“Strive for continuous improvement, instead of perfection.” — Kim Collins
I’ve read a lot of personal development & self-improvement books over 25 years at Microsoft to help me get ahead and stay ahead.
The world changes fast, and Microsoft changes even faster.
As my mentor taught me, the fastest thing you can change in any situation is yourself.
To keep up, I had to learn how to change myself faster and learn new skills.
I needed to learn all about mindsets, goals, focus, motivation, grit, emotional intelligence, how to build new habits, and more, and often in some of the most extreme scenarios. That’s how I battle test some of the best personal development books against real world scenarios.
I know a lot of personal development books come and go. What I tried to share here is the best-of-the-best personal development books that I find I keep going back to.
I chose the best books with the most enduring ideas around personal change, self-improvement and personal development.
Happy learning and growing!
Top 10 Best Personal Development Books
Here is a list of my top 10 personal development books you might find helpful in your quest for personal growth and development …
1. Brilliant NLP
by David Molden and Pat Hutchinson
This is a beautifully concise book on how to use NLP to get better at everything you do. It’s also an incredibly simple introduction to NLP in a practical way.
NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) is effectively a method for rewiring your nervous system to improve your results. I like to think of it as a tool for modeling, or learning, excellence from the best of the best.
2. How To Have a Beautiful Mind
by Edward de Bono
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This book helped me learn how to be more interesting and how to cultivate my curiosity.
Edward de Bono is one of the world masters on the art and science of better thinking.
In this well-written book, de Bono gives you the tools and techniques you need to develop a beautiful mind.
He does this by helping you tune your mind to be fascinating, creative, and exciting.
His argument goes – if you are a good thinker, you can be beautiful … and anyone can be beautiful.
3. Overachievement
by John Eliot, Ph.D.
This is perhaps one of the most surprising books I’ve read on how to use stress to be your best.
Dr. John Eliot is a sports psychologist that helps athletes perform better under pressure.
What I liked most about this book is that it gave me a new way to look at stress and some pragmatic tools to get out of slumps.
I also like how Dr. Eliot helps you figure out what brings out your best performance so that you can do that in more of your everyday scenarios.
It’s one of the best books on how to think, feel, and do your best, based on real science and proven in practice with athletes – as well as corporate warriors.
4. Personal Development for Smart People
By Steve Pavlina
Talk about a deep dive into personal development.
Rather than a bunch of habits and practices, Steve Pavlina takes a principle-based approach to give you a simple framework for personal growth.
He boils down personal development to three essential principles: truth, love, and power.
Steve builds on the combination of those three principles to reveal oneness, authority, and courage.
Practicing these principles leads to the seventh principle: intelligence.
This book will stand out as one of the few that really leans in and acknowledges the hard work of personal development – but also will remind you all along the way, why your journey is worth it.
5. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
By Stephen Covey
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This is a true classic on personal transformation. Stephen Covey does a brilliant job of honing on the 7 habits that really differentiate effective people. To Covey, effectiveness is when the response equals the challenge.
In a nutshell, Covey teaches you how to 1) Be Proactive, 2) Begin with the End in Mind, 3) Put First Things First, 4) Think Win Win, 5) Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood, 6) Synergize, 7) Sharpen the Saw.
He also gives you a wealth of new ways to look at old problems so you can be more effective and make more conscious choices towards a more effective you.
6. The Inner Edge: The 10 Practices of Personal Leadership
By Joelle Jay
This book felt to me like a dojo of personal growth and greatness in a box. It is filled with extreme insight, along with incredibly pragmatic method, models, and mindsets for self-leadership.
It’s one of those books that you could easily imagine turning into some sort of course or training. It’s deep. It’s well-structured. It’s based on real-world experience. It’s one of the greatest books on the planet in terms of structuring your journey of personal development.
7. The Success Principles
by Jack Canfield
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I couldn’t believe the first time I discovered this book. I read it fast once, then re-read it slow, multiple times.
I couldn’t believe that here in my hands was the secrets of the most successful, all under one volume.
Jack Canfield is a skilled writer and storyteller.
When I met Jack, I remember he kind of reminded me of a magician.
And this book is sort of like a behind-the-scenes of how magic is done.
He does a great job demystifying success and turning it into a set of principles that anybody can master, if they set their mind to it.
8. Unlimited Power
by Tony Robbins
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I don’t know if there’s any book that shook my mind more, or redefined what’s possible for me in this lifetime, than this book.
You can tell that Tony Robbins was on fire when he wrote this book.
It’s like he tried to do a Vulcan mind-meld with the world and share the greatest secrets he figured out about unleashing your potential.
I especially like how Tony Robbins define power – as simply the ability to take action.
He walks through how so many people give their power away, every day, and this is the guide to taking it back, so you can create your destiny and achieve all your dreams, no matter how far reaching they might be.
9. Way of the Peaceful Warrior
by Dan Millman
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I started with the movie on this one. Wow.
It is life changing.
Dan has a true gift in boiling down smart strategies for personal development and transformation into memorable stories and memorable prose.
