Motivation is the force that drives you towards success, both in your personal and professional life. But there may be times when you struggle to find the strength to keep going forward.
Anyone can feel a lack of motivation. Luckily, it’s not that difficult to get it back. You can just grab a good motivational book and learn some techniques to boost you in the right direction.
These books are a great long-term investment. You are bound to crack them open every time you feel discouraged or exhausted.
Best Motivational Books:
- The Motivation Manifesto: 9 Declarations to Claim Your Personal Power by Brendon Burch - Get this book
- Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are so You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be by Rachel Hollis -Get this book
- You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero - Get this book
- Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life and Maybe the World by Admiral William H. McRaven - Get this look
- Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds by David Goggins - Get this book
- You Are Freaking Amazing: 4 Motivational Books in 1 by Aston Sanderson - Get this book
- Thank God It’s Monday: 52 Weekly Inspirational Messages to Blast Away Your Monday Blues by Wemi Opakunle - Get this book
- Fail Until You Don’t: Fight. Grind. Repeat. by Bobby Bones - Get this book
- How to Make Sh*t Happen: Make more money, get in better shape, create epic relationships and control your life! by Sean Whalen - Get this book
What You Should Look for in a Motivational Book
A motivational book might lure you in with a captivating title, which is not necessarily a bad thing. The title, cover, and blurbs will give you a hint about whether the book matches your personal style and philosophy. But some extra research is useful when you want to overcome a roadblock.
Author background
If you want to buy the best real estate investing books, you’ll look for authors who have a good investment portfolio. A similar principle applies to motivational books.
It’s necessary for the author to have extensive experience as a motivational speaker, life coach, or communication expert. You can always go for a book written by a famous psychiatrist or psychologist.
YouTube is a good place to start looking up the author because it allows you to see him or her in action. Then you can move on to researching other factors, like education, prior work, and other publications.
Theory vs. actionable steps
Motivational books usually cover all the practical steps you need to take if you’re feeling stuck. But there are also books that prioritize theory without any tips on how to harness motivation. It’s generally best to select a book that balances the theory with the practice.
Personal vs. career development
The best finance books may teach you the strategies you need to make sound financial decisions. But that is only one aspect of your career. Motivational books are there to drive you towards success from the inside.
Of course, there are motivational books that exclusively deal with personal development rather than with staying motivated at your job. Since your personal and professional life are bound to intersect, look for a book that helps you achieve a good work/life balance.
Our Picks for the Best Motivational Books
Following the principles outlined in the previous sections, we’ve made a selection of inspiring motivational books.
These books will provide you with tried-and-tested motivational techniques, and they are perfectly suitable for career and personal development.
1. The Motivation Manifesto: 9 Declarations to Claim Your Personal Power by Brendon Burch
- Who’s it for? All levels
- Price: On sale
This book is designed to help you conquer fear and reach your dreams. It contains a step-by-step guide to overcoming all the problems that affect your motivation. Reading it will empower you to stay on top of your agenda and fight some of your inner demons.
The Motivation Manifesto was written by Brendon Burch. He is considered to be one of the best motivation trainers for people struggling to achieve more personal freedom.
2. Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are So You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be by Rachel Hollis
- Who’s it for? All levels
- Price: On sale
Rachel Hollis is the founder of TheChickSite.com, and she’s a media company CEO who had to face down a lot of resistance to get where she is today. Hollis has amassed an immense online following due to her honest tips for a better life.
In this book, Hollis debunks 20 misconceptions that might affect your motivation. She approaches her topic with humor, and she analyzes the falsehoods which used to make her feel unworthy. Along the way, she gives you strategies to overcome the problems in your life and become more confident.
3. You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero
- Who’s it for? All levels
- Price: On sale
You Are a Badass features 27 captivating chapters rich in motivational stories, advice, and techniques. It will help you pinpoint the beliefs that hold you back and affect your motivation.
If you need help finding what drives you forward, this is the book for you. Jen Sincero is a renowned success coach, and she writes with a sharp sense of humor.
4. Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life and Maybe the World by Admiral William H. McRaven
- Who’s it for? All levels
- Price: On sale
Admiral McRaven based this book on his famous address to the University of Texas graduating class. He recounts stories from his military and personal life to create a compelling motivational guidebook.
You’ll learn how to push through hardships with courage, determination, and compassion. This book offers straightforward advice that inspires you to do more even when there doesn’t seem to be a way out.
5. Can't Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds by David Goggins
- Who’s it for? All levels
- Price: On sale
Goggins used amazing mental resilience, hard work, and self-discipline to fight all the odds. Despite his terrible childhood and excess weight, Goggins managed to become a US military icon and world-class endurance athlete.
Can’t Hurt Me is a touching personal story that teaches you how to obliterate fear and keep going forward in spite of any hardships. Whatever your situation in life, this book can help you reach your full potential.
6. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen R. Covey
- Who’s it for? All levels
- Price: On sale
For 25 years, the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People has been the go-to motivational book for current and future leaders. The book takes you on a journey of self-transformation to become more successful.
Covey is a famous educator and keynote speaker, and he focuses on self-management, communication, and renewal.
7. You Are Freaking Amazing: 4 Motivational Books in 1 by Aston Sanderson
- Who’s it for? All levels
- Price: On sale
As its name suggests, You Are Freaking Amazing is a motivational bundle. The book teaches you about personal understanding, love, and communication. You also learn to adopt the right mindset and take greater care of yourself.
A noteworthy thing about it is that the author dedicates an entire section/book to minimalist living. Sanderson’s advice on decluttering will restore order in your life, which might be enough to motivate you.
8. Thank God It’s Monday: 52 Weekly Inspirational Messages to Blast Away Your Monday Blues by Wemi Opakunle
- Who’s it for? All levels
- Price: On sale
This book gives you useful tips to find the motivation to push through Mondays. You’ll learn to overcome the fear of huge to-do lists and other challenges you might face on the toughest day of the week.
Thank God It’s Monday was penned by Wemi Opakunle, who is a motivational speaker and writer. She uses inspirational quotes and simple tips to help you find courage and motivation to pursue your dreams.
9. Fail Until You Don’t: Fight. Grind. Repeat. by Bobby Bones
- Who’s it for? All levels
- Price: On sale
Comedian, philanthropist, and morning program host Bobby Bones provides a humorous recount of his personal misses. This book gives you a fun guide to turning mishaps into life lessons and wins.
Bones advises the reader to use humility and hard work to achieve success. Fail Until You Don’t is rich in anecdotes and ideas to help you achieve more against all odds.
10. How to Make Sh*t Happen: Make more money, get in better shape, create epic relationships and control your life! by Sean Whalen
- Who’s it for? All levels
- Price: On sale
This book addresses aspects that may affect your motivation, including a lack of control, a poor work/life balance, and more. If you need to restore order in your life, this book can help you find the time and motivation to achieve great things.
Sean Whalen is a well-known entrepreneur and business coach. He has extensive experience in advising professionals to scale up their business without compromising other aspects of their life.
Finding the Best Motivational Books
A great motivational book doesn’t only teach you to solve the current problems in your personal and professional life. It also provides guidance to transform your life for the better in the long term.
Self-doubt and failure are some of the biggest roadblocks on the way to success. The books from our list can offer you the knowledge to transform failure into lessons and come out as a winner.
If you combine the wisdom from motivational books with the practical tips from our picks for the best business books, your achievements will surpass even the wildest dreams.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do motivational books really help?
Motivational books can help someone navigate their life in many ways. They can teach you new skills that one can effectively incorporate into their life.