The self-improvement market in the U.S. is worth an estimated $11 billion. In a July 2015 survey by Statistica, 19% of respondents reported that they had read a self-help book within the previous year. Specifically, the self-help book market is worth an estimated $800 million in 2023, and it’s growing at a rate of about 6% per year. So, it’s no surprise that thought leaders, self-help gurus, and authors are catering to the sustained self-help trend by publishing thousands of books each year; in fact, a search on Amazon for books in the self-help category generates more than 650,000 results. Nearly 40,000 of those titles were released in the last 90 days.
Here’s the thing about self-help books, though: Newer does not necessarily equate to better. In fact, some of the best self-help books have been around for years – decades, in some cases. Thus, the task of finding the right self-help book for your needs is no simple undertaking. To help you refine your search to the best of the best among the hundreds of thousands of self-help titles in existence, we’ve rounded up 50 top-rated self-help and self-improvement books, listed alphabetically below. We haven’t narrowed our picks to titles published in recent years, therefore, you’ll find a mix of both new titles and older, but timeless, books below. Current ratings are based on Amazon reviews and are current at the time of this writing. Additionally, cost information is based on current prices but is also subject to change.
1. The 4:8 Principle: The Secret to a Joy-Filled Life
Current Rating: 4.8
The 4:8 Principle takes a biblical principle and helps to enlighten readers on how one simple truth can impact a wide area of your life. Written by Tommy Newberry and published in 2007, The 4:8 Principle has left a lasting impression on more than 270 reviewers who say that it’s a “life-changer” – one reviewer even purchased an additional 20 copies for friends. If you’re a Tim Ferriss fan, you’ll also want to check out his other popular titles, including Tools of Titans and The 4-Hour Chef, among others.
2. The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich
Current Rating: 4.4
Written by the ever-popular and prolific Tim Ferriss, The 4-Hour Workweek has become a classic in its own right. This expanded and updated version packs even more useful information and guidance for anyone who wants to live more and work less – and readers say the strategies and tactics Ferriss shares are applicable to more than just one area of life.
3. The 5 Second Rule: Transform your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage
Current Rating: 4.4
Mel Robbins reveals the secret to gaining the confidence and courage to enrich your life in The 5 Second Rule. As Robbins reveals, it’s as simple as knowing how to push yourself to be bigger than your fears and better than your excuses. Instead of relying on parents, coaches, mentors, and others to give you that extra needed push, learn how to be your own biggest motivator with an incredibly simple, 5-second tool.
4. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change
Current Rating: 4.5
Written by the world-renowned Stephen Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People has sold more than 25 million copies for a reason. Simple, yet powerful truths fill the pages of this easy-to-digest book, which packs valuable lessons you can apply to your everyday life to enhance your success, boost confidence, improve relationships, and more. This special anniversary edition commemorates the timeless wisdom of the 7 habits, which have been used by people for 25 years to improve every facet of their lives.
5. The Alchemist
Current Rating: 4.6
A modern classic that’s universally admired by self-help junkies, gurus, and newbies to the self-improvement world alike, The Alchemist delivers valuable life lessons through the story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who “yearns to travel in search of a worldly treasure as extravagant as any ever found.” The magical treasures he discovers along his journey teach readers about the wisdom of listening to your heart, learning to read omens discovered along your journey, and following your dreams.
6. The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can’t Stand Positive Thinking
Current Rating: 4.5
If you’re burned out from all the “power of positive thinking” self-help advice, you might find solace in The Antidote. Author Oliver Burkeman introduces readers to a group of people who share a single, surprising way of thinking about life – people who argue that the continuous effort to achieve happiness is precisely what’s making us miserable, and what to do instead.
7. The Art of Happiness, 10th Anniversary Edition: A Handbook for Living
Current Rating: 4.6
An updated version of a beloved classic, this 10th anniversary edition of The Art of Happiness offers new material from the Dalai Lama and Dr. Howard Cutler. A cornerstone of the field of positive psychology, The Art of Happiness is the book that sparked the genre of happiness books.
