90+ books later
Disclaimer: If you purchase through my links, I do receive a commission but there will be no extra cost to you! You can read through my website terms of use for extra information. Thank you!
Since I started getting into personal development things when I was 18, I have read over 90+ books over the years. I’ve got to say, I’m pretty proud of myself for implementing this habit.
This blog post will list my Top 15 favorite books out of those 90+ reads. You will see different personal development books that can help you in different aspects and areas of your life.
I share what it’s about, why I loved the book, and why I recommend it.
Let’s dive in.
15 – The Power of Your Subconscious Mind – Joseph Murphy
The Power of Your Subconscious Mind explores the influence of the subconscious in our lives. It unveils how our thoughts shape our realities and how we can use our subconscious mind to generate positive change.
I benefitted from this book because it made me more aware of the impact of my thoughts and words on my life. It made me pause and reconsider before engaging in self-criticism or negativity, because of the effect it could have on my subconscious.
This is a book I recommend all people to read because we all have a subconscious mind after all, right? We all need to know how to use it to our advantage.
RELATED: How to Lie To Yourself (not what you think)
14 – The Laws of Human Nature – Robert Greene
This book delves into human behavior and psychology, and why people act the way they do in various situations.
I’ve got to be honest with you, this book took me forever to finish reading. Nonetheless, I appreciated this book for giving me profound insights into the motivations and desires that drive human behavior.
It helped me understand myself and others better. It also helped me stop the toxic habits that were getting in the way of me becoming my desired version of myself.
I recommend this book for people to have a better understanding of human nature because understanding this, also helps our interactions with others.
13 – The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People – Stephen Covey
This personal development outlines timeless principles for achieving success, focusing on the fundamental habits that help you in your personal and professional life.
This book will always be a standout to me because it is one of the first personal development books I have ever come across. I first came across this book when watching a YouTube video, and just watching the principles through video changed everything for me. To this day, I am still implementing most of these strategies.
This is a great personal development book for anyone looking to implement key fundamental habits for their growth, not only for their professional life but also for their personal life.
RELATED: Essential Habits for Personal Development
12 – The Compound Effect – Darren Hardy
The main focus of this book is how the power of small actions and habits creates significant long-term outcomes. The book illustrates the power of small actions and efforts, and how they compound over time to various aspects of our lives.
This is one of the books that I always go back to no matter what because of these various concept. That’s why the main vision of this blog is small steps to progression. Reading this book made me more intentional and mindful of my habits, and it already reminded me of how small steps over time lead to a big difference.
You need to read this book to understand why the small actions you take (good or bad) matter. If you also feel that the small actions and habits you’re doing now are not making much of a difference, I promise you, you’ll understand why once reading this book.
11 – Girl , Wash Your Face – Rachel Hollis
This book is all about reaching your full potential as a woman. Rachel Hollis tackles common lies and misconceptions that hold women back from embracing their true potential, giving motivational pep talks along the way.
The reason why I loved this book, and reread it a few more times is because of how lighthearted it is. It is entertaining, enlightening, and motivational which makes it a great read. There were also multiple lessons of confidence, self-awareness, and empowerment that I took away from it.
If you have dreams that you are chasing, I recommend this book. I loved the practical advice on challenging limiting beliefs, and self-doubt, and cultivating a positive mindset.
10 – Eat That Frog! – Brian Tracy
This is a book all about overcoming procrastination and increasing positivity. Brian Tracy introduces this productivity approach called “eat that frog”, where you tackle your most challenging or daunting task first.
I loved this book for its clear and concise productivity strategies that I implement in my daily life.
This book is great if you’re looking to improve your time management and productivity. This is also a must-read if you want to overcome procrastination and save time along the way.
RELATED: 10 Actual Ways to Become Productivity
9 – The Magic of Thinking Big – David J Schwartz
This book illustrates the power of thinking big and how it can lead to success in all aspects of life.
The Magic of Thinking Big was one of the first few personal development books I’ve read in my self-growth journey. It opened my eyes to the limitless possibilities that come from thinking big, and how I shouldn’t hold myself back from it.
I suggest this book to anyone who wants to expand their vision on what’s possible, and for anyone who feels that they need to think more realistically. In reality, you can think bigger, and overcome the obstacles in the way, when you change the mindset you have.
8 – The Slight Edge – Jeff Olson
This is another book that illustrates how small and consistent actions compounded over time can lead to long-term results.
I love reading books about habits, hence why this book made my list of personal favorites. It reinforces the idea that success is not about the big actions you take. Instead, it’s all about the small actions you take daily.
Just like with books such as The Compound Effect, and Atomic Habits (which I will talk about later in this post), you need to read this book to understand how your everyday habits, even if they seem small in the moment, matter.
RELATED: Non-Negotiable Daily Habits
7 – 101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think – Brianna West
This features several essays ranging from self-improvement to psychology. Each essay contains unique perspectives and profound insights that challenge your thinking.
