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Page 1: 25 Best Books on Self-Improvement You Need to Read Before You Turn 25

25 Best Books on Self-Improvement You Needto Read Before You Turn 25

I remember the first time I got my hands on a self-improvement book. I was baffled. At thatmoment I realized my fate was not set in stone. I could become my own drill master andcoach. The books I read would set out the training course for me to overcome. All I had to dowas listen to that voice that aspired to climb higher and higher. Every time I committed to anew challenge I knew it was going to be outside my comfort zone, but after enough iterations, Ialso knew it will not just be part of my repertoire, it will be part of me. I just turned 25, andwhile I acknowledge some inherent dangers in the concept of self-improvement, I still believein the beauty of self-directing your life. This is why I am sharing with you 25 Best Books onSelf-Improvement You Need to Read Before You Turn 25!

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1. Whatcha Gonna Do with That Duck?: And OtherProvocations - Seth Godin

This book is a masterpiece, and unlike most self-improvement books,this one targets an infinite array of areas in which you can, andultimately must, improve. With its ruthless honesty and genuineinspiration, Godin makes you ponder the difficult questions youwouldn’t ever dare to ask yourself. The result is a completely newperspective of the world- a fresher, more vibrant perspective,packed with new and bold possibilities. If you need a friend thatunderstands, a boss that forces you to venture deep in your non-comfort zone, a wise guru that tells you what needs to be left behindand a sage that proclaims the coming of a new age, then look nofurther; you will find these shrewd voices all tied together in thismagnificent book. Make sure to get this one.

2. Fooled by Randomness: The Hidden Role of Chancein Life and in the Markets – Nassim Nicholas Taleb

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Page 2: 25 Best Books on Self-Improvement You Need to Read Before You Turn 25

Perhaps it is the fact that randomness played such a significant rolein my years as a poker player that I find this book utterly important.We often attribute skill where there is only luck; we confusecorrelation with causation and we underestimate the incredibleeffect small changes can have. This book and my time at the tablesgave me a perspective I unfortunately rarely encounter inothers: you can do everything right and still lose, or do everythingwrong and still win. It is thus not about the outcome; it is about youractions that have lead you there. This important message is centralto many of my decisions I make in my life and this book by Talebhelps you develop such a perspective so you will be able to live in aworld one cannot fully understand, where the results are not always

clear markers of performance and where chance seems to play games with our fates. Stopbeing fooled by randomness!

3. The 48 Laws of Power – Robert Greene

I read this book in a time where I thought power was something Ishould attain. Power for power’s sake. And while I disagree with myformer self on this point, the fact remains that power is very real, itforms the invisible scepter of all hierarchical relations around us.I still recommend this book; I believe it is important to know howpeople use power for their own benefit and what to do to protectyourself from certain abuses of power. Besides the fact that allstories in this book gravitate around power, it contains many lifelessons, amazing historical anecdotes and, if read in a certain light,the ability to use power for good. From Caesar to Goethe, Sun-Tzu toMachiavelli, this eye opening book spans a wide range of human

development. If you, like me, would rather be interested in something less egotistical, perhapsGreene’s latest book Mastery will suffice (I haven’t read that one myself). Another great book inthe same style, but this time around, covering a wider scope, and, perhaps, something that willmake the world make a better place.

4. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: PowerfulLessons in Personal Change – Stephen. R. Covey

The title of this book doesn’t capture it all. Covey shares with usseven habits one should adapt to become truly effective in whateveryou would like to achieve. Of course, it is not as easy as it sounds.He stresses the fact that we need to go through a paradigm shift – afundamental change in how we perceive the world and ourselves.This book can be read as a guide, with practices and everything, togo through the stages in order to make such a shift happen. Partshock-therapy, part ageless spiritual wisdom, Covey’s book ispacked with wisdom that actually makes a difference. And, as Imentioned, don’t let the title of the book fool you; it is about muchmore than just becoming more effective. It is about becoming awhole integer person who not only seeks the best in oneself, but also

in the people around her. A must read for anyone who feels there is always something left tolearn.