8. The Attention Revolution: Unlocking the Power of the Focused Mind
Current Rating: 4.3
A must-read for anyone who suffers from endless distractibility, this book shows you how to train your capacity for attention and achieve a better capacity for deep concentration. Written by B. Alan Wallace, Ph.D., who has spent more than three decades practicing in attention-enhancing meditation, Wallace shares his vast body of knowledge in this definitive guide.
9. As a Man Thinketh
Current Rating: 4.7
As a Man Thinketh is a best-selling classic that inspired the ever-popular The Secret. The underlying premise of this book is that noble thoughts make a noble person, and Allen reveals how our underlying beliefs shape everything from our character to our health and appearance, circumstances, and even our destinies.
10. Awaken the Giant Within : How to Take Immediate Control of Your Mental, Emotional, Physical and Financial Destiny!
Current Rating: 4.5
Tony Robbins is a recognized thought leader in the self-improvement field, and his Awaken the Giant Within, published in 1991, is a proven favorite among self-help enthusiasts and anyone who wants to create a better life. Robbins, the nation’s leader in peak performance, reveals his most effective strategies for mastering your body, emotions, relationships, finances, and your life as a whole.
11. Battlefield of the Mind: Winning the Battle in Your Mind
Current Rating: 4.8
Penned by the widely recognized Joyce Meyer, one of the world’s leading practical Bible teachers, Battlefield of the Mind was published in 1995. Meyer helps readers combat the inner battles of the mind, from worry, doubt, and confusion to depression, anger, and feelings of condemnation by sharing her own trials, tribulations, and victories from her own experiences.
12. Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone
Current Rating: 4.6
Published in 2023, Braving the Wilderness is a new title in the self-help genre that’s definitely worth a read for anyone who has ever felt alone in the world. Brené Brown challenges everything you think you know about cultivating belonging in your communities, organizations, and culture, redefining what it means to truly belong in an age of polarization. Perfectionists – and anyone who enjoys Brown’s work – should also pick up a copy of The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are, which reveals a new way of engaging with the world from a place of worthiness.
13. The Code of the Extraordinary Mind: 10 Unconventional Laws to Redefine Your Life and Succeed On Your Own Terms
Current Rating: 4.5
Learn to think like some of the greatest non-conformists of our era and how to question, challenge, hack, and create new rules for living your life on your terms in The Code of the Extraordinary Mind. A blueprint of laws to break free from the shackles of ordinary life, The Code of the Extraordinary Mind reveals how everything we know about the world is shaped by conditioning and habit and how to break free from these constraints to create happiness, purpose, and success in your life.
14. The Compound Effect
Current Rating: 4.8
The small, seemingly unimportant decisions you make in your everyday life have a far bigger impact on your destiny than you realize. The Compound Effect distills the fundamental principles that guided the most phenomenal achievements in life and reveals how you can put these same principles to use in your own life for greater success, happiness, and achievement.
15. Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World
Current Rating: 4.6
Everyone seems to be suffering from distraction these days. Deep Work is your guide for mastering, as its name suggests, deep work – the ability to focus without distraction on cognitively demanding tasks. Written by author and professor Cal Newport, Deep Work is a mix of cultural criticism and actionable advice to help anyone suffering from distraction turn the tables and instead utilize distractibility as a superpower.
16. Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us
Current Rating: 4.4
A New York Times bestseller, Drive gives readers a new paradigm, a thought-provoking and inspiring new way to think about motivation. Author Daniel Pink reveals the surprising secret to high performance and success in every facet of life – the deeply human need to direct our own lives, learn and create new things, and do better not only for ourselves, but for others, as well.
