Top Self-Improvement Books

Sensibly's health management companion (HMC) to help patients master self-care and feel great.
If you are interested in some excellent books on self-improvement, here is my top:

  1. Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy by David D. Burns – Combating thought distortion, controlling your emotions and mastering self-control
  2. Eat, Drink and Be Healthy – The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating by Walter C. Willett, MD PhD and Patrick J. Skerrett – The best book on nutrition that I have read
  3. Peak: Secrets from the New Science of Expertise by Anders Ericsson and Robert Pool – This will change everything you know about talent, practice and expertise
  4. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen R. Covey – The title states it quite well
  5. Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker, PhD – Why sleep is so important and the best strategies to get proper duration and quality sleep
  6. Motivational Interviewing – Helping People Change by William R. Miller and Stephen Rollnick – This book as completely changed how I have conversations and influence others
  7. helping people change: Coaching with Compassion for Lifelong Learning and Growth by Richard Boyatzis, Melvin Smith, and Ellen Van Oosten – How to achieve lasting behavioral change and the neuroscience behind it
  8. Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything by Joshua Foer – How memory champions exercise their mind, a learned skill
  9. Sacred Parenting: How Raising Children Shapes Our Souls by Gary Thomas – Excellent views on parenting
  10. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill – How to master being successful
  11. Let’s Get Real or Let’s Not Play: Transforming the Buyer / Seller Relationship by Mahan Khalsa and Randy Illig – A guide on selling and influence
  12. Stories that Stick: How Storytelling Can Captivate Customers, Influence Audiences, and Transform your Business by Kindra Hall – The art and science of storytelling
  13. Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on it by Chris Voss – How an FBI hostage negotiator influences people
  14. Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results, An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear
  15. Coaching Psychology Manual by Margaret Moore, Erika Jackson and Bob Tschannen-Moran – Excellent guide on coaching behavior change

I listened to most of these books while exercising, driving or cleaning on Audible. Many come with accompanying PDFs or book summaries can be found online.