collins and Jerry I. Porras
Goodreads Rating: 4.02/5 | Audible Rating: 4.5 stars
For those interested in accumulating wealth in business, find out what sets extraordinary companies like Disney and Hewlett-Packard apart from the rest. Collins and Porras reveal the qualities of “visionary companies” and create a framework for designing prosperous organizations. Whether you’re an entrepreneur or working your way up the corporate ladder, these concepts apply to any business.
18. “MONEY Master the Game” by Tony Robbins
Goodreads Rating: 3.97/5 | Audible Rating: 4.5 stars
After researching and conducting interviews with financial experts and legends (think Steve Forbes and Warren Buffett), Tony Robbins devised a seven-step plan to help you and your family achieve financial freedom. Robbins advocates for readers of all income levels and offers actionable advice on managing money and making major financial decisions.
19. “How Rich People Think” by Steve Siebold
Goodreads Rating: 3.96/5 | Audible Rating: N/A
Ever wondered how rich people think? Steve Siebold interviewed hundreds of millionaires to find out and shared his findings with everyday people. He unlocks the secrets behind a millionaire’s mindset and wants you to study it like a science. Once you’ve studied it for yourself, copy them and start getting rich!
20. “Lean In” by Sheryl Sandberg
Goodreads Rating: 3.95/5 | Audible Rating: 4.5 stars
“Lean In” is Sheryl Sandberg’s best-selling book on women and leadership. Sandberg advocates for women to be confident in themselves and to make small changes that will land them the promotion, raise, and equal pay that they deserve. This book comes recommended by her fellow Facebook C-suite executive, Mark Zuckerberg, and business magnate, Richard Branson.
21. “The Automatic Millionaire” by David Bach
Goodreads Rating: 3.94/5 | Audible Rating: 4.5 stars
David Bach uses the story of an average American couple to illustrate how you don’t need to have a high income to be rich. Bach advocates that you should always pay yourself first and that automating your finances will pay you in the future. He says that setting up the system takes just an hour and you’ll only have to “do it once [because] the rest is automatic!”
22. “Start Small Finish Big” by Fred DeLuca
Goodreads Rating: 3.92/5 | Audible Rating: N/A
Founder of Subway, Fred DeLuca, tells the story of how the small sandwich shop he started with a $1,000 loan turned into a $3 billion franchise with stores in 60 countries. DeLuca offers business advice from himself and other entrepreneurs for every step of the process, ranging from starting with your idea to constantly improving your business. It’s especially insightful for those starting businesses with limited capital.
23. “Everyday Millionaires” by Chris Hogan
Goodreads Rating: 3.86/5 | Audible Rating: 4.5 stars
Chris Hogan shows how everyday people grew their wealth without a huge inheritance. By studying 10,000 American millionaires, Hogan demonstrates that building wealth is actually attainable regardless of income or status. He concludes that commitment and a lot of hard work can help you become a millionaire.
24. “Business Adventures” by John Brooks
Goodreads Rating: 3.82/5 | Audible Rating: 4 stars
If Bill Gates deems this the best business book he’s ever read, you better read it and take notes. Brooks tells the stories of failure and success of twelve Wall Street companies and provides access to the ins and outs of corporate finances. Read this book to learn valuable lessons about the volatility of business.
25. “Cashing in on the American Dream” by Paul Terhorst
Goodreads Rating: 3.79/5 | Audible Rating: N/A
There are many versions of the American dream and being financially independent and retiring early is definitely one of them. Paul Terhorst shows you how to cash in on this dream with a five-year plan to retire with significant savings and overcome psychological and financial hurdles along the way. This one is on billionaire Mark Cuban’s list of books that shaped him.
After learning about personal finance, business, and lifestyle advice from financial experts and millionaires alike, start managing your money with the Mint app today. Someday you might just be the next millionaire inspiring others to take control of their finances and build their wealth too.
