Top 16 Personal Development Books To Help You Achieve Your Goals

As I continue on my journey in the life-long process of personal development and self-growth, my list of favorite books continues to grow.

I have found that I am a passionate advocate of growth, and I’m continuously looking for ways to self-improve.

The following is a list of 16 top personal development books to help you achieve your goals.  the Key is applying the principles listed in each book. One thing I found to be true is that the more I read, the longer my list gets.  Every new book becomes a “favorite”.

I hope you will leave comments  below listing your favorite books so we can share ideas, thoughts, and new ideas for books to read.

 

These books are listed randomly as I love them all and cannot choose a favorite one after the number one choice…“Think and Grow Rich”.

 

 1.  “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill

“Think and Grow Rich” is a 1937 motivational personal development and self-help book by Napoleon Hill and inspired by a suggestion from Scottish-American businessman Andrew Carnegie.

Millions of people became ultra-successful after reading this self
growth book. This sentence alone should convince you to read it!

You need to have this self growth book and follow everything it teaches to succeed in everything you do. I recommend this book for everyone who wants to attain an abundance mindset.

 This book explains what you will encounter in your journey to wealth, what to be aware of and what steps to take to attain abundance.

 

 2.  “The Science of Getting Rich” by Wallace Wattles

 “The Science of Getting Rich” is a book written by the New Thought Movement writer Wallace D. Wattles and published in 1910 by the Elizabeth Towne Company. The book is still in print after 100 years.

This is a very old, yet one of the most influential self growth books ever written. Wallace D. Wattles teaches how to acquire health, wealth and happiness by following established laws of nature. His writing style is simple to follow and very inspiring.

Wallace D. Wattles guarantees that if you follow his teachings it will be impossible for you to fail. 

 

 3. “Secrets of the Millionaire Mind” by T. Harv Eker

“Secrets of the Millionaire Mind” reveals the missing link between wanting success and achieving it!

Have you ever wondered why some people seem to get rich easily, while others are destined for a life of financial struggle? Is the difference found in their education, intelligence, skills, timing, work habits, contacts, luck, or their choice of jobs, businesses, or investments?  Eker  says “Give me five minutes, and I can predict your financial future for the rest of your life!” Eker does this by identifying your “money and success blueprint.” 

 

4.  “Richest Man in Babylon” by George Clason

 “The Richest Man in Babylon” by George Samuel Clason provides financial advice through a collection of parables. George S Clason is best known for writing a series of informational pamphlets about being thrifty and how to achieve financial success. He started writing the pamphlets in 1926, using parables that were set in ancient Babylon.

 

5.  “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen R. Covey

One of the most inspiring and impactful books ever written. It has captivated readers for 25 years and has transformed the lives of Presidents and CEOs, educators and parents. Millions of people of all ages and occupations have benefited from this book.

I was especially impressed by the numerous praises at the beginning of the book from prominent, key-note speakers, leaders, writers, editors, CEO’s, athletes, educators, and many others who had read the book and highly recommended it.

 

 6. “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” by Robert Kiyosaki

 Anyone stuck in the rat-race of living paycheck to paycheck, enslaved by the house mortgage and bills, will appreciate this breath of fresh air. Learn about the methods that have created more than a few millionaires.

Kiyosaki  teaches how to spot money making opportunities in bad economy. He explains that many people miss great opportunities that present themselves right before their eyes.

 

 7. “As A Man Thinketh” by James Allen

 The Bestselling Classic That Inspired “The Secret” ,”AS A MAN THINKETH”, Allen’s most famous book, today is considered a classic self-help book. It’s underlying premise is that noble thoughts make a noble person, while lowly thoughts make a miserable person. In “As a Man Thinketh ” James Allen reveals how our thoughts determine reality. Whether or not we are conscious of it, our underlying beliefs shape our character, our health and appearance, our circumstances, and our destinies.

 

8. “Psycho-Cybernetics” by Maxwell Maltz

Motivational and self-help experts in personal development, including Zig Ziglar, Tony Robbins, Brian Tracy have based their techniques on Maxwell Maltz.

Maltz found that his plastic surgery patients often had expectations that were not satisfied by the surgery, so he pursued a means of helping them set the goal of a positive outcome through visualization f that positive outcome. Maltz became interested in why setting goals works. He learned that the power of self-affirmation and mental visualisation techniques used the connection between the mind and the body.

 

 9.“Outwitting The Devil” by Napoleon Hill

Using his legendary ability to get to the root of human potential, Napoleon Hill digs deep to reveal how fear, procrastination, anger, and jealousy prevent us from realizing our personal goals. This long-suppressed parable, once considered too controversial to publish, was written by Hill in 1938 following the publication of his classic bestseller, Think and Grow Rich. Annotated and edited for a contemporary audience by Rich Dad, Poor Dad and Three Feet from Gold co-author Sharon Lechter, this book–is profound, powerful, resonant, and rich with insight.

 

10. “How To Win Friends And Influence People” by Dale Carnegie

Millions of people around the world have – and continue to – improve their lives based on the teachings of Dale Carnegie. In How to Win Friends and Influence People Carnegie offers practical advice and techniques, in his exuberant and conversational style, for how to get out of a mental rut and make life more rewarding.

His advice has stood the test of time and will teach you how to:

– make friends quickly and easily

– increase your popularity

– win people to your way of thinking

– enable you to win new clients and customers

– become a better speaker and a more entertaining conversationalist

– arouse enthusiasm among your colleagues

This book will turn around your relationships and improve your
dealings with all the people in your life.