This is one of the most helpful books for helping you learn how to truly be in the moment and how to do what makes you come alive, even when it’s not easy.
It’s a book about moving forward, with anticipation, and joy, while at the same time, noticing what’s all around you.
Check out my Lessons Learned from Peaceful Warrior.
10. What You Can Change and What You Can’t
By Martin Seligman, Ph.D.
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This book is deep.
But it’s written for the lay reader, as well as professionals.
Psychologist Martin Seligman shares his insights on what works and what doesn’t when it comes to change, based on outcome studies and a lifetime of observations in how people change (or don’t.)
You will learn interesting things about fears and phobias, as well as some of the inner workings of your personality.
While we continue to learn more about neuroplasticity, or how pliable our brains are, this is a great body of work to challenge your model of where to focus your efforts, and how to really bring about meaningful and lasting change.
Best Personal Development Books by Category
Here is a list of personal development books sorted by categories to help you master personal development skills.
I used the following categories:
Getting Started | Attitude, Character | Body Development | Career Development | Communication Skills | Courage, Self-Confidence | Decision Making, Choice | Emotional Intelligence | Focus | Goals, Achievement | Habits | Happiness, Feeling Good | Intelligence, Thinking Skills | Intuition | Leadership | Learning | Motivation, Self-Discipline | People Skills, Interpersonal Skills | Positive Thinking, Optimism | Purpose, Passion | Relationships | Self-Awareness | Spiritual Intelligence | Strengths | Stress | Success | Wealth | Work-Life Balance
Getting Started with Personal Development
- 180 Climbing the Two Ladders to Inner Strength & Outer Freedom, by Rob White
- A Philosopher’s Notes: On Optimal Living, Creating an Authentically Awesome Life and Other Such Goodness, by Brian Johnson
- Getting Results the Agile Way, by J.D. Meier
- Go Put Your Strengths to Work, by Marcus Buckingham
- Personal Development for Smart People, by Steve Pavlina
- Success Principles by Jack Canfield
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen Covey
- The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness, by Stephen Covey
- The Inner Edge: The 10 Practices of Personal Leadership, by Joelle K. Jay
- The Success Journey, by John Maxwell
- Unlimited Power, by Tony Robbins
- Work from the Inside Out, by Nancy O’Hara
Best Personal Development Books on Attitude, Character
- Art of Living, by Epictetus
- Attitude 101, by John Maxwell
- Be the Hero, by Noah Blumenthal
- The Winning Attitude Your Key To Personal Success, by John Maxwell
Best Personal Development Books on Body Development
- The 4-Hour Body, by Tim Ferris
Best Personal Development Books on Career Development
- Is Your Genius at Work?, by Dick Richards
- The Dip, by Seth Godin
- The Perfect Resume, by Tom Jackson
- Work from the Inside Out, by Nancy O’Hara
Best Personal Development Books on Communication Skills
- How to Communicate, by Martha Davis
- Lifescripts, by Stephen M. Pollan
- The Exceptional Presenter, by Timothy J. Koegel
- Verbal Judo: The Gentle Art of Persuasion, by George J. Thompson PhD
Best Personal Development Books on Courage, Self-Confidence
- Screw It, Let’s Do It: Lessons in Life and Business, by Richard Branson
- Unleash the Warrior Within, by Richard J. Machowicz
Best Personal Development Books on Decision Making, Choice
- Choices That Change Lives, by Hal Urban
- Sources of Power: How People Make Decisions, by Gary Klein
Best Personal Development Books on Emotional Intelligence
- Emotional Capitalists: The New Leaders, by Martyn Newman
- Emotional Intelligence, by Daniel Goleman
- The Emotional Energy Factor, by by Mira Kirshenbaum
Best Personal Development Books on Focus
- Simple Zen: A Guide to Living Moment by Moment, by by C. Alexander Simpkins
- The Power of Full Engagement, by Jim Loehr
- The Power of Less, by Leo Babauta
- The Power of Focus, by Jack Canfield
Best Personal Development Books on Goals, Achievement
- Awaken the Giant Within, by Tony Robbins
- Be All You Can Be, by John Maxwell
- Goal-Free Living, by Stephen M. Saipiro
- Goals!, by Brian Tracy
- Living an Extraordinary Life, by Robert White
- Living At The Next Level, by John Maxwell
- Overachievement, by John Eliot
- Maximum Achievement, by Brian Tracy
- Success 101, by John Maxwell
- The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, by Benjamin Franklin
- Unlimited Power, by Tony Robbins
- Your Road Map for Success, by John Maxwell
Best Personal Development Books on Habits
- Atomic Habits, by James Clear
- Getting Results the Agile Way, by J.D. Meier
- Napoleon Hill’s Keys to Success, by Napoleon Hill
