Book shelves · Emotional Truth Diaries

30 books for self-growth

Habits, focus, confidence, money. Thirty books people keep recommending to each other, because they actually change something.

30 books 3 shelves classics & new

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How to use it

Our own selection, not a ranking. Years are of first publication. Take what works, leave the rest.

Small steps that add up.

1
Why 1% changes add up to big results, and how to build habits that stick.
2
How habits work in the brain: cue, routine, reward.
3
Why focused work without distractions has become a rare and valuable skill.
4
How to say no to almost everything and do what matters.
5
A system for getting everything out of your head and onto lists you can trust.
6
Start with the hardest task of the day, and the rest gets easier.
7
A classic on principles, from being proactive to “sharpening the saw”.
8
Six morning practices before the day begins.
9
Ten life lessons from a Navy SEAL admiral, starting with a made bed.
10
Why passion and perseverance matter more than talent.

For the days you doubt yourself.

11
The difference between a fixed and a growth mindset, and why it changes everything.
12
A philosopher and a young man debate how to stop living for other people’s approval.
13
Four simple rules, starting with “be impeccable with your word”.
14
How to stop living in the past and the future, and be here now.
15
Honest talk about choosing what’s really worth caring about.
16
Creativity without fear: permission to make things simply because you love to.
17
From a brutal childhood to the Navy SEALs and ultramarathons. A book about mental toughness.
18
A burned-out lawyer travels to the Himalayas and comes back with a new philosophy.
19
The Japanese idea of a reason to get up in the morning, from people who live very long lives.
20
Why people follow those who know why they do what they do.

How to earn, keep and get along.

21
Two fathers, two attitudes to money, and why assets matter more than a salary.
22
Timeless money rules told as parables from ancient Babylon.
23
A classic about desire, persistence and the habits of successful people.
24
Short stories about why, with money, behaviour matters more than knowledge.
25
Real millionaires often live modestly. A study of who actually builds wealth.
26
A timeless guide to getting along with people and being heard.
27
Negotiation lessons from a former FBI hostage negotiator.
28
A short parable about change, and why resisting it hurts more.
29
Why the first hour of your day can change the rest of it.
30
A year-long experiment: one area of happiness to work on each month.