99 Must-Read Personality Development Books

Amid our jam packed everyday schedule, we often forget this one vital thing- personal development.

We, humans, run after the deeds that result in tangible benefits. And ignore the fact that it is experience and life skills that actually improve the quality of our lives and boost our personal growth.

Yes, personal development is an enduring process. And, there are no set ways to it. But, there is one habit that you can embed in your daily schedule to unleash your hidden potential- and that is READING.

As Joseph Addison said, ‘reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.’

So, like exercise takes care of your physical wellness and appearance, reading takes care of your emotional and mental advancement.

Let’s hear what Lisa Bu, content distribution manager at TED, has to say about reading books:

I have listed here some excellent books for personal and professional development. Reading these books will help you not only improve the quality of your life but also unlock the way to success, happiness, and complacency.

BOOKS THAT LEAD TO SELF-AWARENESS

• The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle
• The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are by Brene Brown
• Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends on It by Kamal Ravikant
• Just Around The Bend: Mas o Menos by Renee Paule
• On The Other Hand: The Little Anthology of Big Questions by Renee Paule
• The Amazing Power of Deliberate Intent by Esther Hicks
• Louder Than A Whisper: Clearer Than A Bell by Renee Paule
• The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz
• Of Life, Love And Family by John Tracy Wilson
• Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
• Mindsight: The New Science of Personal Transformation by Daniel J. Siegel
• The Introvert Advantage: How to Thrive in An Extrovert World by Marti Olsen Laney
• The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It by Kelly McGonigal
• Shades of Black: A Celebration of Our Children by Sandra L. Pinkney
• Why We Do What We Do: Understanding Self-Motivation by Edward L. Deci
• Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain
• Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihaly
• A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by Eckhart Tolle
• Infinite Self: 33 Steps to Reclaiming Your Inner Power by Stuart Wilde
• Attitude Is Everything: Change Your Attitude And You Change Your Life by Jeff Keller

BOOKS TO UNLEASH SELF ESTEEM

• I Like Myself by Karen Beaumont
• Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes
• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
• The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds
• Ish by Peter H. Reynolds
• Matilda by Roald Dahl
• Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes
• I’m Gonna Like Me: Letting Off A Little Self-Esteem by Jamie Lee Curtis
• Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman
• Wonder by R.J.Palacio
• Oh, The Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss
• It’s Okay to Be Different by Todd Parr
• Living As a River: Finding Fearlessness in The Face of Change by Bodhipaksa
• The 9 Steps to Financial Freedom: Practical and Spiritual Steps So You Can Stop Worrying by Suze Orman
• Thank You, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco

POSITIVITY

• The Power of Positive Thinking by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale
• How to Stop Worrying And Start Living by Dale Carnegie
• Happiness Unlimited by Sister Shivani
• As a Man Thinketh by James Allen
• Think And Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
• The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey and Sandra M. Covey
• How to Win Friends And Influence People by Dale Carnegie
• Pete The Cat: I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin
• Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek
• Creative Visualization: Use The Power of Your Imagination to Create What You Want in Your Life by Shakti Gawain
• Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell
• You Can Create An Exceptional Life by Louise L. Hay
• 177 Mental Toughness Secrets of The World Class by Steve Siebold
• The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
• The Attention Revolution: Unlocking the Power of the Focused Mind by B. Alan Wallace

LIFESTYLE BOOKS

• The 4 Hour Work Week: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Timothy Ferris
• Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress Fire by David Allen
• Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
• Simplify: 7 Guiding Principles to Help Anyone Declutter Their Home and Life by Joshua Becker
• Thinking, Fast And Slow by Daniel Kahneman
• The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted And The Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss, And Long-Term Health by T. Colin Campbell
• Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer
• Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver
• The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate by Gary Chapman
• The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is The Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal by Jim Leohr and Tony Schwartz
• The Science of Getting Rich by Wallace D. Wattles
• In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto by Michael Pollan

BOOKS FOR PROFESSIONAL GROWTH

• Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini
• Performing under Pressure: The Science of Doing Your Best When It Matters Most
• Talent is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else by Geoff Colvin
• Developing The Leader Within You by John C. Maxwell
• The Law of Success in Sixteen Lessons by Napoleon Hill
• Work Rules: Insights from Inside Google That Will Transform How You Live And Lead by Laszlo Bock
• Success Through A Positive Mental Attitude by Napoleon Hill W. Clement Stone
• The Daily Five by Gail Boushey and Joan Moser
• Notice and Note: Strategies for Close Reading by Kylene Beers
• Failing Forward: Turning Mistakes into Stepping Stones for Success by John C. Maxwell
• Strategies That Work: Teaching Comprehension for Understanding And Engagement by Stephanie Harvey
• Eat That Frog: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating And Get More Done in Less Time by Brian Tracy
• Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design And Delivery
• The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller
• Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
• Designing Your Life: Build A Life That Works for You by William Burnett
• Choose Yourself: Be Happy, Make Millions, Live The Dream by James Altucher
• First, Break All The Rules: What The World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently by Marcus Buckingham
• Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
• Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki
• Crush it! Why Now Is The Time to Cash in on Your Passion by Gary Vaynerchuk

BOOKS FOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS

• Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind: Informal Talks on Zen Meditation And Practice
• Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John J. Ratey
• Eat to Live: The Revolutionary Formula for Fast And Sustained Weight Loss by Joel Fuhrman
• Fat Chance: Beating The Odds Against Sugar, Processed Food, Obesity, And Disease by Robert H. Lustig
• Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, And The Greatest Race The World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall
• Spontaneous Healing by Andrew Weil
• Brain Maker: The Power of Gut Microbes to Heal And Protect Your Brain- for Life by David Perlmutter
• Deep Nutrition: Why Your Genes Need Traditional Food by Catherine Shanahan
• The Happiness Project: Or Why I Spent A Year Trying to Sing in The Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, And
• Generally Have More Fun by Gretchen Rubin
• Anatomy of The Spirit: The Seven Stages of Power And Healing by Caroline Myss
• Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome
• Perfect Health Diet: Regain Health and Lose Weight by Eating the Way You Were Meant to Eat – Paul Jaminet and Shou by Ching Jaminet
• The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life And Business by Charles Duhigg
• Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy by David D. Burns
• Meditations by Marcus Aurelius and Martin Hammond
• The Paleo Manifesto: Ancient Wisdom for Lifelong Health by John Durant

So, this is it.

These were some fantastic personality development books written by prolific writers. Each of these personality development books has the power to make may be small but positive change in your life. Pick any that suits your taste. Read. Learn. And enjoy a delightful ride.