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Personal Development Books

Here you will find my complete guide to personal development books. I've read over a hundred now, and that number is increasing each week.

I have carefully placed the books in each category with the most recommended being first.

Hours of thought and consideration has went into making this list. I hope you will find it useful and use it as your ultimate guide to buying books on personal development.

Wealth

Think And Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill - THE best personal development book of all time. If you've never read it, you must.

The Richest Man In Babylon by George S. Clason - This is an absolute classic book on accumulating wealth. A really fun read.

The Magic Of Thinking Big by David Schwartz - This book is very underrated as far as personal development books go. You will learn from it that you are only limited by your own beliefs.

7 Strategies For Wealth & Happiness by Jim Rohn - If you've never heard Jim Rohn speak, pick up this book immediately. Jim's philosophy on life is the best I've ever heard.

Getting Rich Your Own Way by Brian Tracy - The more knowledge I learn in business, the more I realize how much of the things that Brian says in this book are true.

Conversations With Millionaires by Mike Litman - The interview with Jim Rohn in the beginning is worth the price of the book alone.

Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki - It will really change your thinking about having jobs and working hard all of your life.

Lower Your Taxes - Big Time by Sandy Botkin - If you have any sort of business, you HAVE to read this book. It's almost a near certainty that this book will save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars each and every year. With no fear of being audited.

How To Get Rich - This book may not give you the exact blueprint to millions, but it's REALLY entertaining.

The Accounting Game by Judith Orloff and Darrell Mullis - If you have to learn accounting, this is the first accounting book you should read.

Automatic Wealth for Grads by Michael Masterson - It's definitely dynamite for anyone just graduating college. Even though some suggestions are a little questionable. Some are very good and inspiring.

Investing

The Bogleheads' Guide To Investing - by Taylor Larimore & Other Vanguard Diehards - If you are new to investing, this is your book.

The Only Investment Guide You'll Ever Need by Andrew Tobias - Very entertaining. Tons of tips on saving and investing.

The Little Book Of Common Sense Investing by John C. Bogle - Pick up this book if you want to be 100% convinced that index funds are the best way to invest.

Smart Couples Finish Rich by David Bach - The Latte Factor chapter is worth the price of the book. This book gets you really excited about how wealthy you are going to be.

The Big Short - Purely for entertainment, this covers in detail the story of people who made a fortune off of the 2008 financial crisis.

Success, Mental Attitude

Self Discipline In 10 Days by Theodore Bryant - Yes, this book is a little expensive. Yes, this book is a very short 160 pages. But this book is absolutely incredible. Self discipline is an extremely important part of personal development and I can't imagine a book any better than this one on the subject.

Night by Elie Wiesel - This book is a life changer. Period. You will appreciate more of what you have in life and your daily gripes and complaints won't seem to matter anymore after you've read what the author has been through in concentration camps.

The Science Of Success by James Arthur Ray - I couldn't put this book down and read it in one day. Teaches you how to leverage the laws of the universe.

Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz - This book will really change the way that you think about a lot of things. I can see why many people consider it their all-time favorite personal development book. It's well worth the read.

Goals by Brian Tracy - This is my favorite book by Brian Tracy. It really sums up his very successful business philosophy.

Unleash The Warrior Within by Richard J. Machowicz - I would have picked a fight with a black belt after reading this book. The stories behind his training as a Navy SEAL are also very entertaining. You won't believe what they have to go through!

Wooden by John Wooden - If you like basketball at all then grab this book. This book will make you a better person and leader.

8 Minute Meditation - If you're really interested in meditation, this book is a pretty good place to start.

The Now Habit by Neil Fiore - This book will be life changing if you are a procrastinator. I'm not one and it still helped me.

Purpose In Life, Job Search

The Angel Inside by Chris Widener - One of my favorite books of all time. If you want to find your purpose in life, start by reading this book.

The Dip by Seth Godin - Quitting isn't for losers! It's for smart and successful people.

What Color Is Your Parachute by Richard Nelson Bolles - A classic job hunters book published annually. Be sure to grab the latest edition.

The Job Search Solution by Tony Beshara - This book is a little intimidating. But it explains that you need to stop posting resumes online and start picking up the phone and take action.

The Leap - I really enjoyed some of the stories in this book. It's probably not the greatest book on finding your passion, but it's a good book to add to the bottom of your wish list.

Personal Development For Smart People by Steve Pavlina - I had a hard time figuring out what category to put this book under. But for those searching to live a life with purpose, this book explains it well. Read my Steve Pavlina book review.

Better Than Good by Zig Ziglar - This is the religious man's guide to personal development. You can take that as a reason to buy, or not buy this book.

Who Moved My Cheese - If you ever get fired or laid off, I highly recommend this classic, very short book.

Health

Eat, Drink, And Be Healthy by Walter C. Willett - If you can't trust 30+ years of Harvard Medical School research, what can you trust? Read this book immediately!

4-Hour Body by Tim Ferriss - Several great hacks to lose and gain weight, run faster and longer, get stronger, and so much more. I (intentionally) gained 19 pounds in 3 weeks using the techniques in this book.

