In addition to life experiences and environment, books, especially self-help books, shape one’s way of life. These self-help books are in big demand demonstrated by the thousands of titles published every year. From how-to’s to dating advice, you can guarantee that there is at least one book that swears to have the solution of your problem.
Despite the many new titles and authors in the self-help aisle of your favorite bookstore, there are some classics that will always be everyone’s favorite. These books have sold millions of copies around the world, translated in many languages, and made their authors rich.
Here are 10 popular self-help books you need to read now:
How to Win Friends and Influence People – Dale Carnegie
This is the most popular self-help books ever written. Carnegie believes that most successes come from the ability to communicate effectively. In this book you can find doable and accessible advice on everything from how to make friends, become a leader, and have a successful home life.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People – Stephen R. Covey
This book has been helping people become more efficient for over two decades. Originally published in 1989, Covey presents a holistic, integrated approach for solving personal and professional problems through this book. The 7 habits that Covey conveys give readers the skills needed to achieve self-mastery, and then use those skills to become highly efficient in working well with others.
Outliers – Malcolm Gladwell
Throughout this book, Gladwell repeatedly mentions the “10,000-Hour Rule”, claiming that the key to achieving world-class expertise in any skill is a matter of practicing the correct way, for a total of around 10,000 hours. Outliers is a must read book if you’re looking for some self-help literature that’s focused on the subtleties and nuances that contributed to the success of icons like Steve Jobs or Bill Gates.
Rich Dad, Poor Dad – Robert T. Kiyosaki
Kiyosaki teaches personal finance through parables about two fathers and two sons. One father struggled paycheck to paycheck for a lifetime whom he called “poor dad”, and the other who was a multimillionaire eighth grade dropout he calls “rich dad”. The concept behind the book is that rich people have money work for them, while the poor work for money.
The Secret – Rhonda Byrne
The Secret is a best-selling 2006 self-help book written by Rhonda Byrne, based on the earlier film of the same name. This book is based on the law of attraction, claiming that positive thinking can create life-changing results such as increased happiness, health, and wealth. The Secret also highlights gratitude and visualization as the two most powerful processes to help make one’s desires manifest.
Think and Grow Rich – Napoleon Hill
Written in 1937, Think and Grow Rich is one of the most influential financial and self-help books in the world. Hill condenses his laws of success and provides 13 principles of personal achievement. It is noted that an individual with desire, faith, and persistence can reach great success by eliminating all negative energy and thoughts and focusing at the greater goals in hand.
The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success – Deepak Chopra
Chopra’s teachings to success are summed up in 7 simple principles which can be applied to all areas of your life. Each law is coupled with several strategies and anecdotes to help you incorporate these laws into your attitude towards life. The reoccurring theme throughout each law is the idea that the world is like a boomerang; whatever you throw out into the world will eventually come back to you.
Who Moved My Cheese? – Dr. Spencer Johnson
This book uses a story about two mice and two tiny people in a maze to demonstrate the necessity of accepting and adapting to change in one’s work and life. The mice represent the parts of us that are simple and instinctive, while the people represent those complex parts of us as human beings. The story of these 4 characters while looking for cheese teaches us how we can enjoy and adapt any change in our life, again and again.
Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus – John Gray
The relationship-themed book starts with the premise that men and women are fundamentally different, and if we can learn each other’s code of conduct, we’ll all be happier and have better relationships. This book has spawned more books seminars, theme vacations, podcast, men’s and ladies’ apparel lines, travel guides, and even his-and-hers salad dressings.
Chicken Soup for the Soul – Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen
Chicken Soup for the Soul is a collection of motivational essays and true stories about ordinary people’s lives compiled by motivational speakers Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen. Many of the stories came from members of audience of their inspirational talks. Readers loved the inspirational stories and more books were released later, many of them aimed at specific audiences. The series now contains over 250 titles.
Compiled by Fauziah Listyo Ayunani.
Which booki is your favorite? And can you recommenced any more to add to this list?