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Page 3: 25 Best Books on Self-Improvement You Need to Read Before You Turn 25

5. The Psychedelic Explorer’s Guide: Safe, Therapeutic,and Sacred Journeys – James Fadiman

While finding a book on psychedelics in a list of books on self-improvement might come as a surprise, I believe any metaphysicaldistinction between tools such as books, meditation or moleculeshold no ground and they should all be solely judged on their merits.And the merits of certain chemical keys, used in a constructive way,are perhaps bigger than any book in this list. The PsychedelicExplorer’s Guide will teach you how to prepare yourself and yoursurroundings, what and how much to take, and what do do whensomething goes wrong, so you can safely enhance your thinking,creativity, introspection and emotional balance. This bookcontains everything you need to know about using psychedelics as atool for self-improvement while drawing on extensive scientific

literature and personal wisdom. A must have for the beginning and experienced psychonautalike.

6. Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinatingand Get More Done in Less Time – Brian Tracy

We all know how that destructive downward spiral feels. We have todo some big task, of which the thought alone triggers resistance, notsure how and where to begin and feeling overwhelmed before westart; we get easily distracted to get rid of that feeling, only tosuddenly realize that hours went by- precious hours- and then findourselves in the same position as before, still not knowing where andhow to begin, but now, feeling guilty on top of it which expressesitself in more craving for distraction. Ad infinitum. To break this spellof procrastination before it paralyzes us, Tracy advises us to Eat ThatFrog, to set our priorities straight, deconstruct larger tasks intosmaller ones, learn when to tackle the big frog first or to start outwith something else. Tracy is truly a motivational writer, and while I

wished he had gone a bit deeper into the psychological reasons why people procrastinate, it isstill a must have for anyone who wants to break the spell and get shit done.

7. Think and Grow Rich: The Original 1937 UneditedEdition – Napoleon Hill

A from 1937, this book by Hill is a masterpiece. Don’t bother withthe edited versions since they all omit important and controversialinformation: some historical, and some pertaining to the goal of thebook, which is to think and grow rich. The word rich might imply thatthis book is all about material gain, and while it certainly covers thatarea, it is about much more than that. Perhaps the first explicitmention of positive thinking, on how to care not just about the cashin your pocket, but also the thoughts in your head, this book hasbeen able to withstand the destruction of time. It covers all thebasics from planning, decision making and persistence, to the moreadvanced techniques as auto-suggestion, transmutation and whatwe can learn from fear. This is not a grow rich book, but a timeless

guide to find out what actually matters. As it says clearly in the beginning ‘Riches can’t alwaysbe measured in money!’

Page 4: 25 Best Books on Self-Improvement You Need to Read Before You Turn 25

8. The Attention Revolution: Unlocking the Power ofthe Focused Mind - Alan Wallace

In a world that is dominated by ever stronger technologies designedto grab hold of your attention, a way to empower yourself is to bringthat attention back to where you want it to shine. This book offersjust that; in The Attention Revolution, Wallace describes the path toattaining Shamatha, a buddhist meditation state of mind that is freefrom any flickering of distraction. It is a hard and long path, probablynot possible for us to reach in this lifetime. However, even getting tostage two or three will make everything in life easier. A wonderfulintroduction to meditation, The Attention Revolution will inspire you totake on the challenge and see what training your mind can actuallyachieve. Once you have achieved such a level of focus you can putit to use to open your heart with the practice of The Four

Immeasurables or deepen the practice with this wonderful commentary by Dudjom Lingpa,both by Alan B. Wallace.

9. The Paleo Manifesto: Ancient Wisdom for LifelongHealth – John Durant

In the last 10,000 years or so it seems we have been propelled intoan ever faster paced world forged by our own hands and minds.Only recently have we been able to reconstruct our journey andreflect back upon our humble origins. This amazing book is such areflection. It goes back to the paleolithic searching for answers tohealth and longevity. Between science and his personalexperiments, Durant weaves a mind blowing story that will conveythe importance of an evolutionary perspective on how to live well. Itcovers everything from nutrition to exercise, from sleep to fasting,from ancient practices to modern biohacking and even has anoutline for a vision of the future where depression and obesity havebecome obsolete. If you only have room for a couple of books on this

list, make sure this one is included.

10. Mindsight: The New Science of PersonalTransformation – Daniel J. Siegel

As my Burmese meditation teacher often proclaimed, ‘Mindfulnessalone is not enough!’ Siegel seems to have taken this to heart andmade an unique synthesis between meditation, psychoanalysis andneuroscience which he calls ‘Mindsight‘, as he says himself, apotent combination between emotional and social intelligence. All ofus deal with some disorder or another, something that seems todisturb the very core of our being at ease, and while it might notalways be the best strategy to want to get rid of it, it certainly helps tounderstand and have compassion for that little aspect that upsetsthat perfect image of ourselves. Brimming with techniques, insightsand epiphanies, this book contains everything you need to know toreprogram your brain and to optimally use its capacity of

neuroplasticity. A great book for spiritual seekers and scientists alike.

