30 Best Books on Mindset To Change Your Life Forever
Best books on mindset? You got it! Change your life forever with this list of mindset books to read to finally live your best life.
Hey friend! I’m Chantal – a mom, personal trainer, and lover of a great book – welcome to my site!
Looking for the best books on mindset to change your life forever?
You’re in the right place!
If you’re new around here, you should know that I am a huge advocate for mindset work in order to level up in all areas of your life.
I mention this all of the time on this fitness blog, but I think that personal development plays a huge role in success in all areas of life.
For example, I have had great success with myself and my clients when addressing personal growth and weight loss simultaneously.
While fitness and weight loss can be very black-and-white for some people, it has never been that for me.
Losing weight and sticking to my fitness goals has always been super emotional and required a lot of mental work, too.
But I only learned that after making many mistakes and after having many, many, bad habits that needed fixing.
I learned not only the power that your mind has when it comes to sticking to good habits, but I also learned that hard physical work isn’t the answer to everything.
Related Reading: Why Self-Awareness Is The Missing Piece Of Your Weight Loss Journey
I have found this to be true for pretty much all goals, including in our personal lives as well as with finances, careers, fitness, and more.
Positive thinking and learning a different perspective about everything (not just food and workouts) make a huge difference in your journey to success!
But how do you change your perspective on things?
How do you take a fixed mindset and change it to be focused on the right things?
How can you get out of your comfort zone in order to accomplish great things?
If I’ve learned anything in life, it’s that one of the most important things is to simply keep learning.
Hard work pays off when we learn from our mistakes and stay hungry for knowledge. It’s always a choice to keep pushing your mind and body in new ways.
Related Reading: 67 Self Love Journal Prompts (For Self-Esteem)
Learning how other people do things or learning a new way to do something will help your own life be the best it can be.
So, in this post, I’d like to chat about that and share a bit about my experience.
If you just want to skip to the best books on mindset, scroll down!
In This Post: Everything You Need To Know About The Best Books on Mindset
There’s a lot of info here, but here’s what I hope to cover in this article:
– Why focusing on your mindset is going to change your life
– How I use mindset to help people reach fitness goals
– The absolute best books on mindset – so that you can take charge of your own future
Let’s get to it!
Why focusing on your mindset & snagging the best books on mindset is going to change your life
Since you’re here, I already know that YOU know just how powerful the mind is.
But the struggle is real when it comes to taming your negative thoughts and training your mind to stay positive and motivated!
Related Reading: How To Overcome Inferiority Complex
We all grow up with deep-seated thoughts, opinions, and emotions that can either help us or hinder us.
Sometimes, breaking those patterns or interrupting that old way of thinking is the only way to move up and onward in life.
Think of the most negative person you know. (Their life must be miserable!)
If they could just change their perspective a little bit, they would not only enjoy life a little more, but they might actually become very successful.
Conversely, think of the happiest or most successful person you know.
Now think of a few more people who you admire in business, finances, lifestyle, or whatever you believe is a measure of success.
What do these people who you admire have in common?
You may not be able to see all of their struggles, but I will go ahead and tell you what they have in common.
First of all, they have learned to use their weaknesses or struggles to improve themselves. They have done the work of looking inside themselves in order to turn any adversity into strength.
Second, they always have the desire to keep learning. Knowledge truly is power. It is power over your circumstances, your emotions, your decisions, and so on.
The key to everything is removing fear and other negative emotions from your life as you make decisions. And the best way to do that is to protect your mindset and make the choice to grow.
Related Reading: 75 Healthy Habits That Will Change Your Life
How I use mindset to help people reach fitness goals
Let’s take a look at how I use mindset growth as the ultimate hack when it comes to fitness goals.
Most people don’t want to admit it, but they have very little control over their emotions.
And ultimately, your emotions are controlled by your brain and mindset.
When it comes to food and fitness, this usually correlates directly to emotional eating or binge eating.
Those negative feelings that we feel trigger many of us to overeat and lay around in bed more than we should.
Gaining more control of our emotions or simply removing our emotions from food wields great power and yields great results when it comes to weight loss.
