15 Life-Changing Books That You Need To Read

The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich
by Timothy Ferris

Timothy Ferris is hilarious and his no-bullshit approach will INSPIRE you.  His message is to stop working harder & start working smarter. He shares everything that he knows about creating passive income streams online and tips on how to be smarter about travel. If you love to travel but don’t know how to do it affordably, definitely read this book.

The book will teach you how to take those impossibly big goals of yours and break them down in more manageable steps. I find myself rereading chapters of this book every couple of months or so. Definitely a must-read if you’ve ever wanted to make money online or start an online business.

Rich Dad, Poor Dad
by: Robert Kiyosaki

This is the book that I would love to gift every single person on this planet. Throughout the years I’ve come across many wealthy people that credit this book as being the one thing that shifted their mindset about money. To put it simply: Stop working for money and have money work for you. Invest in your mind and financial literacy. Invest in assets, not liabilities and always pay yourself first!

This book has everything I wished I learned when I studied Investing and Finance in College… seriously.. read it now!

Man’s Search For Meaning
by Victor E.Frankl

If you’re in pain, read this book. If you’re scared, read this book. If you are lost, read this book. If you are happy, read this book.

Viktor Frankl, an Austrian Jew, studied neurology and psychiatry with a focus on depression and suicide years before being deported by the Nazis in 1942. He defied odds by lasting three years in concentration camps. He wondered why did some survive and others perish? What gave people the will to live? What gives life meaning?

There are so many little nuggets of gold in this that just sit with you long after you’ve finished reading. Man’s search for meaning is the shortest on this list of life-changing books, but definitely worthwhile

Brave New World
by Aldous Huxley

Before there was ‘The Matrix’ and ‘Bladerunner’, before there was ‘1984’, there was Brave New World. It is astonishing that Aldous Huxley wrote this tale of technological dystopia in 1932. The book is about a society of obedient “sheeple” run by the state and benevolent dictators through brainwashing and groupthink. How is this population kept under control? Not shockingly at all, through sex, drugs and rock and roll.

Like Neo from The Matrix, one particular citizen of this society named Bernard Marx starts feeling that there is more to the world than would be apparent from this state of induced bliss. The brainwashing and submission to the status quo in the book are eerily similar to what’s going on right now through messages provided by TV, social media, and the 24-hour news cycle. This life-changing book is thought-provoking & fascinating.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change

With over 8,500 positive reviews on Amazon, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is the #1 best-selling personal development book of all time and has impacted millions of lives around the world. I’ve seen 7 habits one show up on multiple life-changing books lists.

Nothing beats a book that shoots you straight and speaks to people of all ages and places – because really, none of us are immune to the need to, want to, have to, should do, could do struggles that plague our brains on a daily basis.

I’ve spent the past several years trying to figure out what I was doing wrong when it came to happiness. I’ve tried all the positive thinking quick fixes, meditation, law of attraction, etc, but nothing worked.

Covey calls for a complete “‘paradigm shift’ – a change in perception and interpretation of how the world works. What I learned in this book I found nowhere else, and It just might be the best thing you ever pick up.

You Are A Badass
by Jen Sincero

THIS BOOK IS LIFE-CHANGING!!! It’s a paradigm shift for your belief in yourself and will teach you how to self-love.

Stop what you are doing and get this book. 

This book will help you get your sh*t together and believe in yourself.  You will learn how to reconnect with yourself (and a higher power) to bring greatness into your life.  It all starts with you and how you think and believe. Pick this book up.  Follow what she says to do & manifest your most awesomest life.

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

The Alchemist is a short fiction novel with serious impact. The premise is that everyone has their own unique grand treasure to pursue, their own personal legend, and that the universe conspires to help them in their quest, if only they stay focused on the prize and don’t give up when the universe also tests their desire for the treasure. It’s such a cute book and can impact anyone regardless of their age.

This book touches a bit upon ‘the law of attraction,’ but I promise you it is not woo-woo at all. It is, however, a highly spiritual book that makes you realize how life is an adventure and you need to be courageous and persistent in the pursuit of your dreams. It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.

The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A Fuck
by Mark Manson

As someone who has given far too many fucks about far too many things their entire life, this book was exactly the wake-up call I needed.

This book is a very well-written, deeply thought-out take on the perils of modern living. We can only care about so much, and most of us tend to waste that limited reservoir of “fucks” aka attention, on the trivial, mundane, and shallow. How much better, then, would our lives be if we reserved that energy and focus on the things that truly matter?

I recommend this book to anyone who is open to changing their mindset and can understand irony.

Meditations by Marcus Aurelius

Before I get into details, I must say that reading Meditations was one of the hardest, but most rewarding experiences in my own personal growth.

There is no reason to feel unhappy, unfulfilled, or unappreciated, and Meditations by Marcus Aurelius offers advice to anyone who is looking for self-help, self-love, and a rational way of directing life.

If you are apt to reading philosophy, and profound books that give you insight into the universe and your place in it, I cannot think of any greater book than the Meditations. I added this one to my list of life changing books because Marcus Aurelius’s philosophies on life can be used in a lot of life situations. Every sentence is mind-numbingly profound. 

The 10x Rule: The Only Difference Between Success & Failure
by Grant Cardone

Cardone stays true to his message throughout the entire book: it will take a massive effort, and even bigger goals, to achieve your dreams. However, his message is meant to excite you, and he reminds us that fear is a sign of “going in the right direction.” He provides examples of how he implemented massive action and responded to fear in his own career. Readers will gain a sense of what’s truly possible, and by the end, will know it’s their duty to make dreams happen.

The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love, and Create a New Future
by Chris Guillebeau

With traditional career doors slamming shut, it’s easy to panic, but Chris Guillebeau sees opportunities everywhere. Making a career out of your passion sounds like a dream, but in this straight-forward, engaging book he shows you how to get it done, one simple step at a time.

This book is the kick in the pants you needed to get started on your dream and a road map for finding your way once you begin. If you’re not ready to launch your own business after reading this book, you need to go back and read it again!

The Island by Aldous Huxley

Brilliant and one of my newly-discovered favorites. The Island is heavily influenced by the meditation and Buddhist culture but not in a preachy or righteous way. A lot of yoga philosophy (do no harm, non-over-consumption) and mindfulness is present in this book.

It’s a very unique read and offers a distinctly different way of looking at man’s attempts to perfect his society, and at Huxley’s philosophy itself, presenting a side of the “Brave New World” author which might surprise those only familiar with his earlier work.