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11. How to Win Friends & Influence People - DaleCarnegie

This is the first self-improvement book I have ever read and it is alsoprobably one of the oldest in this category. Written in 1937, mainlyfor the door to door salesman of that era, this book by Carnegie cantruly be called a classic. It shows what we all intuitively know: itdoesn’t matter what your line of work is or what you want to achieve-if you are doing business of any kind, you need to make it about theother person. Being nice helps, a lot. And while I might not fullydefend the premise of this book, because it doesn’t distinguishbetween genuine interest and faking it to get what you want, it stillcontains a treasure chest full of timeless wisdom. Everybody wantsto feel appreciated, and rightfully so. Learning to take a smalleffort to make someone’s day will make the world run smoother, no

matter what your goal is. I still spontaneously remember some of his guidance, and perhapsthis quality is the reason why this book still draws millions of readers to this day.

12. Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy - David D.Burns

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is the most effective therapy used bypsychologists today; it consists of identifying thought patterns thathave a detrimental effect on your self-image and mood, anddeconstructing these in order to break out of these destructivecycles. If you want to know how this works, which moods arecentral in your life, what thought patterns are causing yourdepression, how to overcome self-judgment and guilt, how todefeat approval and love addiction and how your self-perfectionism is hindering you, then don’t look further; CognitiveBehavioral Therapy has helped millions of people and it can helpyou, and this is the best book for the job. Packed with scientificresearch, exercises and examples, this is the best improvement your

self is going to get.

13. Psycho-Cybernetics, A New Way to Get More LivingOut of Life – Maxwell Maltz

What can a plastic surgeon tell us about happiness? By dealingwith his patients, Dr. Maxwell Maltz experienced firsthand that havingyour expectations come true doesn’t automatically result into a morepositive life experience. Their outward appearances did indeedchange but their inner insecurity remained. This caused him to findother means to help his patients, resulting in visualization techniques.He found a person’s outer success can never rise above the onevisualized internally. This book carries a very honest and humblingstory, loaded with fundamental truths about our psychology and howour own philosophy affects us, all told by a very compassionate

writer. Of some books it can be said that it will be valuable for years to come, and I amabsolutely positive that this is one of them.

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14. Thinking, Fast and Slow – Daniel Kahneman

This brilliant book by Nobel prize winner Daniel Kahneman is a lucidaccount of all the amazing research he has done over the years. Heis the founder of behavioral economics – the way our psychologyaffects our decisions – and explains in simple prose how ourthinking is divided in two systems: one fast and one slow. The fastone is almost instant; it consists of the hardwired instincts thatgovern emotions, a remnant of an evolutionary past, an unconsciousirrational machine. The slow one is deliberate, self-reflexive andlogical, but can easily be distracted and takes a lot of effort. Bothplay a large role in our lives and Kahneman explores when the fastsystem fails and why the slow system is often not utilized. Packed

with mind blowing examples and sharp analyses, this book teaches you how to learn to makesound judgments, and use the best of both systems.

15. An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth: What Goingto Space Taught Me About Ingenuity, Determination,and Being Prepared for Anything – Chris Hadfield

A few extraordinary people journey to the edge of our world andcome back with a unique story to tell. Colonel Hadfield is such aperson, and his story is perhaps the most important one in this list.While the other books in this list teach you to be independent,visualize your future and dream big, this astronaut’s guide turnsthese all upside down. A truly remarkable book, overflowing withmind-blowing stories that illustrate the life lessons he learned as oneof the most accomplished astronauts that ever lived. Full ofcompassion, warmth and genuine self-reflexive humor, he conveysto us to be prepared for the worst and never let yourself be swayedfrom enjoying every moment. Part action story, part no-nonsensehard truth and part timeless spiritual wisdom, this book makes you

feel like you stepped onto a rocket ship and experienced what he did while learning these mostvaluable lessons on the way.

