While my books are great resources for building confidence and taking action in your life, there are countless other amazing books out there.
Below you’ll find a list of books that have had a huge impact on my life. I think these books should be on the shelf of every man who’s striving to improve in any area.
For each book I’ll recap the main lesson I learned from it, just so you know if it’s right for you.
A Guide to the Good Life
By William B. Irvine
I’ve re-read this book more times than any other book.
It’s a guide to making the most important mindset shift there is: to live a tranquil life that’s not subject to being derailed by the inevitable ups and downs of life.
It gives you a number of tools you can immediately implement in your own life to accomplish this. And it teaches you a lot about the ancient philosophy of Stoicism along the way.
My Score: 8/10
The 50th Law
By Robert Greene
While author Robert Greene is better known for his book The 48 Laws of Power, I believe this “sequel” is a much better read.
The book lays out a step-by-step gameplan to help you do 2 keys things: hustle your ass off, and become fearless. If you want to accomplish anything in life, these are 2 principles that you MUST learn to embody.
It incorporates countless stories and anecdotes from the life of rapper 50 Cent, as well as a number of historical figures, to really bang home this message.
My Score: 9/10
The Truth
By Neill Strauss
This book caused me to take a long, honest look at my past, and realize a lot of unhealthy mindsets I had developed (particularly in regards to women and relationships).
I also read this book faster than I’ve ever read any other book. I was 100% hooked.
It tells the story of former “pickup artist” Neil Strauss, and his journey through cheating on his girlfriend, sex addiction counseling, and experimenting with polygamous relationships… But the main value is how it gets you to reflect on your own life, and your own relationships.
My Score: 9/10
The Happiness Hypothesis
By Jonathan Haidt
This book dives deep into the research on what makes up happy.
The main thing that it made me realize is how often I make the mistake of romanticizing the past, or glorifying the future… all the while holding my current happiness hostage.
Reading this book will give you a better grasp on your own happiness, so you can start enjoying your life more.
My Score: 7/10
I Will Teach You to Be Rich
By Ramit Sethi
This book single-handedly caused me to get my personal finances in order.
It will show you exactly how to get out of debt, invest your money, avoid fees from your credit card/bank accounts, and set up a system to keep your money organized at all times (so you can spend guilt-free).
Seriously, go read this now. It is so simple, yet extremely effective.
My Score: 9/10
The Untethered Soul
By Michael A. Singer
This book allowed me to free myself from self-doubt and negative self-talk.
It details the incredible journey of the author, and how he transformed every aspect of his life by letting go of the “voice inside your head”.
If you can accept that your thoughts are just thoughts, and learn to let go and not pay attention to them, you’ll immediately take on a newfound sense of confidence and inner peace.
My Score: 9/10
Getting Things Done
By David Allen
If you struggle to maintain high productivity and follow through on your goals, this book will give you a step-by-step system to overcome procrastination once and for all.
It is widely accepted as the “Bible” of productivity books, and nearly every successful entrepreneur I know employs the basic system laid out inside.
The biggest take-away I got was to always focus on your “next action” step, rather than worrying about the big picture.
My Score: 8/10
The Obstacle is the Way
By Ryan Holiday
Every goal you pursue in life will require you to push past obstacle after obstacle…
If you let these obstacles stop you and hold you back, you will give up and fail to accomplish anything big. It will place a huge wall on the amount of success you can have in your career, your relationships, and your inner confidence.
This book teaches you to embrace obstacles, and shows you how to use them to your advantage.
My Score: 8/10
The Way of the Superior Man
By David Deida
This book taught me how to bring unconditional love into my relationships… while still focusing on my main mission in life.
It motivates you to embrace your purpose in life and pursue it relentlessly, and to bring that same courage and passion into your romantic relationships.
It also explores a lot of what it means to be masculine vs. feminine, and how these 2 different types of energies are present within all of us.
My Score: 7/10
Rework
By Jason Fried
I’m not a fan of most business books, but this is an exception.
It does a great job at simplifying the core concepts of starting a profitable business (without needing loads of startup capital or a huge team). It’s both inspirational and actionable.
If you are an aspiring entrepreneur this book will give you a lot of clarity and direction.
My Score: 8/10
Choose Yourself
By James Altucher
James Altucher almost single-handedly inspired me to quit my job and start How to Beast… and this book is his best work.
It encourages you to “choose yourself” at every turn in life, and presents a series of simple steps you can implement in your own life to do so.
If you’re looking for a dose of motivation to take your life to the next level, this book will deliver it in spades.
My Score: 8/10
No Easy Day
By Mark Owen
This book is different from every other book on this list. It offers no actionable steps to improve your life, just an engaging, motivating story…
It tells the story of the Navy Seal team that killed Osama Bin Laden. It starts years before and covers many of the missions leading up to Bin Laden’s death.
It’s written by one of the Seals that was on the mission, and it’s just an awesome story that every man should read.
My Score: 9/10
The Path of Least Resistance
By Robert Fritz
This is the best book I’ve ever read on setting – and actually achieving – goals.
It shows you how to generate massive momentum and propel yourself forward so that you take action and achieve what you set out to do.
It doesn’t matter if you want to get jacked, start a business, or do anything else in life – this book will empower you to get it done.
My Score: 7/10
The Miracle Morning
By Hal Elrod
Anyone who knows me is aware of my morning routine. Every day I wake up, take a cold shower, review my main tasks for the day, and then meditate.
If I don’t do these things: my energy, productivity, and happiness all take a huge hit. But when I do them: I consistently crush the day and get shit done.
Well, the entire reason that I started this routine was because of Hal Elrod, and this book. Inside he explains why starting the day right is so important, and then he gives you the tools to create your own morning routine.
My Score: 7/10
No More Mr. Nice Guy
By Robert A. Glover
This book has one goal: to destroy all the “nice guy” tendencies that are ruining your relationships and your life.
A “nice guy” is someone who seeks approval from others, has trouble setting boundaries in his romantic relationships, and is basically a doormat that lets everyone walk all over him and tell him what to do.
This book will give you concrete steps to break your “nice guy” tendencies and help you build the strength to live life on your own terms.
My Score: 8/10
Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends On It
By Kamal Ravikant
Kamal Ravikant is an extremely successful entrepreneur and angel investor. Yet a few years ago he found himself suicidal and unable to get out of bed.
Then he started telling himself “I love myself” over and over. He kept doing this until he believed it. And before you know it, he was living the happiest years of his entire life.
This book will show you how to cultivate an intense self-love. It will show you to love and appreciate yourself the same way a devoted mother loves her newborn baby.
My Score: 9/10
Blink
By Malcolm Gladwell
Gladwell is an iconic author, and Blink may be my favorite book of his.
The book provides compelling evidence that trusting your “gut instinct” is almost always better than analyzing a situation before making a decision.
This is such an important message, because far too many guys fall victim to “analysis paralysis” and avoid making big decisions because they get too distracted analyzing every last factor. After reading this book, it’s been easier for me to take action, even in the face of uncertainty.
My Score: 7/10