Sources: Global Wealth Report 2020 | Forbes 1 | Entrepreneur 1 | Reading Length 1 2 3 4|
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The 20 Best Books for Entrepreneurs Starting a Business in 2022
6. The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss
The 4-Hour Workweek is essentially a blueprint to free yourself of your 9-to-5, create a business and live like a millionaire (without actually having to be one).
The key idea Ferriss starts with is to be effective, not efficient. Here Ferriss uses the idea of the 80/20 rule – also known as the Pareto Principle to explain this.
One of the more interesting insights in this book is the idea that you don’t have to be a millionaire to live like one, in what Ferriss describes as The New Rich.
He poses that if you want to live a life of luxury you should focus on flexibility and mobility. In other words, the ability to do whatever you want, wherever you want. For example, if you’re paid in dollars but spending in Pesos, your money is going yo go a lot further.
Throughout this book, Ferriss provides you with the tools to accomplish this New Rich lifestyle, from outsourcing tasks to virtual assistants to redefining your approach to work.
This is one of the best books for entrepreneurs looking to take their passion and turn it into their full-time job.
7. The Hard Thing About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz
The Hard Thing About Hard Things is a candid, brutally honest look at how hard it is to run a business.
Horowitz was very conscious of the fact that he didn’t want to write “just another management book”.
He felt, however, that there was something missing in the market of business books for entrepreneurs.
That gap he saw? No one was writing about what happens when everything goes wrong, and it’s on your shoulders to fix it.
He starts the book by describing his own story and how his career unfolded. He gives you a glimpse behind the curtain at his humble start as an engineer at NetLabs, through to setting up his venture with business partner Marc Andreesen.
The latter half of the book is spent on imparting actionable advice on how to effectively run your business. Horowitz shares anecdotes at various intersections throughout to contextualise his advice.
“This is not your typical, how-to entrepreneur book. It is however one of the best books for entrepreneurs on the market.”
What separates this book is the way Horowitz tackles the real problems and challenges entrepreneurs face. He includes many of the questions he asked his mentors and problems he faced himself.
Furthermore, Horowtiz provides advice on how to control your own psychology. As well as insights on how to keep your demons in check as a CEO and founder:
“By far the most difficult skill I learned as a CEO was the ability to manage my own psychology. […] It’s like the fight club of management: the first rule of the CEO psychological meltdown is don’t talk about the psychological meltdown. At the risk of violating the sacred rule, I will attempt to describe the condition and prescribe some techniques that helped me. In the end, this is the most personal and important battle that any CEO will face.”
Related: From Being Fired to Building a Multi-Million Dollar Fintech Startup
8. Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey A. Moore
Crossing the Chasm is all about how to market and sell disruptive products to mainstream customers. It focuses on any new service or product that asks customers to change or alter their behaviour in a significant way.
Moore starts the book by describing what he calls The Technology Adoption Lifecycle – breaking people into five groups and how each group adopts disruptive tech solutions, they are:
The Innovators (2.5% of Customers)
Early Adopters (13.5% of Customers)
Early Majority (34% of Customers)
Late Majority (34% of Customers)
The Laggards (16% of Customers)
Each of these groups responds to disruptive products in different ways. For example, an innovator will typically buy a new product because they want the latest and greatest tech innovations. Think of the first people to by Apple Airpods, for example. Innovators want to be first just for the sake of being first.
This is different from the early adopters. They tend to look for new technology that will give them a strategic or competitive advantage in their market and/or everyday life.
“Early adopters focus on technology that has a practical use for their needs and are willing to adopt that early to leverage the benefits.”
Early majority are customers who want evolution not revolution. They will adopt new technology when they see it becoming the new standard. A good example here is the majority of people using Blackberry phones until they saw that iPhones were becoming the new standard.
Moore continues through these groups in greater detail. But, critically, the book focuses on “crossing the chasm” between early adopters and (the most valuable segments in the market) Early Majority & Late Majority. A fundamental part of this is learning how to deliver a complete solution to those customers which Moore explains fantastically.
