100 books like The Earned Life

By Marshall Goldsmith, Mark Reiter,

Here are 100 books that The Earned Life fans have personally recommended if you like The Earned Life. Shepherd is a community of 10,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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

Carlos A. Zuluaga Author Of The Wisdom Factor: Reducing the Control of Bias, Threat, and Fear while Building a Better World

From my list on inspiring personal growth.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have been passionate about continuous learning and understanding why people act the way they do. The books I recommend cover the topic of continuous growth across different states and areas of life. 

Carlos' book list on inspiring personal growth

Carlos A. Zuluaga Why did Carlos love this book?

This is a great book for those interested in promoting change. I like how the book combines stories, examples, and engaging information to present practical strategies that have been used to accomplish change when it seemed difficult to achieve. 

Reading this book made me realize small actions can have significant long-term effects when taken consistently and repeatedly. It opened my eyes to the fact that sometimes complex problems require simple solutions. 

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 How to Win Friends and Influence People

Alex Edmans Author Of Grow the Pie: How Great Companies Deliver Both Purpose and Profit

From my list on living with purpose.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm a Professor of Finance who specialises in purposeful business and purposeful living. My work on the former shows how companies driven by purpose are ultimately more successful than those driven by profit alone. My interest in the latter stems partly from the former, but also from 20 years of teaching MBA students at MIT, Wharton, and London Business School. While my day job is to teach finance equations, often even more important to my students’ career success and life happiness is living with purpose. There are many self-proclaimed gurus on this topic who shoot from the hip, so I am particularly interested in books based on scientific research.

Alex's book list on living with purpose

Alex Edmans Why did Alex love this book?

Originally published in 1937, this was the original self-improvement book. Carnegie described it as a “practical, working handbook on human relations”.

After reading it, you might think that none of his tips are earth-shatteringly surprising, but you may not have thought of them before reading the book. This is indeed the mark of a great book – something that makes lots of sense after you read it (and so you’re most likely to put it into practice) but you wouldn’t have guessed yourself; and certainly would not have framed it in as clear and convincing manner as Carnegie.

By Dale Carnegie,

Why should I read it?

17 authors picked How to Win Friends and Influence People as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Millions of people around the world have - and continue to - improve their lives based on the teachings of Dale Carnegie. In How to Win Friends and Influence People Carnegie offers practical advice and techniques, in his exuberant and conversational style, for how to get out of a mental rut and make life more rewarding.

His advice has stood the test of time and will teach you how to:
- make friends quickly and easily
- increase your popularity
- win people to your way of thinking
- enable you to win new clients and customers
- become a…


Book cover of Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World

Havard Mela Author Of Digital Discipline: Choosing Life in the Digital Age of Excess

From my list on how we get distracted and how to reclaim your attention.

Why am I passionate about this?

As someone who has felt the consequences of spending too much time online on distractions, I am compelled to share how much better life can be when we are conscious of the time we spend online. In my early twenties, I experienced digital addiction. I managed to turn things around by cultivating discipline and finding purpose in life. In the process, I developed a deep interest in neuroscience and psychology. My book explains how you can take conscious control of your life in a practical way based on my experience backed up by research.

Havard's book list on how we get distracted and how to reclaim your attention

Havard Mela Why did Havard love this book?

Deep Work is an excellent book for realizing how detrimental the typical employee’s work habits of checking email every 5 minutes, constant meetings, and other distractions are to their ability to perform high-quality work. Newport also shares good suggestions for reclaiming your focus and doing what he calls “deep work.” 

The book strongly advocates for the importance of having as much time as possible without distractions to achieve flow and perform optimally. This book helped me become much more conscious about how I work.

By Cal Newport,

Why should I read it?

8 authors picked Deep Work as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Many modern knowledge workers now spend most of their brain power battling distraction and interruption, whether because of the incessant pinging of devices, noisy open-plan offices or the difficulty of deciding what deserves your attention the most. When Cal Newport coined the term 'deep work' on his popular blog, Study Hacks, in 2012, he found the concept quickly hit a nerve. Most of us, after all, are excruciatingly familiar with shallow work instead - distractedly skimming the surface of our workload and never getting to the important part. Newport began exploring the methods and mindset that foster a practice of…


Book cover of Think Like a Monk

Joe Hart Author Of Take Command: Find Your Inner Strength, Build Enduring Relationships, and Live the Life You Want

From my list on personal growth and building strong relationships.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a young man, I pursued law school and practiced with a major firm. However, it wasn't until I enrolled in a Dale Carnegie course that I discovered my true passion for personal growth and building strong relationships. Now, as the CEO of Dale Carnegie & Associates, I am dedicated to helping individuals and businesses unlock their full potential through personal growth. I believe that everyone has untapped potential, and with the right tools and mindset, they can achieve greatness.

Joe's book list on personal growth and building strong relationships

Joe Hart Why did Joe love this book?

This book by Jay Shetty combines ancient wisdom with practical advice that we can all apply to our lives.

Drawing on his time as a monk, Shetty provides insights and exercises that can help us overcome negative thoughts and habits, reduce stress, and access the calm and purpose that lie within all of us.

By developing these skills, we can improve our relationships and give the gifts we find in ourselves to the world.

Think Like a Monk is a must-read for anyone looking to live a more meaningful and fulfilling life.

