All-Time Best Motivational Books to Inspire You

Life can be a roller coaster from time to time. As we journey through the highs and lows we encounter many ups and downs.

You can simplify your life when you accept that obstacles along the way will inevitably arise as you pursue your goals. Adding a few extra sources of inspiration, like motivational books, never hurts.

These motivational books can help you satisfy this need. Your perspective will be challenged and you will grow in unforeseen ways as you read these books.

Motivational books are a great source of inspiration that will light your inner fire!

1. You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero

For people who are interested in life design, this is the best motivational book out there.

Jen provides simple exercises in this book to help people identify self-limiting beliefs, attitudes, and habits. Consequently, she provides some great advice in a humorous way that captivates her audience and motivates them to begin achieving the success they want from their lives.

Jen wants her readers to understand why they think and act the way they do. As we focus on the things we can change, she helps us to accept the things we cannot.

This book offers a new comical approach to inspiring and motivating its readers, and it can be enjoyed by anyone.

2. Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor E. Fankl

Psychiatrist Viktor Frankl describes in depth the lessons he learned about spiritual survival from living in Nazi death camps. As Frankl argues, avoiding suffering is not possible. By choosing how we cope with that suffering and the meaning we assign to it, we retain the ability to move forward with renewed purpose.

Everyone can find value in this book for generations to come. One of the most influential books in America, Man's Search for Meaning has sold over 10 million copies in 24 languages to date.

This is a great book for anyone who wants to learn about the importance of giving suffering meaning.

3. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

An inspiring journey towards self-discovery is the theme of The Alchemist, a book by Paulo Coelho. With millions of copies sold worldwide, this classic novel blends mysticism and wisdom.

It follows the journey of a young shepherd boy who desires to travel the world in search of treasure, but ends up discovering a vastly different type of treasure than he first thought.

I believe this book encourages everyone to listen to their hearts, recognize their unique opportunities in life, and pursue their passions.

4. Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…And Maybe the World by William H. McRaven

If you want to change the world, start by making your bed.

Make Your Bed is a book which outlines the lessons contained in a speech given by Admiral William H. McRaven. In this speech, he shared the 10 principles he learned during Navy Seal training that helped him overcome the various challenges he faced throughout his career.

This speech went viral, gaining over 10 million views as it clearly explained how anyone can use these lessons to better both themselves and the world around them. This book recounts tales from his service and offers simple and practical wisdom and words of advice and encouragement which will inspire readers to achieve more in their daily lives!

5. Smarter, Faster, Better: The Secrets of Being Productive in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg

Charles Duhigg’s Smarter, Faster, Better outlines 8 productivity concepts that help certain companies and individuals accomplish so much more than others. This book outlines the differences between the perspectives of some of the worlds top performers and those who are less successful.

These productivity concepts explain how everyday people can improve their everyday lives. Overall, this book can help anyone learn how to succeed and ensure that their average day is productive and not just busy.

6. Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth

In this book, psychologist Angela Duckworth, takes her readers on a journey to argue that the secret to being a success relies largely on an individual’s grit, a unique blend of passion and persistence.

The insights offered by Duckworth in this book encourage us to never underestimate the power of consistent, long-term action towards a goal, especially when you’re passionate about it.

Duckworth addresses the thoughts which commonly intrude into our heads when we fail and gives us methods to combat them.

If the idea that success is about your perseverance and your ability to persist even when times get tough resonates with you, this is one of the motivational books for you.

7. Mindset: the New Psychology for Success by Carol S. Dweck

Psychologist Carol Dweck outlines years of research in her book Mindset. She argues that the mindset we adopt is a huge predictor of our success and achievement. She believes that nearly every area of human endeavor can be influenced by the mindset we adopt and how we select to approach our goals.

She discusses the downsides of adopting a fixed mindset as well as the benefits commonly associated with adopting a growth-oriented mindset. Whereas one mindset believes our abilities are fixed, the other believes our skills and abilities can be developed assuming we are willing to put in the effort.

This is a highly motivating paradigm shift which can encourage amazing accomplishments.

8. Choose Yourself by James Altucher

Choose Yourself by James Altucher is one of the best motivational books around. James argues that the most valuable asset we have and the one which we should be investing the most time, effort, and resources into is — ourselves. This whole book is about how we can achieve success simply by choosing to invest in ourselves and our growth.

This book is sure to inspire and motivate you to invest in developing your talents further and would be an excellent resource for anyone with an entrepreneurial mindset.

9. High-Hanging Fruit: Build Something Great by Going Where No One Else Will by Mark Rampolla

High-hanging Fruit by Mark Rampolla encourages us to reach higher in our life endeavors, especially business if we want to achieve more success and leave our mark on the world.

In this novel, the reader is encouraged to find ways to align their passion, purpose, and integrity to achieve success. These lessons can benefit anyone in any field of work and encourage us to stand up for our beliefs and what’s important to us.

Overall, Rampolla wants each of us to remain true to our ore values so that we can each reach our personal definitions of success and promote significant changes in areas of life we are passionate about.