This is one of the best books for entrepreneurs when it comes to working out how to reach the most profitable groups of customers in your market.
9. The $100 Startup by Chris Guillebeau
The aim of The $100 Startup is to help prospective entrepreneurs gain awareness of the challenges that come from building a successful small business and escape the 9-to-5.
Throughout the book, Guillebeau lays out the possibility of starting and running a successful business with a small team of one to five people. He uses real-life case studies to achieve this.
The three main lessons Guillebeau covers are:
Using your current skills even if they don’t immediately seem relevant When starting small, hustle for good marketing Action beats planning, especially in a small business
Lesson one revolves around the idea of not spending your entire bank balance on learning new skills you think you need.
Instead, it suggests you should focus on utilizing what you’re already good at while working on those other aspects – because odds are you have related skills to help you run your business of choice.
Lesson two focuses on getting creative with your marketing, instead of burning through money on advertising and hoping it pays off.
Guillebeau suggests blogging as a first step to achieve this. Then, he advises you to hustle your way into effective marketing. This could be collaborating with similar businesses, contacting journalists or guest blogging on other websites. Essentially, doing anything you can to get your name out there without spending millions.
Lesson three is exactly what it says on the tin: don’t plan, take action.
“Guillebeau states that over-planning can lead to a quick death for many small businesses.”
He continues to say that taking action and adjusting your course along the way as needed leads to more results than using all your time to plan every little detail.
This is one of the best books for entrepreneurs who’re looking to start a side-business and scale it to their full-time job. Guillebeau has packed this book with actionable insights and tips that any entrepreneur could benefit from learning or re-learning.
10. The Effective Executive by Peter Drucker
Since its initial publication in 1967, Peter Drucker’s The Effective Executive has helped millions of executives (or knowledge workers as Drucker calls them) improve their effectiveness.
Throughout this book, Drucker shows how you can develop personal effectiveness. The idea behind the book is that in a world that is increasingly dependant on knowledge-based work, the more knowledge workers need to improve their effectiveness.
Drucker poses there are five habits that are crucial to becoming an effective executive:
Knowing & managing your time
Focus on results and contributing to your organisation
Building on strengths, rather than weaknesses
Set priorities and concentrate on the few major areas that will achieve outstanding results.
Make effective decisions
Despite the time it was written, Drucker’s insights are just as relevant today as they were then. Drucker’s timeless insights and observations make The Effective Executive one of best books for entrepreneurs to read.
11. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
Similarly to The Effective Executive, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People sets out a series of behaviours that will make you more effective. Covey takes an integrated approach to help entrepreneurs improve their personal and interpersonal development.
The book is designed in a way that each habit (when implemented in order) will prepare you for the next and strengthen the previous.
Covey’s seven habits that will help you reach your full potential are:
Being proactive – Don’t react to the world. Instead, take charge of your life. Beginning with an end in mind – Visualise your ideal future, and design a roadmap to get there. Putting first things first – Prioritise what brings you closer to your vision of your ideal future. Thinking “win-win” – Build positive relationships that accelerate you towards your ideal future. Seeking first to understand, then to be understood – Learn to listen, then learn to speak. Synergising – Find a way to harmonise with both others and yourself so you can achieve more. Sharpening the saw – Make sure you find time to recharge so you can be effective in the long term.
The first three habits are designed to help you develop “self-mastery” – or personal victories.
Then habits four through six will focus you on teamwork, cooperation, and communications – or public victories
Finally, habit seven teaches you how to balance and renew the preceding habits.
This is by far one of the best books for entrepreneurs looking to improve their daily habits to become more effective both professionally and personally.
12. How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie
In How to Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie brings us a series of techniques on navigating relationships and influencing the people around you, without offending them.
The first idea Carnegie brings up in the book is the idea that you can’t win an argument, and that they should be avoided at all costs. He poses that nine times out of ten, an argument ends with both parties believing that they are absolutely right.
He also tells us that even if you win an argument you still lose. As you’ve made the other person feel inferior and hurt their pride.
