For centuries, books have served as critical tools for learning in the human society. Books are vital repositories of history, hidden secrets, vast knowledge, and research materials. Endless volumes of knowledge that can help (or harm) humanity are locked away in books, waiting for discovery and exploitation. Amongst them are exceptional books to read for personal growth. They contain tested and trusted principles, experiences, and insights into human behaviour and psychology; as well as life principles that work.
There are also renowned authors worldwide, who have written outstanding and impactful books. Some of the recommended books to read for personal growth will be highlighted in this article. We encourage you to have and/or read a couple of them. They will motivate and strengthen you with valuable wisdom nuggets to guide you in your journey through life.
The Relationship Between Books, Learning & Change
We know for sure that learning and change are two recurring and interwoven concepts of life. Both of them are essential building blocks of life. Learning produces change; and change is often a catalyst for greater learning.
We could say CHANGE is the manifestation of interacting life forces within and around every existing entity. Change is the result of seen and unseen forces, moving both living and non-living entities either in the favorable or unfavorable direction (or both – life can be complex). And our attempt to take control of these life forces (or otherwise use them for our benefit) leads to LEARNING. Through learning, we become the pupils and instruments of the Almighty Creator (and the vast sea of creation). Through learning, we explore the laws, principles, and forces that shape our lives.
Both CHANGE and LEARNING occur throughout life for the awakened mind. But the LEARNING that produces POSITIVE CHANGE must work through certain channels. One such channel is by physically learning from mentors who have succeeded in overcoming certain human imperfections. Another one is through invaluable pools of knowledge called books. Scores of leaders and change makers in the history of man have benefitted from reading several kinds of books. Without doubt, books to read for personal growth can work (in the absence of mentors) to transform people in a positive way.
Call them personal growth, self-help, or self-development books. We recommend such books to read for personal growth because they are the written, tested, and trusted manuals of these mentors. Personal growth books help to guide people away from typical human habits that are unwholesome and repetitive, thus curbing wasted effort. These mentors have walked the rugged paths of life. They may have learned from other mentors as well (including supposed ‘unlearned’ but resourceful teachers). They have likely made the same mistakes we are making now and discovered the secrets of success in certain aspects of life.
How Invaluable can Books to Read Personal Growth Be?
Books have been employed for various purposes, ever since members of the human society learnt to read and write. And books have taken various forms – from clay tablets and carved stones to leather and modern paper. And now we have e-books on digital devices. Entertainment; information; and specific instructions or guides in learning a skill or profession, are common uses of books. History, truths, and lies have been preserved in books over the ages – waiting for further proof. But self-help (or self-development) books are a special category, as we can see below.
- Rather than repeat the mistakes of history over and over again, we can avoid that by reading books for personal growth. They focus on the past mistakes of others; they draw lessons from human errors of times gone. Because certain unhealthy behaviors and habits are typical of human nature – regardless of race, historical period, culture, or some other prevailing factor. We can learn from these mistakes and imbibe the escape strategies of the learned through their books.
- To conquer our limitations in certain aspects of life, we can learn from those who have overcome the same limitations. And the valuable breakthrough strategies they used to succeed.
- We can draw strength, inspiration, great insights, and enhanced powers of thinking, by reading books for personal growth. The way these books open up our imagination, and even sharpen our thinking and problem-solving capacities can be awesome.
- Books for personal growth teach individuals to draw strength from within, and stand up for themselves. These books challenge us to build our inner strengths, believe in ourselves, and become a better version of who we are. They give us the courage to step out of the ordinary and aim higher.
Let us examine the following curated list of 25 self-help books, according to their popularity (both online and offline). Then, we will take a sneak peek into (arguably) the top 10 books to read for personal growth. And in no particular order.
Renowned Books for Personal Growth
- The Power of Positive Thinking (by Norman Vincent Peale)
- The Four Agreements (by Don Miguel Ruiz)
- How To Win Friends and Influence People (by Dale Carnegie)
- Think and Grow Rich (by Napoleon Hill)
- The Power of Now (Eby ckhart Tolle)
- Atomic Habits (by James Clear)
- Rich Dad, Poor Dad (by Robert Kiyosaki)
- The 48 Laws of Power (by Robert Greene)
- The Power of Habit (by Charles Duhigg)
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (by Stephen Covey)
- Awaken the Giant Within (by Tony Robbins)
- The Alchemist (by Paulo Coelho)
- Outliers (by Malcolm Gladwell)
- The Magic of Thinking Big (by David Schwartz)
- You are a Badass (by Jen Sincero)
- The 4-Hour Workweek (Tim Ferriss)
- Thinking Fast and Slow (by Daniel Kahneman)
- As a Man Thinketh (by James Allen)
- Who Moved My Cheese (by Spencer Johnson)
- Man’s Search for Meaning (by Victor Frankl)
- Daring Greatly (by Brene Brown)
- Big Magic (by Elizabeth Gilbert)
- The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck (by Mark Manson)
- Deep Work (by Cal Newport)
- The Secret (by Rhonda Byrne)
The Top 10 Books to Read for Personal Growth: A Quick Review
**The Power of Positive Thinking (by Norman Vincent Peale)
In this book, the author insists that to succeed in life, you must take control of your mind. The mind is the source and powerhouse of all the events of our lives. Also, people should stop worrying, learn to let go, become selfless, and take charge of their thoughts and attitudes.
**How To Win Friends and Influence People (by Dale Carnegie)
This deeply moving, best-selling book of all time uses the personal experiences of the author to teach powerful life principles. You will learn about making human relationships work to your advantage. Especially by changing how you think, and what you make others to think and see as well.
Also Read- How to Create a Relaxing Self-Care Routine
**Think and Grow Rich (by Napoleon Hill)
The author carefully studied the lives of many rich people. He did so in a quest to find out what made them prosper and stand out from the crowd. His discoveries were put together in this powerful book for others to learn from.
**The Power of Now (by Eckhart Tolle)
The author of this book emphasizes on the need to live in the present moment in order to achieve true happiness. Because the past is gone forever; and worrying about the future is wanton waste of time and energy. Rather learn to maximize the moment; and use it to create a successful pathway into the future.
**Atomic Habits (by James Clear)
In this book, the author gives a practical guide on how to drop bad habits and adopt good ones gradually. You can do so through a series of conscious daily routines.
**Outliers (by Malcolm Gladwell)
This book analyzes the lives of highly successful people over the course of history. The author linked their success stories to their backgrounds, combined with rare opportunities that were presented to them. He concludes that there is no self-made person. That very often, forces beyond our control shape our lives in a particular direction – especially from where these people originated.
**Rich Dad, Poor Dad (by Robert Kiyosaki)
In this thought-provoking book, the author shares the powerful money-making and wealth management lessons he learnt while growing up with two fathers. He had the opportunity of being mentored by his friend’s biological father (the rich one). Thus, he was able to compare the choices and life outcomes of both his own father (the poor one) and his adopted father. And how that mentorship took him out of poverty forever.
**The 48 Laws of Power (by Robert Greene)
This book investigates the concept of power. And how the struggles by certain people to control the rest of human society has played out over time. It points out the methods through which these powerful people have wielded control over others. How to obtain and keep power; and how to prevent others from using their powers against you, are all in this book.
**The Power of Habit (by Charles Duhigg)
The author reveals how he discovered through in-depth research, that our habits strongly influence our lifestyle and the success of our goals. He further explains why certain habits exist, and principles we can use to change our habits towards a more successful life.
**The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (by Stephen Covey)
This famous book teaches 7 critical habits you need to imbibe to become highly successful (both in personal and professional life).
