The 71 Best Self-Improvement Books | Complete List

Table of Contents

Hey there! I hope you are having a wonderful year so far, and what better way to finish it off than by reading the perfect book designed to help you climb to even higher heights? In this article, I will attempt to shine some light on the topic of best self-improvement books. My goal with this post is to create a complete list, to cover all of the topics ranging from health and fitness, all the way to metaphysics and consciousness. If you are interested in a full self-improvement guide, that also encompasses all of these books, check out the Self-Improvement Roadmap.

As someone who has a habit of reading a book per week (sometimes even three), I firmly believe that reading is one of the best ways to improve all aspects of your life. That is exactly why I was constantly trying to find a complete list of the best self-improvement books to read, but to no avail. After having read all of the books below and many others that didn’t make it in, I’ve come with up this list and I hope to save you all some time by sharing it.

For anyone interested in even more fascinating books to read, I also created a list of classical books to help you shape the way you see the world and think. Not only are these novels fun to read, but they also contain a vast amount of wisdom waiting for you to discover.

Best Relationship Books

1. The Way of the Superior Man by David Deida

“As long as life continues, the creative challenge is to tussle, play, and make love with the present moment while giving your unique gift.”

The Way of the Superior Man” by David Deida is a book that offers guidance on improving and managing various aspects of men’s lives, and it aims to help you achieve freedom, success, and joy in relationships. 

The book emphasizes the existence of masculine and feminine traits in individuals, and Deida primarily focuses on helping people of the “masculine” sexual essence. He promotes and encourages individuals to take control, particularly in interactions with their more feminine partners, and to live just on the edge, where growth will come naturally. 

Despite potential room for disagreements, the book contains valuable truths for anyone willing to immerse themselves in this masterpiece.

Check out my full book summary for more details.

Key Takeaways

    • An inner masculine and inner feminine exists in all of us, both genders.
    • Men are generally dominated by their inner masculine, and women by their inner feminine.
    • The “mission” or the search for freedom is the priority of the masculine, whereas the search for love is the priority of the feminine.

Reviews

“As a woman, I’ve never felt so understood and validated.” —Marci Shimoff, co-author of Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul

“The openness, the love! What lively new language David Deida finds for the unsayable!” —Coleman Barks, author of The Essential Rumi

“The Way of the Superior Man is a bold and challenging and very perceptive book. The cutting-edge masculinity of these pages is sexually strong and spiritually clear. . . . Deida challenges and instructs men to live on their edge, to go forth uncompromisingly in search of their own deepest truths and greatest purpose. He pulls no punches and brooks no weakness.” —NAPRA Review

Ratings

2. The Enlightened Sex Manual by David Deida

“Either you are living as love or you are lost in the drama of your own story to one degree or another.”

Uncover the secrets to both enlightenment and fulfilling intimacy with this groundbreaking guide for adventurous couples. Drawing on decades of training in spiritual and sexual awakening, David Deida presents a comprehensive guide to unlocking the physical, emotional, and spiritual rewards of intimate connection. In “The Enlightened Sex Manual,” you will learn how to transform basic “skin friction” into profound ecstasy, develop sexual abilities as expressions of heartful bliss, explore various types of orgasms, and so much more. 

Whether you’re single or in a relationship, regardless of your gender or sexual orientation, this manual provides a complete guide for fostering a “whole-body recognition of love’s light” in the wild play of sexuality.

Check out my full book summary for more details.

Key Takeaways

    • When you inhale, you are opening yourself and receiving breath and energy into your body. When you exhale, you are letting go and releasing energy.
    • Infinite love is who really are and who we refuse to be. This refusal is our most essential tension. This openness of being is all there is and who we are, and yet we stand divided and protected, refusing to trust.
    • Nothing outside of us has the power to limit our capacity to give and receive love.

Reviews

“Deida brilliantly lays bare the hidden psychology of feminine and masculine and offers clear instructions for tapping into our deepest core and achieving true harmony through sexual intimacy. I feel that Deida has reached a new level of poetic genius in his writing, and his understanding of feminine psychology astounds me.” —Miranda Shaw, PhD, Author of Passionate Enlightenment: Women in Tantric Buddhism

“David Deida explains the heart and soul of women to men. As a woman, I’ve never felt so understood and validated. David’s work is a key to helping men and women alike take their relationships one step further. Finally, a clear and brilliant guide to unraveling the mystery of relationships.” —Marci Shimoff, Co-author of Chicken Soup for a Woman’s Soul

“Being able to reach and live integrated sex, relationship, and transcendence is no easy task. It requires immense courage, wisdom, and above all, fearless loving. In Deida, all this gets included in one radical teaching. You’ll learn how to open your heart and integrate the need to sleep with every attractive woman you see, deal appropriately with a woman’s emotional chaos, give your gift to the word and lover, and finally transcend the whole lot by including it all.” —Vijay Rana, The Watkins Review

Ratings

3. Attached by Amir Levine and Rachel Heller

“Most people are only as needy as their unmet needs.”

Attached by Amir Levine and Rachel Heller explores how early attachment experiences shape our romantic relationships. Through psychological research and clinical insights, the authors introduce three attachment styles—secure, anxious, and avoidant—and offer practical advice to help you understand and improve your relationships.

By recognizing our and our partner’s underlying needs, we can break negative patterns, build loving relationships, and enhance the quality of our romantic lives.

Key Takeaways

    • Feelings of attachment are a given when it comes to love.
    • Effective communication is the best way to guarantee your happiness in any relationship.
    • There are three different attachment styles.

Reviews

“Over a decade after its publication, one book on dating has people firmly in its grip.” —The New York Times

“Amir Levine and Rachel Heller have written a very smart book: It is clear, easy to read and insightful. It’s a valuable tool whether you are just entering a relationship with a new partner or-as in my case–even after you’ve been married 21 years, and had thought you knew everything about your spouse.” —Scientific American

“Anyone who has been plagued by that age-old question—’What is his deal?”—could benefit from a crash course in attachment theory.” —Elle

Ratings

4. The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman

“Most people are only as needy as their unmet needs.”

In his book The 5 Love Languages, Gary Chapman outlines five distinct love languages: words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time, and physical touch. By identifying and effectively communicating love in the right kind of way, we can create meaningful and loving relationships.

If you are looking to improve your relationship with your special other, or with family and friends, the best thing you can do is identify their love language. Good communication is key to good relationships.

Key Takeaways

    • Everyone feels loved in one of five different ways.
    • Understanding your own primary love language is crucial for effective communication and expressing your needs to your partner.
    • Love is a human need that’s defined by your emotional well-being.

Ratings

Best Books for Understanding Reality

5. Waking Up by Sam Harris

“The feeling that we call “I” is itself the product of thought. Having an ego is what it feels like to be thinking without knowing that you are thinking.”

Waking Up explores and explains the answers to most common questions about religion, consciousness, free will, mindfulness, ego, and self, and helps people from all walks of life understand the nature of the mind. It shows us how to cherish and be grateful for the present moment without an illusion of the self following us like a shadow. Waking up acts as a bridge between atheism and theism, and it does it so masterfully.

Check out my full book summary for more details.

Key Takeaways

    • To grow you must overcome the illusion of self.
    • As a matter of experience…you are consciousness and its ever-changing contents.
    • It is always now, there is no other time than now.

Reviews

“Harris’s book . . . caught my eye because it’s so entirely of this moment, so keenly in touch with the growing number of Americans who are willing to say that they do not find the succor they crave, or a truth that makes sense to them, in organized religion.” —Frank Bruni, columnist, New York Times

“A demanding, illusion-shattering book.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Uber-atheist Sam Harris is getting all spiritual. In his new book, Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion, the usually outspoken critic of religion describes how spirituality can and must be divorced from religion if the human mind is to reach its full potential. . . . But there is plenty in Waking Up that will delight Harris’ most militant atheist readers.” —Religion News Service

Ratings

6. The Moral Landscape by Sam Harris

“The moment one begins thinking about morality in terms of well-being, it becomes remarkably easy to discern a moral hierarchy across human societies.”

Sam Harris argues that to better understand morality in general, we should look more deeply into the human brain, where causes for our actions originate, rather than in the Holy books or other outer sources.

In his books, he lays down the argument for objective moral truth and how we can live and act by it. He believes there shouldn’t be Christian or Muslim moral rules, but an all-encompassing set of laws that is valid for everyone, no matter their cultural background.

Key Takeaways

    • In spite of being difficult to define, we can use increases and decreases in “well-being” to gauge morality.
    • In a moral landscape, there are many possible “right” answers to moral questions.
    • Answers to moral questions are meaningful, even if the absolute answers are unreachable.

