14 best self help books for men to become great
Trying to take control of your life and achieve the highest levels of success?
If so, then you’ve come to the right place!
In this post, I’m going to introduce to you the best self-help books for men to read at least once in their life. Hopefully twice.
Whether you want to improve your health, happiness, wealth, or relationships, these books will offer advice and insights from the world's most respected authors, including David Goggins, Viktor E. Frankl, and Ryan Holiday.
1. The Almanac of Naval Ravikant by Eric Jorgenson
Naval Ravikant is a well know Indian-American entrepreneur and angel investor. He co-founded AngelList and was an early investor in ultra-successful companies such as Uber, Twitter, Wish, and Stack Overflow. The book is a distilled collection of maxims that are mostly extracted from Naval’s viral tweetstorm and podcasts on wealth and happiness. I highly recommend this to men that want to improve their level of happiness, make better decisions and become wealthy without compromising the important things.
My favorite quote: “All returns in life, whether wealth, relationships, or knowledge come from compound interest.”
Formats: Kindle, Audiobook, Hardcover, Paperback, and Spiral-bound.
Price: From $1.64
Check the best price on Amazon.
2. 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
This is one of the most popular self-help books to ever land on shelves, with over 25 million copies sold. Stephen Covey focuses on seven fundamental habits that successful people consistently practice. They include being proactive, beginning with the end in mind, putting first things first, thinking win-win, seeking first to understand then to be understood, synergizing, and continuously improving. One thing that stood out to me was how most people (including myself) are not good listeners, and therefore never really understand the intent of the person speaking.
My favorite quote: “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.”
Formats: Kindle, Audiobook, Hardcover, Paperback, Spiral Bound, Audio CD, and Audio Cassette.
Price: From $2.48
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3. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson
Mark Manson is a popular Blogger and New York Time Best-Selling Author. "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck" is one of the best self-help books I’ve read in a while. The book is designed to appeal to men who want to improve their lives by letting go of things that simply don't matter. Manson encourages the readers to embrace a more positive and realistic outlook on life by focusing on things within their control. The book resembles many of the stoic philosophies, which I personally subscribe to.
My favorite quote: “Everything worthwhile in life is won through surmounting the associated negative experience. Any attempt to escape the negative, to avoid it or quash it or silence it, only backfires.”
Formats: Kindle, Audiobook, Hardcover, Paperback, and Spiral-bound.
Price: From $13.57
Check the best price on Amazon.
4. The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene
The 48 Laws of Power is one of Robert Green’s most controversial books. It’s rumored to be banned in schools and prisons because it shares the secrets to manipulation and power. However, my take on the book is less negative. I believe it’s a practical approach to understanding power dynamics so that you never fall victim to them. It’s also a great way to navigate business, sports, or social settings to get the best results. I recommend the 48 Laws of Power to anyone who is fascinated with power dynamics or wants to improve their social skills.
My favorite quote: “A person who cannot control his words shows that he cannot control himself, and is unworthy of respect.”
Formats: Kindle, Audiobook, Hardcover, Paperback, and Spiral-bound.
Price: From $10.00
Check the best price on Amazon.
5. Unf*ck Yourself by Gary John Bishop
Similar to other self-help books in this article, Unf*ck Yourself guides men into taking control of their lives and achieving the goals they set. However, it’s very practical and you’ll be able to find tools to help you overcome self-doubt, fear, and a negative mindset that might be holding you back. The main reason I recommend this book is that Bishop makes it clear we have the ability to change our lives by first changing our mindset. After reading hundreds of self-help books this is one of the core themes of self-improvement. Everything starts with a positive mindset and this book will teach you how to get there.
My favorite quote: “Remember, everything is solve-able, and if you can’t see a solution, it only means you haven’t worked it out yet.”
Formats: Kindle, Audiobook, Hardcover, Paperback, and Audio CD.
Price: From $8.71
Check the best price on Amazon.
6. The Unplugged Alpha by Richard Cooper
Richard Cooper is a Canadian entrepreneur best known for his Youtube channel Entrepreneurs in Cars. He’s a positive influence on men since he encourages them to chase excellence. Whilst most men in this space talk the talk, Cooper walks the walk. This is evident in his successful business ventures, his Youtube channel, his physique, and his exotic car collections. The Unplugged Alpha is an eye-opening and highly tactical book for guiding men in their relationships and life. The book covers the importance of maxing out your looks, money, and status.
My favorite quote: “Women don’t care about your struggles. They wait at the finish line and pick the winners.”
Formats: Kindle, Audiobook, and Paperback.
Price: From $7.42
Check the best price on Amazon.
7. The Obstacle is The Way by Ryan Holiday
Ryan Holiday is the American author responsible for the attention stoicism receives today. Some would argue that he sells stoicism as a life hack. He’s written many other best sellers, including The Daily Stoic, Ego is The Enemy, Trust Me I’m Lying and Discipline is Destiny. However, the most impactful book in my life was The Obstacle is The Way. You can expect to see ancient stoic philosophies applied to the modern world. Obstacles are necessary, they’re also an opportunity to grow and become more resilient. I recommend this book to any guy that’s currently facing a challenge or obstacle.