This leads to Carnegie’s next lesson, never telling someone they’re wrong. Instead, you should instead collaborate with them through a series of questions to get to the bottom of why they think they’re right.
Carnegie found that, more often than not, this method can go a long way to influencing people to your way of thinking.
These are just two of the many insights Carnegie imparts in what has become one of the best books for entrepreneurs.
The book is packed full of actionable tips from why remembering names is so important to why you should ask people to do things instead of giving orders.
13. Radical Candor by Kim Scott
In Radical Candor, successful manager Kim Scott shares what she calls a “vital new approach” to effective management.
Throughout the book, she condenses her years of experience managing at companies like Google and Apple into actionable lessons.
Scott has identified three simple principles to build better relationships with your employees:
Make it personal
Get (sh)it done
Understand why it matters
She explores these throughout the book to help you create an environment where your employees feel both challenged and cared for.
14. Mindset by Carol Dweck
Carol Dweck describes her work as bridging developmental psychology, social psychology, and personality psychology. She examines the mindsets people use to structure the “self” and guide their behaviour.
The result of this extensive research is manifested in Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.
Throughout the book, she explores how both our conscious and unconscious thoughts affect us and how simple factors can have a powerful impact on our ability to improve.
The book is based around two mindsets, the “Fixed Mindset” and the “Growth Mindset”
Essentially those with a fixed mindset, who believe that abilities are fixed, are less likely to succeed compared to those with a growth mindset – the belief that abilities can be developed.
In the latest edition, Dweck has expanded her mindset beyond the individual – applying it to cultures and organisations.
This is one of those books for entrepreneurs that is considered a must-read for anyone looking to motivate and lead their team.
15. Unapologetically Ambitious by Shellye Archambeau
Named a Best Business Book of 2020 by Fortune, Unapologetically Ambitious tells the story of Shellye Archambeau – one of Silicon Valley’s first female African American CEOs.
Archambeau recounts how she overcame the challenges of managing her personal and professional responsibilities while climbing the ranks at IBM as a young black woman, wife and mother.
On her journey through the busts and booms of Silicon Valley in the early 2000s, she learned that ambition alone is not enough to achieve success.
In the book, she shares practical strategies and tools that you can use to increase your chances of success, including steps on how to:
Dismantle imposter syndrome
Develop financial literacy
Build your network
Balance your professional and personal life
Take time for self-care.
This bold and inspiring book teaches you how to carefully navigate the entrepreneurial journey and give yourself the best chances of success.
21 Best Personal Development & Self Improvement Books [2022 Update]
Interested in personal development and self improvement?
If so, there are hundreds, even thousands of books to choose from.
That's why we've boiled down the options to 21 of the best personal development books.
For the sake of simplicity, my choices for this section all revolve around books that are more about igniting passion and giving ideas rather than a step-by-step action plan. This list includes the grandfathers of all self-help books, and it also has some of the modern masters of inspiration, education, and self-empowerment.
In the following list, you will discover a quick synopsis of our favorite personal development books with a brief synopsis for each one. If any title piques your interest, then I recommend clicking the link and checking it out on Amazon where you can read the reviews and purchase it.
Let's get to it…
21 Best Personal Development and Self-Improvement Books
The Only Skill That Matters by Jonathan A. Levi 1.by Jonathan A. Levi
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The sheer amount of information bombarding us every day is overwhelming. How do we stay on top of everything in order to keep our jobs or adapt to the new demands of modern life?
This book equips you with what you need to take on the challenges of the future – whether in your professional or personal life. And it’s offered for free. All you need to pay for is shipping and handling.
In the book, Jonathan Levi shares an approach that promises to help you become a super learner. This approach is anchored in neuroscience. Athletes and top performers have used the techniques to propel them to success.
Within the pages, you’ll learn the techniques for reading faster and improving your ability to recall information.
People who have already read this book call it a game changer. If you’re ready to unlock your potential greatness, get the free book.
RELATED: Habits that Stick!