Reviews

“Sam Harris breathes intellectual fire into an ancient debate. Reading this thrilling, audacious book, you feel the ground shifting beneath your feet. Reason has never had a more passionate advocate.” —Ian McEwan

“A lively, provocative, and timely new look at one of the deepest problems in the world of ideas. Harris makes a powerful case for a morality that is based on human flourishing and thoroughly enmeshed with science and rationality. It is a tremendously appealing vision, and one that no thinking person can afford to ignore.” —Steven Pinker

“Reading Sam Harris is like drinking water from a cool stream on a hot day. He has the rare ability to frame arguments that are not only stimulating, they are downright nourishing, even if you don’t always agree with him! In this new book he argues from a philosophical and a neurobiological perspective that science can and should determine morality. His discussions will provoke secular liberals and religious conservatives alike, who jointly argue from different perspectives that there always will be an unbridgeable chasm between merely knowing what is and discerning what should be. As was the case with Harris’ previous books, readers are bound to come away with previously firm convictions about the world challenged, and a vital new awareness about the nature and value of science and reason in our lives.” —Lawrence M. Krauss

Ratings

7. The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle

“At the deepest level of Being, you are one with all that is.”

Eckhart Tolle, through his book “The Power of Now”, is trying to show us that the primary focus of our life should be the present moment. There was never a time when it wasn’t now and there will never be such a time. The present moment is all you have and its quality shouldn’t be degraded by our mind’s habit to getting lost in thought.

Give up the habit of daydreaming and find joy and bliss in the now. The past is nothing more than all present moments that have gone by, and the future is just the collection of present moments waiting to arrive.

Check out my full book summary for more details.

Key Takeaways

    • All pain is a result of resistance to the things you cannot change.
    • To be present is to be free of pain.
    • Life is just a series of present moments.

Reviews

“For me, this is the Mama Jama of super-soulful books. At every moment, it keeps me in a state of awe and amazement.” —Oprah Winfrey

“One of the best books to come along in years. Every sentence rings with truth and power.” —Deepak Chopra, author of The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success

“This is a book I return to again and again. It’s been helpful to me in difficult moments.” —Religion News Service

Ratings

8. The Kybalion by Three Initiates

“The feeling that we call “I” is itself the product of thought. Having an ego is what it feels like to be thinking without knowing that you are thinking.”

In the Kybalion, readers are presented with 7 principles that govern the universe we live in. Each of the principles builds upon the previous, and even if you decide not to accept them as universal truths, they still carry an immense amount of advice and wisdom.

This book acts as a guide to better understand not only ourselves, but also the reality we live in.

Key Takeaways

    • Every cause has its effect.
    • All is mind. There is nothing that exist in reality which hasn’t first been conceptualized by the mind.
    • Everything is dual, opposites are identical in nature but different in degree.

Reviews

“A compelling spiritual psychology.” —Mitch Horowitz. Time.com

Ratings

9. Reality transurfing Steps I-V by Vadim Zeland

“If you want to eradicate something from your life all you have to do is stop thinking about it, pass it by with indifference and it will disappear. To eliminate something from your life, ignore it, do not avoid it.”

According to Vadim Zeland, we are all capable of choosing the reality we wish to live in. He argues that we live in a world of consciousness in which infinite versions of reality simultaneously exist—and what you identify as reality is just one version of it. 

This book became very popular in Russian speaking countries, after it’s realize and even talks about philosophical ideas that were around for a long time, it connects the dots masterfully and gives as a system of ideas that helps us better understand reality we live in.

Key Takeaways

    • Your version of reality reflects your emotional energy.
    • You can consciously choose which reality you wish to live in.
    • Reacting to your reality reinforces your version of reality.

Ratings

10. What to Say When You Talk to Your Self by Shad Helmstetter

“The brain simply believes what you tell it most. And what you tell it about you, it will create. It has no choice.”

We talk to ourselves all the time, yet we don’t realize that much of what we tell ourselves is negative or counter-productive. In his book Shad Helmstetter presents us with insights from his 20 years of behavioral research, with exact steps and self-talk strategies that you can use to reprogram your unconscious mind, achieve your goals, live your desired life and reach your full potential.

Key Takeaways

    • There are different levels of self-talk and you should only use positive type of self-talk.
    • The thoughts that you think on a daily basis influence the way you perceive experiences and events.
    • You will become what you think about the most.

Ratings

11. The Power of Your Subconscious Mind by Joseph Murphy

“Every thought is a cause & every condition is an effect. Change your thoughts & you change your destiny.”

In his book, Joseph Murphy helps us better understand the differences between our conscious and subconscious minds. There are powerful ways by which we can program our subconscious, but many people never learn that it is even possible to do such a thing. They believe they are destined to suffer, but by merely choosing to be happy, our subconscious does the rest of the work for us. The only obstacle to your success and achievement is your own thought or mental image.

Key Takeaways

    • To grow you must overcome the illusion of self.
    • If you truly believe in something, your Subconscious Mind will make sure your belief becomes reality.
    • Visualization and affirmation are more powerful than you could imagine.

Ratings

12. Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz

“Adopt the motto—”It doesn’t matter who’s right, but what’s right.”

When it comes to practical advice, methods and exercises, Maxwell Maltz’s book Psycho-Cybernetics acts as a personal therapist in from of  written word. From visualization exercises to five rules systems designed to enhance our creative thinking, this books comes equipped with a vast amount of systems to help you resolve all of your problems.

If you are interested in how  to remove restrictive programming embedded in your self-image or how to use your imagination to reprogram and manage your self-image, look no further than this book.

Key Takeaways

    • Self-image is at the forefront of every human.
    • As a matter of experience…you are consciousness and its ever-changing contents.
    • There exist both success and failure mechanisms, and you should absolutely be aware of them.

Reviews

“Before the mind can work efficiently, we must develop our perception of the outcomes we expect to reach. Maxwell Maltz calls this Psycho-Cybernetics; when the mind has a defined target it can focus and direct and refocus and redirect until it reaches its intended goal.” —Tony Robbins (from Unlimited Power).

“Published in 1960, Psycho-Cybernetics remains one the classics of self-help, self-improvement, and personal development.” —Mind of Success

“An invaluable aid to the layman, offering a sound, scientific method of practical self-improvement.” —Mark Freeman, Ph.D., clinical psychologist 

Ratings

13. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

“Both poverty and riches are the offspring of thought.”

Thoughts are things and powerful things at that. Man can create nothing which he does not first conceive in thought. You are the creator of your future because of the ability to program your thoughts.

Ideas like these and many more are what make this book special. It may look like a book about money, but once you open it, you will realize that inside lives a whole new type of reality ready for you to learn from it.

Check out my full book summary for more details.

Key Takeaways

    • The most successful people make decisions quickly and definitely.
    • Importance of having a burning desire and definiteness of purpose.
    • Faith is a state of mind that believes in something even when there is no outer proof to back one’s beliefs.

Reviews

“During the past twenty-five years I have been blessed with more good fortune than any individual deserves but I shudder to think where I’d be today, or what I’d be doing if I had not been exposed to Napoleon Hill’s philosophy. It changed my life.” —Og Mandino, The Greatest Salesman in the World

Ratings

Best History Books

14. Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari

“A meaningful life can be extremely satisfying even in the midst of hardship, whereas a meaningless life is a terrible ordeal no matter how comfortable it is.”

Sapiens by Noah Harari is an anthropological masterpiece, that takes us through human history and teaches what it means to be a “human”. Sapiens is divided into four parts: The Cognitive Revolution, The Agricultural Revolution, The Unification of Humankind, and The Scientific Revolution. Each of these is then divided into 6 more chapters. This way, you will get a detailed view of all 4 “revolutions” that shaped our species into what it is today.

There is a reason why this book is one of the most recommended by successful people. We must learn from history to prevent future catastrophes, and there is no better book about history than Sapiens.

Key Takeaways

    • The Scientific Revolution was built upon man’s willingness to admit his ignorance.
    • The Agricultural Revolution was a luxury trap. Population growth exploded, but people lived under far worse conditions.
    • Money, imperialism, and religion are the forces that unified humankind into a global society.

Reviews

“I would recommend this book to anyone interested in a fun, engaging look at early human history…you’ll have a hard time putting it down.” — Bill Gates

“Thank God someone finally wrote [this] exact book.” — Sebastian Junger

“Sapiens is learned, thought-provoking and crisply written…. Fascinating.” — Wall Street Journal

Ratings

15. History of the World Map by Map by DK

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” 

–George Santayana

See history as it happened – from the evolution of early humans to the space race – with 140 detailed maps that bring pivotal episodes of world history to life. It is one thing to read and listen about historical events, but it is totally different when you can engage in learning history through maps and images. As the saying goes “A picture is worth a thousand words”.