10. The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

Don Miguel Ruiz uses his book The Four Agreements to reveal the limiting beliefs that we commonly hold which rob us of joy and cause us to endure needless suffering. This book provides an insightful code of conduct which imparts its wisdom in an accessible manner to its readers.

The Four Agreements encourages self-reflection and encourages us to do better within our everyday lives. This is why the book has sold over 6 million copies in the U.S. alone and has been a New York Times bestseller for over 8 years.

11. The Power of Positive Thinking: 10 Traits for Maximum Results by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale

This international bestseller has sold over 5 million copies worldwide and has helped many people live more fulfilling lives through adopting Dr. Peale’s message of faith and inspiration.

Not only does this book help people to achieve happiness and higher levels of life-satisfaction, but it also teaches us that each life is worthwhile.

This book instills a belief in one’s self and a feeling of determination and motivation to pursue our goals with power, control, and persistence.

Overall, it’s a great motivational book for those individuals seeking a boost of motivation in their daily lives.

12.  The Power of Positive Thinking: 10 Traits for Maximum Results by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale

This book takes a unique approach, claiming that not anyone can become anything they want, despite what we were told as children. However, when discussed in-depth, the opinion is quite freeing.

This book’s main purpose is to encourage us to ignore those routes which are likely to lead us to dead ends, in favor of pursuing those which we are passionate about and that are more likely to bring us greater success and happiness.

Why waste so much time trying to fix our weaknesses when we can double-down on our strengths and allow them to flourish and grow?

Definitely think about adding this one to your collection of motivational books.

13. Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

This book, originally published in 1937, was written during the Great Depression and addresses the highly effective and important steps to take if we wish to encourage ourselves to become wealthy. Equally important, Hill outlines the steps we should avoid in this process as well.

Readers have continually enjoyed some of the timeless information, words of wisdom, and excellent advice that is presented by Hill in this book. This book is about so much more than getting rich; it’s about figuring out how to get what you want from life!

14. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson

In this self-help guide, Mark Manson tells us to cut it out and to stop trying to be positive all the time so that we can figure out what we need to do to truly become better and happier people.

This book offers a refreshing take which counters the motivational books currently out there. Mark refuses to sugarcoat his lessons and tells it how it is through his brutally honest approach. Mark encourages us to accept our faults and limitations, the fact that life is not always fair, and that despite our best efforts, not everybody is going to win.

Overall, this book presents some great philosophical wisdom for our modern generation and has empowered many individuals to gain control over their actions and their life as a whole

15. Everything Is F*cked by Mark Manson

This book by Mark Manson examines the problems we currently have with hope, following his previous #1 international bestseller.

Mark outlines that everything seems messed up, even though he believes we are living in the best time in history. Our planet is warming, our governments are corrupt, and our economies are collapsing, and everyone is getting offended far too easily. The author examines our relationships with money, entertainment, and the internet, and discusses how too much of these good things can destroy us.

He challenges us to be more honest and open with ourselves and to connect more with the world around us in this book.

16. Hustle: The Power to Charge Your Life with Money, Meaning, and Momentum by Neil Patel

Hustle provides a game-changing guide to success by encouraging us to outsmart the system. We feel that we are fighting a system that is against us and causing us to live unfulfilling lives. The purpose of this book is to teach you how to break free from the rat-race and reach success on your own terms through projects that you enjoy!

The keys to success in this book are taking charge of your dreams, making your own luck, and staying true to yourself.

If you are looking for actionable and practical advice that goes beyond just motivating you, this book is for you.

17. Unfu*k Yourself by Gary John Bishop

Self-empowerment in this book aims to help you overcome your self-limiting beliefs in an honest, no-nonsense manner.

Bishop outlines the tools and advice you need to unlock your unrestrained best self and surpass your self-imposed limitations in this book. Other people and circumstances are rarely a hindrance to us. The most common barrier is our own negative mindset.

The novel is a great motivational book to help you overcome these limiting beliefs.

18. The 5 Second Rule: Transform Your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage by Mel Robbins

Mel Robbins reminds us in his book The 5 Second Rule that we have been given tremendous support throughout our lives, which should motivate us to overcome the excuses we have created to impede our advancement.

In this book, the author discusses habits, personal stories, and asserts that it takes only 5 seconds to become confident, stop procrastinating, overcome fear, and live a happier life. No one is perfect.

It is a book of motivation for people seeking to add a positive boost to their daily lives. 

19. Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom

Over 12 million copies of Albom's novel, in which he shares the wisdom he received from Morrie Schwartz, have been sold worldwide.

Mitch discusses life's most important lessons with his dying professor every Tuesday during the last month of his life in the most beautiful and heartwarming way possible.

As a result, the two create a final lesson: lessons about living a happy life.

You will be touched and inspired by this book in ways that no other motivational book could ever hope to accomplish.

Final Thoughts

It will not take long for you to live a more inspired life if you are able to pick up at least two or three of these books.

Keep reading and stay inspired!