Want to build a new habit that will stick for the rest of your lifetime? In this video, you will discover a simple 9-step process about building habits that you can immediately implement.
2. The Success Principles by Jack Canfield
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Any avid reader of self-help books will recognize Jack Canfield. Creator of the popular motivational “Chicken Soup for the Soul” series, Jack has been inspiring people for years.
In “Success Principles”, Jack gives 65 methods for transforming your life. If you are looking for a single self-help book that gives you a ton of great ideas on how to improve your life and your success, this would be the one.
However, die-hard personal development fans may find some of these ideas to be rehashed versions of ideas they have heard before, not fresh new ideas. The principles are repeated here due to the simple fact that they work! Even if you know all 65 principles before buying the book, I believe it can be an excellent refresher on things you need to do to achieve the success you desire.
If you want to learn more about this book, here is a brief review of my favorite Success Principles that are covered in this book.
3. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
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It could be very easy to think that a book about achieving success written 80 years ago and based on the success principles of men like Andrew Carnegie, Thomas Edison, and Henry Ford would be stale and out of date, like a dry history lesson. This simply is not true. While there are admittedly parts where you have to substitute modern methods of execution for old fashioned counterparts, the basic principles themselves are based on human nature and just as true today as they were 80 years ago.
This book is a classic and for good reason. Over the past 80 years many successful people have read this book and gained from it knowledge and insight that have helped them to achieve their own success. When a self-improvement book sticks around for as long as this one has, there has to be a reason for its longevity and success.
(Side note: Again, another way to achieve success is by reading this free daily newsletter.)
[Are you a woman looking for some personal development books geared toward helping women succeed in life? Check out this list of self-help books for women.]
4. The Power of Positive Thinking by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale
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Most people who achieve any degree of success will tell you that attitude is a big part of the success equation. Positive thinking will not magically make success happen, as this book's “successor” The Secret, would have you believe, but positive thinking can put you into a position to make the most of it when it happens. So skip “The Secret” and go write to the first (and best) book on getting your mind right for success.
One slight negative is that many people complain because of some of the religious overtones of the book. While Dr. Peale is clearly a faithful Christian, I believe this book has merit for you regardless of personal faith. Just listen to good advice.
Note: some of you may like The Secret. I mean no offense to you in this review. The positivity aspect of the book is fine, I simply have a problem with the idea that the “universe will deliver” success. I believe the only way you get success is to go out and work for it. Let’s agree to disagree.
5. Outliers The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
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Outliers take a scientific look at what it actually takes to achieve success in life. Unlike some of the other books on this list, it does not give a specific list of the things you need to do to achieve success.
It looks at very interesting anecdotes that support the main point of the book, that success is not achieved by luck, attitude or even skill, but that the only real measurement is the time we put into our skills. People who achieve higher degrees of success almost always have more time building the skills they use for their success.
This book is quite interesting with some really good stories and anecdotes. It is an enjoyable read.
6. Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress Free Productivity by David Allen
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I am not by nature an organized person. Due to this fact, I would say that reading GTD for the first time was a life-changing experience. Allen gives solid advice on how to plan all the aspects of a hectic life (both business and personal).
This book comes with a solution to all the chaos life throws your way. It can help you stay organized and on top of everything. I do not currently follow all the tenants of GTD. I have incorporated a more web-based approach as I discuss in my book on Evernote. But I still feel Getting Things Done is a must-read, even if you discard his specific approaches, the core ideas will still shed light on many ways to be more productive.
7. The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Leohr and Tony Schwartz
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Everyone thinks time is the enemy. I can’t count how many times I have heard, “I don’t have time for that” or “I wish I had the 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 is about creating a series of “life-sprints”, not a marathon.
By laser focusing on tasks, then completely resting, you actually can get a lot more done in less time and live a happier and more fulfilling life at the same time.
