A phrase that’s been heard a little too much: if you want to change the world, change yourself first. A cliché, perhaps overused but not implemented enough. Some say that if you aren’t happy with things happening around you or want to alter your environment, start with yourself and focus on your personal growth. After all, it’s the small changes that make the biggest difference.
Taking care of one’s mental and physical health should be the #1 priority in everyone’s lives. Luckily, we see a pronounced trend of more people working on improving themselves. Assuming that it was the best self help books search on Google that landed you on this page, books appear to be a preferred medium for many to look to for advice on personal care. According to the NPD Group press release, the self-help book category has experienced continued and solid growth in recent years. As a matter of fact, since 2013, its size has nearly doubled. In 2019, self help books reached 18.6 million sales. Fun fact, that’s around the size of the population in Kazakhstan!
However, there’s a lot of speculation about the influence and the actual benefits of personal development books. The truth is, self improvement books only work if the reader understands what they read and follows the advice. If the book is read like an ordinary romance tale to kill time, and not a single idea is implemented in actual life, then sure, the book is useless. Just more pap to add to the pile. And it’s in your best interest to not let that happen.
Other than that, even the best self improvement books may contradict each other. Certain books are written in a novel genre and can be interpreted differently. One such example is an international bestseller and perhaps the #1 self help book of all time, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. Other self help genre books are usually written from the author’s viewpoint, so their advice on achieving one’s own Personal Legend (reference from The Alchemist) won’t necessarily be implemented in a similar vein.
Long story short, you are here for the books, not for my excessively long ramblings. Let us present you with, let’s dub it, the ultimate list of top self care books, which might not turn your life upside down, but for sure should turn it for the better.
#1 Atomic Habits By James Clear
This book explains things in a way that doesn’t overwhelm you or make you feel like everything you do is wrong or not good enough. It is engaging and immensely convincing in how it makes you want to change your bad habits and adopt good ones. Atomic Habits tells stories and teaches you how to gradually maintain patterns that will help you in the long run but in small, digestible, doable steps. You are bound to take away heaps of tips from this book. Take a notepad or have sticky notes at hand.
Favorite quote: “Making a choice that is 1% better or 1% worse is insignificant in the moment. But over the span of moments that make up a lifetime, these choices determine the difference between who you are and who you could be.”

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#2 The Alchemist By Paulo Coelho
Why do all good things have to come to an end? This was the exact question I asked myself after finishing the book. The Alchemist has transcended the bounds of literature and developed a life of its own. The people Santiago meets, his dreams, the omens he sees, and the nature he communicates with are all things we can identify with. It’s things that we may have either forgotten about or simply written off as childhood fantasies. If you have not read this book yet, you are in for a gratifying treat, my friend. After this one, I can assure you that it will not be the last book by Paulo Coelho you’ll read.
Favorite quote: “Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own.”

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#3 Thinking Fast And Slow By Daniel Kahneman
This book, in our humble opinion, richly deserves its high ranking on the list. In a well-organized book free of academic jargon (such a relief!), Kahneman has shared the rich psychological knowledge and the results he has accumulated over his lifetime. And with the author being almost 88 years old, that’s a lot of information to absorb! The Nobel laureate also makes the material interactive by inviting the reader to complete brief mental exercises, making it a delightful read.
Favorite quote: “If you care about being thought credible and intelligent, do not use complex language where simpler language will do.”

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#4 The Four Agreements By Don Miguel Ruiz
This tiny book will rip your heart open and fill it with love. This light of love will develop into a fire, which, as soon as you finish the book, you can start sharing with your loved ones, your neighbors, your country, the world, and the entire universe. The Four Agreements presents some profound wisdom in a straightforward and condensed manner. This book stands out in a sea of spiritual reading material, and much of it makes a lot of sense. A quick and easy read with gems on gems.
Favorite quote: “There is a huge amount of freedom that comes to you when you take nothing personally.”

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#5 The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People By Stephen R. Covey
This would be a very different world if everyone adopted the values outlined in this book. It is not about running a business, managing a marriage, raising children, or making friends. In a holistic sense, the book is about you, every single one of us. It aims to get one to reflect on their fundamental character traits, including their personality, principles, and ethics. It’s a book where you start learning something new from the very first page. Overall, a masterpiece that introduces you to the various facets of positivity. It’s likely not a one-time read.
Favorite quote: “If I really want to improve my situation, I can work on the one thing over which I have control – myself.”

