The self improvement genre is both relatively recent and ancient. The role of much of written material throughout history has been to instruct, inform or teach us the path of right conduct and how to have more fulfilling lives. However, over the last century, a specific type of ‘Self Help Books’ have emerged that promises solutions for just about all of life’s problems.
While the more modern self-help and self improvement books genre has come under some criticism, the best self help books allow us the opportunity to shift our perspectives slightly and gain a deeper insight into our selves.
In order to know what are the best self improvement books, I’ve put together this list of those that have been referenced hundreds of times as making profound changes in people’s lives, or have simply been around for a long time. Hopefully this list will help you find the positive examples of this often conflicted genre.
Best Self Help Books
Best Self Help Books of All Time
Psycho-Cybernetics – Maxwell Maltz
This classic self help book shows how happiness, success, failure and misery are all habits that can be changed. Maxwell Maltz guides us through his Psycho-Cybernetics system that is based on principles such as the mind-body connection and cognitive behavioral therapy. The book contains techniques for shifting your attitude, improving your self image and freeing yourself from fear and guilt.
Meditations – Marcus Aurelius
Meditations is a collection of the famous Roman Emperor’s personal writings taken over the course of his life and reign. A true ‘philosopher king’, Aurelius conducted himself with the poise and control of the chief philosophy of his day, Stoicism.
While this philosophy was known as being favored by the proletariat class of ancient Rome, it includes teachings that are more relevant in this decade than they’ve ever been. At the time Stoicism flourished, the empire was facing the same breakdown of moral values, fragmentation of culture, and many other problems of anomie that modern Western culture faces today. Better yet, stoicism is cited as a source of inspiration for modern cognitive behavioral therapy, which has shown benefits for sufferers of anxiety, depression and a host of other habits of thought.
Stoicism will help improve your thinking, be more at peace, and act more justly in your life – and Marcus’ writings are some of the best examples out there.
The Power of Myth – Joseph Campbell
Campbell’s most popular work is a culmination of his life’s work glimpsed preciously in heavy tomes such as ‘The Hero with a Thousand Faces’ or ‘Occidental Mythology’. Here, Campbell gives a summary of his extensive research on ‘the hero’s journey’, a profound narrative motif seen across unrelated cultures all across the globe.
Campbell guides us through the eternal symbols and lessons taught in the world’s oldest fables and stories. He shows us the age old wisdom contained in these stories, and how they can help us live more fulfilling lives and better understand ourselves.
The Road Less Travelled – M. Scott Peck
The Washington Post called this “not just a book but a spontaneous act of generosity.”
Scott Peck explores how we can have more loving relationships, and move toward a new sense of fullness in our lives. The author guides us through the painful process of self understanding, and does so with sensitivity without beating around the bush. The reason I’ve included this on the list, is that it’s had such a prdound impact on so many readers since it’s publishing. If any self help books are worth a shot, this is probably a good general place to start.
The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment – Eckhart Tolle
Tolle’s now famous book shows how we can live more fully in the present moment through guided examples. With an inspiring story of sudden awakening, Tolle gives us one of the best works for modern Western readers on the virtues of mindfulness and awareness. If you have trouble with runaway thoughts or are just fascinated by an extremely actionable, pop-culture example that’s a cross between Heidegger and ‘Zen’, this is worth a look.
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Best Self-Improvement Books
Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam – Omar Kayyam, Edward Fitzgerald
Omar Khayyam was a well-known Persian mathematician, astronomer and poet. More than anything else, he was an insightful philosopher who’s thoughts ranged between pre-existentialism, Sufi mysticism, and even pessimism and agnosticism. This ‘Rubaiyat’ is a collection of deeply inspiring ‘quatrains’ (four line poems), that show Khayyam’s thoughts about life, spirituality and metaphysics. The poetry is beautiful, wise and really boils down to an inspiring Persian version of ‘Don’t worry, be happy’.
Rumi’s Little Book of Life: The Garden of the Soul, the Heart, and the Spirit – Rumi, Maryam Mafi
Rumi was another Sufi mystic who has been regarded highly for generations for his deeply moving poetic works. This collection shows some of his best, and reading through you’ll see Rumi’s beautiful insights into spirituality, psychology and living a good life. More than just a postmodern self-help book, Rumi’s poetry will give guidance without dragging you along, and reveal knowledge without directly telling it.