- Personal Development for Smart People, by Steve Pavlina
- Tactics: The Art and Science of Success, by Edward de Bono
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen Covey
- The 8th Habit: From Effectiveness to Greatness, by Stephen Covey
- The 80/20 Individual, by Richard Koch
- The Success Principles, by Jack Canfield
Best Personal Development Books on Happiness, Feeling Good
- Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy, by David D. Burns
Best Personal Development Books on Intelligence, Thinking Skills
- 7 (Seven) Kinds of Smart, by Thomas Armstrong
- Blink, by Malcolm Gladwell
- Brain Rules, by John Medina
- How Successful People Think, by John Maxwell
- How to Have a Beautiful Mind, by Edward de Bono
- Managing Your Mind: The Mental Fitness Guide, by Gillian Butler
- Mind Hacks: Tips & Tools for Using Your Brain, by Tom Stafford
- Mind Magic Techniques for Transforming Your Life, by Marta Hiatt
- Mind Performance Hacks, by Ron Hale-Evans
- Power Thinking, by John N. Mangieri
- Six Thinking Hats, by Edward de Bono
- Smart Questions, by Gerald Nadler
- The Art of Worldly Wisdom, by Willis Barnstone
- The Magic of Thinking Big, by David J. Schwartz
- The Memory Book, by Harry Lorayne
- The Seven Sins of Memory, by Daniel L. Schacter
- Thinkertoys: A Handbook of Creative-Thinking Techniques, by Michael Michalko
Best Personal Development Books on Intuition
- The Power of Intuition, by Gary Klein
Best Personal Development Books on Leadership
- Developing the Leader Within You, by John Maxwell
Best Personal Development Books on Learning
- Secrets of a Buccaneer, by James Bach
- The 4-Hour Work Week Tim Ferriss
Best Personal Development Books on Motivation, Self-Discipline
- Self-discipline in 10 days: How to go from thinking to doing, by Theodore Bryant
- The Now Habit, by Neil A. Fiore
Best Personal Development Books on People Skills, Interpersonal Skills
- Antipatterns: Identification, Refactoring, and Management, by Phillip A. Laplante
- Coping with Difficult Bosses, by Robert Bramson
- Crucial Confrontations, by Kerry Patterson
- Crucial Conversations, by Kerry Patterson
- Dealing with People You Can’t Stand, by Dr. Rick Kirschner
- Get Them On Your Side, by Samuel B. Bacharach
- How To Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie
- Masters of Networking, by Ivan R. Misner
- Personal Village, by Marvin Thomas
- Social Intelligence, by Daniel Goleman
- The Art of Talking to Anyone, by Rosalie Maggio
- The Likeability Factor, by Tim Sanders
Best Personal Development Books on Positive Thinking, Optimism
- Learned Optimism, by Martin E. P. Seligman
Best Personal Development Books on Productivity
- Getting Results the Agile Way, by J.D. Meier
- Getting Things Done, by David Allen
- How Full Is Your Bucket?, by Tom Rath
Best Personal Development Books on Purpose, Passion
- The Success Journey, by John Maxwell
- Who Are You? What Do You Want?, by Mick Ukleia
Best Personal Development Books on Relationships
- For Men Only, by Shaunti Christine Feldhahn
- For Women Only, by Shaunti Christine Feldhahn
- Forgiveness Is a Choice, by Robert D. Enright
- Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus, by John Gray
- Should I Stay Or Go?, by Lee Raffel
Best Personal Development Books on Self-Awareness
- 180 Climbing the Two Ladders to Inner Strength & Outer Freedom, by Rob White
- egonomics: What Makes Ego Our Greatest Asset, by David Marcum
- Lifetypes, by by Sandra Krebs Hirsh
- What You Can Change and What You Can’t, by Martin Seligman
Best Personal Development Books on Spiritual Intelligence
- The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment, by Eckhart Tolle
Best Personal Development Books on Strengths
- Character Strengths and Virtues, by Chris Peterson and Martin Seligman
- Go Put Your Strengths to Work, by Marcus Buckingham
- Now, Discover Your Strengths, by Marcus Buckingham
- StrengthsFinder 2.0, by Tom Rath
Best Personal Development Books on Stress
- 10 Simple Solutions to Stress, by Claire Michaels Wheeler
- Learn to Relax, by Mike George
- Overachievement, by John Eliot
Best Personal Development Books on Success
- 180 Climbing the Two Ladders to Inner Strength & Outer Freedom, by Rob White
- How Successful People Think, by John Maxwell
- Napoleon Hill’s Keys to Success, by Napoleon Hill
- Success 101, by John Maxwell
- Success Principles by Jack Canfield
- Tactics: The Art and Science of Success, by Edward de Bono
- Unlimited Power, by Tony Robbins
- Your Road Map for Success, by John Maxwell
Best Personal Development Books on Wealth
- 7 Strategies for Wealth & Happiness, by Jim Rohn
- Getting Rich Your Own Way, by Brian Tracy
- Rich Dad, Poor Dad, by Robert T. Kiyosaki
- Think and Grow Rich, by Napolean Hill
Best Personal Development Books on Work-Life Balance
- Fat,Forty,Fired, by Nigel Marsh
- Work from the Inside Out, by Nancy O’Hara
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