16. Perfect Health Diet: Regain Health and Lose Weightby Eating the Way You Were Meant to Eat - PaulJaminet & Shou-Ching Jaminet

Page 7: 25 Best Books on Self-Improvement You Need to Read Before You Turn 25

No self­improvement list is complete without a nutrition book and thePerfect Health Diet is arguably the best diet book on the market now. If youare overweight or not, feel sick, or just looking for an extra boost in health(and keep it this way), then look no further. From reading decades ofstudies the authors construct the optimal way to eat, destroyingpopular food fads in the process. They explain in sufficient detail theoptimal macro­ratios, which starches are safe, which vitamins andsupplements to take and what foods, or what they call toxins, to avoid. Thisbook is a great supplement to the Paleo Manifesto as it shares its basicevolutionary perspective; we were evolved to eat non­toxic, high fat,moderate protein and carbohydrates. And, sometimes, going around with nofood at all, can be a very healthy thing. If your body is not in optimal health,

then it is almost no use to read the other books. Make this your priority number one.

17. Failing Forward: Turning Mistakes into SteppingStones for Success – John C. Maxwell

At one time or another, we will all fail. What matters most is how youdeal with it once you do. Will you give up? Or will you use it as astepping stone for success? I recently read an article about newstart-ups in silicon valley. Its hypothesis was the more you had failedin the past, the more likely you were going to get funding. Why?Because failing teaches you invaluable lessons, and if you decideto continue after you hit the pavement, the more you have it in you todeliver. Now, this is not in anyway our instinctual reaction to failing.Most of us dread it, avoid it or refuse to fail at all costs. All three areby far sub-optimal. It is far better to accept failure where it arises, toaccept responsibility and use it as a way to learn about yourself andyour weaknesses. Only when you are absolute honest with yourself

with respect to failure can you hope to grow. This wonderful book will teach you how to doexactly this. A honest book for everyone searching for a clean mirror.

18. The Power of Now – Eckhart Tolle

The Power of Now hardly needs any introduction. It is perhaps thebook that has had the most impact on our collective consciousnessin recent years. It inspired millions of people all over the world to livea more fulfilling and compassionate life, all through the practice ofmindfulness. Mindfulness consists of moment to moment non-judgmental awareness. It is a technique that alleviatesdepression, increases emotional intelligence and developscompassion- and only recently has come to the west, whichremained weary and skeptical until science had validated a widearray of its claims. The brain can be trained. The Power ofNow teaches you how to release your attachment to certainthoughts and states of mind, thereby clearing the mind to fully

embrace the present moment. If you already have read this book and are looking for deeperunderstanding, read Wherever You Go, There You Are.

19. The Last Lecture – Randy Pausch

Page 8: 25 Best Books on Self-Improvement You Need to Read Before You Turn 25

At some point or another, almost all of us has come across The LastLecture by Randy Pausch. (If you haven’t, watch this powerfulmessage here.) What would you say when you only have a fewmonths left to live? This was probably Pausch’s question he posed tohimself when he had to deliver his lecture a week later. But beingconfined to an academic setting and short time frame he felt he hadmore to share, thus marking the birth of this book. Filled with storiesabout his childhood, it is a very down to earth exploration of what itmeans to chase your dreams, to be a good person and live a life thatgives value to others. A beautiful mixture of humor and optimism,his tender voice will be a source of inspiration for everyone who will

take the time to listen, something he tried to impart on his readers. A very lovely read. Anddon’t forget, ‘It’s not about the cards you’re dealt, but how you play the hand.’

20. Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be VulnerableTransforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead –Brené Brown

I love Brené Brown’s books. She writes about an insight that I havefound to be scary but true at the same time. Vulnerability, unlike wehave been taught, is not a weakness, but a power to be tapped.Growing up with the idea that we have to hide certain parts ofourselves, to look strong and persevere at all costs always seemed afacade to me. And now she has the research to back that up. Fromthat place of vulnerability comes a sense of worthiness, which formost of us, needs to be cultivated every day. Only if we get in touchwith that tender spot of our hearts can we connect with others anddevelop genuine compassion, which are prerequisites, Brown tellsus, for living a ‘wholehearted life.’ The reality, however, is that weoften close down, feel neglected and misunderstood, and rather

want the vulnerability and perhaps even ourselves to disappear. This book is an amazingantidote for that common instinct. Want to be truly convinced? Check out her amazing ted talkhere.