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The Obstacle is The Way – Ryan Holiday
Holiday’s treatise on stoicism is one of the most actionable guides to this relevant philosophy there is. An avid reader of stoicism himself, the author gives concrete takeaways from the teachings of Epicurus and Aurelius. This book will show you how to focus on the things you can control, let go of everything that doesn’t matter, and turn every opportunity into opportunities to improve and become a better version of yourself.
As Marcus Aurelius put it nearly 2000 years ago: “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”
The Art of Seduction – Robert Greene
Greene shows us how we are seduced and what we can learn about this powerful process. When practiced and perfected as an art form, expert seduction has crumbled empires, won elections and manipulated great minds throughout history. Great seducers are everywhere around us in our day to day. Knowing what they are up to, or learning how to better seduce yourself, will invariably improve your life.
How to Stop Worrying and Start Living – Dale Carnegie
Carnegie’s classic best-seller contains a simple message about living a more care-free life. He backs it up with easy examples, stories and actionable steps to reduce worry, remove anxiety and focus on living a more peaceful existence. Carnegie shows you how to stop worrying so much about your business, avoid fatigue, improve your productivity, and find your authentic self.
Best Personal Development Books

Getting Things Done – David Allen
First published in the 2000s and since republished, Getting Things Done (GTD) is the most influential and useful book on personal organization.
To deal with the increasing barrage of emails, phone calls, and messages that we all face, Allen offers an organizational system to help process, sort, and identify the right things to be working on at the right time.
At the core of Allen’s philosophy is the idea that your brain is a thinking machines, not a remembering one. Many people are less effective than they could be because their “mental RAM” is constantly occupied with trying to remember minutiae rather than thinking about the important things in their work and life.
GTD lays out an actionable and comprehensive system for, well, actually getting things done.
After reading Getting Things Done, I felt a sense of control and mastery of my personal productivity, greater sense of focus, and peace of mind.
The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do In Life and Business – Charles Duhigg
This is one of the best books out there on habit formation and science, and Duhigg walks us through it with a host of examples and actionable steps. Along the way, he reveals a whole new way of understanding our potential as humans. You’ll learn how to start exercising regularly, lose weight, be more productive and achieve success in just about any area of your life.
The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles – Steven Pressfield
Best known for his historical fiction Gates of Fire and Tides of War, Pressfield moves away from ancient Greece to pen an inspiring non-fiction account of the constant struggles of creativity. Pressfield shows how to overcome our own self-imposed obstacles in the way of ambition, and how to discipline ourselves for authentic creative action.
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up – Marie Kondo
Kondo shows us the amazing power of decluttering our lives and it’s effects on our happiness and inner peace. Using her special KonMari method, Kondo shows us how we can quickly decide what’s important and get us on our way to leading simpler, less clutterd lives. At once a practical guide and a powerful philosophical statement, Kondo has written a short, succinct self help book that’s like no other.
So Good They Can’t Ignore You – Cal Newport
Newport shows us how ‘following your passion’ is lame career advice, and shows us the real way to find meaning and purpose in our work. He shows us how people end up loving what they do, giving examples from a wide array of industries including programmers, farmers, screenwriters and more. You’ll discover how passion comes after you’ve put in the hard work to be excellent at something that’s highly valuable to others around you. You’ll learn that what you do for a living is actually much less important than how you do it – this is a great self help book for anyone thinking about their career.
Doing Good Better – William MacAskill
MacAskill shows us how philanthropy and effective altruism can make a huge difference in the world, as long as we use the correct models and do it the right way. Effective altruism shows philanthropists and anyone looking to do good in the world a data driven method for making a big difference regardless of our resources available. This is self help for those looking to seriously help others.

