Self help, personal development, whatever you want to call it, almost everyone has the sense that there is always room for improvement in our lives. This list of books is intended to help you be a better version of yourself, and with the beginning of a new year looming this seems like a fitting time to share them. These titles cover a wide range of categories, from personal finance to job satisfaction to building healthy habits, so there is something here for everyone!
Also, non-fiction is the only genre that I will sometimes listen to in audiobook format and I have marked the books on this list that I listened to, rather than read, with an asterisk (*).
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Start: Punch Fear in the Face, Escape Average and Do Work that Matters*
By Jon Acuff
Ramsey Press, 2013
This book gives you tips on how to start right now on the path to awesome and leave the path of average behind. In a changing career market, people of all ages are learning that it’s never too late to start something new, and Jon Acuff outlines the five stages of pursuing your dreams and what to expect in each stage.
Better Than Before
By Gretchen Rubin
Crown/Archetype, 2015
Most people think of the word ‘habits’ negatively – as in smoking, nail-biting, knuckle cracking. But Grechin Rubin puts a new spin on habits in her book Better than Before, showing how intentionally cultivating good habits while you break the bad ones can simplify your life and help you live a more effortless, efficient life. She breaks down the different ways people can be inclined to form habits in order to help you identify the most effective way to bring about positive changes in your routine.
Rhinoceros Success: The Secret to Charging Full Speed Toward Every Opportunity
By Scott Alexander
Lampo Press, 2011
Upbeat and fast-paced, this book would probably fall under the header ‘motivational’. I loved the pithy one liners and the entertaining rhinoceros analogy that runs throughout. This book will get you pumped and ready to jump out of bed in the morning! Read my full review for this book here.
Love Your Life, Not Theirs*
By Rachel Cruze
Nelson, Thomas, Inc, 2016
Love Your Life, Not Theirs touches on a lesson we all need to learn: how important it is to appreciate who we are and what we have and not compare ourselves to others. The author of this book, Rachel Cruze, is the daughter of the legendary Dave Ramsey. If you are already familiar with Dave Ramsay and his money management principles then you likely will not learn anything new from this book after the first few chapters, but I still enjoyed it because it was told from a her perspective as someone who grew up under Dave’s roof and has never had any kind of debt. If you are looking for a simple plan to get your finances under control, or if you just need some financial encouragement, check this book out.
The Legacy Journey*
By Dave Ramsey
Nelson, Thomas, Inc, 2014
What this book boiled down to, for me, is what to do with your money in the second phase of your financial life. Once you have no debt and ample savings for any emergency, what comes next? Dave gives pointers on how you can spend, save and give on this next level using Biblical principles for wealth management.