If you’re looking for self-improvement books, you are certainly not alone. The self-help book market today is approaching a total of $1 billion and is continually growing. In fact, surveys have shown that one in five people has read a self-help book in the last year. But how do you decide which self-help book is best for you? With hundreds of thousands of titles, it can be a challenge. And picking the one most recently published is not always the best strategy.
When it comes to selecting the best option, your individual situation certainly matters. There are many areas where self-improvement books can help enhance your life–and, as is the case with Ed Kopko’s upcoming book–Project Bold Life: The Proven Formula for Taking on Challenges and Achieving Happiness and Success–teach you how to set achievable goals. But as an overview, the following provides a list of the best-selling self-help books of all time. Based on the number of copies sold, these books have withstood the test of time—and sales!
1. Think and Grow Rich
Over 80 million copies sold
At the top of the best-selling self-help books list sits this classic by Napoleon Hill. Hill interviewed highly successful business moguls of his time and identified key laws and habits that drive success. Among these were desire, faith, persistence, and the suppression of doubt and negativity. It remains a classic.
2. The Alchemist
Over 65 million copies sold
As an allegorical novel, Paulo Coelho captures readers’ attention in this story about a young shepherd’s pursuit of treasure. Through this young man’s travels, the book teaches the importance of following one’s heart and dreams while paying attention to the journey. Though indirect in its message and even as fictional work of art, it represents one of the best-selling self-help books of all time.
3. You Can Heal Your Life
Over 50 million copies sold
Released in 1984, Louise L. Hay’s book has quickly climbed up the list of top best self-improvement books ever published. The premise states that the mind and body are connected and that many illnesses represent mental and emotional issues. Hay explains how adopting healthy thought- and behavior patterns facilitate physical and holistic healing for all.
4. Rich Dad, Poor Dad
Over 26 million copies sold
With a focus on financial success, this self-improvement book by Robert T. Kiyosaki highlights the importance of financial literacy. In attaining financial wealth and understanding investments as a strategy to wealth, one readily gains success. It is one of the best self-improvement books out there, especially for those seeking career and life security.
5. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Over 25 million copies sold
Among one of the most popular self-improvement books, Stephen R. Covey’s book highlights essential practices for those seeking to be better—and live life effectively. In order to change one’s situation, one must change his or her perspectives. The book describes specific habits that facilitate such shifts and enable greater personal effectiveness.
6. Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff… And It’s All Small Stuff
Over 25 million copies sold
We all know too well that stress undermines many of life’s pleasures. In Richard Carlson’s book, he provides 100 tips on how to put things in the proper perspective. Through perspective, we can rid ourselves of unnecessary stress and lead a fuller life. This book’s straightforward approach has helped millions and placed it among the best-selling self-help books.
7. Who Moved My Cheese?
Over 23 million copies sold
Perhaps the only fable among the best-selling self-help books on the list, this one by Spencer Johnson attained notoriety quickly. The tale describes four common reactions of people dealing with change in their work and their lives. And as a fable, it invites the reader to relate to these reactions and learn from them.
8. The Celestine Prophecy
Over 23 million copies sold
Unique among the best-selling self-help books, The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield describes the author’s spiritual and psychological journey. Via the deciphering of a Peruvian manuscript, keen insights reflective of ancient Eastern traditions are revealed. The book is ideal for exploring New Age spirituality and ways to succeed during difficult life transitions.
9. The Secret
Over 20 million copies sold
Published in 2006, The Secret by Rhonda Byrne quickly reached the top 10 best-selling self-help books of all time based on a simple premise. This premise says that what we think has the power to attract both good and evil into our lives. Thus, “the secret” explains how this law of attraction can serve to attain the best life has to offer.
10. The Power of Positive Thinking
Over 20 million copies sold
If quality of life and personal satisfaction is your goal, this book offers a strategy to achieve just that. Through affirmations and visualizations, Norman Vincent Peale demonstrates in his book how positive thinking can be cultivated. It has remained one of the most popular self-improvement books since its release in 1952.
11. Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus
Over 15 million copies sold
This book by John Gray remains one of the best self-improvement books for those seeking better relationships. By approaching relationship differences from a gender socialization perspective, couples can improve their relations. Since 1992, this self-help book has offered key insights that have been used by millions of people—ordinary people and therapists alike.
12. How to Win Friends and Influence People
Over 15 million copies sold
Published in 1936, this book has been among the best-selling self-help books for a long time now. Dale Carnegie provides insightful approaches and strategies based on honesty and sincerity to help people deal with differing views. The key is in being able to see other perspectives while expressing one’s own views with respect.
13. Chicken Soup for the Soul
Over 11 million copies sold
While the very first original motivational book has sold millions, the series of these books represent an exponential reach of self-help messages. Primarily a book to help others find happiness through inspiration and hope, it consists of 101 brief stories. Through this book, Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen introduce a unique way of inspiring people to find their own happiness in life.