My favorite quote: “Focus on the moment, not the monsters that may or may not be up ahead.”
Formats: Kindle, Audiobook, Hardcover, and Paperback.
Price: From $6.06
Check the best price on Amazon.
8. The Rational Male by Rollo Tomassi
Rollo Tomassi is a well-known blogger and author who helps men unplug from the lies they’ve been told about women and relationships. The Rational Male is a healthy introduction to “red pill” content that is backed with relevant theory, philosophy, and sources. Tomassi shares his “nine iron rules” for success with women and life. The book does an excellent job of explaining the dynamics of the sexual marketplace. Tomassi also makes it clear that men must take full accountability for their lives if they want to increase their sexual market value.
My favorite quote: “Don’t wish things were easier, wish you were better.”
Formats: Kindle, Audiobook, and Paperback.
Price: From $10.21
Check the best price on Amazon.
9. Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins
David Goggins is a retired Navy SEAL and Air Force Tactical Air Control Party member. He’s been referred to as the “Hardest Mother Fu**er on Earth” and the only US Armed Forces member to complete US Navy SEAL training, US Army Ranger School, and Air Force Tactical Air Control training. In his book, Can’t Hurt Me, Goggins shares his own personal story of overcoming extreme adversity to become an elite athlete and motivational speaker.
My favorite quote: “You are in danger of living a life so comfortable and soft, that you will die without ever realizing your true potential.”
Formats: Kindle, Audiobook, Hardcover, and Paperback.
Price: From $9.88
Check the best price on Amazon.
10. Declutter Your Mind by S.J Scott
It’s no secret that we’re all burned out, unfocused, and stressed. Declutter Your Mind is an excellent choice for men who want to reduce stress, increase productivity, and improve their mental well-being. Scott gives practical guidance to help you navigate this journey, which is tougher than you might think. One of the core themes in this book is meditation, which is scientifically proven to improve your overall well-being. If you’re struggling to focus and you feel burned out give this book a read.
My favorite quote: “Numerous studies have indicated that people who put in too many hours at their jobs, either by choice or by requirement, become inefficient. With rare exceptions, they burn out and lose their creative edge.”
Formats: Kindle, Audiobook, Paperback.
Price: From $4.39
Check the best price on Amazon.
11. The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk
Bessel van der Kolk is a Psychiatrist and trauma expert exploring how the body and mind deal with trauma. The book provides practical advice and tools to help men who have experienced trauma heal and overcome the negative effects of their experiences. Van der Kolk provides a range of techniques, including yoga, meditation, journaling, and EMDR therapy, to help men heal and move forward in their lives. This was an unexpected read for me since it was randomly recommended by a friend. I think a lot of guys could improve their overall well-being by making time to read this.
My favorite quote: “As long as you keep secrets and suppress information, you are fundamentally at war with yourself…The critical issue is allowing yourself to know what you know. That takes an enormous amount of courage.”
Formats: Kindle, Audiobook, Hardcover, Paperback, and Spiral-bound.
Price: From $8.46
Check the best price on Amazon.
12. Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
Viktor E. Frankl was an Austrian Neurologist, Psychiatrist, and Holocaust survivor best known for helping people find meaning in life through logotherapy treatment. Man’s Search for Meaning is a powerful autobiography detailing Frankl’s experience as a prisoner in Nazi concentration camps. By applying his own logotherapy treatment to himself and other prisoners, Frankl demonstrated the significance of discovering meaning and purpose in promoting well-being and happiness.
My favorite quote: “Those who have a ‘why’ to live, can bear with almost any ‘how’.”
Formats: Kindle, Audiobook, Library Binding, Paperback, and Spiral-bound.
Price: From $10.37
Check the best price on Amazon.
13. The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday
Whilst I’m a big fan of Obstacle is The Way, The Daily Stoic gets an honorable mention. The Daily Stoic is another Ryan Holiday book exploring stoicism. The book is divided into 366 days of meditation on wisdom, perseverance, and the art of living. There are three key disciplines The Daily Stoic explores. The discipline of perception, the discipline of action, and the discipline of will. I recommend this book for guys that like the idea of stoicism and want to build a daily reading habit.
My favorite quote: “If a person gave away your body to some passerby, you’d be furious. Yet you hand over your mind to anyone who comes along, so they may abuse you, leaving it disturbed and troubled—have you no shame in that?”
Formats: Kindle, Audiobook, Hardcover, and Paperback.
Price: From $7.13
Check the best price on Amazon.
14. How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
Dale Carnegie was an American writer and lecturer, he’s also the face of the self-improvement space. How To Win Friends and Influence People was first published in 1936 and is still one of the best-selling self-help books of all time. Carnegie shares nine key principles that will literally help you win friends and influence people. One thing I found fascinating is the notion that people only really care about themselves and they often lack praise. It’s very easy to “win friends” when you know this.
My favorite quote: “The only way to influence people is to talk in terms of what they want.”
Formats: Kindle, Audiobook, Hardcover, Paperback, and Mass Market Paperback.
Price: From $0.30