I enjoyed reading this book because of the many “aha” moments that I had, and it did change the way I think.
I do recommend this book for people to deepen their understanding of themselves and everything around them. There are multiple strategies that you can use as tips for growth.
6 – Can’t Hurt Me – David Goggins
This is a raw and gripping memoir that shares David Goggin’s journey from a troubled childhood to becoming a Navy Seal, ultra-endurance athlete, and motivational speaker. He shares his experiences of overcoming adversity and pushing through physical and mental barriers.
Can’t Hurt Me was straight to the point and had a no-nonsense approach which is why I loved this book. It challenged me to confront my limitations and inspired me to push past my comfort zone more.
If you want to improve your life, this is a great read. Sometimes, reading about other people’s stories can be a great source of motivation and inspiration, because you know that another person has gone through it. If they have gone through it, you can go through it.
RELATED: 8 Personal Development Goals to Start Setting
5 – What I Wish I Knew About Love – Kirstie Taylor
This book explores concepts such as love, relationships, and self-discovery. Kirstie Taylor shares her journey with navigating love and heartbreak and finding fulfillment within herself.
I appreciated this book because of its relatability and reminded me of the importance of self-love, self-discovery, and personal growth.
For anyone who has experienced heartbreak or disappointment along the way when it comes to love, this book is a great read. It gives a mix of practical advice, empowering insights, and heartfelt encouragement to heal your heart a bit <3
4 – Failing Forward – John Maxwell
John Maxwell explores failure and challenges the usual attitudes toward failure. The main message from this book is that failures are not setbacks. Instead, they are stepping stones to success and this is how we should view every failure in our life (whether personal or professional).
This book changed my perspective on failure, and to this day, I still remind myself of the multiple lessons I learned from this book. It helps me shift every failure from being a negative thing to something that is a stepping stone to do better. You can read the lessons I took away from this book in the blog post I wrote below.
If you also feel like you need to reframe failure, this book is a must-read! It gives valuable wisdom and practical strategies to turn your setbacks into stepping stones. Failures are not final and it’s key to remember that in your self-growth journey.
RELATED: Why Failure Isn’t a Bad Thing After All
3 – Good Vibes, Good Life – Vex King
This is an amazing book on cultivating positivity, self-love, and personal growth. There are multiple practical strategies and insight advice for living a more fulfilling and abundant life.
I have reread this book a couple of times because of these concepts. It inspired me to prioritize self-care, and adopt a positive mindset, and gave me valuable tools and habit ideas to enhance my self-love and become the better version of myself.
I recommend this book to people because we could all use more positivity and self-compassion in our lives. Regardless of what stage of our life we are in, there are instances where we could use a self-love and self-compassion boost.
2 – Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff – Richard Carlson
This book is all about letting go of the small stuff and focusing on what truly matters.
I’ve got to admit, I am a big overthinker and I tend to sweat the small stuff a lot. Hence, I reread this book now and then because it reminds me of why the small stuff shouldn’t matter, and what I should put my focus and energy towards instead.
If you are like me, you also need to read this book as well. Some great perspectives and insights can help you transform how you approach those everyday “small stuff”.
RELATED: How to Stop Stressing the Small Stuff
1 – Atomic Habits – James Clear
Atomic Habits offers practical strategies for building and sustaining positive habits (and breaking the bad ones). James Clear delves into the mechanics of forming habits, and demonstrate how small actions over time lead to a remarkable transformation in the long term.
This is one of my favorite personal development books of all time, and it’s one of the books I love to reread when I get the chance. I changed my approach to habits and personal development and gave me the concepts I need to create successful habits.
If you want to build habits or break bad ones, this book is a must-read for its practical techniques and insights into how habits shape our lives.
Take a SMALL STEP
Choose one of the books to start reading :))
You can go to my book recs page here.
To Wrap Up
Hopefully, there was at least one book that intrigued you to start reading :))
If you want to see my list of book recs, you can click here. You’ll be able to find the link to purchase it on Amazon. I’ve got them ready to go for you so you can purchase them whenever.
In the meantime, let’s continue growing together 🙂
-Lauren
P.S I suggest you read these blog posts next
- The Top Habits to Master Your Life Domains
- 6 Lifestyle Tips That Improved My Life
- How to Get Your Life Together for 2024
Share This Blog Post Here:
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hi, this is Lauren! I’m a law grad from Melbourne, Australia. On laurenbarri.com, I create content on all things personal development, productivity, self-care, and habits! I am super passionate about these topics because of how they helped me in all areas of my life, and I want to share it with others!
CONNECT with ME!! 🗯
Instagram:
@laurenlbarri (blog Instagram)
If you got value from this blog in any way, it would mean the world if you could show your support on my Buy Me a Coffee platform! (otherwise I am just really happy that you’re here 😊)
