The 21 Best Motivational Books of All Time (2024)

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*** is like your smart but impolite friend explaining some great lessons from philosophy. Mark Manson shows how to live by your values so you can act with less hesitation, do what's most important to you, and stop worrying what people think.

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is a simple yet profound story about a shepherd boy named Santiago who follows his dreams, going on a journey to find treasure in Egypt. Along the way, he finds love, danger, and wisdom. The book inspires readers to listen to their hearts, risk adventure, and seek life's meaning.

Can't Hurt Me is a guide to building mental toughness, and it's also the motivational life story of David Goggins. When he was young David survived abuse and racism, but later he transformed himself into a Navy SEAL, ultramarathon runner, and world record holder.

The Mountain is You by Brianna Wiest is a guide to stop self-sabotage and build the life you want. It shows how to change emotional habits blocking growth, let go of the past, imagine your future self, and separate good intuition from bad intrusive thoughts.

Think and Grow Rich is about more than money—it's about getting what we want in life. Napoleon Hill interviewed 500+ successful people (like Henry Ford and Thomas Edison), identifying a 13-step formula for achievement, which includes 1) a burning desire, 2) a definite plan, and 3) persistence past failure.

Atomic Habits by James Clear is about how small 1% improvements in our daily habits can lead to remarkable results and change your life. This is a practical guide to building good habits and breaking bad habits. The Four Laws of Behaviour Change say to make good habits: obvious, attractive, easy, and satisfying.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is about becoming more effective at reaching our goals and leading others. Stephen Covey says his teachings are based on timeless principles like personal responsibility, empathetic listening, and treating others with fairness.

The Power of Now is about living in the present moment so you suffer less and have more inner peace. It's really about reconnecting to your physical senses rather than being lost in thinking. Eckhart Tolle says past and future are only mental simulations because your life always happens Now.

The 5AM Club is about learning to wake up at 5 a.m. and follow a morning routine, so we can become more self-disciplined, productive, and happy. Robin Sharma wrote this self-help book as a story, with a Billionaire mentoring an Entrepreneur and Artist, who were struggling with distraction and procrastination.

"Extreme Ownership" by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin is a book about leadership and discipline, based on the authors' experiences as U.S. Navy Seals. The core concept is that a true leader must take full responsibility for both the successes and failures of their team or organization.

Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki explains what rich people know about finance, money, and investing. The author compares advice from his real father (Poor Dad), who was well-educated but always struggled financially, with advice from his best friend's father (Rich Dad), who had little formal education but was a very successful entrepreneur.

Ikigai is about finding our life purpose and living longer, according to wisdom from Japan where people do live longer than average. The key ideas include: doing activities that make us feel 'flow', nurturing enjoyable relationships, keeping busy after retirement, and daily light eating and exercise.

"Eat That Frog!" by Brian Tracy is a guide to stop procrastinating, increase productivity, and master time management. It teaches you to tackle the hardest tasks first, helping you get more done and make each day more focused and productive.

The Power of Your Subconscious Mind explains how to change our thinking through "scientific prayer," so we can change the outer conditions of our life to enjoy more prosperity, health, and happiness. Joseph Murphy's techniques include affirmations, visualization, gratitude, faith, and surrender.

Total Recall by Arnold Schwarzenegger is the incredible true life story of the bodybuilding icon, Hollywood superstar, and former California Governor. From his humble beginnings in a small village in Austria, to chasing his unique American Dream, Arnold inspires us to stay hungry on our own path to success.