Eat This, Not That David Zinczenko - A very fun book that only takes about an hour to read. It will really inspire you to stop eating 1500+ calorie meals at your favorite restaurants.

Learning

Breakthrough Rapid Reading by Peter Kump - This is the book that started speed reading journey. A great book with easy-to-follow drills tripled my reading speed in a very short period of time.

Making A Good Brain Great by Daniel Amen - I loved this book! Where Eat, Drink, And Be Healthy is the ultimate book for a healthy heart. This is the ultimate book for your brain. Understand this, if your brain is in good health, the rest of your body will be too.

Creativity, Ideas

Cracking Creativity by Michael Michalko- If I would have read about 300 other books on creativity and studied some of the greatest inventors and thinkers of all time, the output would be this book. It's not a perfect book, but it's by far the best on the subject.

Pop! by Sam Horn - An absolute treasure of a book. The ultimate guide to standing out from the crowd.

Thinkertoys by Michael Michalko - The biggest thing I got from this book was in the first chapter. In order to be creative, you must have confidence in yourself that you are a creative person.

A Whack On The Side Of The Head by Roger von Oech - There's really not many good idea books out there, but this is one of the best. Read Thinkertoys first though.

Productivity, Time Management

The 4 Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss - You need to start outsourcing immediately! I paid someone $3 an hour to get all of the Amazon links for this page. The sky is the limit for what you can get for a few dollars an hour.

The 80/20 Principle by Richard Koch - Yes, this book repeats itself over and over. But that's because this principle is so important. You need to learn and use the 80/20 rule.

The Power Of Less by Leo Babauta - This book has subtle lines of brilliance. It may appear simple and generic on the surface, but his ideas really work. I've used many of his habits tips as the foundation for my personal development experiments.

Getting Things Done by David Allen - Recommended ONLY if you have a ton of papers that you need organized on a daily basis. This book is more suited towards business owners.

The Power Of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz - Like a professional athlete, you must learn to schedule in times of rest in your day. You'll learn how to get more done by working less.

Time Power by Brian Tracy - Besides one chapter that doesn't belong in it, this is a great book. If you don't think you have enough time, you REALLY need to read it.

Business

Go-Giver by Bob Burg - This little book is very inspiring. If you can truly understand the importance of giving, you will do very well in life. This fictional story is short, entertaining, and well worth your time.

The Answer - This is probably the only personal development book I've read that kept getting better and better with every page. It starts off slow and kind of useless, but then it gradually shifts into extremely valuable information for starting and running a business.

Rework - This book defines the phrase "no-filler." It's a fast read and absolutely brilliant in its way to change your thinking.

Founders At Work - This book is definitely a 10 on the entertainment scale. You'll start to recognize a blueprint for what it took to create the largest tech companies in the world.

E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber - A great book that has stood the test of time. Should definitely be read by anyone who is seriously considering turning their passion into a business.

Ready, Fire, Aim - Half of this book will never apply to you (unless your business reaches the $50-100 million stage). However, the first 1/4th of the book is terrific. About as good as it gets.

What I Wish I Knew When I Was 20 by Tina Seelig - Really great book about what it takes to be an entrepreneur and the mindset that goes along with it. Written by a Stanford Business professor with great stories to go along with it.

Secrets Of Power Negotiating - If your work involves any kind of negotiating, this book is your Bible.

Marketing

Influence: The Psychology Of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini - This book gets right to the core of every human beings biggest persuasion buttons. How you choose to push those buttons is up to you.

Made To Stick by Chip Heath and Dan Heath - Even if you aren't into Marketing, this book is VERY entertaining. And if you are, it's powerful!

The Ultimate Guide To Google Adwords by Perry Marshall and Bryan Todd - If you're not taking advantage of the greatest advertising program in history, you should be. And this book shows you how, better than any other. The tips are timeless!

The Ultimate Sales Machine - IF you own your company, this book is HIGHLY recommended.

Yes! - This book is pretty entertaining, and at least a few of the "50 scientifically ways to be persuasive" will surely be valuable to you.

Advanced Web Metrics With Google Analytics by Brian Clifton - I never discovered how powerful and customizable Google Analytics is until I read this book. Great book, although, as rapidly as this tool changes, this book may become obsolete very quickly.

Duct Tape Marketing by John Jantsch- This book has some great ideas in it. The sections on copywriting and direct mail are worth the price of the book.

Purple Cow by Seth Godin - The only way to get by in this world is to do something remarkable. This book gives you the motivation to do so.

Small Is The New Big by Seth Godin - It's better to read this than his blog. This book works like sticks of dynamite. Many of the articles will be duds and do nothing for you. But some of them will send an explosion in your brain.

Viral Loop - If I didn't read Founders At Work before this, I would have enjoyed the book more, as many of the stories are very similar. However, it's still a pretty entertaining book that's worth the read. Don't bother though if you are looking for a "how to" book.