Maps don’t just show us where to go, but also where we’ve been. If you’re interested in finding out more about the biggest events in world history and you wish to learn history in a fun and immersive way, then this book is for you.

Ratings

Best Philosophy Books

16. A New History of Western Philosophy by Anthony Kenny

“Philosophy is not a matter of knowledge; it is a matter of understanding, that is to say, of organizing what is known.”

The individual volumes of Sir Anthony Kenny’s acclaimed History of Western Philosophy have been hailed as “wonderfulauthoritativehugely rewarding” (Times Higher Education Supplement) and “genial and highly accessible” (London Review of Books). Now these four splendid books have been combined into one magnificent volume, providing a continuous sweeping account of the great thought of the Western world.

Here readers will find not only an authoritative guide to the history of philosophy, but also a compelling introduction to every major area of philosophical inquiry. 

Ratings

17. Metaphysics: A Guide and Anthology by Tim Crane and Katalin Farkas

” Metaphysics involves intuitive knowledge of unprovable starting-points concepts and truth and demonstrative knowledge of what follows from them.” –Aristotle

Ethics, metaphysics, and epistemology are the three primary branches of philosophy, collectively addressing fundamental questions about morality, the nature of reality, and the limits of knowledge. 

To understand the world around you, you must become philosophically educated and first step in doing so is reading a comprehensive book on metaphysics.

Ratings

18. Ethics: History, Theory, and Contemporary Issues by Steven M. Cahn and Peter Markie

“Any tool can be used for good or bad. It’s really the ethics of the artist using it.” —John Knoll

Ethics, metaphysics, and epistemology are the three primary branches of philosophy, collectively addressing fundamental questions about morality, the nature of reality, and the limits of knowledge. 

To understand the world around you, you must become philosophically educated and the second step in doing so is reading a comprehensive book on ethics.

Ratings

19. Epistemology: An Anthology by Ernest Sosa, Jaekwon Kim, Jeremy Fantl and Matthew McGrath

“I know that I know nothing” – Socrates

Ethics, metaphysics, and epistemology are the three primary branches of philosophy, collectively addressing fundamental questions about morality, the nature of reality, and the limits of knowledge. 

To understand the world around you, you must become philosophically educated and the third step in doing so is reading a comprehensive book on epistemology.

Ratings

20. Understanding Arguments by Walter Sinnott-Armstrong and Robert J. Fogelin

“You can sway a thousand men by appealing to their prejudices quicker than you can convince one man by logic.” ― Robert A. Heinlein

Being able to understand, analyze and break down arguments is a fundamental skill for anyone interested in finding the truth. If you can’t even comprehend what the person in front of you is saying, there is no way forward.

To be able to state your own arguments, you must first learn to understand others. Every conversation you will ever have requires the skill of listening on your part.

Ratings

21. The Oxford Handbook of Nietzsche by Ken Gemes and John Richardson

“That which does not kill us makes us stronger.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche

The diversity of Nietzsche’s books, and the sheer range of his philosophical interests, have posed daunting challenges to his interpreters. This Handbook addresses this multiplicity by devoting each of its 32 essays to a focused topic, picked out by the book’s systematic plan.

The aim is to treat each topic at the best current level of philosophical scholarship on Nietzsche.

Ratings

Best Books for Improving Your Mindset

22. Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”

Man’s Search for Meaning is a memoir by Viktor Frankl, a prisoner in Nazi concentration camps. In this masterpiece, Viktor teaches us how we can endure suffering, find meaning in it, and define our own future. 

Viktor’s philosophy for life is defined by the following statement: “primary human drive is not pleasure but the pursuit of what we find meaningful”.

In order to become successful, happy and fulfilled in life, you must learn to endure suffering, and there is no better man to teach you than Viktor Frankl.

Check out my full book summary for more details.

Key Takeaways

    • The true test of our character is revealed in how we act.
    • We always retain the ability to choose how we react.
    • Human kindness can be found in most surprising places.

Reviews

“An enduring work of survival literature.” —The New York Times

“Man’s Search for Meaning might well be prescribed for everyone who would understand our time.” —Journal of Individual Psychology

“An inspiring document of an amazing man who was able to garner some good from an experience so abysmally bad… Highly recommended.” —Library Journal

Ratings

23. The Way of Zen by Alan Watts

“For there is never anything but the present, and if one cannot live there, one cannot live anywhere.”

Waking Up explores and explains the answers to most common questions about religion, consciousness, free will, mindfulness, ego, and self, and helps people from all walks of life understand the nature of the mind. It shows us how to cherish and be grateful for the present moment without an illusion of the self following us like a shadow. Waking up acts as a bridge between atheism and theism, and it does it so masterfully.

Key Takeaways

    • We must understand the differences between conventional and unconventional knowledge.
    • The point of Zen is not to attain awakening, it is to realize that you already have it in you.
    • Stop buying into the illusion of dual thinking.

Reviews

“Perhaps the foremost interpreter of Eastern disciplines for the contemporary West, Watts had the rare gift of ‘writing beautifully the unwritable.’” —Los Angeles Times

Ratings

24. Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins

“Don’t stop when you are tired. Stop when you are done.”

In a society where mediocrity is too often the standard and too often rewarded, there is an intense fascination with men who detest mediocrity, who refuse to define themselves in conventional terms, and who seek to transcend traditionally recognized human capabilities.

If I had to choose the book that had the biggest impact on my life, it would have to be this one. It truly changed my perception of the world and helped me become the person I am today. Not only is the book full of great advice, but it is also extremely interesting to read since you go on to experience everything that the author David Goggins lived through.

Check out my full book summary for more details.

Key Takeaways

    • Do something that sucks every day.
    • The 40-hour work week is just 40% percent effort. You can do a lot better than that.
    • Don’t focus on what you think you deserve. Take aim of what you are willing to earn.

Reviews

“David Goggins is a being of pure will and inspiration. Just listening to this guy talk makes you want to run up a mountain. I firmly believe people like him can change the course of the world just by inspiring us to push harder and dig deeper in everything we do. His goal to be ‘uncommon amongst uncommon people’ is something we can all use to propel ourselves to fulfill our true potential. I’m a better man having met him.”
—Joe Rogan

“Modern neuroscience is teaching us that the path to courage and success arrives through embracing pain and fear, not by avoiding them. If ever there was a real-life example of this, it is the story of David Goggins. In his unrelenting pursuit to self-conquer, Goggins taught himself how to tap into that elusive holy grail of human existence: the ability to rewire one’s own brain in order to continually do better and actually become better, regardless of feelings, external conditions, or motivational state. Can’t Hurt Me is the remarkable description of that journey and the capacity to leverage and better the mind. More importantly, it also teaches you how.”
—Andrew D. Huberman

“I’m inspired that people like this guy exist. Not everyone will live a life like David Goggins, but he is proof that anyone could if given the right headspace within.” —Kelly Slater

Ratings

25. Never Finished by David Goggins

“Reality can be brutal when all of your excuses are stripped away and you are exposed for exactly who and what you have become, but the truth can also be liberating.”

Strip away all excuses and look at exactly who and what you have become. Is that person in the mirror worth being?

In his sequel, David Goggins gives us a deeper understanding of his philosophy of life. He explains in great detail the mechanisms and strategies that helped him push through many obstacles he faced both in his personal life as an ultra-athlete, and professional life as a Navy Seal. It is a great continuation to his previous book and if you liked the first book, you are certainly going to enjoy this one as well.

Check out my full book summary for more details.

Key Takeaways

    • The real work is unseen.
    • It ain’t your fault that you were dealt a bad hand, but it is your responsibility. So own it.
    • You must commit. If you are gonna do anything, do it all the way.

Reviews

“There are levels to mental strength, and the undisputed gold standard is my friend David Goggins. The combination of the superhuman spectacle of his accomplishments and the immense gravity of his words serves as one of the most potent motivational drugs that exist on God’s green earth. He’s a man who came from a humble and troubled childhood and, through the force of sheer will, forged himself into one of the hardest motherf#ckers that’s ever lived. I believe there are people that are put here to elevate our expectations and redefine what’s possible for the rest of us, and David Goggins is the best example of that idea that I’ve ever come across in my life.” —Joe Rogan

“David Goggins is a rare breed of human being. His commitment to the philosophy of “achieving your greatness by giving life all you got” through mental toughness and self-discipline has been an anchor of inspiration and motivation to millions around the world—myself included. To me, what makes David rare isn’t his elite U.S. Navy SEAL career or his record-breaking endurance events as an athlete. What makes him rare is, from the day we connected, he’s always been a real guy who shoots from the hip and speaks from the heart. And that’s what matters most. Hardest workers in the room.” —Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

“I did not pick David up when he fell, but he did pick me up every time I fell. David has purposefully and meticulously scrutinized every morbidly ugly aspect of our lives and of his life with raw, brutal, and oftentimes painful honesty. By sharing his life experiences, he has given all of us a blueprint on not only how to pick ourselves up but also how to excel in the face of overwhelming adversity and “stay hard” in the process.” —Jacqueline Gardner, David’s mom

Ratings

26. Maps of Meaning by Jordan B. Peterson

“Life without law remains chaotic, effectively intolerable. Life that is pure law becomes sterile, equally unbearable. The domination of chaos or sterility equally breeds murderous resentment and hatred.”

