
This post is Part Three of my Build an Intentional Life series. Go back and read Part One and Part Two.
If you know me then you know that I’m a book junkie. I’ve been a book nerd since I was a kid getting in trouble and having my reading time taken away as punishment. I genuinely feel like there’s never enough knowledge for my brain to absorb. I live by the concept of being a lifelong learner. So when I came across the concept of personal development you know I was all about it.
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Why personal development?
A few years ago I was introduced to the concept of personal growth/personal development through a multi-level marketing company I was involved in at the time. My upline encouraged me to get in at least 30 minutes of personal development aka “PD” a day. Both she and the company clearly saw the benefit of all of their budding entrepreneurs taking the time daily to work on themselves.
While that specific MLM may not have been the right fit for the season I was in at the time in my life, the habit of daily personal development was a valuable one that I carried out of that experience.
Whether you are an entrepreneur running your own business, trying to work your way up in your career, building a team in an MLM company or trying to improve the relationships in your life there is a place for personal development in everyone’s life. If you aren’t making moves every single day to try to be an intentionally better version of yourself then you’ll never accomplish the goals that you want to in life.
If you’re looking for somewhere to start with daily personal development there’s no better place than reading. You can listen to an audiobook during your commute or while folding laundry or you can read a bit right before bed.
Here is a list of some of the top personal development books out there (nearly half of which I have personally read and have changed my life.) I have sorted them by theme/topic to make it easy to pick a book that speaks to the area you need to work on or the season of life you are currently in.
Perfectionism
The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown
Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done by Jon Acuff
For the Love: Fighting for Grace in a World of Impossible Standards by Jen Hatmaker
Grace, Not Perfection: Celebrating Simplicity, Embracing Joy by Emily Ley
Procrastination/Time Management
Eat That Frog: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time by Brian Tracy
The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller
The 5 AM Club: Own Your Morning. Elevate Your Life. by Robin Sharma
Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport
The Fringe Hours: Making Time for You by Jessica N. Turner
Leadership
Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. by Brene Brown
The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You by John Maxwell
Leadershift: The 11 Essential Changes Every Leader Must Embrace by John Maxwell
Developing the Leader Within You 2.0 by John Maxwell
Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek
Marriage
The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts by Gary Chapman
The Love Dare by Alex Kendrick
Vulnerability
Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone by Brene Brown
Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely by Lysa TerKeurst
Shame
Mindset/Happiness
The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy by John Gordon
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck
Super Attractor: Methods for Manifesting a Life Beyond Your Wildest Dreams by Gabrielle Bernstein
The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth: Live Them and Reach Your Potential by John Maxwell
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph by Ryan Holiday
The Seat of the Soul by Gary Zukav
Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World by Bob Goff
I Can’t Do That, Yet: Growth Mindset by Esther P. Cordova
Motivation
The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy
The Slight Edge: Turning Simple Disciplines into Massive Success and Happiness by Jeff Olson
Start: Punch Fear in the Face, Escape Average and Do Work That Matters by Jon Acuff
Make it Happen: Surrender Your Fear. Take the Leap. Live On Purpose. by Lara Casey
The Motivation Manifesto: 9 Declarations to Claim Your Personal Power by Brendon Burchard
Habits
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear
The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhhig
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen Covey
Finding Your Purpose
A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by Eckhart Tolle
Finding Your Own North Star: Claiming the Life You Were Meant to Live by Martha Beck
The Path Made Clear: Discovering Your Life’s Direction and Purpose by Oprah Winfrey
The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? by Rick Warren
Burnout
Rhythms of Renewal: Trading Stress and Anxiety for a Life of Peace and Purpose by Rebekah Lyons
Goal Setting
The 10X Rule: The Only Difference Between Success and Failure by Grant Cardone
Girl, Stop Apologizing: A Shame-Free Plan for Embracing and Achieving Your Goals by Rachel Hollis
Cultivate: A Grace-Filled Guide to Growing an Intentional Life by Lara Casey
Confidence
Insecurity Detox: A Breakout Plan to Rejuvenate Your Body, Mind, and Spirit by Trish Blackwell
The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World by Melinda Gates
The 5 Second Rule: Transform your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage by Mel Robbins
100 Days to Brave: Devotions for Unlocking Your Most Courageous Self by Annie F. Downs
Finances/Debt
The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness by Dave Ramsey
You Are a Badass at Making Money: Master the Mindset of Wealth by Jen Sincero
MONEY Master the Game: 7 Simple Steps to Financial Freedom by Tony Robbins
Business Boutique: A Woman’s Guide for Making Money Doing What She Loves by Christy Wright
Relationships/Communication
Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life by Henry Cloud
How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery by Ian Morgan Cron
The Path Between Us: An Enneagram Journey to Healthy Relationships by Suzanna Stabile
High Performers
Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell
High Performance Habits: How Extraordinary People Become That Way by Brendon Burchard
Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win by Jocko Willink
Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance By Angela Duckworth

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