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#6 Best Self: Be You, Only Better By Mike Bayer
Powerful right from the beginning. It’s a thrilling, satisfying, and honest book that will take you on a quest for self-discovery. The author is brilliant in his creative life coaching method, offering a new viewpoint on self-improvement and wellbeing. Bayer’s road map to the Best You offers all readers a thought-provoking and inspiring experience. It’s brimming with exercises to guide you in recognizing and taking steps toward moving forward.
Favorite quote: “The real problem is that people are living lives that are incongruent with their authentic selves either because they’re following in their family’s footsteps instead of carving their own path, or they’re doing what worked for them ten years ago but simply doesn’t anymore…”

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#7 The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A F*ck By Mark Manson
In a literal sense, this book advises on what matters and what doesn’t. And making that decision is the skill, the art, that every one of us needs to learn. If you say yes to everyone and everything, people will literally eat you alive. Basically, to find a bigger f*ck to give a f*ck about is what this book recommends. Manson is a no-nonsense, straight-talking kind of guy. He explains everything in plain terms before advising you to overcome your self-consciousness to find happiness. In reality, nobody is always happy, and problems will always arise. That’s pretty much our takeaway from the book.
Favorite quote: “Maturity is what happens when one learns to only give a f*ck about what’s truly f*ckworthy.”

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#8 You Are A Bada** By Jen Sincero
As you can tell from the book’s title, it’s about making money. But it’s not all about making one’s pockets full of dinero. It’s about achieving success, being great, and reaching for the stars. We here adore Jen Sincero’s writing for its sincerity and humor. And although this book isn’t a step-by-step manual on personal finances, it does teach a lesson or two. It coaches the readers on how to use their environment to make as much money as they want by manipulating their mindset. Everything starts with a mindset, and this book is entirely focused on that.
Favorite quote: “What you can and can’t afford is all in your mind.”

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#9 Girl, Wash Your Face By Rachel Hollis
In case you didn’t know, three-quarters of all the readers of self-help books are women. So this one is for us, ladies. Girl, Wash Your Face is the book we didn’t know we needed. It’s a fun, moving, easy-to-understand, and motivational read. The solutions Hollis offers are practical ones that anyone can use in their daily lives. She presents us with the brutal honesty of reality. It’s hard not to get inspired when you get bitten by the author’s enthusiasm. She is entirely transparent and shares information that is very personal to her. Because they know they are not alone in their journey, the readers can break down their own walls thanks to her vulnerability.
Favorite quote: “Our words have power, but our actions shape our lives.”

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#10 12 Rules For Life By Jordan Peterson
The book teaches you how to live a better life. Very straightforward, isn’t it? However, it is not so easy to achieve. Each of the twelve rules is thoroughly explained, and the author delves into the meaning of every single one of them using a variety of real-world examples. It’s rare to find a book that makes you feel upbeat, confident, wiser and more in charge of your life. It’s indeed an inexhaustible well of wisdom. Can we have a sequel, pretty please?
Favorite quotes: “Perhaps you are overvaluing what you don’t have and undervaluing what you do.”

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#11 The 48 Laws Of Power By Robert Greene

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#12 The Courage To Be Disliked By Ichiro Kishimi & Fumitake Koga

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#13 Man’s Search For Meaning By Viktor Frankl

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#14 Daring Greatly By Brene Brown

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#15 How To Stop Worrying And Start Living By Dale Carnegie

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#16 Big Magic By Elizabeth Gilbert

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#17 Quiet: The Power Of Introverts In A World That Can’t Stop Talking By Susan Cain

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#18 The Magic Of Thinking Big By David Joseph Schwartz

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#19 How To Win Friends And Influence People By Dale Carnegie

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#20 The 5 Love Languages By Gary Chapman

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#21 Deep Work By Cal Newport

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#22 10% Happier By Dan Harris

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#23 Rich Dad Poor Dad By Robert T. Kiyosaki

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#24 The 4-Hour Workweek By Tim Ferriss

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#25 Outliers: The Story Of Success By Malcolm Gladwell

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#26 The Power Of Positive Thinking By Norman Vincent Peale

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#27 The Power Of Now By Eckhart Tolle