Maps of Meaning by Jordan B. Peterson is a thought-provoking book that explores human belief systems and the meanings we derive from them. It dives deep into the role of myth, religion, and culture in shaping our views of the world.

Myths represent the creation of meaning. Therefore, the book tries to understand the process of creation of meaning through analyzing myths as well as through a scientific understanding of how the human brain works.

Key Takeaways

    • Humans explore their environment out of a fear of the unknown.
    • Stories help us navigate the world as a place of meaning.
    • To evolve the revolutionary hero persona, the individual must undergo cultural apprenticeship.

Reviews

“The book reflects its author’s profound moral sense and vast erudition in areas ranging from clinical psychology to scripture and a good deal of personal soul-searching and experience…with patients who include prisoners, alcoholics and the mentally ill.”  —Montreal Gazette

“This is not a book to be abstracted and summarized. Rather it should be read at leisure…and employed as a stimulus and reference to expand one’s own maps of meaning. I plan to return to Peterson’s musings and mapping many times over the next few years.” —Am JPsychiatry

“…a brilliant enlargement of our understanding of human motivation…a beautiful work.” —Sheldon H. White, Harvard University

Ratings

Best Leadership Books

27. Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin

“Extreme Ownership. Leaders must own everything in their world. There is no one else to blame.”

As a leader, it’s not what you preach, it’s what you tolerate. If there are no consequences, that performance becomes the new standard.

If you are interested in how to become a good leader, how to stay calm in any situation, a never be overwhelmed by the number of problems check out this book. It is written by two Navy Seals, which is an American special forces unit, and who better to teach you than two combat veterans with years of experience under their belts.

The ideas and principles in this book are the same that Jocko and Leif teach their own junior leaders in the army, so you don’t need to worry if these concepts work or not. They have been “field” tested.

Check out my full book summary for more details.

Key Takeaways

    • Always remain calm, step back, and determine the greatest priority.
    • In order to fix any problem at all, you must first take ownership of it.
    • You must believe in the mission yourself before your team does.

Reviews

“Leif and Jocko are the real deal. I’m honored to have served with them. They led SEALs in the fight through the hell that was the Battle of Ramadi. This book shows how they did it.” ―Marcus Luttrell

“The smartest, most revolutionary management approach since Jack Welch’s Six Sigma.” ―Don Imus, radio host, Imus in the Morning

“One of the best books on leadership I’ve ever read and a tremendous war story book as well.” ―Marc Andreessen

Ratings

28. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni

“Remember teamwork begins by building trust. And the only way to do that is to overcome our need for invulnerability.”

“The Five Dysfunctions of a Team” by Patrick Lencioni identifies common obstacles to team success, including lack of trust, fear of conflict, and avoidance of accountability. Through a fictional narrative, Lencioni illustrates how these dysfunctions hinder teamwork and offers practical strategies for overcoming them.

By fostering trust, encouraging healthy conflict, promoting commitment, embracing accountability, and prioritizing results, teams can enhance their effectiveness and achieve their goals.

Key Takeaways

    • Commitment is everyone’s responsibility.
    • Results over ego.
    • Team dynamics matter.

Reviews

“I have watched this book become the foundational source on teamwork within our company, and in just about every other organization I know. it’s hard to imagine the world of work without The Five Dysfunctions of a Team.” ―Elizabeth Bryant

“The Five Dysfunctions of a Team has been my playbook for developing our staff and locker room culture for the last decade. The book is a classic – it overs all the real stuff that drives productive teams that many of us are usually too uncomfortable to address.” ―Erik Spoelstra

“The Five Dysfunctions of a Team has stood the test of time, because practicing leaders – those who must get things done through the power of teams – find its insights timeless, incisive, and useful.” ―Jim Collins

Ratings

Best Books for Improving Social Skills

29. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

“Three-fourths of the people you will meet are hungering for sympathy. Give it to them and they will love you.”

In his bestselling book, Dale Carnegie gives us fundamental techniques in handling people. He shares with us different strategies on how to persuade others, change them without giving offense, make them like being around us and so much more. If there was to be a manual on social skills, this book would be it.

Communication is truly the foundation for building strong, loving and meaningful relationships, and this book helps us not only become better speakers, but also better and more compassionate listeners as well.

Check out my full book summary for more details.

Key Takeaways

    • Give honest and sincere appreciation.
    • Become genuinely interested in other people.
    • Be a good listener.

Ratings

30. Influence by Robert B. Cialdini

“We all fool ourselves from time to time in order to keep our thoughts and beliefs consistent with what we have already done or decided”

In his bestselling book Influence, Cialdini helps us better understand what are the factors that determine our decision-making. He explains the psychology of persuasion and teaches us how to use it to our advantage.

Cialdini’s principles of persuasion are reciprocation, commitment and consistency, social proof, liking, authority, scarcity, and unity. Influence is a comprehensive guide to using these principles to move others in your direction.

Check out my full book summary for more details.

Key Takeaways

    • Whenever someone asks for help, try your best to help them.
    • While selling, pitch the more expensive model first. 
    • What those around us think is true of us is enormously important in determining what we ourselves think is true.

Reviews

“Robert Cialdini has done the impossible: he has improved a masterpiece. The new version of Influence is a marvelously rich and engaging account of the subtle power that people exert on each other.” — Daniel Kahneman, Nobel Prize laureate and author of Thinking, Fast and Slow and Noise

“If there is only one book you’ll ever read, if there is only one expert whose advice you’ll trust, it should be this book and this author, Robert Cialdini.” — Angela Duckworth, author of Grit and founder and CEO of Character Lab

“This is the most important book ever written about the science of persuasion, and it just keeps getting better. I can’t imagine a more fascinating, more practical read.” — Adam Grant, New York Times bestselling author of Think Again and Originals and host of the TED podcast WorkLife

Ratings

31. Unleash the Power of Storytelling by Rob Biesenbach

“The bottom line? If you want your audience to do something, make them feel something.”

Storytelling is one of the best tools when it comes to persuading others, selling a product or just in general presenting your ideas. And the good thing is that anyone can learn to tell a good story. All you need are three simple elements: a character, a goal and a challenge.

In his book, Rob Biesenbach presents us with key advice on how to deliver an impactful story that provokes action from your audience. Whoever you are, be it a public speaker or just a regular office worker, we can all benefit from becoming more competent at telling stories.

Check out my full book summary for more details.

Key Takeaways

    • Emotional engagement is the key to memorable narratives.
    • Create a story that is perfectly tuned to your audience.
    • A Story is an account of a character who pursues a goal and encounters obstacles along the way.

Reviews

“In this engaging, no-nonsense, and often extremely funny handbook on the craft behind great stories, Rob Biesenbach shares his own storytelling roadmap without hesitation, giving you precisely what you need to raise your business storytelling to an art form.” —Shonali Burke, ABC, President & CEO, Shonali Burke Consulting

“There is no greater skill that will positively impact your career as much as becoming a masterful storyteller. Well-told stories have the power to teach, clarify, and inspire. Rob’s experience and unique point of view makes him a go-to authority for ambitious leaders.” —Patricia Fripp, Past President, National Speakers Association

“All the experts suggest you tell stories — but no one tells you how. That’s where Unleash the Power of Storytelling comes in. Rob Biesenbach provides a five-step process for crafting your stories, and six ways to ensure they’re relevant to your audience. After you read this book, you’ll never again have to wonder … ‘but how?’” —Gini Dietrich, Founder and Author, Spin Sucks

Ratings

32. Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss and Tahl Raz

“Everything is a negotiation. If you don’t think that’s true you’ve been loosing it.”

Never Split the Difference takes you inside of Chris Voss’s world of high-stakes negotiations, revealing the nine key principles that helped Voss and his colleagues succeed when it mattered the most – when people’s lives were at stake. Tooted in the real-life experiences of an intelligence professional at the top of his game, Never Split the Difference will give you the competitive edge in any discussion.