This book makes some excellent points. The next time you hear yourself saying, “I don’t have time” to do something important, you should reach for a copy of this book. Unless you don’t have time for that… then I can’t help you
8. How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie
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Just like the previous entry, “Think and Grow Rich” Carnegie's book is another classic from the 1930s that still packs a ton of truth bombs in it’s nearly 90-year-old pages.
In How to Win Friends and Influence People, Carnegie discusses the personal habits that lead to success. Included are the twelve ways to convert people to your way of thinking, six ways to make people like you, and the nine ways to change people’s opinions without arousing resentment.
Regardless of what you intend to do with your life, other people will always be there. Carnegie gives you the tools to effectively recruit others to your cause, rather than have them potentially be obstacles. A must-read classic on dealing with other people.
9. The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss
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I have to admit, I have a few mixed feelings about The 4-Hour Workweek.
While there is some great information in this book, it might not pertain much to people who just want more from their 9-5 lifestyle, and are not really into the idea of a “digital lifestyle”.
On the other hand, however, this book does an excellent job of challenging people to rethink the status quo and evaluate how to make the most of their time.
Tim does a great job of explaining how to make the most of the digital lifestyle, how to get started with this business and does it all with a fierce energy that will get you motivated.
If the idea of making living online appeals, this book should be a must-read and is likely already on your bookshelf. If you are just looking for tidbits to develop your personal productivity, attitude or health, this might be a book you can miss.
10. Crush It! Why NOW Is the Time to Cash In on Your Passion by Gary Vaynerchuk
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Crush It! has a few problems these days. Mainly is that the core idea of the book, fresh and new when it was first released, has become a bit dated. Most people have come to understand the revolutionary power of Social Media and the effect this can have on any and every single business.
However, a good portion of this book is also about following your dreams and turning your passion into a career. While this book no longer imparts what I would call “new” information, it is still extremely motivational.
Gary Vaynerchuk has an incredible amount of energy and reading what he has to say is sure to get you motivated to get out and conquer the world.
11. Let Go: Expanded Edition by Pat Flynn
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“Let Go!” is Pat Flynn’s inspiring story. If you do not know Pat, he is a normal guy, trained as an architect who began to work as an online entrepreneur when the architect business got rough.
In this inspiring story, Pat shares the challenges he faced and the keys to his success.
Much like “Crush It” the value of the specific lessons is of less value than the inspiration it can give you to achieve success. If you want specifics for achieving success through Pat’s methodology, his podcasts and website are chocked full of actionable information.
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Yes, that’s me. I won't give any qualitative review of this book since I am biased. But I do think it is a good one.
Habit stacking is based on a method to incorporate small habits into daily life. These small habits are easy individually but are often the sort of things that “fall through the cracks” in a hectic life.
Habit stacking makes it possible when you add DOZENS of small changes to your daily routine. Rather than trying to make dozens of individual habits part of your routine (something next to impossible) you only have to work to incorporate each “stack”.
By doing these small tasks in a block you can plan for the time to act on these tasks in your daily schedule and stick firmly to implementing these habits on a daily basis.
These habits don’t require much effort. In fact, most of these habits ONLY take five minutes or less to complete. by doing these small tasks in a block you can plan for the time to act on these tasks in your daily schedule and stick firmly to implementing these habits on a daily basis.
And if you'd like to learn more about this concept, here is a 13-step process to building a habit stacking routine.
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The climate of business and personal success is changing. The times when going to college, working a job for 40 years and retiring a success are evaporating before our eyes. Altucher shows a path to creating art, make money and achieve success through non-traditional methods.
Altucher’s sense of humor and brutal honesty makes this book a great read. He doesn’t pull any punches even sharing many of his personal failures as well as successes.
Choose yourself. Choose this book.
14. Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins
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This is another book I struggled with the decision of whether to place on this list. On one hand, Tony Robbins has always seemed to me to be as much of a salesman of change as he is someone with fresh ideas. However, there is no denying that this book covers some important ground while still being inspirational.