Out of Your Mind – Alan Watts
Alan Watts became well known as a popularizer of Eastern philosophy in the West during the 1950’s and 60s. He proposed that Buddhism could be thought of as a form of psychotherapy and not a religion.
Out of Your Mind was my first exposure to Eastern philosophy. I found Watts’ explanations lucid, and there is no question that Watts is a captivating storyteller. He’s very adept at creating metaphors and dichotomies to elucidate concepts like the organic, mechanical, and dramatic views of life.
Highly recommend picking this one up in audiobook form, as it’s an actual recording of Watts talks.
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck – Mark Manson
Manson writes a helpful book that at once lampoons the genre for it’s incessant ‘positivity’, while standing out as one of the best examples of it. “Let’s be honest, shit is f**ked and we have to live with it.” says Manson, and he shows the reader how a tough love approach is necessary in order really appreciate life and find enduring purpose and meaning. This self improvement book will show you not how to turn lemons into lemonade, but to simply learn how to stomach lemons a little better . This is about living a contented, grounded life – not looking for a cure-all or miraculous fix for all life’s woes.
Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life – Henry Cloud
Cloud gives a spiritually-grounded explanation on the importance of boundaries which is helpful for anyone, religious or otherwise. With clear examples showing how a lack of boundaries can lead to huge suffering in our lives, he goes on to show us where we need to erect boundaries, what they look like, and how they can help us live a more balanced and healthy lifestyle.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People – Stephen Covey
My dad made me read this book in high school and I fought him tooth and nail because I thought I was too cool. I eventually read it and loved it, and it made a lasting impact. While some deride Covey’s 7 Habits as sort-of basic career advice, I think his habits are better thought of as fundamental career advice. I am constantly amazed at how many people don’t practice these habits and what a big impact it would make on their lives if they did.
7 Habits guides you through each habit step-by-step:
- Habit 1: Be Proactive
- Habit 2: Begin With The End In Mind
- Habit 3: Put First Things First
- Habit 4: Think Win-Win
- Habit 5: Seek First To Understand Then Be Understood
- Habit 6: Synergize
- Habit 7: Sharpen The Saw
I still think about and use these habits on a daily basis.
Best Psychology Self-Improvement Books
The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem – Nathaniel Branden
Branden’s book is the summation of a lifetime of study on the subject of self-esteem, and is arguably one of the most important self help topics one can look into. The benefits for increased self esteem impact our level of success, our mental health, and our standing in society. The Six Pillars is a classic look at the core traits that make up the healthy, confident personality that is set up for success and further growth.
The Feeling Good Handbook – David D. Burns
David D. Burns has provided one of the clearest practical application guides for cognitive behavioral therapy there is, and this book has helps millions of readers overcome anxiety, depression and other disorders through his groundbreaking techniques. Eventually going on to inspire the modern (and highly clinically successful) cognitive behavioral therapy movement, Burns shows us how to overcome self defeating attitudes, free yourself from irrational phobias, improve our relationships and defeat procrastination.
Existential Psychotherapy – Irvin D. Yalom
Yalom is one of the forefront practitioners of this particular modern brand of psychotherapy, and this weighty book shows the extent of his massive knowledge colelcted over a lengthy career. Breaking down his therapy into the four ‘ultimate concerns’ of death, freedom, isolation and meaninglessness, this book is filled with incredible wisdom and practical insight into how these questions lay at the core of many common neuroses. Yalom shares practical tips for not overcoming, but effectively dealing with, these big life questions, and encourages the reader to enhance their personal responsibility, be more courageous and realistic. His final section on meaninglessness is especially profound, and his insights from years as an existential psychotherapist sums up the book in a beautiful way. This is highly realistic self help that cuts to the core of our existence and those eternal problems we all share together as humans.
What to Say When you Talk To Yourself – Shad Helmstetter
In a similar vein to the stoic principles discussed in Aurelius’ Meditations, What to Say When you Talk to Yourself focuses on replacing negative thought habits with more healthy and productive ones. While it’s not often mentioned in ‘top lists’ as a pivotal example of the best self help books, it is considered by many to be one of the most important and helpful personal growth books ever written.

Atomic Habits – James Clear
James Clear has a unique ability to distill complex topics into simple behaviors that can be easily applied to your daily life and work. In Atomic Habits, he draws on the most proven ideas from biology, psychology, and neuroscience to create an easy-to-understand guide on how to establish good habits and break bad ones.
I find Clear’s skill as a writer to be peeling back the onion and giving the essential information to create change. No matter what your goals are, you’ll be able to use Atomic Habits to find practical strategies to do it consistently and effectively.

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Last Updated on January 24, 2020 by Taylor