17. Ego Is the Enemy
Current Rating: 4.6
Written by Ryan Holiday and published in 2016, this newer entry into the self-help genre reveals that the common enemy standing in the way of your success comes from within: your ego. Drawing on a wide variety of stories and examples, Holiday shares the strategies and tactics used by some of the world’s greatest to overcome their ego and achieve the highest levels of power and success. Another great read from Ryan Holiday is The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph, in which Holiday shares how some of the most successful people throughout history have tapped into stoicism to overcome the most difficult – some seemingly impossible – situations.
18. Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less
Current Rating: 4.6
The concept of essentialism is similar in a way to minimalism, which, given the popularity of the minimalist movement, is likely something you’ve heard about, if you’re not already intimately familiar with it. But instead of focusing on de-cluttering only your environment, essentialism is targeted to those who constantly feel overwhelmed and overworked, busy but not productive, and stretched too thin in all areas of their lives. Essentialism reveals how the essentialist mindset isn’t about doing more in less time; instead, it’s a systematic discipline for getting only the right things done.
19. The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom (A Toltec Wisdom Book)
Current Rating: 4.6
The Four Agreements has more than 6,500 reviews on Amazon alone, and nearly 9 out of 10 reviewers rates it 4 stars or higher. A New York Times bestseller for more than 8 years, with more than 6 million copies sold in the U.S., The Four Agreements is based on ancient Toltec wisdom, revealing the source of self-limiting beliefs that rob us of joy and shares a powerful code of conduct that readers can adopt to transform their lives and experience freedom, love, and happiness.
20. The Happiness Trap: How to Stop Struggling and Start Living: A Guide to ACT
Current Rating: 4.5
Author Russ Harris explains that the endless pursuit of happiness often backfires, leaving us miserable instead of increasingly satisfied. Revealing the insights of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Harris illustrates how clarifying your values and developing mindfulness can help you escape the happiness trap and realize true satisfaction. ACT is a revolutionary new psychotherapy technique based on cutting-edge research in behavioral psychology, so this book is an excellent read even for those who have already achieved that elusive happiness but can’t resist devouring the latest insights in psychology.
21. Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence
Current Rating: 4.4
Your brain has evolved to quickly learn from bad experiences, while learning from positive experiences is slower. In other words, your brain has a “negativity bias,” an apropros term used by one reviewer. In Hardwiring Happiness, author Rick Hanson, Ph.D., reveals how you can overcome your brain’s default pessimism to tap into the hidden power of everyday experiences to re-wire your brain, making contentment and a powerful sense of resilience your new normal.
22. High Performance Habits: How Extraordinary People Become That Way
Current Rating: 4.8
Brendon Bruchard draws on more than a decade as the world’s highest-paid performance coach and the results of one of the largest surveys ever conducted on high performers to reveal the six habits that have the biggest impact on success. Published in September 2023, High Performance Habits is one of the most recent books published in the self-help space, but it’s already leaving a lasting impression on readers.
23. How to Live a Good Life: Soulful Stories, Surprising Science, and Practical Wisdom
Current Rating: 4.6
If you’re into self-improvement, there’s a good chance that Jonathan Fields is a name that’s already familiar to you. The founder of the Good Life Project®, Fields has produced a top-rated podcast and video series and built a global community of people on a quest to live more meaningful, productive lives. In How to Live a Good Life, Fields provides a practical, modern-day manual for a life well-lived. If you’re intrigued by Fields’ work, you should also check out Uncertainty: Turning Fear and Doubt into Fuel for Brilliance, which was named the #1 personal development book of the year by 800-CEO-READ.
24. How to Win Friends & Influence People
Current Rating: 4.7
The Dale Carnegie classic that’s on every successful leader’s bookshelf, How to Win Friends & Influence People offers timeless, proven, and practical advice for going after – and achieving – whatever you want in life. With more than 15 million copies sold, How to Win Friends & Influence People has been transforming lives for decades.
25. I’m OK—You’re OK
Current Rating: 4.4
I’m OK–You’re OK is an immensely popular book, having sold over 7 million copies, offering valuable insight into popular psychology based on Eric Berne’s theory of Transactional Analysis. Author Timothy Harris, M.D. reveals the four basic “life positions” and how to use them to your advantage to make radical transformations in your life, empowering those who have never felt quite okay with themselves to find the freedom to change.