Check out my full book summary for more details.

Key Takeaways

    • We have more than 150 and there are ways we can use them to our advantage.
    • You should always negotiate in odd numbers.
    • Never split the difference.

Reviews

“Emphasizes the importance of emotional intelligence without sacrificing deal-making power. From the pen of a former hostage negotiator—someone who couldn’t take no for an answer—which makes it fascinating reading. But it’s also eminently practical. In these pages, you will find the techniques for getting the deal you want.” —Daniel H. Pink, bestselling author of To Sell Is Human and Drive

“Former FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss has few equals when it comes to high-stakes negotiations. Whether for your business or your personal life, his techniques work.” —Joe Navarro, FBI Special Agent (Ret.) and author of the international bestseller What Every Body Is Saying

“Your business—basically your entire life—comes down to your performance in crucial conversations, and these tools will give you the edge you need. . . .It’s required reading for my employees because I use the lessons in this book every single day, and I want them to, too.” —Jason McCarthy, CEO of GORUCK

Ratings

33. What Every Body Is Saying by Joe Navarro and Marvin Karlins

“The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior.”

What Every Body is Saying is a book written by former FBI counterintelligence officer Joe Navarro. The book explores the fascinating world of nonverbal communication, focusing on the various ways people unconsciously communicate through their body language, facial expressions, and gestures.

Navarro offers practical advice on how to recognize and interpret these signals in everyday interactions, whether in business, social, or personal settings. Through engaging anecdotes and clear explanations, Navarro provides readers with valuable insights into the art of reading body language.

Key Takeaways

    • A few behaviors that indicate stress – whistling, talking to ourselves, excessive yawning, leg clenching, sliding your hands down your knee.
    • People restrict arm and leg movements when lying.
    • With everyone, establish baseline behaviors.

Reviews

“A masterful work on nonverbal body language by an exceptional observer. Joe Navarro’s work has been field-tested in the crucible of law enforcement at the highest levels within the FBI. I cannot praise the book enough.” — David Givens, Ph.D., author of Crime Signals and Love Signals

Ratings

Best Psychology Books

34. Evolutionary Psychology: The New Science of the Mind by David M. Buss

“Identifying evolutionary origins of nefarious behavior in no way justifies or excuses it.”

What if we dive deep into the enigmatic origins of human life? How are we interconnected with other life forms? And what mysterious mechanisms of the mind define our existence as human beings?

Evolutionary psychology emerges as a groundbreaking science, unveiling the captivating integration of modern principles of psychology and evolutionary biology. Since the triumphant release of the acclaimed initial edition of Evolutionary Psychology, the field has been surging with an immense amount of research. In this remarkable book, the esteemed David M. Buss ventures into the exploration of human behavior from an evolutionary standpoint.

Reviews

“This introduction to one of the most exciting approaches to psychology is the best one out there―authoritative, lively, and balanced. It manages to be both theoretically sophisticated and accessible to a wide range of students interested in human nature and how it got that way.”- Steven Pinker, Johnstone Professor of Psychology, Harvard University, USA

“The 7th edition of David Buss’s Evolutionary Psychology: The New Science of the Mind, provides students with a thoroughly updated version of the best evolutionary psychology textbook on the market. I have used several competitors of Buss’s textbook in the past, and none are as successful in inspiring student enthusiasm for the field. Buss is an extraordinarily gifted writer: students consistently report that this textbook is the most interesting textbook they have ever been assigned. Surely some of this excitement is attributable to the fascinating field of evolutionary psychology, but I credit Buss’s remarkable skill as a writer, along with the outstanding organization and presentation of the material.” – Todd K. Shackelford, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor and Chair Co-Director, Evolutionary Psychology Lab, Oakland University, USA

Ratings

35. Read People Like a Book by Patrick King

“Survival overrides everything. When our survival instinct gets activated, everything else in our psychological and emotional makeup turns off.”

In “Read People Like a Book,” Patrick King takes us on a mind-opening journey through the intricacies of human behavior and psychology.

If you wish to better understand people around you, uncover their hidden motives and emotions, and become more trustworthy and empathetic, you should read this book. Not only will you acquire a valuable skill of reading other people, but you will also improve the quality of your existing relationships.

Check out my full book summary for more details.

Key Takeaways

    • You must learn to decipher non-verbal cues, facial expressions, and body language, in order to become more socially aware.
    • The level of your emotional intelligence dictates the quality of your relationships.
    • The key to effective communication is listening.

Ratings

36. The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene

“Powerful people impress and intimidate by saying less. The more you say, the more likely you are to say something foolish.”

Book The 48 Laws of Power teaches us about 48 key steps towards gaining and maintaining power. Even if you yourself aren’t interested in using these principles, it is of crucial importance that you be aware of them. There are other people in the world who regularly use and abuse these laws, and for your own sake, you need to be able to recognize them and make sure that you can defend against them.

As a bonus, the laws are explained through very interesting stories and parables, so it is enjoyable to read.

Check out my full book summary for more details.

Key Takeaways

    • Don’t force others, but rather seduce them.
    • Act unpredictably to be unpredictable.
    • Make your superiors look smarter.

Reviews

“Beguiling . . . literate . . . fascinating. A wry primer for people who desperately want to be on top.” –People magazine.

“Machiavelli has a new rival. And Sun Tzu had better watch his back. Greene . . . has put together a checklist of ambitious behavior. Just reading the table of contents is enough to stir a little corner-office lust.” –New York magazine.

“Satisfyingly dense and . . . literary, with fantastic examples of genius power-game players. It’s The Rules meets In Pursuit of Wow! with a degree in comparative literature.” —Allure

Ratings

37. The Art of Seduction by Robert Greene

“People are more complicated than the masks they wear in society.”

Book The Art of Seduction continues the theme of the other books from the author Robert Greene. It is a manual for persuading anyone, be it a business contact, a political adversary, or a love interest.

As with all of his books, the importance of understanding these concepts lies not in using them for the manipulation of others, but in being aware of possible traps other people may set for you. You should always act by what you believe to be right and it’s not the knowledge of these things that is harmful, but the not knowing of them.

Check out my full book summary for more details.

Key Takeaways

    • Spoiled children have a confidence that stays with them all their lives.
    • The most important trait all seducers share is that they constantly surprise us.
    • There are nine anti-seductive behaviors you should become aware of and try to avoid.

Reviews

“Machiavelli has a new rival. And Sun Tzu had better watch his back. Greene . . . has put together a checklist of ambitious behavior. Just reading the table of contents is enough to stir a little corner-office lust.”—New York magazine

“Beguiling . . . literate . . . fascinating. A wry primer for people who desperately want to be on top.”—People magazine

“An heir to Machiavelli’s Prince . . . gentler souls will find this book frightening, those whose moral compass is oriented solely to power will have a perfect vade mecum.”—Publishers Weekly

Ratings

38. The Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene

“To imagine that we are not always in control of what we do is a frightening thought, but in fact it is the reality.”

Book The Laws of Human Nature helps us better understand the psychological, evolutionary and social reasons why we act in the ways we do, how it could be manipulated and how we could use this knowledge to protect against it.

If you are interested in learning about how to understand and predict the behaviors of ourselves and others, this book is a must-read. Like all other books from this series, it is very interesting to go through and I am sure you will enjoy it.

Check out my full book summary for more details.

Key Takeaways

    • Elevate yourself above normal human shortsightedness.
    • Beware of envy.
    • Keep your mind flexible.

Reviews

“The Laws of Human Nature provides some first-rate comprehensive and in-depth information about how to deal with our fellow human beings effectively. Greene’s intense curiosity about the inner workings of humanity is contagious, as he invites us to join him as fellow sleuths on his investigation of why people, including ourselves, do what we do. He rightly (and frequently) reminds us that in order to understand others, we must first and foremost understand what makes ourselves tick.” —New York Journal of Books

“The lessons have profound implications. There’s a chapter on reading body language that is absolutely profound; each “law” has stunningly vivid descriptions of an historical figure.” —Inc.

“The writing is engaging and the ideas are fascinating… we could all use the insights Greene provides….  a hopeful book that advocates freedom and creativity.” —Quartz

Ratings

Best Books for Improving Your Health

39. The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk

“As long as you keep secrets and suppress information, you are fundamentally at war with yourself…The critical issue is allowing yourself to know what you know. That takes an enormous amount of courage.”

The Body Keeps the Score is a book written by psychiatrist and trauma expert Dr. Bessel van der Kolk. The book delves into the complex relationship between trauma and the human body, exploring how traumatic experiences can profoundly impact both mental and physical health.

