5 Effective Self-Help Books
- The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
- Man’s Search for Meaning
- 10 % Happier
- The Seven Laws for Spiritual Success
- 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos
Self-help books have been popular for generations, and some of the most famous examples of books in this genre were written in the first half of the 20th century. While timeless self-help manuals such as Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People have provided personal motivation for people all over the world for most of a century, many newer books offer updated information that could be more relevant to today’s pressing issues. Anyone who is looking for some guidance and wisdom in their life can browse the following list of great self-help books that actually help.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Stephen Covey wrote The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People in 1989, and it became a bestseller quickly after its release to the public. Covey was a teacher and businessman who wrote his self-help manual to give ordinary people practical advice on issues related to business and personal life. Although the book is based on Covey’s business savvy and personal effectiveness, his life’s wisdom is accessible from within its pages. Readers have praised Covey’s book for its insightful presentation of information and elegant style. Over the years, many schools have included The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People in student reading lists and research projects.
Man’s Search for Meaning
Viktor Frankl was a Jewish prisoner in a Nazi concentration camp during World War II, and Man’s Search for Meaning is Frankl’s description of the state of mind of his fellow Jewish prisoners who made it through the Holocaust alive. It is one of the top self-help books of all time because it helps people understand an aspect of human nature that can give them the resilience to endure any hardship. Frankl was an existential philosopher and psychologist who sought meaning in all forms of existence, including the extreme suffering of Nazi concentration camp inmates.
10% Happier
Dan Harris is an advocate of meditation and a television journalist for ABC News. He has won awards for his journalism highlighting social problems throughout the world. His book, 10% Happier, is a call to his readers to begin meditating and a guide about how to get started. According to Forbes, Harris wrote a follow-up to 10% Happier called Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics to persuade readers to make the life changes necessary to begin meditating. Harris says that a proper meditation routine can make anyone at least 10% happier, and his book recounts his history with addiction, recovery, and self-help.
The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success
The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success is a self-help manual by Deepak Chopra. In the book, Chopra describes his views on spirituality and success in the world. He has been a medical doctor, public speaker and spiritual teacher since the 1980s, and his book has helped many people achieve the mindset of a successful, well-adjusted person.
12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos
Jordan Peterson’s 12 Rules for Life was a runaway bestseller in 2018. It is designed to be a self-help manual for anyone who feels unmoored in a constantly changing world and is looking for a viable path to a better life.
Life doesn’t come with a manual, but many writers over the years have tried to do something about that. When it comes to finding a self-help book that actually helps, it’s important to keep an open mind and be prepared to look inward and upward.