 

11.   “Keys To Success – The 17 Principles of Personal Achievement” by Napoleon Hill

In short, these 17 principles are:

 

1. Develop a Definiteness of Purpose
2. Establish a Mastermind Alliance
3. Assemble an Attractive Personality
4. Use Applied Faith
5. Go the Extra Mile
6. Create Personal Initiative
7. Build a Positive Mental Attitude
8. Control Your Enthusiasm
9. Enforce Self-Discipline
10. Think Accurately
11. Control Your Attention
12. Inspire Teamwork
13. Learn from Adversity and Defeat
14. Cultivate Creative Vision
15. Maintain Sound Health
16. Budget Your Time and Money
17. Use Cosmic Habitforce

 

12.  “Three Feet From Gold” by Sharon L. Lechter & Greg S. Reid with the Napoleon Hill Foundation.

Turn Your Obstacles Into Opportunity

A century ago, Napoleon Hill began researching and writing his classic, “Think and Grow Rich”— which sold more than 100 million copies worldwide. On this 100th anniversary comes a fresh and modern look at the core theme of Hill’s master work. “Three Feet from Gold” takes the principle of never giving up from the revolutionary best seller and presents it in a new and modern fable. A young writer sets out to interview business leaders and other influential figures of today about the importance of persistence in attaining your goals

Through these inspirational real-life stories, “Three Feet from Gold” offers advice about having passion for what you do, finding your own personal Success Formula, choosing good counsel, and above all: never giving up.

 

13. “The Master Key System” Charles E. Haanel

“The Master Key System” was originally published as a correspondence course with twenty- four lessons, delivered one each week for twenty-four weeks. The introduction informs the reader to spend one week reading and studying one part of the book. The reader is not to advance to the following part, or chapter until one weeks time for maximum learning.

 

14.  “The Law of Success” by Napoleon Hill

Lesson 1 – The Mastermind

To be great you have to surround yourself with greatness and feed off of it.

Lesson 2 – A definite chief aim

Find your life purpose and seek to accomplish it with reckless abandon

Lesson 3 – Self Confidence

Thoughts are powerful. Keep them positive and focused on accomplishing your primary goal. You can if you believe you can.

Lesson 4 – The Habit of Saving

Save and invest in money producing assets or forever be a slave to your daily wage

Lesson 5 – Initiative and Leadership

Lead from the front, be decisive, set direction and go.

Lesson 6 – Imagination

Don’t limit yourself with false constraints. Unleash the power of your mind to break free from limits.

Lesson 7 – Enthusiasm

Focus your passion and harness it for accomplishing your primary goal. Be the type of person other people are drawn to vs. a negative people repellant.

Lesson 8 – Self-Control

Thoughts are powerful. Keep them positive and focused on accomplishing your primary goal. You can if you believe you can.

Lesson 9 – The Habit of Doing More Than Paid For

Losers say that’s not my job or I don’t get paid to do that. Do more than expected and the rewards will follow.

Lesson 10 – A Pleasing Personality

You will never accomplish great things on your own. Be a pleasing person people want to help and follow.

Lesson 11-Accurate Thinking

Master your own mind so that you can easily absorb outside information and discern fact from hyperbole.

Lesson 12- Concentration

Focus on the most important things first as defined by what will most help you accomplish your primary purpose

Lesson 13 – Cooperation

To accomplish great things you must be able to motivate others to assist you in your efforts. Ties together with lessons 1 & 10.

Lesson 14 – Profiting by Failure

You must get over the concept of failure and often fail many times to truly succeed. Taking action is often the most difficult part of starting and getting started is often delayed by fear of failure. Fail, learn, improve, succeed.

Lesson 15 – Tolerance

Failure to tolerate leads to a breakdown in cooperation and lessons the chance of getting others to assist in accomplishing your goals.

Lesson 16 – The Golden Rule

I will never do to another person what I would not be willing for that person to do to me if positions were reversed. Ok for once Hill owes Jesus or others before him some royalties on this one..

Lesson 17 – Universal Law of Cosmic Habit-force

 

Thoughts are powerful if you believe you can you can. Negative thoughts or people are draining and should be avoided. So much of the modern self help industry modifies this concept ties it around some of the other 16 principles and prints money from those who have never read from the master directly.

 

1. If your work life and career were ideal, what would it look like?  What one discipline could you develop to help you achieve it?
2. If your family life were ideal, what would it look like?  What one discipline could you develop to help you achieve it?
3. If your health were perfect in every way, what would it look like?  What one discipline could you develop to help you achieve it?
4. If your financial situation were ideal, what would it look like?  What one discipline could you develop to help you achieve it?
5. Why aren’t you as successful as you want be?  What one discipline would help you the most to achieve all you want?
6. What one skill could you develop that could help you reach more of your goals?
7. If you could waive a magic wand, and be completely disciplined in one area, which one discipline could have the greatest impact on your life?

 

16.  “Awaken The Giant Within” by Tony Robbins

This books focuses on how to take immediate control of your mental, emotional, physical and financial destiny.  Robbins provides a step-by-step program teaching the fundamental lessons of self-mastery that will enable you to discover your true purpose, take control of your life, and harness the forces that shape your destiny.

This book is written in four parts:  Unleash Your Power, Taking Control-The Master System, The Seven Days to Shape Your Life, and A Lesson In Destiny.

Please leave your comments below and share with me the books that have inspired you, helped you, and that have guided you toward “break-throughs” in your life.

 

Please take advantage of this FREE Guide that will help you Grow Your Business and Gain the FREEDOM you’ve always wanted.

 

To Your Prosperity….

 

Sherry Starnes