14. The Four Agreements
Over 7 million copies sold
Don Miguel Ruiz advocates personal freedom in The Four Agreements. The four agreements—which includes sincerity and the pursuit of excellence—can help one identify and release various constraints to achieve that personal freedom. Since 1997, it has been among the best-selling self-help books available.
15. The Road Less Traveled: A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values and Spiritual Growth
Over 5 million sold
With the premise that life is filled with problems, M. Scott Peck highlights the importance of discipline in this self-help book classic. Balance, truthfulness, delayed gratification and responsibility are the four cornerstones of this discipline. The strategies offered in the book have helped millions.
Best-Selling Self-help Books for a Bolder Life
While many other influential self-help books are available, those listed here remain among the best. Each has stood the test of time. By reading them, you can learn common truths and insights—even though each book offers unique perspectives on strategies for self-improvement.
Regardless of which one of these best-selling self-help books you choose to read, you can be reassured that their message will be a powerful one. And in the process, you will be inspired to be that much bolder in the next steps you take in life.
There are a handful of books released in 2020 that offer such pearls of wisdom. Each is unique in its own way, and all 3 can motivate you to make positive changes in your life. Not only do these self-help books offer practice advice that is easy to understand. But they are also motivational books that are engaging and easy to read. For these reasons, and their great inspirational content, we are adding them our “must-read” self-help book list of all time.
- Project Bold Life: The Proven Formula to Take on Challenges and Achieve Happiness and Success by Ed Kopko
If you’re looking for one of the best self-help books in 2020, Kopko’s recent release is an absolute must-read. The insights that Kopko offers in the pursuit of one’s boldest life reflect his own passions and life’s pursuits. Not only has Kopko excelled as an executive business entrepreneur, but he has extensive history in publishing and writing. He has been featured in Forbes magazine for leadership insights. He has also been recognized for extraordinary work in diversity and inclusion by Diversity MBA magazine. These experiences and achievements serve as a foundation for the more-than-practical advice he offers in his latest book.
The promise of Kopko’s book is to provide anyone with the tools needed to achieve bold happiness and success. No matter what one’s situation may be, highly inspiring stories empower actions for bold achievements. In addition to a step-by-step guide toward defining stretch goals, Kopko offers a Bold Life Formula. This formula utilizes the Seven Pillars of a Bold Life to help us overcome challenges and obstacles we envision. Not only does the book contain personalized stories, but they well depict difficulties many of us face. As one of the year’s best motivation books, Kopko provides the perfect recipe for finding bold purpose in life.
- The Power of Colors: The Path to Self-Healing and Personal Transformation Through Native American Ancient Wisdom by Noah Goldhirst
Noah Goldhirst is a well-known therapist and senior lecturer who has gained an incredible following. She has long embraced alternative medicine as a means to explore bolder ways of living. In fact, this has been part of her life’s pursuit for more than 3 decades. Thus, it’s not surprising that her latest pursuit involves the examination of ancient Native American wisdom. In this regard, she offers an easy-to-read explanation of the Wheel of Colors still practiced by Native Americans today. As 2020’s best motivational books, it provides interesting perspectives not likely to have been previously appreciated.
The Wheel of Colors describes how each color has different meanings as well as psychological and physical effects. Colors are also unique to each person, and some will be best for you while others will not. By gaining an understanding of thee meanings and effects, you can utilize color to overcome life’s toughest challenges. Through practical advice, Goldhirst explains how this can be used to promote self-healing and personal transformation. For those seeking peace, love and joy, this is one of the best self-help books to consider. It can definitely help you on your journey to becoming a better you.
- Didn’t See That Coming: Putting Life Back Together When Your World Falls Apart by Rachel Hollis
If you’re familiar with Rachel Hollis, then you’re well acquainted with her other 2 motivational books recently released. Girl, Stop Apologizing and Girl, Wash Your Face have been quite popular self-help books on recent best-seller lists. As a business podcaster and motivational speaker, her insights in these books are clearly inspiring and empowering. Therefore, it’s understandable that this recently released books is also receiving critical acclaim. Through her own personal life stories, Hollis offers insights how we can best deal with pain and grief in life. The practical advice provided allows anyone in emotional pain to better deal with its consequences.
Though this book is about grief and pain, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t offer direction toward a bolder life. In fact, it does just the opposite. By way of example, Hollis shows how intense emotions are a natural part of many life experiences. Rather than holding them inside, acknowledging them and using them for motivation for action is important. Pain and joy can coexist and often do. Simply knowing this can help us persevere during tough times and overcome painful emotional obstacles. Hollis thus adds to her list of motivation books that is quite useful as well as inspiring.