Dr. Bessel explored various therapeutic approaches, including neuroscience-informed treatments such as EMDR and neurofeedback, as well as somatic experiencing and yoga, to help individuals heal from trauma and reclaim their lives. Through compelling case studies and scientific insights, “The Body Keeps the Score” offers a holistic understanding of trauma and provides hope for recovery and resilience.

Key Takeaways

    • Trauma causes physical symptoms.
    • Yoga allows trauma victims a way to understand emotions and how their body handles them.
    • We have the power to regulate our physiology.

Reviews

“War zones may be nearer than you think, as the 25 percent of US citizens raised with alcoholic relatives might attest. Psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk argues, moreover, that severe trauma is ‘encoded in the viscera’ and demands tailored approaches that enable people to experience deep relief from rage and helplessness. In a narrative packed with decades of findings and case studies, he traces the evolution of treatments from the ‘chemical coshes’ of the 1970s to neurofeedback, mindfulness and other nuanced techniques.” —Nature

“Essential reading for anyone interested in understanding and treating traumatic stress and the scope of its impact on society.” —Alexander McFarlane, Director of the Centre for Traumatic Stress Studies

“Psychological trauma can befall anyone, not just soldiers, refugees, or victims of rape. . . . This important and helpful book makes sense of suffering and offers opportunity for healing.” —Booklist

Ratings

40. Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker PhD

“AMAZING BREAKTHROUGH! Scientists have discovered a revolutionary new treatment that makes you live longer. It enhances your memory and makes you more creative. It makes you look more attractive. It keeps you slim and lowers food cravings. It protects you from cancer and dementia. It wards off colds and the flu. It lowers your risk of heart attacks and stroke, not to mention diabetes. You’ll even feel happier, less depressed, and less anxious. Are you interested?”

Book Why We Sleep is a guide and a wake-up call for anyone who isn’t already convinced that sleep is the number one medicine for all of your mental and physical problems.

Matthew Walker, through his all-encompassing book, teaches us why sleep is important, what we are doing that reduces our quality of sleep, what we can do to increase our quality of sleep, and so much more. It is truly crucial that you rest a weekend aside and read this book as it will improve your quality and quantity of life substantially. 

Key Takeaways

    • Sleep is essential.
    • Develop consistency in your sleep routine.
    • Sleep is an insurance policy against injury and disease.

Reviews

“Why We Sleep is an important and fascinating book…Walker taught me a lot about this basic activity that every person on Earth needs. I suspect his book will do the same for you.” —Bill Gates

“A thoughtful tour through the still dimly understood state of being asleep … Why We Sleep is a book on a mission. Walker is in love with sleep and wants us to fall in love with sleep, too. And it is urgent. He makes the argument, persuasively, that we are in the midst of a ‘silent sleep loss epidemic’ that poses ‘the greatest public health challenge we face in the 21st century’ … Why We Sleep mounts a persuasive, exuberant case for addressing our societal sleep deficit and for the virtues of sleep itself. It is recommended for night-table reading in the most pragmatic sense.” —New York Times Book Review

“This is a stimulating and important book which you should read in the knowledge that the author is, as he puts it, ‘in love with everything that sleep is and does.’ But please do not begin it just before bedtime.” —Financial Times

Ratings

41. The Human Zoo by Desmond Morris

“…In little more than a single century from 1820 to 1945, no less than fifty-nine million human animals were killed in inter-group clashes of one sort or another…. We describe these killings as men behaving “like animals,” but if we could find a wild animal that showed signs of acting this way, it would be more precise to describe it as behaving like men.”

In the book The Human Zoo, Desmond Morris compares the human inhabitants of a city to the animal inhabitants of a zoo, which have their survival needs provided for, but at the cost of living in an unnatural environment.

He shines the light on the problems of living in a city and how it affects our health, social life, feelings of boredom, isolation and so much more. It is truly a fascinating book, and one that is sure to change your perspective on how we are meant to be living. I highly advise everyone to read this book so that you get a better understanding of what a more peaceful and calmer life could look like.

Check out my full book summary for more details.

Key Takeaways

    • Living in a supertribe like humanity brings with it some problems as well.
    • We are not meant to live in a city.
    • Our biology hasn’t evolved quickly enough to accommodate the lifestyle we live today.

Reviews

“Morris helps us take a new look at ourselves, not against the backdrop of our accepted culture, but against the wider vistas of our biological heritage.” —The Chicago Tribune

“Ambitious…compelling…concerned with the tension between our biology and our culture…in power, sex, status, and war games.” —The New York Times

Ratings

42. Dopamine Nation by Dr. Anna Lembke

“The paradox is that hedonism, the pursuit of pleasure for it’s own sake, leads to anhedonia. Which is the inability to enjoy pleasure of any kind.”

In her book Dopamine Nation, Anna Lembke helps us better understand our human nature and why we seek pleasure but avoid pain. These two traits are deeply rooted in our evolutionary history and a better understanding of them will help us become better at resisting addictive habits.

In a world where free dopamine is more abundant than ever before, it is crucial that we become more aware of its effects and methods of regulation.

Check out my full book summary for more details.

Key Takeaways

    • Our brains build resistance to dopamine over time, and that’s a bad thing.
    • Dopamine addiction follows from our desire to stop feeling miserable.
    • The problem is compulsive overconsumption.

Reviews

“Fascinating case histories, and a sensible formula for treatment.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Anna Lembke deeply understands an experience I hear about often in the therapy room at the nexus between our modern addictions and our primal brains. Her stories of guiding people to find a healthy balance between pleasure and pain have the power to transform your life.” —Lori Gottlieb, “Dear Therapist” columnist at The Atlantic, New York Times bestselling author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone

“Brilliant . . . riveting, scary, cogent, and cleverly argued.”—Beth Macy, author of Dopesick, as heard on Fresh Air

Ratings

43. Estrogeneration by Anthony G. Jay

“Even while human testosterone has been diminishing for thousands of years, testosterone has seen an especially dramatic dropout in recent history. A truly massive drop. All about the time estrogenics have been rising, ‘coincidentally’.”

In his book Estrogeneration, Anthony Jay teaches about the dangers of human testosterone diminishing by a substantial amount, and its effects on our daily lives.

Weight gain, depression, infertility, and other exploding health problems are linked to chemicals called “estrogenics”, and if you wish to live a long, healthy and happy life, I highly recommend you read this book. It is a true eye-opener.

Check out my full book summary for more details.

Key Takeaways

    • Avoid as many items as possible from the IRS 10 list.
    • Definition of something “estrogenic” is that it binds or ‘sticks’ to estrogen receptors in your body.
    • Try to avoid deodorants and perfumes unless they are specifically naturally made.

Ratings

Best Books on Diet

44. The Carnivore Code by Paul Saladino 

“A nose-to-tail carnivore diet has everything the human operating system needs in the most bioavailable form and is free from the plant antigens that promote autoimmunity and inflammation in many people. Over the long term, the nutrient deficiency of a plant-based diet is just not sustainable.”

As you will notice while reading this book, it contains a lot of information that shakes up the mainstream dietary narrative. Nonetheless, the evidence and testimonials are too abundant to be ignored.

If you wish to live a happier and healthier life, I encourage you to read this book. For any questions about the legitimacy of this diet, the author explains it all inside the book.

Key Takeaways

    • Every nutrient we need to function optimally as humans can be found in animal foods.
    • Fat and cholesterol are beneficial for you.
    • You don’t need as much vitamin C as you think.

Reviews

“Dr. Paul Saladino is driving an incredibly compelling carnivore diet movement, with a thoughtful and measured presentation that compels everyone to pay close attention. With Paul’s broad experience in both traditional and functional medicine, he is able to embrace the big picture of healing and achieve breakthrough results.” ―Mark Sisson

“Paul Saladino is, by far, one of the most brilliant new minds in the health and nutrition sector. This guy is the real deal. He is well researched, practices what he preaches, and has a passion for digging for the ultimate truth. I can’t recommend him or his work highly enough.” ―Ben Greenfield

“Paul is an extraordinary out-of-the-box thinker. He has deeply researched the science and provides some compelling arguments that challenge conventional nutritional wisdom regarding the need for eating plants to achieve optimal health.” ―Dr. Mercola

Ratings

45. Jaws: The Story of a Hidden Epidemic by Sandra Kahn and Paul R. Ehrlich

“What’s the epidemic? Everybody’s wearing braces, everybody’s teeth are crowded, jaws are too small house the teeth, and also people are starting to have issues with their sleep.”

This book tells the story of how our jaws are getting smaller and our teeth crooked and crowded, creating not only aesthetic challenges but also difficulties with breathing.

If you are interested in all of the ways you can improve your breathing, facial structure, attractiveness and overall health, this book is for you. It is a true eye opener. 