Relationships

How To Win Friends And Influence People by Dale Carnegie - I'm begging you to not only read this book, but to give it to one of your friends when you're done. The world would be a much better place if everybody read this timeless classic.

Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus by John Gray - It's very helpful learning about the opposite sex. But it's also fun reading what your own sex does and doesn't like as well.

For Men Only (women get For Women Only) by Shaunti Feldhahn and Jeff Feldhahn - Very good (and short) book about understanding the opposite sex. Many fights were prevented in my life because I read this book.

The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey - This book isn't as good as everyone says it is. But I still recommend it. The title is misleading. It should be titled, The 7 Habits Of Really Good People.

NOT Recommended (And Why)

Simpleology by Mark Joyner - The absolute WORST personal development book I've ever read. It's only purpose is to try and sell you it's software.

The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell - It's a very entertaining book. And a lot of the core fundamentals of marketing came from this book. If you want to read just an "average" book, this is my first recommendation.

The Success System That Never Fails by W. Clement Stone - This is a great book! I just don't think you have to read it because here's the system. 1. Choose something your passionate about. 2. Get better by practicing it. 3. Get better by learning and reading books in your area of expertise. It never fails!

Erin Brockovich: Take It From Me by Erin Brockovich - I'll sum up the most valuable thing from this book for you. Don't lie. Ever. If you loved the Julia Roberts movie, I guess it's worth a read.

Rich Dad's Cashflow Quadrant by Robert Kiyosaki - It's mostly a regurgitated version of the original Rich Dad, Poor Dad. There's much better books out there.

When A Man Thinketh by James Allen - Some people love this book. I don't. I guess I'm not philosophical enough.

The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley - I highly recommended this book ONLY if you are already making six figures. Otherwise, it's really not much use to you. There are much better books on frugality. Take my word for it.

The Power Of Your Subconscious Mind by Dr Joseph Murphy - I believe the subconscious mind is a very powerful tool. But this book borders the line on realism. Read Think And Grow Rich instead.

The Ultimate Guide To Mental Toughness by Daniel Teitelbaum - I got so sick of doing his little exercises that I couldn't finish it.

Million Dollar Habits by Robert Ringer - It's not a bad book. I've just read too many other books just like it that say the same things he does.

Conzentrate by Sam Horn - Don't waste your time reading this huge book. Read her GREAT article, 5 Tips To Improve Concentration instead.

Optimal Thinking by Rosalene Glickman - I found some really inspiring quotes from this book. But I still think that developing a positive mental attitude is the best way to go.

Feel The Fear, And Do It Anyway by Susan Jeffers - Read this quote and there will be no need to read the rest of the book, "All you have to do to diminish your fear is to develop more trust in your ability to handle whatever comes your way!"

The Big Moo by The Group of 33 and Seth Godin - Just not much there to spend your time reading it.

Word Of Mouth Marketing by Andy Sernovitz - This book just didn't do it for me. It's OK, just not worth the time in my humble opinion.

The Greatest Secret In The World by Og Mandino - I'm not a fan of having to read the pages of motivation material over and over again. Which is what this book suggests. If you REALLY struggle with motivation, perhaps it's worth a try.

The Seven Principles For Making Marriage Work by John Gottman - The heart of this program is the simple truth that happy marriages are based on a deep friendship. That's all you really need to know. No need to read the rest.

Web Analytics: An Hour A Day by Avinish Kaushik - This book should be read ONLY if you are a professional Web Analyst. And if your company only uses Google Analytics, read Advanced Web Metrics With Google Analytics instead.

Guerilla Marketing, 4th edition by Jay Conrad Levinson - This guy is brilliant and his strategies are proven to work, but for some reason this particular book just doesn't do it for me.

Man's Search For Meaning by Viktor Frankl - I'm absolutely fascinated by the events of the Hitler era. And it saddens me that I didn't love this book. Do yourself a favor and read Night instead. You'll learn more from it and it will change your life.

How To Make Millions With Your Ideas by Dan Kennedy - In the '90s, this was probably the greatest book ever. Introduce the Internet, and this book is too out-of-date to read.

Mastering Search Advertising - This book spends half the time trying to convince you to purchase the author's Adgooroo product (that's why the book is so inexpensive). And while it has some great lessons for intermediate level advertisers, you're better off getting this information from Perry Marshall.

Zero To Million - This book is OK. But I would read "The Answer" or "Ready, Fire, Aim" instead because these authors have MUCH more experience.

The Practicing Mind - I only learned one valuable lesson, and that's to enjoy your present moment (otherwise your mind will find something else to do). An OK book, but read "Self Discipline In 10 Days" instead.

Web Copy That Sells - This book has some fun ideas in it. But, if you REALLY want to learn how to write sales copy, pick up Make Your Words Sell! It's even free!

Outliers - If you are really good at skimming through books you can read this. The first 1/4th of the book is very good. But after that, you are going to want to skim through a lot of things.

Master Your Workday Now - This book does have a couple of good ideas in it. However, it's filled with so much fluff that it's a frustrating read. Read a couple reviews of the book and save yourself the time.