When you have self-motivation, you are able to overcome challenges and achieve success. You have internal strength that pushes you to complete tasks and projects without giving up or needing encouragement from the outside.
Becoming self-motivated is a liberating process that allows you to build confidence and expand your mind. When you are self-motivated, you lose so many insecurities because you gain control over your life. Many people have written books that can teach you how to develop this characteristic, and they provide inspiration toward this goal.
The following self-motivation books are designed to teach you how to make little changes with big results. Some of them show you how to create positive habits in your daily life, and others show you how to reach for opportunities. Take a look at the following 10 self-motivation books.
Table of Contents
#1. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen R. Covey
In this book, Stephen R. Covey lays out seven habits that are practiced by highly effective people. His basic belief is that people see the world through their own perceptions, and effective change occurs when people change themselves. By taking steps to change your perceptions, you will be able to change your situation. The seven basic steps are as follows:
- Be Proactive: To be proactive, you give yourself control over situations.
- Begin with the End in Mind: Know the purpose behind what you are doing.
- Put First Things First: Prioritize based on what is most important rather than what is most urgent.
- Think Win-Win: Create interdependent situations that are mutually beneficial.
- Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood: Learn how to listen before you offer advice so that you understand the situation.
- Synergize: Understand and value the differences in other people’s perspectives.
- Sharpen the Saw: Take care of yourself mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially.
Basically, the first three habits move you from dependence to independence, the next three from independence to interdependence, and the final one allows you to grow and improve yourself.
#2. Think and Grow Richby Napoleon Hill
Written by Napoleon Hill in 1937, this book represents 13 principles of the Law of Attraction. He had met with a number of wealthy people to write a series of articles for a newspaper, and he put what he learned together in this book. Many people find it relevant today, and it has changed lives.
The 13 principles are as follows:
- Desire
- Faith
- Auto Suggestion
- Specialized Knowledge
- Imagination
- Organized Planning
- Decision
- Persistence
- Power of the Mastermind
- The Mystery of Sex Transmutation
- The Subconscious Mind
- The Brain
- The Sixth Sense
This is a powerful book that unlocks the secret of becoming successful, and many people have benefited from it. Each chapter takes you further into the Law of Attraction, and you can learn how to develop a successful plan.
#3. Awaken the Giant Within: How to Take Immediate Control of Your Mental, Emotional, Physical, and Financial Destiny by Tony Robbins
In this book, Tony Robbins teaches you methods to master your mental, emotional, physical, and financial destiny. He teaches you that you should raise your standards first, and believe that you can meet them. His techniques are all about teaching you to change your belief system to master your life plan.
He further says that many people know what to do, but they don’t know that they know it. In other words, you have the tools to improve your life, but you need to believe in yourself. There are five elements:
- Core belief
- Value
- Reference
- Question
- Emotional state
Changing just one of them can lead to a powerful and measurable change in your life. You need a long-term strategy, and you will learn how to make good decisions. In addition, he addresses fear of loss in comparison to the value of gain.
#4. The Power of Positive Thinking by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale
In this book, Dr. Norman Vincent Peale teaches you that having a strong and firm belief in something helps you achieve it. You will learn to overcome negative thought processes, including fear and a lack of confidence, and you will be able to replace them with positive thinking, including the following:
- Optimism
- Determinism
- Patience
- Focus
Dr. Peale was a preacher who spent much of his life teaching people how to improve the quality of their lives through positive thinking. He teaches methods for handling daily problems without letting it bring you down. When you learn how to replace fear and a lack of confidence with positive thinking, you have more motivation, energy, and happiness in life.
#5. How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie
In this book, Dale Carnegie reveals techniques and methods for winning friends and influencing people. He includes techniques to use when you interact with others, including:
- Do not criticize, condemn, or complain
- Give honest and sincere appreciation
- Bring out an eager “want” in others
Then he gives you tips on how to be the kind of person people want to know through simple gestures, such as smiling and taking an interest in others. He also tells you how to become a leader and he talks about the secret of success.
#6. The Magic of Thinking Bigby David J. Schwartz
David Schwartz was born in 1927, and he spent his life teaching leadership development and personal strategy. People who feel trapped, are tired of saying “I can’t,” or want to develop confidence can benefit from his strategies.
He starts by teaching you how to stop making excuses and destroy your fears. He goes on to show you how to develop ambition and avoid letting people bring you down. As you work through these steps, you will build confidence and teach your mind to develop positive thoughts.
#7. The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene
This book is a massive undertaking, but it has powerful advice. Robert Greene lists 48 different laws of power and applies them in an historical context to show you how they work when they are used. The laws are all grounded in the realities of human nature, and you might want to attack this book one chapter at a time.
His book has a mixed reception, with some saying he is pure genius, and others saying he is teaching people to play mind games. Either way, the book is fascinating, particularly as he ties it in with historical examples.
#8. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff by Richard Carlson
There is an entire series of “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff,” and each one is geared to topics such as love, teens, moms, and more. The book is easy to read, and Richard Carlson is an expert in happiness and stress reduction.
Carlson teaches you how to learn from your problems, slow down and do one thing at a time, share glory with others, and learn to trust your intuitions. The secret to happiness and stress reduction lies in these steps. Whether you are a mom, a teacher, or just someone who wants a new perspective on finding happiness, these books are beloved by many.
#9. The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra, MD
This book is full of the secrets to making your dreams come true. You will be able to use the seven principles discussed in this book to accomplish anything that brings you joy. Dr. Chopra teaches that a tree doesn’t grow through the struggles of a seed; the seed simply unfolds in grace. The same is true of your own desires.
When you want to achieve something, you need to attract the seven basic laws, which include the following:
- Potential
- Karma
- Giving
- Intention and Desire
- Detachment
- Dharma
This book teaches that success comes from aligning yourself to live in harmony with natural laws rather than hard work and drive. It shows you how living in sync with natural laws allows well-being, health, material abundance, and good relationships to come to you easily and effortlessly.
#10. Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life … and Maybe the World by Admiral William H. McRaven
This book is based on Admiral William H. McRaven’s commencement address to the graduating class at the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. In a mere 20 minutes, he shares the 10 lessons he learned from Navy SEAL training. These lessons are simple and can be applied to everyday life.
He begins by telling graduates to start the day by making their bed because you start the day with a task accomplished. This sets the tone for the entire day. The following nine pieces of advice are juicy morsels that are sure to help anyone find inspiration and motivation to keep their lives on track.
Final Words
The key to reading self-motivation books is to learn how to create habits that open your mind and change your internal voice. You can learn what steps to take to make a difference in your own life, and you can start right away with small steps each day. The little successes lead to bigger successes, and your self-confidence grows. You learn how to take charge of your life, set goals, and achieve them.