Key Takeaways

    • Importance of wisdom teeth removal.
    • The best way to fix the problem is to prevent it.
    • Lack of room for teeth in one’s mouth leads to sleep deprivation.

Reviews

“The specialty of orthodontics has the potential to lead the way out of this epidemic of chronic disease (including malocclusion). We need only read and understand this book first.” ―Barry Raphael, Head of the Raphael Center for Integrative Orthodontics

“People have some power to protect their children from this serious and cryptic environmental problem. Jaws lays out both causes and cures.” ―Gretchen C. Daily, Bing Professor of Environmental Science, Stanford University

“Jaws is a must read for every parent on this planet. It addresses the causes of our chronic health crisis and tells us how to prevent it while correcting our faces, jaws and airways. Airway health will give the most added value for this generation’s overall wellness.” ―Michael Gelb DDS, MS

Ratings

Best Books on Breath and Meditation

46. Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor

“The perfect breath is this: Breathe in for about 5.5 seconds, then exhale for 5.5 seconds. That’s 5.5 breaths a minute for a total of about 5.5 liters of air.”

Breath by James Nestor is a fascinating manual that can help us better understand the importance of proper breathing, specific breathing patterns that can help us improve our physical and mental health, and so much more.

If you are interested in improving your overall health, looks, stamina and wellbeing, then consider improving the way you breathe. Just the simple act of breathing properly will have a substaintal effect on your body and mind, and the book itself certainly costs significantly less than all the supplements you use on the daily baisis.

Key Takeaways

    • You should only breathe through your nose, never through your mouth.
    • Both slow and fast breathing patterns are good for different reasons.
    • There are many breathing techniques from eastern cultures that have backings in science to prove their benefits of use.

Reviews

“A fascinating scientific, cultural, spiritual, and evolutionary history of the way humans breathe—and how we’ve all been doing it wrong for a long, long time. I already feel calmer and healthier just in the last few days, from making a few simple changes in my breathing, based on what I’ve read…Our breath is a beautiful, healing, mysterious gift, and so is this book.” —Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Big Magic and Eat Pray Love

“I highly recommend this book.” —Wim Hof

“It’s a rare popular-science book that keeps a reader up late, eyes glued to the pages. But Breath is just that fascinating. It will alarm you. It will gross you out. And it will inspire you. Who knew respiration could be so scintillating?” —Spirituality & Health

Ratings

47. The Wim Hof Method by Wim Hof and Elissa Epel PhD

“We have become alienated from nature. But the cold is capable of bringing us back to what we once had lost.”

From the gripping power of depression, to autoimune disorders, we can overcome everything with the right mindset and a set of habits. This are not just empty promises, all of this is backed in science and Wim Hof takes you on a journey that is certain to blow you away.

In his book, Wim Hof teaches you all of the habits he used to become “superhuman”. His method consists of three main pillars and it’s so simple that anyone can do it. If you wish to finally take that first step toward becoming a healthier individual, this book is a great start.

Key Takeaways

    • Cold showers and cold in general are good for you.
    • You can influence your biology through the power of the mind.
    • You are capable far more than you belive possible.

Reviews

“Wim Hof has inspired millions of people to use just their bodies and breath to heat, then heal, themselves of a laundry list of chronic illnesses. Dubious, you say? I certainly thought so, until I discovered the real scientific research from real scientists around the world proving these ‘impossible’ claims were in fact true. This book is a valuable guide to anyone looking to take better control of the health, heat, and untapped potential locked away within us all.” ―James Nestor, New York Times bestselling author of Breath

“Wim Hof is a legend. This book is great. It’s like learning yoga from Thor.” ―Russell Brand

“Wim Hof’s program has become an essential part of my daily regimen for self-care and grounding. I warmly recommend it.” ­―Gabor Maté, MD, author of When the Body Says No

Ratings

48. The Mind Illuminated by John Yates, Matthew Immergut and Jeremy Graves

“True happiness comes from within, which means we can always find joy, in both good times and bad. Although pain and pleasure are an inevitable part of human life, suffering and happiness are entirely optional. The choice is ours.”

The Mind Illuminated is a definitive guide on how to meditate, be present and conscious during your daily life. Anyone interested in a complete roadmap to meditation needs to look no further than this book.

Even if you are an experienced yoga practitioner or just a normal guy, meditation will drastically improve the quality of your life and it takes nothing more than 20 minutes of your day.

Check out my full book summary for more details.

Key Takeaways

    • Meditation will improve both your focus and memory
    • Meditation will help you understand the difference between attention and awareness.
    • To make sure you will practice meditation, you must decide on a fixed time of the day and duration.

Reviews

“A systematic, hands-on manual, The Mind Illuminated will be a great help to anyone who wants to completely fathom the process of meditative development in all its stages. Culadasa gives us the full conceptual framework together with complete instructions for putting it into play. In largely Western language,with help from wonderful images and diagrams, this book brings the path of meditation to life.” —Sharon Salzberg, author, Real Happiness

“This book is a rare and valuable treasure, providing a detailed, step-by-step account of how meditation practice progresses. Culadasa is the real deal, a living adept with decades of experience.” —Shinzen Young, author, Beginner’s Guide to Meditation

“Essential reading for anyone interested in meditative development from any tradition. At once comprehensive and also very easy to read and follow in practice, this is the most thorough, straightforward, clear, and practical guide to training the mind that I have ever found. A remarkable achievement.” —Daniel Ingram, M.D., author, Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha

Ratings

Best Books about Fitness

49. The 4-Hour Body by Timothy Ferriss

“The decent method you follow is better than the perfect method you quit.”

This book, as the author TImothy Ferriss said it him self, shouldn’t be read in the order it was written but rather in the order in which the reader decides on. It contains advice varying from diet and fitness, to meditation and sex, and you should by all means read it starting from the most interesting topics for you.

There is no wrong way to go about reading this book. You can read only one chapter and never touch the rest, but if you ask me, the book is so well written and funny that you will enjoy reading all of it.

Key Takeaways

    • Start tracking data points on things you want to improve.
    • You need to find a method of tracking progress if you wish to improve.
    • Simplify as much as possible.

Ratings

50. 80/20 Running by Matt Fitzgerald and Robert Johnson

“Running too hard too often is the single most common and detrimental mistake in the sport.”

80/20 Running is a book written by running coach and exercise physiologist Matt Fitzgerald. The book introduces the concept of the 80/20 training method, which suggests that runners should spend 80 percent of their training at low intensity and 20 percent at moderate to high intensity.

Fitzgerald argues that this approach not only reduces the risk of injury, but also maximizes performance gains.

With its accessible writing style and evidence-based approach, 80/20 Running offers valuable insights for runners of all levels who seek to improve their performance while minimizing the risk of overtraining and burnout.

Key Takeaways

    • Endurance Runners should train 80% of the total training time at low intensity.
    • The other 20% should be at moderate to high intensity.
    • Low intensity is defined as being below the ‘ventilatory threshold’ which is the point when breathing starts to increase rapidly.

Reviews

“Fitzgerald is going to go down as one of the most competent and prolific authors of books for serious runners covering just about every legitimate aspect of the all-important runner’s lifestyle.”—LetsRun.com

“Sports nutritionist Matt Fitzgerald lets us in on his no-diet secrets that can help endurance athletes get leaner, stronger, and faster.”—Men’s Fitness

“Extremely well-done…a must for marathoners!”—Library Journal

Ratings

Best Books about Productivity

51. The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss

“If you are insecure, guess what? The rest of the world is, too. Do not overestimate the competition and underestimate yourself. You are better than you think.”

This book, by Timothy Ferriss can be interpreted as a blueprint for how to become more productive in all areas of your life. From life examples all the way to business strategies, this book truly covers a wide are of topics, and anyone who is looking to optimize their workflow should read this book.

The writing style is very funny and engaging so even if you are only looking for a fun read, this book will do the job.

Key Takeaways

    • Charge a premium, nothing less than that.
    • Be effective, not efficient.
    • First validate your business ideas.

Reviews

“It’s about time this book was written. It is a long-overdue manifesto for the mobile lifestyle, and Tim Ferriss is the ideal ambassador. This will be huge.” —Jack Canfield, Co-creator of Chicken Soup for the Soul®, 100+ million copies sold

“Timothy has packed more lives into his 29 years than Steve Jobs has in his 51.” —Tom Foremski, Journalist and Publisher of SiliconValleyWatcher.com

“This is a whole new ball game.  Highly recommended.” —Dr. Stewart D. Friedman, Director of the Work/Life Integration Project, The Wharton School

Ratings

52. Deep Work by Cal Newport

“Who you are, what you think, feel, and do, what you love—is the sum of what you focus on.”

