29 Self-Help Books That Will Definitely Change Your Life

Are you eager to be a better you? For years, self-help gurus have preached the same simple formula – if you want to improve your life then you need to change how you think and make that effort to get the necessary changes done. Make it a point to have positive thoughts and you will become happier, as joy starts within you. Visualise your dream self and you will enjoy increased success. Think like a millionaire and you will magically grow rich. As much as how this falls into the “too good to be true” category, if knowledge is accompanied by effort and persistent determination to change, all of us will see results.

Courses and training these days could be time-consuming and expensive, which is why self-help books are more often than not, the more logical alternatives. Different authors have various techniques, approaches and ways of delivering their points, and it all depends on how we digest them and get them working. Judging by the book sales and the popularity of some of the titles below, we can definitely deduce that they definitely work. Wait no further, pick a book to read, and get things moving today.

Note: This is not a list of free ebooks, but rather a compilation of recommended titles which you can use as a guidance on what to read next.

1. Meditations by Marcus Aurelius (Literally notes he wrote to himself. Completely brilliant and relevant.)
2. The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo (How to avoid hoarding – only keep things that bring you joy, how to avoid buying things you don’t want/need, and how to simplify your life.)
3. Codependent No More by Melodie Beatty (The healing touchstone of millions, this modern classic by one of America’s best-loved and most inspirational authors holds the key to understanding codependency and to unlocking its stultifying hold on your life.)
4. The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Timothy Ferriss (Understanding value of work.)
5. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie (Teaches about how to be a good person of influence.)
6. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson (Illustrates how life’s struggles often give it more meaning, and how it is a better approach than constantly trying to be happy.)
7. The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle (How to be in the present moment.)
8. Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda (How to believe in a higher power.)
9. Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach (How to believe in your individuality and trust yourself.)
10. The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks (How to overcome sabotaging internal subconscious dialogue and take it to the next level.)
11. The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz (How to get the most out of yourself.)
12. The Books of Carlos Castaneda (How to understand esoteric power that ‘normal’ people have no idea about.)
13. Awaken the Giant Within by Anthony (Tony) Robbins (How to shift your conditioned programming and create the energy you want.)
14. The Holy Science by Swami Yukteswar (To show as clearly as possible that there is an essential unity in all religions; that there is no difference in the truths inculcated by the various faiths; that there is but one method by which the world, both external and internal, has evolved; and that there is but one Goal admitted by all scriptures.)
15. The New Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz (Sharpens your perspective on what you want out of life, and how to get it.)
16. He’s Just Not That Into You by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo (Aimed for single women, tells women readers that if a man in whom you are interested is not making the effort to pursue you, he is simply just not that into you.)
17. Change Your Thinking by Sarah Edelman (Basically a guide to cognitive behavioural therapy. As psychology’s most effective tool, it’s useful for everyone to know what it’s all about and apply the principles to areas that you struggle with.)
18. If Not Dieting, Then What? by Dr Rick Kausmann
19. The Keys by DJ Khaled (DJ Khaled shares his keys to more success.)
20. Daring Greatly by Brene Brown (Presents personal vulnerability in a very different light than one is used to – as a positive trait that makes us more powerful.)
21. This is How by Augusten Burroughs (Augusten uses his personal experiences to share insights about different issues one faces. Every piece is valuable as he uses specific situations (e.g. his alcoholism) for discussing bigger ideas (addiction/obsession).)
22. How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie (Teaches how to live in a ‘day-tight compartment’ so you can live a worry-free life.)
23. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill (Teaches how to empower yourself to achieve financial freedom and get everything you want. This is a great classic that will transform your mind to think about prosperity.)
24. The Success Journey by John Maxwell (Teaches the process of living and achieving your dream and making it meaningful. It also teaches success is not about getting power, money, or achievement. Instead, it is the process of knowing your purpose, maximizing your potential to achieve that purpose, and giving away that purpose for the benefit of many people.)
25. The Genie Within by Harry Carpenter (About the subconscious mind and how to harness its power. It teaches the techniques on how to use your subconscious mind for your benefit.)
26. 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell (John has combined insights learned from his thirty-plus years of leadership successes and mistakes with observations from the worlds of business, politics, sports, religion, and military conflict.)
27. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adam (Don’t panic and just roll with life’s punches and carry on.)
28. Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter (Differentiates between being an employee, self-employed, a business owner or investor and what that could mean to your overall financial well-being.)
29. How to Be Miserable: 40 Strategies You Already Use Paperback by Randy J. Paterson (Can’t get better if you don’t know what you’re doing wrong.)