Robbin’s point with this book is to take charge of your life in all the important ways: emotional, physical, mental and financial. All of these important parts dovetail together and work with each other for you to achieve greater success. Only when you are at the peak of performance in all categories can you truly be your best self.
15. Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihaly
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Have you ever felt at the top of your game? Answers and ideas flow freely. You feel energized and alert. You feel happy and content. You are in control. This is a state Dr. Csikszentmihaly refers to as “flow”
The flow state happens to everyone from time to time, but it can be engineered to happen more frequently and when it does the happiness, content, and satisfaction it brings can have a lasting halo effect on our lives.
Part science and part philosophy this book does an exceptional job of relating to us not only how to get more done, but how to live happier and fuller lives due to having an understanding of the “Flow.”
16. 177 Mental Toughness Secrets of the World Class by Steve Siebold
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This book is great at what it is, a summary of all the current thinking in the realm of peak performance.
While not groundbreaking, it digests hundreds of self-help and personal development books and relays the important pieces succinctly and clearly.
A wonderful book that will save you time and money giving you the highlights of the best modern thinking on the subject of improving your personal performance in all aspects of life.
17. Why We Do What We Do: Understanding Self-Motivation by Edward L. Deci
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One of the keys to success in life is self-motivation. Most people will perform when they have to work or at home. Self-motivation means going that extra mile and not needing the external commitments to get things done. When you can become self-motivated, the achievement will follow as surely as the sun rises in the east.
But self-motivation is not something that is always as easy as it might sound. Deci showcases all the current science on the subject of motivation and explains the hows and whys in a simple to understand terms. You likely have ideas of what motivates you already, but reading this book will give you a clean and clear understanding of your motivation.
18. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain
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Being an introvert I kept saying. “That’s right” and “So True” constantly while reading this book.
Another book on this list, “How to Win Friends and Influence People” does a great job of showcasing the importance of being a “people person” and how this can lead to success. However, this advice introverts (myself included) have a hard time following. Being the loudest and driving your ideas home to others does not necessarily make your ideas the best.
Susan Cain has a book that can make any introvert proud of their nature. She shows ways many introverts have achieved high levels of success, even in “people person” positions of authority. This is an important read for introverts to understand why we act the way we do and an important book for extroverts to help them understand the remaining 1/3 of the population.
19. Virtual Freedom by Chris Ducker
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This is a personal development book for a fairly narrow niche. These days many tasks can be outsourced and delegated, specifically, if you have your own business or side hustle. Trying to do everything yourself is not a growth mindset. This book lays out clear paths to outsourcing a significant amount of work in a methodical manner.
If you have no need for outsourcing this book is not for you. However, if you have ever thought about the possibilities of outsourcing mundane tasks, then this book should be a must-read.
20. Influence, New and Expanded: The Psychology of Persuasion by Dr. Robert Cialdini
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Why do people say yes? Why do they buy things? Dr. Cialdini’s classic book shows the science behind why people are persuaded.
This book will help you understand the importance of social proof, scarcity, authority, reciprocation and more on others and how it can help you to get the important “yes” or purchase in your business or at work. People’s decisions are often not made by a rational argument and well laid out plans. It is important to truly understand why people really choose the way they do.
21. The Now Habit by Neil Fiore by Neil Fiore
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Procrastination is a problem that plagues many people. I might even be bold enough to say that MOST people suffer from procrastination from time to time. It is human nature.
However, there are good scientific reasons why people procrastinate and just as many good science-backed methods to overcome procrastination. Dr. Neil Fiore gives an exhaustive overview of why we procrastinate and what we can do about overcoming procrastination.
Looking for more books read?
Also, if you'd like to discover more books that you can check out, then I suggest you check out some of the lists we've compiled:
Finally, if you want to take your goal-setting efforts to the next level, check out this FREE printable worksheet and a step-by-step process that will help you set effective SMART goals.
Are there books missing from this list? Are there books that shouldn't be here? Do you find this list useful? Do you have any favorites? Make sure to let me know in the comments on the main page of the 250+ Best Habit Books List