Welcome to my list of the 21 best self-awareness books.
For each book in the list, you’ll find a short explanation of how it aims to improve your self-awareness.
Hopefully, it will help you decide the best books to use to take your self-awareness to the next level.
Let’s dive right into it.
1. Self-Aware: A Guide for Success in Work and Life, By Robert Pasick and Dunrie Greiling
This book mostly focuses on how self-awareness can help you become successful in work and in life.
However, the authors also review how self-awareness affects our physical body, our relationships with others and our spirituality, among other things.
There are lengthy sections on how to understand what we truly want in life, and how to go about getting it.
A great all-around guide to teach you about self-awareness for personal growth.
2. The Book of Awakening: Having the Life You Want by Being Present to the Life You Have, By Mark Nepo
This book aims to awaken you to the wonders of life by first making you aware of who you truly are.
The author has a range of different insights on why we feel emotions like pain, wonder and love.
The exercises in this book will help you to truly understand what it is to be alive and to savor the beauty of life.
3. Freedom, Abundance and Fulfillment: Taking Charge Of Your Life, By Ayelet Porat
As well as helping you gain a better understanding of your emotions, this book aims to motivate you to go after what you want in life.
It teaches you how to take charge of your life and change into the best version of yourself.
This book is the second in a two-book series. Previously, author Ayelet Porat published ‘The Joy Of Being Me’, which focuses on self-love and self-acceptance.
Related: Best Life Coaching Books You Should Read
4. Leading Yourself: A Guide to Increasing Self-Awareness, Self-Alertness, and Self-Leadership, By Zebulan Hundley
This book focuses on self-awareness to become a better leader of others. It features various exercises to gain a better understanding of your emotions, plus a masterclass on inspiring other people.
5. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change, By Stephen Covey
Bestselling author Stephen Covey had this book published in 1989, but it remains one of the most relevant self-help books for those looking to boost their productivity and success.
While learning how to adapt the habits of successful individuals, you’ll begin to see where you’re lacking and why.
Related:
Best NLP Books (Beginners & Professionals)
6. Self-Awareness: The Hidden Driver of Success and Satisfaction, By Travis Bradberry
This book challenges the idea that success is as simple as being “who you want to be”.
Author Travis Bradberry argues that many individuals have no idea who they really want to be, because so much of our identity is driven by external factors beyond our control.
After diving into this idea, the book offers different strategies for you to make the steps to be truly satisfied with your life.
7. Alchemy 365: A Self-Awareness Workbook, By Brenda Marroy
This book is packed with exercises to help you transform into your ideal self. Author Brenda Marroy argues that self-awareness – and knowing who you truly want to become – is the key to making this transformation.
In this 365-day workbook, you’ll discover stories illustrating why most of society fails to live the life they want, how easy it is to take the ‘safe’ option in life, and why looking for fulfilment externally will never work.
Related: BEST Self-Help Books For Men
8. The Ego Is The Enemy, By Ryan Holiday
A deep dive into how people let their ego define them, why this is bad to do, and how to resist it.
Everyone suffers from ego trips from time to time, even the world’s greatest leaders. As such, this book may be able to make a positive impact on everyone.
9. Awaken The Giant Within, By Tony Robbins
Author Tony Robbins is widely regarded as one of the best self-help gurus of all time.
Of all his books, Awaken The Giant Within should rank high on your reading list.
It explains how to awaken your ‘best self’ so you can go after everything you want in life.
By learning more about your inner giant, what stifles them and how to release them into the world, you’ll discover so much about your strengths and weaknesses.
10. Insight: The Power of Self-Awareness in a Self-Deluded World, By Tasha Eurich
In this book, the author uses several examples to illustrate how many men and women tend to lack self-awareness.
As you read, you’ll be urged to take a deeper look at yourself and the author does a great job of explaining how to do that.
11. Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ, By Daniel Goleman
The main idea of this book is that emotional intelligence should be more desirable than general knowledge, because this is more likely to make someone successful.
This deep dive into emotional intelligence will give you a good understanding of how you connect with others and why you act the way you do.
12. 7 Mindsets to Master Self-Awareness, By Elizabeth Diamond
In this book, you’ll learn 7 rules that will not only improve your self-understanding, but also your self-esteem. You can expect this book to make it easier to discover lasting happiness and peace throughout your life.