Here’s a super-specific example of what I teach to my nutrition clients who struggle with emotional eating:
If my goal is to help a scale-obsessed client quit yo-yo dieting, I teach her to protect her mindset by using new goal-setting tactics.
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The idea is that she will be less focused on the number on the scale, which protects her emotions and reactions, and helps her focus more on the process of losing weight instead of the end result.
Here are my specific general instructions to a client:
- Do not weigh yourself more than once per week. This protects from unnecessary emotional responses when weight fluctuates.
- Only weigh in on Fridays. Do not weigh yourself on a Monday because the weekends are often very challenging. Most clients do really well on weekdays and fall off the wagon a bit on Saturday & Sunday. We protect the mind and emotions by weighing in on Friday when we are likely to see the best results.
- Remove a specific weight goal or unrealistic timeline from your weight loss goals. Focus on the process of getting healthy in order to remove the rollercoaster of emotions that comes with the scale.
- Set “process” goals that are totally unrelated to weight. Example: Set the goal to eat 3 servings of vegetables per day or exercise 3x per week. Again, this removes the scale as the primary focus and protects the emotions.
- Complete journaling or listen to a motivational podcast as a part of weekly homework to nurture the mind and regulate emotions.
*This isn’t an exact formula for everyone, but an example of strategies I might employ for someone struggling with general emotional eating. I custom-tailor my nutrition coaching to each individual.
Hopefully, you can see how this might work! The overall idea is to learn to protect YOURSELF from your own emotions so that you can make better choices.
This works with food, fitness, finances, and so much more.
At the end of the day, it’s all about staying sharp mentally and not making emotionally-charged decisions.
These books on mindset can help!
The thing is that you have to keep learning in order to stay on top of things mentally and emotionally. Keeping a positive mindset is a learned skill.
And you always have to keep working on it. So – let’s get to the best books on mindset. 🙂
30 Best Books on Mindset To Change Your Life Forever
1. Thinking, Fast And Slow
This book by Daniel Kahneman is one of my top picks for business leaders, but that doesn’t mean that anyone can’t benefit from its gold nuggets of wisdom.
This book is all about how we think – and knowing when to slow down or speed up. It offers an intuitive outlook on decision-making, both in a career and personal sense.
Use Thinking, Fast and Slow to level up your thought process when it comes to making decisions.
2. Think And Grow Rich
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill will have you learning about prominent historical figures and gleaning from their stories as you pursue a successful mindset.
Mr. Hill shares his philosophy, The Law of Success, AKA the secrets to lasting success and happiness.
Word has it that this book, while originally published in the 1930’s, is a wealth of knowledge and inspiration for anyone who wants to change their life.
3. The Power of Habit
The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life & Business is by Charles Duhigg.
This New York Times Bestseller is an insanely popular book (think 23,000+ reviews and an average of 4.5 stars!) designed to help you build powerful new habits.
Read this book if you want to squash old habits, form new ones, and become insanely productive.
4. Best Books On Mindset: Atomic Habits
Want to know how to level up when you’re lacking motivation? This is the book for you:
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear
Habits are obviously a trend here, but for good reason. Our habits are ultimately what make us who we are – whether that is happy, sad, successful (or not), healthy, unhealthy, etc.
This super-famous book is one of those that you’ll want in order to reach any goals in life. Keep it on your nightstand, read it, and repeat.
5. Awaken The Giant Within
I am a huge Tony Robbins fan, and if you haven’t read any of his books, this is a great one to get you started.
Awaken The Giant Within: How to Take Immediate Control of Your Mental, Emotional, Physical, and Financial Destiny! might have a wordy title, but it is bar none one of the best books on mindset.
This book takes a holistic approach when it comes to success. It’s not just great for business – it dives deep into personal success and will help you in all areas of life.
6. Rich Dad Poor Dad
I just finished reading this book by Robert Kiyosaki and I kid you not – it has totally transformed my thought process in life and business.
I feel this book taught me a lot of important lessons about money, but it also taught me about how my emotions affect my decisions.
Ultimately, I learned how to reframe my thoughts so that I could make less emotional decisions that will yield better outcomes. (Not just with money!)
I highly recommend that you read Rich Dad Poor Dad as soon as possible if you want to achieve financial success or just have a better life.
7. Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking
Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking is just one of several positive mindset books by Malcolm Gladwell (that you should totally read).
8. The Universe Has Your Back
This best-selling book by Gabrielle Bernstein is one of the best mindset books of all time.
If fear is a constant issue for you, this is THE book you’ll want to read as soon as possible to find a positive way forward.
Learn to release mental blocks caused by negative emotions so that you can finally live your best life and be your most authentic self.
9. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
We can learn a lot by learning how successful people lived their lives.
This book features interviews with Steve Jobs and his family and friends, taking a deep dive into the mind of the Apple tech genius admired by millions.
If you’re looking to be inspired, Steve Jobs is a great place to start.
10. 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
This Stephen R Covey book is one of the best mindset books in all of history. It’s an “OG” mindset book that has stood the test of time.
Even though it’s over 30 years old, it has almost 12,000 5-star ratings on Amazon!
If you’re looking for a mindset book focused on leadership, positive thinking, and productivity, consider 7 Habits of Highly Effective People for your home library. (It’s not just for business and corporate living!)
Truthfully, this is one of those books on mindset you should definitely own and re-read every couple of years.
11. Best Books on Mindset: Super Attractor
This is another one by Gabrielle Bernstein, and it was gifted to me by my business mentor. (For good reason!)
As far as personal development books go, this one is really good if you struggle with imposter syndrome and self-doubt, and want to learn to manifest the best version of yourself.
It will help you reframe your thinking about success and your own skills – just trust me! It’s great as far as business books but good for personal stuff, too.
Grab Super Attractor by Gabrielle Bernstein here.
12. Best Books On Mindset: Find Your Why
Find Your Why is just one of many Simon Sinek books everyone should read.
This one is actually part of a 3-part series on success, fulfillment, inspiration, and motivation.
It will ask you important questions like, “Why do we do what we do?” and dig deeper into personal aspirations, goals, and the motives behind them.
13. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success
Carol Dweck is a renowned psychologist and Stanford University professor of psychology.
Her book is focused on the mental aspects of success, including how we think about ourselves and our goals.
She takes a more scientific approach to mindset and success, so if you’re into studies & numbers, this one is for you!
14. Grit: The Power of Passion & Perseverance
Angela Duckworth’s book is a GoodReads Awards Nominee and has nearly 13,000 5-star reviews on Amazon.
If you need the inspiration to continue pursuing your dreams with tenacity & well, “grit,” this is the mindset book you’ll want to reach for. It’s more focused on what to do when things get tough instead of just general mindset stuff.
Grit: The Power of Passion & Perseverance will have you more inspired than ever to just keep going.
15. 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos
This James B. Peterson book has a sequel (because it’s just that good) which I’ll talk about shortly.
In it, you’ll find guidance for your best life, ever. Tame the chaos in your mind with help from history, science, and a ton of real-life examples. (Did I mention that this book has over 60,000 5-star reviews!?)
If you’re looking for a go-to book exploring life’s tough questions, this is it!
16. Minimalism Mindset: Declutter, Organize and Transform Your Life
Sarah Lee Johnson’s Minimalism Mindset will help you reorganize and clean out your life so that you can find space and time for what truly matters.
If you’re tired of feeling frazzled and out of control, grab this book to help you learn to prioritize your time and energy.
Declutter your life and start truly living!
17. Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us
Dig deep into the world of mindset and motivation in Daniel H. Pink’s Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us.
If you are still relying on inspirational quotes to stay motivated to reach your goals in life, this one’s for you. This book looks at scientific research on staying motivated, the secret to being satisfied in life, and more.
Read about Pink’s theory on motivation’s 3 key elements to level up your life (and mindset) today!
18. Stop Overthinking: 23 Techniques To Relieve Stress, Stop Negative Spirals, Declutter Your Mind, and Focus On The Present
Even with a wordy title, this book truly speaks to me.
If you have a tendency to overthink every little thing in life (I sure do), this is one of the best mindset books for you.
Overthinking can cause unhappiness and hold you back in so many ways. Use this book to learn to let go of the past and other things you can’t control in order to live your best life.