26. Linchpin: Are You Indispensable?
Current Rating: 4.3
Seth Godin is a masterful, impactful, and prolific writer who has penned an astonishing 18 international bestsellers. In fact, we really should have titled this, “any (and every) book by Seth Godin,” because trying to limit the playing field to his single best work is impossible. Focused on marketing and leadership, Godin reveals thought-provoking analysis and new ways of thinking about how to realize success. Linchpin, released in 2008 and Godin’s fastest-selling book, challenges readers to stand up, do work that matters, and race to the top instead of the bottom. Other must-reads from Godin include Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us, The Dip: A Little Book That Teaches You When to Quit (and When to Stick), Whatcha Gonna Do with That Duck?: And Other Provocations, 2006-2012, Poke the Box: When Was the Last Time You Did Something for the First Time?, and many others.
27. Loving What Is: Four Questions That Can Change Your Life
Current Rating: 4.4
If you’ve been feeling lost, depressed, angry, or dissatisfied with life, Loving What Is is the book for you. Author Byron Katie reveals a revolutionary framework, called The Work, which consists of four simple questions that can be applied to specific problems to help you see the thing that is troubling you in an entirely new light, giving you the freedom to love what is precisely as it is.
28. The Magic of Thinking Big
Current Rating: 4.7
Another classic in the self-help genre that’s stood the test of time, David Schwartz, Ph.D.’s The Magic of Thinking Big has led millions of readers to acquire the secrets of success. Schwartz reveals strategies which, when applied correctly, can help you earn more money, achieve greater success, sell or manage better, and most importantly, discover greater happiness in life.
29. Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…And Maybe the World
Current Rating: 4.7
We’ve all heard someone say, “It’s the little things.” Written by Admiral William H. McRaven, Make Your Bed is based on a speech McRaven delivered at the University of Texas at Austin on their Commencement day, on May 17, 2014, in which he shared 10 principles he learned during his Navy Seal training that helped him overcome challenges throughout his career and his life. His original speech went viral – with over 10 million views – and Make Your Bed builds on its core tenets with stories from his own life and those of others he encountered throughout his career who overcame tremendous challenges and made difficult decisions with honor and courage. A timeless book filled with simple wisdom, practical advice, and powerful motivation and encouragement to inspire you to strive for more even in life’s darkest moments, this is guaranteed to be one of the most powerful books you’ll ever read.
30. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success
Current Rating: 4.5
Stanford University psychologist Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D. draws from decades of research to illustrate the power of mindset in influencing your success in school, work, sports, the arts, and every facet of your life. Do you have a fixed mindset or a growth mindset? In Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, Dweck reveals how you can develop a truer, deeper growth mindset to transform not only your own life, but also the lives of those you teach, lead, and mentor.
31. Mindsight: The New Science of Personal Transformation
Current Rating: 4.5
Daniel J. Siegel, M.D., one of the global innovators in the integration of brain science with psychotherapy, provides a guide to the practice of “mindsight,” a skill that provides the basis for social and emotional intelligence. Most people have some sort of mental “trap” – whether it’s anxiety or depression, feelings of shame and inadequacy, addictions, traumatic memories of past experiences, OCD, or something else, and these traps cause conflict in lives and relationships. In Mindsight, Siegel provides insights and techniques for overcoming these traps and eliminate obstacles that stand in your way of happiness, master your emotions, heal your relationships, and achieve your full potential.
32. The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results
Current Rating: 4.7
What if there was just one thing standing in the way between ordinary and extraordinary? In the bestselling, award-winning The ONE Thing, Gary Keller shows you how to cut through the clutter, achieve more in less time, and build momentum towards your goals, all while reducing stress, eliminating overwhelm, and reviving your energy.
33. Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy
Current Rating: 4.5
Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg has certainly faced her share of adversity, and after the sudden death of her husband, she was certain that she and her children would never experience joy again. In Option B, she teams up with Wharton’s top-rated professor, Adam Grant, to reveal the essential steps anyone can take to recover and rebound from life-shattering experiences, whether it’s the loss of a loved one, a job setback, violence, and anything that would ordinarily leave you feeling defeated. Focused on building resilience and finding strength in the face of adversity, Option B is a powerful guide for reclaiming your life and success after a negative setback. Sandberg’s Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, has also received tremendously positive feedback and is a great read for current and aspiring female leaders. Grant is best-known for his bestseller, Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World, another must-read for self-help enthusiasts, which explains how people can champion new ideas and how leaders can overcome groupthink.
34. Outliers: The Story of Success
Current Rating: 4.6
The widely recognized business and leadership thought leader and author Malcolm Gladwell delivers another powerful work in Outliers: The Story of Success, which takes readers through the journey of the outliers – the leaders and visionaries, the high-achievers – and identifies what it is that sets the most successful apart from the rest. Other must-reads from Gladwell include The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants, and Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking.
35. Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul
Current Rating: 4.4
Play may seem a trivial pursuit with the sole purpose of entertaining young children, but as Dr. Stuart Brown reveals, it’s a biological drive that’s as integral to health as quality sleep and good nutrition. Play incorporates a cutting-edge blend of neuroscience, social science, biology, and psychology coupled with inspirational human stories that illustrate the transformative power of play and why play could be the most important work you ever do – at any age.
36. The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business
Current Rating: 4.5
Pulitzer Prize-winning business reporter Charles Duhigg explores the scientific basis behind habits and how to change them, revealing a revolutionary way to think about human nature and its potential. In The Power of Habit, you’ll discover that the key to losing weight, exercising more, enhancing your productivity, and achieving your goals lies in understanding how habits work and how to use them to your advantage.
37. The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment
Current Rating: 4.6
Eckhart Tolle, the widely recognized author who also penned A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose, an Oprah’s Book Club favorite, takes readers on an inspiring spiritual journey to discover their true self in The Power of Now. The Power of Now and A New Earth are touted as two of the most influential spiritual books of our time. By discovering truth and light in The Power of Now, you’ll achieve the ultimate in spirituality and personal growth.
38. The Power of Positive Thinking
Current Rating: 4.3
An international bestseller by the inspirational Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, The Power of Positive Thinking was written long before the modern positive-thinking philosophy gained widespread popularity yet lays the foundation for the same principles being widely used today. Through a powerful message of faith and inspiration, Peale helps readers achieve fulfillment in their lives and gain the ambition and motivation needed to achieve their hopes and dreams.
39. The Power of Your Subconscious Mind
Current Rating: 4.6
Dr. Joseph Murphy arms readers with the tools and techniques you need to unlock the power of your subconscious mind, improving your relationships, finances, physical well-being, and every aspect of your life. More than 2,000 reviewers rave about the power of this book to change lives when you put the principles to work.
40. Predictably Irrational, Revised and Expanded Edition: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions
Current Rating: 4.5
Understanding how the mind works and why you do the things you do is the key to making transformational changes that stick. MIT professor and author Dan Ariely, who has spent the past two-plus decades studying behavioral economics, argues that the widespread assumption that people behave in largely rational ways is incorrect, and in fact, most people regularly engage in misguided behaviors that are not random or senseless, but systematic and predictable.
41. Psycho-Cybernetics: Updated and Expanded
Current Rating: 4.7
Dr. Maxwell Maltz coined the term psycho-cybernetics, which means, “steering your mind to a productive, useful goal so you can reach the greatest port in the world, peace of mind.” First published in 1960, Psycho-Cybernetics is Maltz’s landmark bestseller and has transformed and reshaped the lives of more than 30 million readers. This updated and expanded version has been annotated and amplified to make the message clearer and more relevant for the modern reader – but Maltz’s core premises remain well-grounded in science. Maltz explains how the self-image has total control over a person’s ability to achieve or fail to achieve any goal, offering a prescription for thinking and acting that can lead to quantifiable, desirable results by giving the mind a defined target to focus on.