13. The Art Of Talking To Yourself, By Veronika Tugaleva
A self-help book for people who hate self-help books.
The author Veronika Tugaleva doesn’t claim to have all the answers, nor does she directly give advice too often.
However, she does present her life stories in an honest powerful way that encourages introspection from the reader. You can feel her emotions spilling onto the page, and this will warm you to her from the offset.
The underlying message of the book is that happiness and fulfilment is already inside you. You just need to find it.
Related: Best Books On Self-Discipline & Self Control
14. ME: A Self Awareness Journal for Women, By Nancy Richardson
This 12-month journal is aimed at women and features prompts to encourage all manners of introspection. By reading and filling out this journal, you’ll learn more about your moods and habits, how to be more grateful, how to set goals, how to stay inspired and a lot more.
This book will be particularly loved by creative minds. On top of that, it’s great for helping to ease the symptoms of anxiety and depression.
15. I Know MySELf: A Journal of Social Emotional Learning in Self Awareness, By Emilie Day Correa
This book is aimed at 5-to-11-year-old school students. You may want to read it with your children.
It’s packed with journal prompts that encourage them to develop stronger ideas of who they are and what makes them unique. These prompts are based on the Illinois Social Emotional Learning (SEL) standards.
16. The Resilience Journal: 100 Days of Mindful Gratitude, By Dr. Kathleen Green
Each page in this 100-day gratitude journal features prompts to inspire your daily entry. As well as inspiring gratitude, this journal aims to help you build resilience and gain a deeper understanding of your emotions.
17. NLP: The Essential Guide, By Tom Dotz & Tom Hoobyar
Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) is a set of psychological theories that help you to analyze and alter how people see the world through a conscious use of language.
This book acts as a great review of NLP basics. You can use it to understand why you experience specific thoughts and emotions.
More importantly, you’ll learn strategies to change your perspective of the world for the better.
18. StrengthsFinder 2.0, By Tom Rath
This book is a physical version of Gallup’s CliftonStrengths Assessment, which was first published in 2001 to help employees identify their unique strengths.
While most people tend to focus on their weaknesses when self-reflecting, this book will help you do the opposite.
It’s packed with hundreds of strategies for you to find and apply your personal strengths.
You’ll also receive a unique code to access a new version of the CliftonStrengths Assessment, which delivers you a personalised action plan for utilising your strengths in the weeks, months and years ahead.
19. The Self-Aware Universe: How Consciousness Creates the Material World, By Amit Goswami
In this book, theoretical quantum physicist Amit Goswani argues that it’s self-awareness – not matter – which creates the foundations of the universe.
The author does a brilliant job of simplfying quantum physics, while explaining the importance of self-consciousness.
After reading this book, you’ll come away with a deep understanding of how to combine matter and self-consciousness to create an improved life.
20. ENNEAGRAM: Embrace Your Life with Enneagram for Self-Discovery. How to Use Your Personality Type for Healthy Relationships, Spiritual Growth, Self-Acceptance, And Self-Awareness, By Morgan Heuertz.
Enneagram is one of the most popular personality tests on the planet. This book will teach you about the nine ENNEAGRAM personality types, how to discover your own personality type, and how your personality type relates with others.
Related: Best Napoleon Hill Books & Full List
21. The Power Of Now: A Guide To Spirital Enlightenment, By Eckhart Tolle
Meditiation is a powerful practice for introspection, and that’s why The Power Of Now is included on this list. It’s perhaps the most famous book on mediation. In fact, it may be the best-known self-improvement book.
In this book, you can expect to be taken on a journey to find your deepest, truest and best version, through a deep exploration of the mind, body and soul.
Eckart’s Tolle’s thoughts on exploring the present moment are life-changing.
Any Questions About These Self-Awareness Books?
I hope you get some value from my list of the best books for self-awareness.
If you think it will help others or you know someone who will find it useful, share it with your friends on social media.
Do you have a question about these self-awareness books? Maybe there are some books you’d like to add to my list.
Either way, get in touch via the comments section below.
Related Posts
Online Life Coach – The Complete Guide
