Top 10 List: Best Must-Read Self Help Books

I love to read almost as much as I love to write.  My favorite topic to read is actually the same as my favorite topic to write about, and that is self help.  I'm not just one of those personal development gurus who doesn't practice what he preaches.  I actually am constantly looking for ways to grow as a person.

The following are the best self help books that I have ever read.  I strongly suggest reading them and learning from them.  Apply the knowledge you get from these books into your daily life.

I've written other similar lists of best self help books before and have not placed this book at the top. Upon further review, I will put Napoleon Hill's book at #1 here simply because it is the most influential self help book of all time. I'm fairly certain that the authors of all the other books on this list have read Think and Grow Rich at some point. It has influenced many of the great thinkers in modern times.

This is probably the second most influential self help book of all time.  Dale Carnegie's work is a timeless classic.  Even though it was written over 50 years ago, the teachings are still very much valid today.  Learn how to deal with people to develop good relationships.  It is all about remaining positive and developing strong give-and-take relationships.  This is a great read.

This book will change the way you go about your day.  It will change your outlook on your life.  It will help you to become more productive and start living the life you want to live.  The book is a must-read if you want to make your life more meaningful.  Begin developing the habits of the greatest achievers  of all time.  Phenomenal book!

No list of best self help books is complete without a mention of Jim Rohn.  Jim's teachings are legendary.  His recent passing was mourned by the entire personal development community.  This book will inspire you to make positive changes to your life.  It will motivation you to take your life to new heights.  I gained a lot from reading this book.

No, not Tipping Point.  I love The Dip because it is short and to the point and is unlike anything I have ever read in my life.  That is not hyperbole, I mean it.  The Dip teaches you to love the things that you would normally hate.  I won't give away all the secrets, though, as I'll let you enjoy it for yourself.  You can read it in a day and change your outlook on life overnight.  If you are in a rut of any kind, this should be the next book you read.

This book is on the interesting topic of mastery.  Learn how to become a master in one area of life.  You can become an expert on anything if you just go about it the right way.  This book will teach you how.

This may not be a typical self help book, but it is a must-read for anyone working in a service business.  Actually, anyone can gain something from this book.  We all have to "sell" ourselves at some point.  Whether we want a job, a date, or a sale, we need to learn to sell ourselves.  This book gives many great tips on doing just that.

This is a modern take on the subject introduced in Dale Carnegie's book that sits at #2 on this list.  It gives you simple common-sense solutions to big problems that we all have at some point in our lives.

If you want to learn how to properly lead a business, this is the book for you.  Learn to create an environment where everyone wants to work for you and where the customers simply love to be.  This book will change the way you view business and leadership.

Oh, you didn't see that one coming, did you?  This is important, though.  Keeping a journal will help you realize things about your life that slipped your consciousness.  You will begin to think in clearer terms about what you should be doing to improve your life.  Actually, this should be at the top of the list.  But then you probably wouldn't read the rest.

Happy reading...and writing!