42. The Road Less Traveled, Timeless Edition: A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values and Spiritual Growth
Current Rating: 4.6
The Road Less Traveled by Dr. M. Scott Peck is a classic that spent more than 10 years on The New York Times bestseller list. Having sold more than 7 million copies in the U.S. and Canada, The Road Less Traveled helps readers explore the nature of loving relationships, gain serenity, and achieve fulfillment in their everyday lives. Learn how to distinguish dependency from love, how to be a more sensitive parent, and how to become your true self in this timeless classic.
43. The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success: A Practical Guide to the Fulfillment of Your Dreams
Current Rating: 4.7
A world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation, Deepak Chopra’s The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success shares the formula for aligning with the powerful, unseen forces that affect the flow of money and prosperity into your life. While financial success is desirable for many, it’s not just about money – The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success touches on the concepts of giving, karma, intention, desire, detachment, and more, and provides insights and suggestions for applying these fundamental principles to discover a sense of purpose and satisfaction in life.
44. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life
Current Rating: 4.4
A modern twist on conventional self-help wisdom, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck cuts through the crap to reveal how giving up on striving for constant positivity can actually help you become a better, happier person. If you like the refreshing, raw, and honest truth without any sugarcoating whatsoever, author Mark Manson’s style is just what you’re looking for in the self-help genre.
45. The Traveler’s Gift: Seven Decisions that Determine Personal Success
Current Rating: 4.8
A modern-day parable of one man’s choices that reveal what makes the difference between success and failure, The Traveler’s Gift reveals the seven decisions that can turn anyone’s life around, even in the most desperate, hopeless situations, by tapping into the guidance that long-ago heros like Abraham Lincoln and Anne Frank might have offered in the most trying circumstances.
46. Thinking, Fast and Slow
Current Rating: 4.5
Get ready for a groundbreaking tour of the mind led by your personal tour guide, author Daniel Kahneman, a renowned psychologist and winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics. Kahneman explores the two systems that drive the way we think. Armed with this knowledge, you’ll be able to determine when you should and shouldn’t trust your intuition, and how to tap into the benefits of “slow thinking.”
47. What to Say When You Talk to Your Self
Current Rating: 4.6
Everyone has inner dialogue, but are you saying the right things when you talk to yourself? In What to Say When You Talk to Yourself, Dr. Shad Helmstetter shows you how to reverse the effects of negative self-talk and embrace a more optimistic, positive outlook on life. This updated version is revised with new information that’s relevant to the 21st-century psyche.
48. Who Moved My Cheese?
Current Rating: 4.6
This book is short and sweet, getting to the meat of the subject through a simple parable that reveals profound truths about coping with change. Who Moved My Cheese? is widely touted as a must-read for any professional, but it’s applicable to personal life as well. Written by Dr. Spencer Johnson, a co-author of the bestselling The One-Minute Manager The New One-Minute Manager (and ), Who Moved My Cheese? helps you discover how to anticipate, acknowledge, and accept change for positive impacts on every facet of life.
49. You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life
Current Rating: 4.6
Bestselling author and world-traveling success coach Jen Sincero offers a powerful, yet entertaining how-to guide to help you identify and change your self-sabotaging beliefs and behaviors, allowing you to create a life you love. Through a series of hilarious stories, simple exercises, and powerful advice, you’ll learn why you are the way you are, how to love the things you can’t change, and how to use The Force to get exactly what you want from life.
50. You Can Heal Your Life
Current Rating: 4.7
First published in October 1984, You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay is a timeless classic with more than 50 million copies sold. Hay is an internationally recognized leader in the self-help field, offering valuable insight into how we are responsible for every aspect of our lives – and how our thoughts, actions, and words influence our experiences.
