Reading Self-improvement books is a great way to start on your journey of personal growth and development. As far as my personal choice is concerned, self-improvement is personally my favourite genre of books. Additionally, I believe it increases my perspectives and helps me gain more knowledge and insight about various aspects of life.
In this blog, we will explore the top 5 must-read self-improvement books and their jist. Moreover, we will discuss what we get to learn from these books.
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Self-Improvement Books One Must Read
1. Think and Grow Rich By Napoleon Hill
“Think And Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill was published in 1937. It has a rating of 4.8/5 on Amazon. The book is a must-read classic which has been one of the best-selling books of all time! Because of its name, a lot of people assume that the book is only about making wealth, but it also talks about personal accomplishments and success.
Napoleon Hill took 20 years to research and write the book on how to become successful and he very well managed to do so. In the book, he talks in detail about the 13 principles of getting rich which are:
- Desire
- Faith
- Autosuggestion
- Specialised Knowledge
- Imagination
- Planning
- Decision Making
- Persistence
- Mastermind
- Sex Drive
- Subconscious Mind
- Brain, and
- The Sixth Sense
The book was released right before the great depression. Due to this, it became quite relevant to the prevalent trend which was one reason for its popularity. In today’s time, there are over 20 million copies of this book.
2. Atomic Habits By James Clear
Atomic Habit is a great self-improvement book. It has a rating of 4.6/5 on Amazon. It was published in 2018 and 5 million copies have been sold since then.
The book is about building good habits and teaches you to break bad ones. Moreover, the book emphasises improving your habits one step at a time. Atomic Habits is a must-read, especially if you wish to achieve professional and personal growth.
One of the best things about this book is that it focuses on building identity-based habits which means that if you find yourself having a difficult time sticking to the goal, it is probably because you may be focusing on the wrong thing.
In the book, the author talks about the 4 laws of building habits which are:
- Make it Obvious
- Make it Attractive
- Make It Easy
- Make It Satisfying
Moreover, the book also has many practical pages that help you track these habits.
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3. Best Self By Mike Bayer
Best Self By Mike Bayer is a great self-development book. As the name suggests, it’s about being the best version of yourself. The book has a 4+ rating out of 5 on Amazon and was published in 2019. The book has 3 major teachings which are:
- Visualise your best self
- Fear is a disease
- Taking care of yourself doesn’t make you selfish.
The author explains the three lessons very well in this book. Moreover, the author also speaks about anti-self and explains how it is a version of ourselves that limits us from achieving our true self.
You can consider this book as a guide to discovering yourself. The Author Mike Bayer is a well-known life coach. with this book, he aimed to transform lives by making people connect to their true selves.
4. The Courage to Be Disliked by Ichiro Kishimi & Fumitake Koga
The Courage to be Disliked by Ichiro Kishmi & Fumitake Koga is a great self-improvement book about philosophy. It teaches us about having the courage to change and ignore the limitations that we place on ourselves. This book has a rating of 4.6/5 on Amazon and was published in 2013.
I found myself drawn to this book because of its title. It’s only human nature to have the desire to want people to like you and get their approval. However, this book teaches about much more.
The book is a Japanese analysis of a psychologist, Alfred Adler from the 19th century. He talks about how one’s happiness is in their own hands and is not determined by past traumas. The book also teaches 3 great lessons which are:
a) Your past does not determine your future
b) Hating yourself is a way to shut out others
c) A competitive mindset destroys your mental health
One thing I enjoyed about this book is besides its teaching, it also helps you learn about self-forgiveness and self-care. Moreover, it also teaches you about working on limitations one sets for themselves.
5. Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. The book is one of the most influential books for America by Good Reads. The book was released in 1946. Nonetheless, the knowledge the book imparts is timeless. The book has an overall rating of 4.5/5 on good reads.
The author Viktor Frankl writes about his experience as a prisoner in the Nazi camp during World War II. The book has two different parts, in the first part he talks about survival, and in the second part, he talks about logotherapy. In his analysis, he discusses 3 ways to find meaning in life which are:
- By accomplishing tasks
- By expressing things fully or loving someone
- By the attitude you adopt towards suffering
Frankl also discusses love, hope, and overcoming difficulties in life. The book is a great example of how to look for purpose and meaning in life, despite having many difficulties making it one of the most loved classics of all time!
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