In the age of 5 seconds attention time spans, the ability to focus on tasks is becoming more rare every day. But with the right set of tools, we can overcome our inability to focus and find a method that works for us. Cal Newport presents us with such tools in his bestselling book Deep Work.

No matter what job or profession you are working in, the ability to do deep work is crucial for your success, and this book gives you tools to achieve exactly that. 

Key Takeaways

    • You must have useful rest periods during the day.
    • Have a schedule for the whole day.
    • The are 4 different approaches to deep work.

Reviews

“As a presence on the page, Newport is exceptional in the realm of self-help authors.”―New York Times Book Review

“DEEP WORK accomplishes two considerable tasks: One is putting out a wealth of concrete practices for the ambitious, without relying on gauzy clichés. The second is that Mr. Newport resists the corporate groupthink of constant connectivity without seeming like a curmudgeon.”―Wall Street Journal

“DEEP WORK makes a compelling case for cultivating intense focus, and offers immediately actionable steps for infusing more of it into our lives.”―Adam M. Grant, author of Originals and Think Again

Ratings

53. Essentialism by Greg McKeown

“If you don’t prioritize your life, someone else will.”

The mindset that his books promotes is also called essentialism and it revolves around picking a select few areas of your life that you will focus on. The key to a happy, fulfilling and successful life isn’t about adding more stuff to it. It’s about finding the essential few and sticking to them.

This book truly changed my life and I highly urge you to go and read it. Your work, relationships, mental health and just in general life will thank you for it.

Key Takeaways

    • Apply the 90% rules to your life.
    • Always give your self a time of buffer of 50%.
    • Doing nothing and doing everything are both signs of learned helplessness.

Reviews

“Essentialism will give you richer, sweeter results and put you in real control, giving greater precision to the pursuit of what truly matters.”—Forbes

“In this likeable and astute treatise on the art of doing less in order to do better…McKeown makes the content fresh and the solutions easy to implement. Following his lucid and smart directions will help readers find ‘the way of the essentialist.’”—Success

“As a self-proclaimed ‘maximalist’ who always wants to do it all, this book challenged me and improved my life. If you want to work better, not just less, you should read it too.”—Chris Guillebeau, New York Times bestselling author of The $100 Startup

Ratings

54. Atomic Habits by James Clear

“Goals are good for setting a direction, but systems are best for making progress.”

Atomic Habits by James Clear is a practical guide on how to change your life through the power of habits. Using his framework and the concept of 1% better every day, you will learn how to acquire any skill and improve in any area of your life. 

If you are all about working smarter, not harder, this book is perfect for you. It doesn’t matter what aspect of your life wish to improve, there are always habits we can implement to get there.

Key Takeaways

    • Forget about goals, and focus on the system instead.
    • Build identity-based habits.
    • Small habits make a big difference.

Reviews

“A supremely practical and useful book. James Clear distills the most fundamental information about habit formation, so you can accomplish more by focusing on less.” —Mark Manson, #1 New York Times best-selling author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck

“James Clear has spent years honing the art and studying the science of habits. This engaging, hands-on book is the guide you need to break bad routines and make good ones.” —Adam Grant, New York Times best-selling author of Originals, Give and Take, and Option B with Sheryl Sandberg

“A special book that will change how you approach your day and live your life.” —Ryan Holiday, bestselling author of The Obstacle is the Way and Ego is the Enemy

Ratings

Best Books about Money

55. DotCom Secrets by Russell Brunson

“The real power of the internet is the power of congregations.”

Rusell Brunson’s Dotcom Secrets is the first book in the trilogy of books that together make a complete guide for everything about online business. How to attract the right customers, where to find them, how to advertise your product, how to create a good product and so much more. If you are someone who is looking to start their online business, this set of books is a must to ensure your success.

Key Takeaways

    • Every successful business has an ideal customer avatar.
    • There are 5 elements to a successful online campaign.
    • In order to strive in your business you must revolve it around the ideal customer avatar.

Reviews

“Russell has spent over a decade successfully starting and scaling companies online. This book takes the best of what he’s discovered from over 1,000 unique split tests, tens of millions of visitors online and broken it down into a simple process that ANY company can use to geometrically improve their traffic, conversions and sales online.” —Anthony Robbins

“Russell is not a ‘pretend’ expert, but someone who has actually built one of the most successful businesses I know teaching entrepreneurs how to employ online marketing in their business that achieve exceptional results.” —Bill Glazier

“There is nothing to not like! The explanations are so clear. Combined with Expert Secrets you can learn all you need to skyrocket your business success beyond your wildest imagination.” —Stan, Anderton

Ratings

56. Traffic Secrets by Russell Brunson

“Being obsessed with your customer means understanding them just as well, if not better, than they understand themselves.”

Rusell Brunson’s Traffic Secrets is the second book in the trilogy of books that together make a complete guide for everything about online business. How to attract the right customers, where to find them, how to advertise your product, how to create a good product and so much more. If you are someone who is looking to start their online business, this set of books is a must to ensure your success.

Key Takeaways

    • Find and model your Dream 100.
    • Understand and create your publishing plan.
    • Fill your funnels.

Reviews

“This book is incredible! Traffic Secrets inspired me to start finding alternative modes of traffic besides the ones that everyone is used to. I jumped onto TikTok and started searching for organic traffic. Traffic Secrets broke down exactly what I need to be doing to build a business that’s sustainable and isn’t weakened by relying on a specific form of traffic to my offers.” —Rachel Pedersen, Social Media Strategist

“This is the step-by-step playbook for how Russell grew ClickFunnels. If you are doing any type of marketing, you need to get this book!” —Joe Marfoglio, creator of DIY Entrepreneur

“We grew to be an eight-figure company by following everything that Russell Brunson teaches. We read DotCom Secrets and that book helped us grow our business a lot faster. Then we read Expert Secrets and we started to apply the live webinar strategy and that grew our business up to eight-figures and qualified us the Two Comma Club X Award. And now we’re applying the strategies from Traffic Secrets. It’s like throwing gasoline on an already raging fire. If you want to start, run, or grow your online business, you need to read this trilogy of books.” —Daniel Rosen, Founder, Credit Repair Cloud

Ratings

57. Expert Secrets by Russell Brunson

“The secret to success online wasn’t what I was selling, but how I was selling it.”

Rusell Brunson’s Expert Secrets is the third and last book in the trilogy of books that together make a complete guide for everything about online business. How to attract the right customers, where to find them, how to advertise your product, how to create a good product and so much more. If you are someone who is looking to start their online business, this set of books is a must to ensure your success.

Key Takeaways

    • There is a script to the perfect webinar and all you need to do is follow it.
    • The five step email sequence is all you need for a perfect email campaign.
    • Building a movement is the most important thing.

Reviews

“In the six weeks following the first webinar I did based on the principles Russell Teaches in Expert Secrets, I sold more than I had the previous year.” —Alison J. Prince, BecauseICan, creator of the 0-100k System

“Russell Brunson teaches internet marketing in such a way that anyone can do it. He taught me that you need three things: a colorful character, a cause, and to transform people. Webinars as Russel teaches them really transformed my business.” —Liz Dunoon, The 10 Minute Tutor, author of Helping Children with Dyslexia

“Russell is a genius. The only two books that I ever recommend to my teams or my clients are Dotcom Secrets and Expert Secrets for marketing and for positioning in today’s marketplace.” —Garrett J. White, founder of the Wake Up Warrior movement and author of Warrior Book

Ratings

58. UNSCRIPTED by MJ DeMarco

“The problem is not people being educated. The problem is that they are educated just enough to believe what they’ve been taught, but not educated enough to question what they’ve been taught.”

Unscripted by MJ DeMarco is a book that tries to dispel myths about getting rich and gives you the framework for building a successful multimillion-dollar business.

Similarly to his first book, if you are someone who is looking for an alternative path to college, this book will teach you all the tricks you need.

Key Takeaways

    • Average mindset gives you the average lifestyle.
    • The education system prepares you for corporate life, not for real life.
    • A college degree is only useful if you truly need it to work in that profession.

Ratings

Conclusion

So this is the end of the list. Hope you’ve found it useful and I am grateful for the opportunity to expand your views and horizons. The books on this list truly changed my life and I am certain they will do the same for you.

For any additional advice on interesting books to read check out The Best Classical Books as they are a great way forward after you have finished the above-mentioned books.

 

Want to keep up with our blog?

Join our community and be a part of the change. Together we can make a difference.

Related Posts

The Untethered Soul summary

Book, Summary

Brave New World Summary

Summary

Man’s Search for Meaning Summary

Summary

Fundamental Skills

Guide