Self-help quotes, inspirational speeches, and thought speeches – are all supposed to be the starting points for individual personality development. However, sometimes when people go through difficult phases in their lives, it becomes difficult to find the best of the situation. Book reading is one of the best hacks to develop personality. This is why, there are numerous self-help, self-improvement, and best personality development books to help anyone through life.
Today, we look at a small list of the books that can be considered as the best personality development books when one needs them.
List of The Best Personality Development Books
- Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
- Fooled by Randomness by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen. R. Covey
- The Psychedelic Explorer’s Guide by James Fadiman
- Mindsight by Daniel J. Siegel
- The Power of Positive Thinking by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale
- Outliers The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
- How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie
- Let Go! by Pat Flynn
- Feeling Good by David D. Burns
There are so many books out there that focus on the subject of Personality Development, it can be confusing to make a choice. So, let’s drill down to a few popular books. In this article, we have made a list of some of the greatest books for personal growth, books that can sail you through the process of personality development.
1. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
If you are looking for a book as the starting point of personality development, this is definitely the one to consider. This 1937 book is still one of the bestsellers in the list of personality development books. It is often called a “timeless guide to what actually matters”, focussing on positive thinking and the power that thoughts can have on actions. The name of the book may suggest material gains, but it covers much more than that. It talks about planning in life, a positive outlook towards whatever comes your way, and tells you that there is more to life than being established financially. Napoleon Hill covers matters of self-development, power of positivity and easily makes it one of the best personality development books one will come across. It can actually be called a personality development classic.
2. Fooled by Randomness by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
A great number of people think that success is merely related to luck. The other half thinks it’s probably hard work and luck combined. If you are looking for the best personality development books available, “Fooled by randomness” is sure to make it to the list. Whatever it may be, there is some kind of power that works in the background of everyone’s life. But this book takes a different approach – it lays down the statement that one can do everything right and still fail. Or perhaps, someone can do everything wrong, but manage to win in the long run. Taleb focuses on the power of “randomness”, how it can influence the outcomes of a person’s life. It talks about the journey and not just the destination – which is a point that is often overlooked. It is one of the greatest books for personal growth one can find, given how it talks about there will be some things you cannot control. But it also tells you that you can make the best of every situation with a little patience and acceptance.
3. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen. R. Covey
If you are someone who needs to have a list cut out for the things you need to do to reach your goal, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” should make the cut. It is one of the top personality development books that you can find at this point. Covey points out 7 traits that you should develop if you are looking forward to achieving something. There is talk about a paradigm shift that needs to take place for anyone to change their outlook towards life, struggles, and achievements. It talks about the things that will have a defining impact on anyone and has a lot of spiritual wisdom molded into it. This is indeed a very structured book and is considered on the best personality development books list if one is interested.
4. The Psychedelic Explorer’s Guide by James Fadiman
Among the best self-improvement books, the Psychedelic Explorer’s guide is at the top of the list. James Fadiman concerns himself with the chemical interactions of the mind that are a result of psychedelics and talks about how to use them effectively. He focuses on increasing creativity, introspection, and emotional balance – some of the most important factors that lead one to adapt to a better lifestyle. He speaks of the psychedelics not merely as materials but as things that can help enhance the outlook of a person towards their life and associated matters.
5. Mindsight by Daniel J. Siegel
Contrary to popular belief, simply being mindful is often not enough. We deal with a lot of problems in our daily lives and each one has a different impact on our minds. It is only natural that some of these things will distract our minds and shift our focus from things that really matter. Instructions and techniques, mixed with anecdotes are some of the best features of Daniel J. Siegel’s book that talks of more than just mindfulness. It’s easy approach and simple style make it to this list of some of the best personality development books that we are talking about.
6. The Power of Positive Thinking by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale
When you ask yourself, what are some of the best life-changing books – the books that usually come up are concerned with changing your outlook and perspective towards things. Dr. Norman Peale is one of the most influential names in the field of self-development, often called “the father of positive thinking”. In this book, he tries to bring forward the defining traits to have a more positive approach to life. His spiritual explanation of how one can gain confidence and have strength in the face of defeat makes this book a personality development masterpiece. It is definitely one of the best personality development books available to anyone. Peale shares his formula of faith and optimism that has the ability to guide anyone towards a better and brighter approach to the future.
7. Outliers The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
What makes the high-achiever different – that is the question addressed by Malcolm Gladwell in his new book Outliers. He puts great importance on the background of successful people, who they were before they achieved their place. Though one of the newer approaches to personality development books, it helps to get a clear idea of how one can utilize their upbringing and cultural background to achieve what they want. It is one of the more intellectual books to dive into, with a brilliant and entertaining take on self-development.
8. How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie
Have you ever asked yourself a question – “What books should I read for personal development?” If yes, then the first resort should be the classic books that have been approved through time and proven beneficial for numerous people over time. Dale Carnegie is an expert in the field of personality development and has been credited with writing some of the best personality development books for a wide range of audiences. It provides step-by-step guidance to how someone should use their skills and other faculties to build themselves up. He believes in the power of “doing” instead of just thinking. This is how he has made it to the list of best self coaches of all time. Even though this is an age old book, the principles in this book are still applicable today.
9. Let Go! by Pat Flynn
Pat Flynn’s heartwarming memoir of survival can be an inspiring book for anyone who is looking forward to one of the best personality development books of our time. Flynn chronicles his journey of highs and lows in the architecture world. He talks about despite being turned down many times, how he managed to rise up again and again. He talks about his realization through experience how it is not just about financial success, but the passion and drive that takes one to one destination.
10. Feeling Good by David D. Burns
Anxiety, guilt, procrastination, self-esteem issues, are often referred to as the “black holes on the path of success. In his book Feeling Good, psychiatrist David Burns uses scientific and empirical evidence to lay down a roadmap to success. He talks about how most of the barriers in our mental faculties can be overcome by simple thoughtfulness. If the best personality development books have to be ranked according to scientific explanation, this is the book to have. It asks you to question yourself and then look forward to finding the ideas to those problems. It reaches out to rule out negativities in the foundation and work on the brighter things of life.
This is an inexhaustive list of the hundreds and thousands of the best personality development books that one can choose from. After identifying the specific problems to work on, one can easily find the solution to their problems in any of these books. Remember, there is nothing as an impossible problem. We can solve every problem if we change the approach and the attitude towards it. And these books are nothing but assistance to guide anyone in the direction that they are actually meant to go in.
So, think with a clear mind and take your pick today!