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#28 The Life-Changing Magic Of Tidying Up By Marie Kondo

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#29 Radical Acceptance By Tara Brach

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#30 The Happiness Advantage By Shawn Anchor

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#31 Bird By Bird By Anne Lamott

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#32 The Artist’s Way By Julia Cameron

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#33 Find Your Artistic Voice: The Essential Guide To Working Your Creative Magic By Lisa Congdon

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#34 Grit By Angela Duckworth

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#35 Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways To Stop Procrastinating And Get More Done In Less Time By Brian Tracy

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#36 Health At Every Size: The Surprising Truth About Your Weight By Linda Bacon

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#37 Declutter Your Mind By S.j. Scott and Barrie Davenport

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#38 Switch: How To Change Things When Change Is Hard By Chip Heath

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#39 A Course In Miracles By Drs. Helen Schucman And Bill Thetford

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#40 The Automatic Millionaire: A Powerful One-Step Plan To Live And Finish Rich By David Bach

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#41 The Power Of Habit: Why We Do What We Do In Life And Business By Charles Duhigg

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#42 The Happiness Project By Gretchen Rubin

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#43 Mindset: The New Psychology Of Success By Carol S. Dweck

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#44 Financial Wellness And How To Find It By Melanie Eusebe

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#45 Lightly: How To Live A Simple, Serene & Stress-Free Life By Francine Jay

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#46 If You Could Live Anywhere By Melody Warnick

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#47 Wild Problems: A Guide To The Decisions That Define Us By Russ Roberts

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#48 Presence By Amy Cuddy

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#49 Outer Order, Inner Calm By Gretchen Rubin

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#50 You Are A Bada** At Making Money By Jen Sincero

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#51 How To Be A Bawse By Lilly Singh

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#52 The Little Book Of Hygge By Meik Wiking

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#53 Principles: Life And Work By Ray Dalio

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#54 Braving The Wilderness By Brené Brown

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#55 Roar: Into The Second Half Of Your Life (Before It’s Too Late) By Michael Clinton

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#56 Creativity, Inc. By Ed Catmull And Amy Wallace

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#57 Finding Me: A Memoir By Viola Davis

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#58 Atlas Of The Heart By Brené Brown

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#59 The Power Of One More By Ed Mylett

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#60 Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything By BJ Fogg, PhD

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#61 Dare To Discover Your Purpose By George Jerjian

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#62 The Art Of Gathering: How We Meet And Why It Matters By Priya Parker

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#63 Getting Things Done By David Allen

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#64 Who Moved My Cheese? By Spencer Johnson

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#65 Think And Grow Rich By Napoleon Hill

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#66 The Secret By Rhonda Byrne

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#67 Meditations By Marcus Aurelius

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#68 The Obstacle Is The Way By Ryan Holiday

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#69 Gmorning, Gnight! By Lin-Manuel Miranda

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#70 The Gifts Of Imperfection By Brene Brown

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#71 Talking To Strangers By Malcolm Gladwell

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#72 Give And Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success By Adam Grant

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#73 Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life… And Maybe The World By Admiral William H. McRaven

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#74 Failing Forward By John C. Maxwell

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#75 Stay Sexy & Don’t Get Murdered: The Definitive How-To Guide By Karen Kilgariff And Georgia Hardstark

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#76 Maybe You Should Talk To Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, And Our Lives Revealed By Lori Gottlieb

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#77 Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind And Defy The Odds By David Goggins

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#78 Year Of Yes By Shonda Rimes

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#79 Your Money Or Your Life By Vicki Robin & Joe Dominguez

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#80 Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? By Julie Smith

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#81 Out Of Office By Charlie Warzel And Anne Helen Peterson

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#82 How Not To Die By Michael Greger, Md

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#83 The Miracle Morning By Hal Elrod

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#84 Tools Of Titans By Tim Ferriss

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#85 Your Fully Charged Life By Meaghan B Murphy

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#86 Becoming Better Grownups By Brad Montague

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#87 Tiny Beautiful Things By Cheryl Strayed

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#88 Greenlights By Matthew McConaughey

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#89 Endure: How To Work Hard, Outlast, And Keep Hammering By Cameron Hanes

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#90 The Boy, The Mole, The Fox And The Horse By Charlie Mackesy

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#91 Adult Children Of Emotionally Immature Parents By Lindsay C. Gibson

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