Best 5 Books to Read for Personal Growth

Here’s the list of my top 5 books for personal development written by coaches, experts and entrepreneurs that inspire you to take action, adopt great habits, grow creativity, design the meaningful and fulfilling life you want and achieve long-lasting happiness and success.

For years I have been passionate about the topic of personal growth. Ever since I was very young, I enjoyed little challenges that stretched me and helped me change for the better. Whether it was saving my weekly allowance to be able to afford something I really wanted or staying consistent with exercise to gain long term health, I always learned something about the world or about myself during the process. This was how I got clarity on what I believe in, how I want to spend my life, and what kind of people I’d like to be surrounded with.

When I was attending high school and college, I was constantly on the look for people and resources that would satisfy my craving for growth and learning, and although I wasn’t always able to afford a mentor, I was able to find plenty of amazing books that covered all kinds of topics from mindset to creativity to minimalism.

Today I would love to share just a few of my favorite books that invite you deeper into the topic of personal growth. They have made the most impact on the way I live my life today, and I keep re-reading them on a regular basis to feel inspired. Amazingly, they never fail to offer something new, but even if you read them only once, they will undoubtedly offer a lot of value.

So, here are a few of my favorite reading list items:

1. Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown

I believe all of us experienced overwhelm at some point in our lives. And what I learned about feeling overwhelmed is that in most cases it comes from taking on too many responsibilities without considering whether these commitments will actually benefit us, or relationships or our work. Essentialism gives practical advice how to simplify our lives by consciously reducing the amount of information we receive each day, cutting down on our commitments and obligations, and choosing to pursue only what is important, thus creating balance and helping us achieve our goals.

2. Your Dream Life Starts Here by Kristina Karlsson

When Kristina Karlsson, the founder of my favorite stationery stores, published Your Dream Life Starts Here, I think I was one of the first people to buy the book and the accompanying Dream Life Journal, because I love the aesthetic and the concept behind Kikki.K and absolutely admire what this woman has built. Kristina is such a wonderful example of someone who had a vision and never stopped working towards making it a reality. The book is not only full of incredibly insightful stories of other women, but also contains journaling prompts that empower and inspire action (not to mention how beautifully it is designed!).

3. Designing Your Life: Build a Life That Works for You by Bill Burnett & Dave Evans

This book, written by two Stanford professors, has given me the most valuable lesson: it is never too late to start pursuing what matters to us and building the life we want to have. It teaches how design thinking helps with finding meaning and fulfilment, no matter what stage in life we are going through. Through a set of simple yet powerful exercises, such as logging our energy or engagement during the day or worksheets to brainstorm the future, it shows how to come up with creative ideas, define goals and stay motivated. It can also be purchased with The Designing Your Life Workbook, an excellent quality note book packed full with innovative tools and exercises.

4. The Life Plan: Simple Strategies for a Meaningful Life by Shannah Kennedy

This incredible book by a leading Australian life coach is actually what introduced me to coaching several years ago, inspired a lot of reflection on my part and convinced me that clutter (both physical and mental) can block the good things from entering into our life. It emphasizes the importance of simplifying and creating support structures, and teaches how to build a life aligned with our values.

There is a wealth of knowledge contained in The Life Plan, and all the information is shared in a gentle, supportive way that induces positive change. One of my favorite parts is dedicated to being more productive through streamlining our life and maintaining a healthy balance in all areas, allowing ourselves to shine and fulfill our life purpose.

5. Atomic Habits by James Clear

As one can guess from the cover, this book is about building great habits that will help our dreams come to life. It explains the truth behind any significant transformation: it starts with tiny little steps in the direction we want to follow. It is both challenging and exhilarating to learn that every small decision we make has an impact on our life in the long run. At the same time it gives motivation by sharing success stories of distinguished athletes, scientists or businessmen and helps find ways to implement the techniques they used to achieve success in our own life.

All of these books are like dear friends to me: whenever I am in need of advice or inspiration, I turn to them. All of them helped shape my vision by offering practical guidance on life, wellness, productivity and many other topics.

It is easy to notice that they all have some common ideas, such as this one: eliminating the unnecessary and simplifying our lives is an essential step to growth. Another message is that success starts with small changes, and we get remarkable results simply by being dedicated to our dream and staying consistent in our efforts.

Lastly, deep down many of us know our true calling, and, while it takes courage and perseverance, in the words of Oprah Winfrey,

“The greatest gift we can receive is to honor our calling.”