Why am I passionate about this?

For the longest time, I was a big-time slacker. I assumed it was just who I was and that I couldn’t do much about it. But then, I stumbled across a few articles online claiming that you can develop your self-discipline. I wasn’t convinced, but I decided to give it a try. And to my surprise, some of the advice actually worked. That initial progress sparked a deep interest in self-discipline. I read tons of books on the topic, curated the best strategies, and taught them to others. And eventually, I wrote and published my best-seller, The Self-Discipline Blueprint.


I wrote

The Self-Discipline Blueprint: A Simple Guide to Beat Procrastination, Achieve Your Goals, and Get the Life You Want

By Patrik Edblad,

Book cover of The Self-Discipline Blueprint: A Simple Guide to Beat Procrastination, Achieve Your Goals, and Get the Life You Want

What is my book about?

I’ve helped hundreds of coaching clients and thousands of readers beat procrastination and achieve their goals. In this book, I…

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The books I picked & why

Book cover of The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles

Patrik Edblad Why did I love this book?

When I started writing, I struggled with being consistent. I used to wait for inspiration and rarely published anything. That completely changed after reading The War of Art. It taught me that everyone struggles with resistance. The only way to overcome it is to show up every day to do the work. So, I no longer wait for inspiration. I sit down every day and write — no matter if I feel like it or not.

By Steven Pressfield,

Why should I read it?

24 authors picked The War of Art as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A succinct, engaging, and practical guide forsucceeding in any creative sphere, The War ofArt is nothing less than Sun-Tzu for the soul.

What keeps so many of us from doing what we long to do?

Why is there a naysayer within? How can we avoid theroadblocks of any creative endeavor—be it starting up a dreambusiness venture, writing a novel, or painting a masterpiece?

Bestselling novelist Steven Pressfield identifies the enemy thatevery one of us must face, outlines a battle plan to conquer thisinternal foe, then pinpoints just how to achieve the greatest success.

The War of Art emphasizes the resolve…


Book cover of Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance

Patrik Edblad Why did I love this book?

Grit is your ability to stick with long-term goals. It’s what makes you keep going when things get difficult. I’ve always assumed that grit plays a big part in your success. But it wasn’t until I read this book that I realized how crucial this ability truly is. It taught me that grit is the best predictor of success that researchers have found. And it provided fascinating insights into how to improve my own grit.

By Angela Duckworth,

Why should I read it?

11 authors picked Grit as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

UNLOCK THE KEY TO SUCCESS

In this must-read for anyone seeking to succeed, pioneering psychologist Angela Duckworth takes us on an eye-opening journey to discover the true qualities that lead to outstanding achievement. Winningly personal, insightful and powerful, Grit is a book about what goes through your head when you fall down, and how that - not talent or luck - makes all the difference.

'Impressively fresh and original' Susan Cain


Book cover of Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard

Patrik Edblad Why did I love this book?

This was one of the first books I read about behavior change, and to this day, it’s one of the best. The authors, Dan and Chip Heath, present a simple model consisting of a rider on top of an elephant traveling a path. The rider represents your rational side, the elephant is your emotional side, and the path is your environment. And by strategically influencing all three, you can create the behavior change you want much more effectively.

By Dan Heath, Chip Heath,

Why should I read it?

7 authors picked Switch as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

___________________________________
Change is hard. It doesn't have to be.

We all know that change is hard. It's unsettling, it's time-consuming, and all too often we give up at the first sign of a setback.

But why do we insist on seeing the obstacles rather than the goal? This is the question that bestselling authors Chip and Dan Heath tackle in their compelling and insightful book. They argue that we need only understand how our minds function in order to unlock shortcuts to switches in behaviour.

Illustrating their ideas with scientific studies and remarkable real-life turnarounds - from the secrets of…


Book cover of Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything

Patrik Edblad Why did I love this book?

BJ Fogg is one of the world’s leading experts on behavior change. If you pick up any book habits, you’ll likely find several references to his work. So, when he published his own book on the topic, I was very eager to read it. And it sure didn’t disappoint. I learned a ton from this book. But my biggest takeaway was that “tiny is mighty.” If you start with a super-simple habit, it will grow naturally over time.

By Bj Fogg,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Tiny Habits as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Improving your life is much easier than you think. Whether it's losing weight, sleeping more, or restoring your work/life balance - the secret is to start small.

For years, we've been told that being more healthy and productive is a matter of willpower: that we should follow the latest fad and make constant changes to our lifestyles. But whether in our diets, fitness plans or jobs, radical overhauls never work. Instead we should start with quick wins - and embed new, tiny habits into our everyday routines.

The world expert on this is Silicon Valley legend BJ Fogg, pioneering research…


Book cover of A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy

Patrik Edblad Why did I love this book?

This is perhaps my favorite book of all time. The author, William Irvine, does an excellent job distilling the wisdom of ancient Stoic philosophy and explaining why it’s still useful today. The most important idea in Stoicism is to focus on what’s within your control and let go of what’s not. But that’s far from everything I learned in this phenomenal book. It’s a treasure trove of timeless advice for taking control of your thoughts, emotions, and actions.

By William B. Irvine,

Why should I read it?

6 authors picked A Guide to the Good Life as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

One of the great fears many of us face is that despite all our effort and striving, we will discover at the end that we have wasted our life. In A Guide to the Good Life, William B. Irvine plumbs the wisdom of Stoic philosophy, one of the most popular and successful schools of thought in ancient Rome, and shows how its insight and advice are still remarkably applicable to modern lives.

In A Guide to the Good Life, Irvine offers a refreshing presentation of Stoicism, showing how this ancient philosophy can still direct us toward a better life. Using…


Explore my book 😀

The Self-Discipline Blueprint: A Simple Guide to Beat Procrastination, Achieve Your Goals, and Get the Life You Want

By Patrik Edblad,

Book cover of The Self-Discipline Blueprint: A Simple Guide to Beat Procrastination, Achieve Your Goals, and Get the Life You Want

What is my book about?

I’ve helped hundreds of coaching clients and thousands of readers beat procrastination and achieve their goals. In this book, I lay out the complete step-by-step guide to developing relentless self-discipline.

You’ll discover the four fundamental ”keystone habits” of self-discipline and 15 powerful strategies to achieve anything you set your mind to — without feeling overworked or overwhelmed!

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in change, self-actualization, and procrastination?

Change 40 books
Self-Actualization 224 books
Procrastination 16 books