5 Great Motivational Books

“5 Great Books” will be a continuing series of posts, each highlighting 5 books at a time in categories related to the topics discussed here.

In the category of motivation, the books listed below are often ranked highly among readers. Let me know in the comments which of your favorites I missed and I’ll try to include them in future lists.

Think And Grow Rich – Napoleon Hill

    This book has had a profound affect on the dreams and goal-setting of several generations and most of it is still as relevant today as it was when it was published in 1937. Napoleon Hill lays out a basic, systematic plan for success. He says that whatever we can conceive and believe, we can achieve.

The Magic of Thinking Big – David  J. Schwartz

    One of the original taglines for this book was ” How to set your goals high… and then achieve them!”  Author David J. Schwartz offers the advice: “Look at things not as they are, but as they can be. Visualization adds value to everything. A big thinker always visualizes what can be done in the future. He isn’t stuck with the present”

How to Win Friends and Influence People – Dale Carnegie

    This was one of the first big bestsellers in the self-help genre and it’s still selling quite briskly today. It’s basically a manual for dealing with other people on your road to success. In it, Carnegie attempts to show the reader how to bring about the best in ourselves and others and foster success by doing so.

Feel The Fear and Do It Anyway – Susan Jeffers

    Jeffers says we can take control of our fears and that “that underlying our fears is lack of trust in ourselves.” Another key tenant of the book states “We can’t control our world but we can control our reactions to it.”

See You At The Top -Zig Ziglar

    In this book, the author discusses his six steps to success: Self-Image, Your relationship with others, Goals, Attitude, Work, and Desire. Zig Ziglar entertains and educates with messages of humor, hope, and encouragement.

That’s it for the first installment. These titles are all widely available in a variety of formats in the online and offline world. Check ’em out. It could be life-changing.