21. The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle inthe Dark – Carl Sagan

We all find UFO’s fascinating. We all really want to believe in magicor visiting aliens (surely the crop circles are conclusive proof!) andsome of us believe the government is poisoning us with chemtrails.At the same time we are fascinated by the progress made byscience, by all the new technology and medicines and thefascinating discoveries being made on a daily basis. Clearly, for theaverage person, it is quite hard to make a distinction between oneclaim or another – most of us are scientifically illiterate. CarlSagan fought his whole life against such unreason and claimed thatmissing this ability to distinguish valid claims from hogwash couldplunge us back into the dark ages. This book is perhaps his best onthis subject, filled with examples and his eloquent mesmerizing

voice, The Demon-Haunted World is a How To guide to arm you against manipulationmasked as information. A must read for anyone who still feels the temptation to clicksensationalist sophistry.

Page 9: 25 Best Books on Self-Improvement You Need to Read Before You Turn 25

22. Philosophy for Life – Jules Evans

As philosopher Sloterdijk puts it; ‘philosophy is a beautiful child ofan ugly mother.’ Philosophy first arose when the old Greek polisstates were at the brink of destruction. Philosophy, according toSloterdijk, was not just a way to make sense of the world, to come toknowledge or truth, but to serve as a psychological immune system.This book is an amazing expression of this perspective. From thestoics to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Jules Evans writes aboutsome of the amazing philosophical techniques we can use to trainand improve our cognitive immune systems. He weaves ancientstories with modern applications, from heroism to cosmiccontemplation, Philosophy for Life a beautifully written book thatmakes it easy to understand the practical nature of philosophy.

Perhaps the book would have been better if he would have gone deeper into the subjectmatter, but nonetheless he captures the essence of what philosophy can mean for the modernperson. A must read.

23. Man’s Search For Meaning – Victor. E. Frankl

If I had to pick one book from this list for mandatory reading I wouldchoose this one. For three years Viktor Frankl labored in fourdifferent Nazi concentration camps, including Auschwitz. He tells usabout his experience and that of his fellow prisoners. Both chillingand uplifting, confronted with the idea that they would be trappedthere for the rest of their lives, he gives us an account of those whofound meaning and those who succumbed to nihilism. A blendbetween a memoir, a psychological investigation and a self-helpbook, Frankl delivers a powerful message: finding meaning lies at thecore of being human. From his own experience as a psychiatristcombined with anecdotes from his time in the concentration camps,he tells us how important it is to find meaning in our own lives and

what we can become if we don’t. Suffering, he conveys to us, is inevitable. But as to how wecope with it is dependent on ourselves. If we can find meaning, even in the worst acts ourspecies has ever inflicted upon his fellow man, we will be able to move forward withrenewed purpose.

24. Simplify – Joshua Becker

This is a fun little book written by Joshua Becker, a big proponent ofminimalist living. We all know that quote from Fightclub: “Advertisinghas us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we canbuy shit we don’t need.” Well, this is ending. Slowly we areoutgrowing an era where the unquestioned mantra ‘more is alwaysbetter’ dictates our behavior. Rather, we now find ourselves, ourlives and our homes cluttered with too much information, too muchstuff and just too much shit we don’t need. This simple book helps

you become aware of the freedom gained from living with less. It is a small book, easily readunder an hour, but it carries a persuasive punch to start living live in a very different way.

25. Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends On It – Kamal

Page 10: 25 Best Books on Self-Improvement You Need to Read Before You Turn 25

By Martijn Schirp

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I am the co­founder of HighExistence, a travel junkie, a meditation practitioner and yoga lover, I am astudent of philosophy, passionate about science and immensely fascinated about consciousness.

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Ravikant

The fundamental ground upon which all true self improvement isbuild is called self-love. Because in the end, no matter which wayyou turn, if you don’t love yourself, you will sabotage yourself at onepoint. You will think that, for some reason or another, you are notworthy. And if you think that, why would you truly want to achieveanything? And this is not just about achievement. This is about howyou approach yourself every day; this is what you see when you lookin the mirror. We make so many snap-judgments about ourselves-often without being conscious of them- that are filled with negativity,haltering us before we can even begin to heal. This powerful bookshows you the antidote. Self love. Not to be confused with creatingsome narcissistic image of ourselves that some previous books in

this list implicitly endorse, but self love, that inner gratefulness that no external condition cantake away. Self love, that infinite source you can share with others.

Which one is your favorite?

Is a book missing in the 25 Best Books on Self-Improvement You Need toRead Before You Turn 25?

Thank you for reading :)

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