One app for all your study abroad needs
Did you know that How to Win Friends and Influence People is selling even after 100 years of being written, or that The Alchemist was a commercial failure but became a success later on? Like these books, several self-help books have stood the test of time. The greatest self-help books of all time are great because they have helped to inspire, motivate, and transform the lives of millions of people. The insights from these books help us navigate life better. Are you planning to pick up a self-help book to read? Why not choose from these timeless classics?
Table of Contents
- 1 Top 10 Greatest Self Help Books of All Time
- 1.1 The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
- 1.2 How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie
- 1.3 The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
- 1.4 Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
- 1.5 The Four Agreements by Miguel Ruiz
- 1.6 Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
- 1.7 The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
- 1.8 The Reframe: Reframe Relationships by Brian Maddox
- 1.9 How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie
- 1.10 The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
- 2 FAQs
| S.No | Name of the Book | Author Name | Date of Publication | No. of Books Sold |
| 1 | The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People | Stephen R. Covey | 1989 | Over 40 million |
| 2 | How to Win Friends & Influence People | Dale Carnegie | 1936 | Over 30 million |
| 3 | The Secret | Rhonda Byrne | 2006 | Over 30 million |
| 4 | Think and Grow Rich | Napoleon Hill | 1937 | Over 100 million |
| 5 | The Four Agreements | Miguel Ruiz | 1997 | Over 10 million |
| 6 | Man’s Search for Meaning | Viktor E. Frankl | 1946 (English: 1959) | Over 16 million |
| 7 | The Power of Now | Eckhart Tolle | 1997 | Over 3 million (NA only) |
| 8 | The Reframe: Reframe Relationships | Brian Maddox | Not specified | Not specified |
| 9 | How to Stop Worrying and Start Living | Dale Carnegie | 1948 | Over 6 million |
| 10 | The Alchemist | Paulo Coelho | 1988 | Over 65 million |
Top 10 Greatest Self Help Books of All Time
Here is a list of the greatest self-help books. This list is based on Glassdoor reviews submitted by readers worldwide. Therefore, when you are choosing any of these books, you can be certain that you will gain valuable insights.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is the greatest self-help book of all time. Since it was written, more than 40 million copies of this book have been sold worldwide. As the name suggests, it highlights 7 principles that can be applied to your personal and professional life.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is a book that has been translated into more than 50 languages. Even former US president Bill Clinton has read this book and has invited Stephen R. Covey to discuss implementing the basic principles.
How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie
How to Win Friends and Influence People is a masterpiece on human relations. This is also the greatest self-help books of all time. By reading this book, you will understand the importance of empathy, active listening, and how to make people feel valued. More than 30 million copies of this book have been sold worldwide. Since it was first published, it has never been out of print! It has influenced leaders like Mary Kay Ash and Lee Iacocca.
The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
The Secret is considered one of the greatest self help books of all time. The book emphasises positive thinking and the power of manifestation. You will learn mainly about the law of attraction and how it works. The Secret became so popular that even a documentary film was made about it. The book has remained on The New York Times bestseller list for 190 weeks!
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill is also in the list of the greatest self help books of all time. This is a classic book of the Depression era. The book highlights the principles of success taken from interviews with famous people like Andrew Carnegie. This book was not written randomly, Instead, Napoleon Hill spent 20 years researching the habits of successful people to write the book. For example, he had interviewed Henry Ford and even Thomas Edison!
The Four Agreements by Miguel Ruiz
The Four Agreements is a book that is rooted in Toltec wisdom. The book asks the reader to emphasise four life-changing agreements. They are– You need to be impeccable with your word, don’t make assumptions, don’t take things personally, and always do your best. Miguel Ruiz, a surgeon, wrote the book after a near-fatal car accident that changed his perspective on life. After endorsement by Oprah Winfrey, this became a bestseller.
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
The Man’s Search for Meaning is another one of the greatest self help books of all time. This international bestseller is written by a Holocaust survivor. The memoir talks about the importance of finding purpose through suffering. The author also talks about the psychological theory of logotherapy. Did you know this book was only written in 9 days? It is considered the most influential book in the United States.
The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
The Power of Now is one of the greatest self help books of all time. Eckhart Tolle explains that spiritual enlightenment encourages people to live truly in the moment. That is, to free themselves from future anxieties and past regrets. The book was written after Tolle had a spiritual awakening at 29 following years of depression. The book has sold more than 3 million copies in North America itself!
The Reframe: Reframe Relationships by Brian Maddox
The Reframe: Reframe Relationships is a book that emphasises transforming relationships through mindset shifts. Besides this, communication strategies are offered. Brian Maddox has written this book based on 20 years of experience. The title of the book was based on a client’s breakthrough during a therapy session. This is one of the greatest self help books of all time, and is popular among relationship coaches.
How to Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie
How to Stop Worrying and Start Living is a timeless classic that offers advice for overcoming anxiety and choosing to live a stress-free life. You can read real-life stories from historical figures like Abraham Lincoln and Winston Churchill. Before publishing this gem, Carnegie had tested his techniques on his students in his workshops. The book is so effective that the principles outlined are used in therapy and in mental health workshops.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
The Alchemist is one of the greatest self help books of all time. Paulo Coelho, in this book, talks about the shepherd’s quest for treasure (referring to the pursuit of one’s “Personal Legend’’). The interesting thing is that this book was rejected, and was only able to sell 900 copies in the first year. However, later on, the sales reached 65 million!
As per Paulo Coelho, the book was already written in his heart. Therefore, he wrote it within 2 weeks! Madonna and Will Smith are some of the popular readers of the book.
Also Read: Facts About Famous Children’s Books: 15+ Fun Facts for Kids
FAQs
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, How to Win Friends & Influence People, and The Secret are considered the top 3 self-improvement books according to readers. However, other books like The Four Agreements and The Power of Now are also effective and popular.
Tony Robbins is considered the most famous motivational speaker. He is most famous in the self-help industry. You can check out his infomercials, books, and even live events.
The Atomic Habits, The Expectation Effect, So Good They Can’t Ignore You, and The Upside of Stress are some of the most life-changing books. Other life-changing books are The Alchemist, The Power of Now, and How to Win Friends and Influence People.
The best books of all time are To Kill a Mockingbird, Pride and Prejudice, The Great Gatsby, 1984, and Anna Karenina. Harry Potter is a best-selling fictional novel that you can read.
George Orwell’s 1984 is a science fiction novel that has been able to predict the future. The book was written more than 70 years ago.
Related Reads
These are the greatest self help books of all time. If you find it fascinating and wish to read more such interesting facts, then stay tuned to the General Knowledge page of Leverage Edu.
