Self-help books aren't only for adults. Whether you're looking to get a new perspective, glow up in every aspect of life before the new school year, learn new habits that will serve you for a lifetime, or just figure out “why the hype?”, we have a curated list of self-help books for you. Some of them are funny — after all, self-help book authors can come off just a slight bit snobbish. Some are an interesting read, and some will genuinely change your life.
Hidden Potential by Adam Grant
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Hidden Potential's author is Adam Grant, a professor at the The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. If you've ever thought that it was too late to learn a new language, or pick up a new sport, or achieve your full potential, Grant will have you convinced otherwise by the end of his book.
Grant's book is perfect for people who don't just want to learn the how but also the why: drawing on statistics, psychology, easy-to-understand diagrams, and anecdotal examples, this book will teach you how to shift your mindset in the next chapter of your life. Even though I stumbled upon this book because I had to read it for an AP Psych summer assignment, I found it extremely enjoyable and would highly recommend it.
Favorite quote from Hidden Potential: “Being reactive and ego-driven is a surefire way to short-circuit learning.”
How to Make Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
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If you've ever ventured into the world of self-help, you've certainly heard of Dale Carnegie. Carnegie wrote many self-improvement books in his life, but his magnus opus is arguably How to Win Friends and Influence People — a must-read for anyone regardless of where they are in life. Though it was published over a hundred years ago, its wisdom continues to hold true to this day. Carnegie writes with dramatic flair, and this book will make you laugh just as much as it will impart lasting wisdom on you.
Dale Carnegie's daughter, Donna Carnegie, recently wrote a sequel to her father's novel titled How to Win Friends and Influence People for Teen Girls. If you're interested in a more modern take on Carnegie's revolutionary novel, look no further!
Favorite quote from How to Win Friends and Influence People: “If you tell me how you get your feeling of importance, I'll tell you what you are.”
Atomic Habits by James Clear
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If How to Win Friends and Influence People are the tried-and-true methods for self-improvement, James Clear's Atomic Habits is the modern playbook for overwhelmed, stressed, busy people in the twenty-first century. This novel has been going viral in recent years, and for good reason.
Clear writes in an objective, no-nonsense style, introducing new terminology like systems and habits, which mean something else entirely in the world Clear builds bit by bit in his novel. If you want to understand how your daily habits compound into the person that you are and get a high-level overview of your life, this is the book for you.
Favorite quote from Atomic Habits: “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey
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If you're looking for self-help resources directed at teens and not adults, then Covey's book is perfect for you. Its format is very different from traditional self-help books, featuring 52 cards for motivation and growth (one for each week of the year!), which may be more digestible for many teenagers who don't have the time to read a full-length novel. This book is perfect for ambitious teenagers with big dreams who want balance in their lives without having to sacrifice productivity.
Favorite quote from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens: "“Don't wait until people are dead to give them flowers.”
The Skinny On Series
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Want a book that's fun, easy to read, and can be read in an hour? Check out the Skinny On series by Jim Randel! The Skinny On series has books on time management, willpower, creativity, and so much more. The best part: it's told through a cartoon format with stick figures! As one reviewer wrote: “Reading The Skinny on Time Management was like listening to a friend recount his experiences, rather than a professor giving a lecture.”
Favorite quote from The Skinny on Time Management: “An hour is not an hour is not an hour.”
Aside from books, of course, there are plenty of self-help resources out there! YouTubers can also be a valuable source of information, not to mention blogs and biographies. One thing all the aforementioned self-help books mention is the value of education: by being proactive in seeking out self-improvement resources, you will be well on your way to achieving your goals. We wish you the best of luck!
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