Click here to get Stop Overthinking so you can get on with living an awesome life.
19. Beyond Order: 12 More Rules for Life
This Jordan B. Peterson book is written from the perspective of a clinical psychologist and is focused on restructuring your life from chaos to controlled order so that you can finally find success.
Find meaning and purpose with Beyond Order by grabbing a copy and applying the principles to your own life.
20. Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
It’s always interesting to see how successful people live and think, and that includes celebrities.
In his book Greenlights, Matthew McConaughey explores the idea of living a fulfilled and satisfied life.
The New York Time’s Bestselling memoir is full of wisdom after a lifetime of mistakes, ups and downs, and twists and turns. If you’re looking for a mindset book that’s relatable and humorous, check this one out.
21. Atlas of the Heart
This bestselling book is by renowned author Brené Brown.
If you haven’t already heard of her before, you should know that Brené is known for personal development writing that focuses on deep and meaningful connection with yourself.
This book explores what it means to be human and will help you understand yourself better than ever.
22. Rising Strong: The Reckoning. The Rumble. The Revolution.
A must-read book! In my opinion, getting uncomfortable is a big part of mindset work and personal development.
I had to list this book, Rising Strong (also by Brené Brown) because it explores vulnerability as a pathway to success and fulfillment in life.
If you’re ready to face yourself and your own problems dead-on, this is the mindset book for you.
23. Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…
Make Your Bed: Little Things That Can Change Your Life…and Maybe the World – it might be a long title, but this mindset book is worth the read.
This book explores the power of the tiny, seemingly meaningless habits we develop in life. If you need words of encouragement and a new perspective on progress and success, this is a great read.
24. Best Books on Mindset: The Art of Saying No
I come to you with another long title, but don’t be fooled.
The Art Of Saying NO: How To Stand Your Ground, Reclaim Your Time And Energy, And Refuse To Be Taken For Granted (Without Feeling Guilty!) is a resource that many of us people-pleasers could use.
Discover your worth, your backbone, and your inner power with this book for success. Great for the business world but great for personal stories, too!
25. Unfu*k Yourself: Get Out of Your Head & Into Your Life
Need a little tough love to level up your life and learn the power of your mindset? This is the book for you!
This book is full of affirmations + help getting unstuck. Read it if you want to move past mental blocks, get out of your head, and finally live an awesome life.
Get Unfu*k Yourself: Get Out of Your Head and into Your Life here.
26. Best Books On Mindset: You Are A Badass
Books on mindset change seem to have long titles, and this one is no different. (But that doesn’t mean it’s not a great read!)
You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life is all about helping you squash self-sabotage, identify your limiting beliefs, and live the ultimate life.
If you have a tendency to shoot yourself in the foot when it comes to success and happiness, this is the one for you. Learn a positive way to see yourself and reap the benefits!
27. The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth
John C. Maxwell is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to mindset and personal growth.
While he has penned a ton of different books, The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth: Live Them and Reach Your Potential is designed to help you grow in ways that will help you reach your full potential.
Use this book to look inside yourself and “soul-search” your way to success.
28. The Shark & The Goldfish
Struggle with change? The Shark and the Goldfish: Positive Ways to Thrive During Waves of Change is for you!
Tackle fear and uncertainty to become the most resilient, steadfast version of yourself. If you’re done barely surviving in life (professionally, financially, and on a personal level), this is the right mindset book for you.
29. Good Vibes, Good Life
Focused on self-love as your go-to mindset hack? This is a brilliant book you’ll love!
Good Vibes, Good Life: How Self-Love Is the Key to Unlocking Your Greatness will have you prioritizing and protecting yourself for a change. Instead of seeing it as selfish, you’ll learn how self-love will enable you to become an amazing human and live a great life.
30. Best Books on Mindset: Forgiving What You Can’t Forget
Need to make peace with something or someone in your life?
This book is all about finding your peace, letting go of the past, and drawing strength from adversity. Learn to see the beauty in life again!
Get Forgiving What You Can’t Forget here.
There you have it folks!
I hope this list of the best books on mindset helps you somewhere on your journey.
Best of luck,
Chantal
Psst! Find me on social media – @itschantalsteele on Instagram.
