top 10 motivational books of all time

7/28/2019 Top 10 Motivational Books of All Time

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Top 10 Motivational Books of All Time

Every business library should include at least one of these gems.

In previous posts I've identified the most influential business books of all time, and the best sales

books of all time. In this post, I list the books that drive readers to change their lives, improve their lot,

and build better careers. Beware of the final (No. 1) book!

10. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

While he gets a bit preachy sometimes, StevenCovey's road map for living doesn't just help youdevelop better habits, it convinces you thatacquiring them will make you a better person.

Best quote: "Sow a thought, reap an action; sow anaction, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character;sow a character, reap a destiny."

9. How to Win Friends & Influence People

Prior to Dale Carnegie's classic, mixing businessrelationships with personal relationships wasconsidered a bit underhanded, like nepotism. AfterCarnegie, the business relationships and personalrelationships were seen as not just as compatible,but absolutely inseparable.

Best quote: "The unvarnished truth is that almost allthe people you meet feel themselves superior toyou in some way, and a sure way to their hearts isto let them realize in some subtle way that yourecognize their importance, and recognize itsincerely."


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8. Think and Grow Rich

Napoleon Hill interviewed "40 millionaires" todiscover the common thought processes andbehaviors that had led to their success. His study ofthese "best practices" was revolutionary in a worldwhere it was largely assumed that great wealthresulted from a combination of greed and luck.

Best quote: "All the breaks you need in life waitwithin your imagination. Imagination is the workshopof your mind, capable of turning mind energy intoaccomplishment and wealth."

7. Awaken the Giant Within

Anthony Robbins is unlike most motivational writersin two ways. First, he treats training the mind andbody as a technological challenge rather than moralimperative. Second, he somehow manages to beboth an inspirational role model and the mostannoying guy on the planet.

Best quote: "If you can't, you must. If you must, youcan."

6. As a Man Thinketh

Motivational books are usually about takingimmediate action. By contrast, this 1902 classic byJames Allen is a bit more, well..., thoughtful. Itexplains how your thoughts mold your personality,and how that personality drives you to take action

and determines the type of action you'll take.

Best quote: "The dreamers are the saviors of theworld. As the visible world is sustained by theinvisible, so men, through all their trials and sinsand sordid vocations, are nourished by the beautifulvisions of their solitary dreamers."


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5. The Greatest Salesman in the World

Far more than just a sales book, Og Mandino'sfaux-biblical parable encourages your to live yourlife to the fullest by believing in yourself and yourability to help others. Required reading for anybodywho sells. Which is just about everybody.

Best quote: "I will live this day as if it is my last. Thisday is all I have and these hours are now myeternity. I greet this sunrise with cries of joy as aprisoner who is reprieved from death. I lift minearms with thanks for this priceless gift of a newday."

4. Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

A big part of motivation is clearing your mind of theclutter that weighs it down. Richard Carlson helpsyou differentiate between what's really important--and deserving of your attention--and what's just"noise in the system."

Best quote: "Stress is nothing more than a sociallyacceptable form of mental illness."

3. Drive

Motivation comes from the judicious use of carrotsand sticks, right. Not so, says author Daniel Pink.His book illustrates the fact that motivation comesfrom many sources and that, at the highest level ofperformance, motivation come from your deepestand most profound sense of who you are and wantto be.

Best quote: "For artists, scientists, inventors,

schoolchildren, and the rest of us, intrinsicmotivation--the drive to do something because it isinteresting, challenging, and absorbing --is essentialfor high levels of creativity."


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2. The Power of Positive Thinking

When it was first published, both psychologists andtheologians attacked this book as heretical, andaccused author Norman Vincent Peale of being acrank. Today, science has verified the book's basicconcept--that being optimistic makes you healthierand happierand thus more likely to succeed.

Best quote: "Action is a great restorer and builder ofconfidence. Inaction is not only the result, but thecause, of fear. Perhaps the action you take will besuccessful; perhaps different action or adjustmentswill have to follow. But any action is better than noaction at all."

Rizza Aladiffi Sunday at 11:49pmIt's a wonderfull.Those books by Anthony Robbins, Dr. Schwart, Donald Trump, Robert T. Kyosaki, Imam AlGhozali and Syech Abdul Khadir Jaelani changed my life.

Cathi Thomas June 6, 2013 at 9:37pm"Acres of Diamonds' by Earle Nightengale

Cathi Thomas June 6, 2013 at 9:35pm"When All You've Ever Wanted Isn't Enough" by Rabbi Harold Kuschner

Drew Manningham June 6, 2013 at 1:55pm

or The Secrets of Closing the Sale by Zig Ziglar

Drew Manningham June 6, 2013 at 1:52pmThe Slight Edge by Jeff Olson

ClaudiaC May 24, 2013 at 12:49pmI'd add Purple Cow and the Dive by Seth Godin. the Dive is one of the most powerful books Iread to help with the current "recession"

David Porter May 20, 2013 at 8:32pm

Good to Great. Simply must re-read material.

andrzej May 20, 2013 at 4:11pmBooks can't motivate you if you're already not motivated. Motivation comes from inside, notoutside. Reading so called motivational books you can feel better for a while but at the end itdoesn't change anything.

Nicole Kildare May 17, 2013 at 3:17pmDelivering Happiness. Principles that can be used throughout any industry!
http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/03/the-benefits-of-optimism-are-real/273306/http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/03/the-benefits-of-optimism-are-real/273306/http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/apppath+%22member/440213%22http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/apppath+%22member/440213%22http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/apppath+%22member/280885%22http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/apppath+%22member/280885%22http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/apppath+%22member/280885%22http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/apppath+%22member/280885%22http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/apppath+%22member/438247%22http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/apppath+%22member/438247%22http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/apppath+%22member/438247%22http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/apppath+%22member/438247%22http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/apppath+%22member/430158%22http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/apppath+%22member/430158%22http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/apppath+%22member/427368%22http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/apppath+%22member/427368%22http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/apppath+%22member/251756%22http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/apppath+%22member/251756%22http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/apppath+%22member/425208%22http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/apppath+%22member/425208%22http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/apppath+%22member/425208%22http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/apppath+%22member/251756%22http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/apppath+%22member/427368%22http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/apppath+%22member/430158%22http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/apppath+%22member/438247%22http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/apppath+%22member/438247%22http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/apppath+%22member/280885%22http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/apppath+%22member/280885%22http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/apppath+%22member/440213%22http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/03/the-benefits-of-optimism-are-real/273306/http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/03/the-benefits-of-optimism-are-real/273306/http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/03/the-benefits-of-optimism-are-real/273306/


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Jie Hiue May 15, 2013 at 8:35pmHi Geoff, Why do you have this on 4 different pages... I get that you guys want page clicks toshow your advertisers... but it would be much more useful for me "your audience" if you hadthis all one page. As it is I have to click and wait for 3 more pages to load to get your content...

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top 10 motivational books of all time

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