Whether you're looking to improve your personal growth, build stronger relationships, or simply find more peace and purpose in your life, this book has something for everyone.

By Jay Shetty,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Think Like a Monk as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The Sunday Times Number One Bestseller

Jay Shetty, social media superstar and host of the #1 podcast 'On Purpose', distils the timeless wisdom he learned as a practising monk into practical steps anyone can take every day to live a less anxious, more meaningful life.

Over the past three years, Jay Shetty has become a favourite in the hearts and minds of millions of people worldwide. One of his clips was the most watched video on Facebook last year, with over 360 million views. His social media following totals over 32 million, he has produced over 400 viral videos, which…


Book cover of Everything Is Figureoutable

Tissa Richards Author Of No Permission Needed: Unlock Your Leadership Potential and Eliminate Self-Doubt

From my list on leveling up your leadership.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a TedX and keynote speaker, leadership expert, and corporate facilitator. I’m also a repeat software founder and CEO. I work extensively with Fortune 1000 and hyperscale organizations to connect leadership and culture directly to organizational outcomes, as well as diversifying C-suites and corporate boardrooms. I’m passionate about guiding leaders to measurable outcomes and helping others learn from failure (yes, it happens to all of us!) Over the years, I’ve learned the key is understanding and embodying your own values so you can build resilience for yourself as an individual, your team, and your organization as a whole. I hope my list of recommended books helps you do just that!

Tissa's book list on leveling up your leadership

Tissa Richards Why did Tissa love this book?

For many entrepreneurs, Marie Forleo is practically a household name – for over a decade, she’s been coaching those souls brave enough to take the leap into business ownership.

As entrepreneurs will tell you, a huge part of success has to do with your mindset. In this book, Marie outlines a key strategy for training your brain to overcome uncertainty and actionable tips to overcome everyday challenges, both big and small.

By Marie Forleo,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Everything Is Figureoutable as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

"This book will change lives."
--Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love

From the host of the award-winning MarieTV and The Marie Forleo Podcast, an indispensable handbook for becoming the creative force of your own life.

While most self-help books offer quick fixes, Everything is Figureoutable will retrain your brain to think more creatively and positively in the face of setbacks. In the words of Cheryl Strayed, it's "a must-read for anyone who wants to face their fears, fulfill their dreams, and find a better way forward."

If you're having trouble solving a problem…


Book cover of The 5 Second Rule: Transform Your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage

Kathleen Allen Author Of Entrepreneurship For Dummies

From my list on inspiring you to get off your butt and start a business.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have a real passion for entrepreneurship, so much so that I married an entrepreneur and produced two children who became entrepreneurs. During my 25 years as a professor in the Greif Entrepreneurship Center at the University of Southern California, one of the top programs in the U.S., I had the privilege of inspiring and mentoring hundreds of new entrepreneurs. I found my passion in technology businesses. I had the business skills needed to help scientists and engineers raise funding, bring their inventions to market, and build their companies. I managed to start and run four ventures of my own as well as write several books about entrepreneurship.

Kathleen's book list on inspiring you to get off your butt and start a business

Kathleen Allen Why did Kathleen love this book?

I enjoyed this book a lot because it’s full of so much actionable information.

A best-selling author and speaker, Robbins’ enthusiasm is contagious and if anything will get you off your butt and moving toward your goals, the five-second rule will do it.

It also works when you find yourself in situations that require some courage – like meeting a venture capitalist for the first time to pitch your business? Don’t let fear or lack of self-esteem keep you from doing what you know you want to do.

The secret is The 5 Second Rule, and this is the book that shares that secret.

By Mel Robbins,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The 5 Second Rule as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

National Bestseller!

As seen on The Today Show!

How to enrich your life and destroy doubt in 5 seconds.

Throughout your life, you've had parents, coaches, teachers, friends and mentors who have pushed you to be better than your excuses and bigger than your fears. What if the secret to having the confidence and courage to enrich your life and work is simply knowing how to push yourself?

Using the science of habits, riveting stories and surprising facts from some of the most famous moments in history, art and business, Mel Robbins will explain the power of a "push moment."…


Book cover of You Belong: A Call for Connection

Mike Albo Author Of Another Dimension of Us

From my list on putting you in a trance (in a good way).

Why am I passionate about this?

As a queer teenager, I loved reading because it transported me away from my oppressive reality and into another one. My friend, writer Virginia Heffernan, calls it ‘The Trance’—when you’re so into a book, time and space fall away. Recently I learned about the work of cognitive neuroscientist Maryanne Wolf, who writes that “deep reading” of dense, poetic works (not the “skimming” we’re always doing now in our digital culture) uses, remarkably, all areas of the brain—carving neuronal pathways, engendering empathy, imagination, self-reflection, and more. No-brainer: reading is really good for you. While there’s no lack of classics that can do this, here are obscurer titles that have put me in a trance.  

Mike's book list on putting you in a trance (in a good way)

Mike Albo Why did Mike love this book?

There’s no end of books out there on mindfulness and meditation. What I love about meditation teacher, writer, and thinker Sebene Selassie’s book is how funny, personal, awkward, and honest she is about her journey. Each chapter delivers a new perspective on how you—how we all—are connected, how disconnection is at the core of our suffering, and how the one way to get back to a sense of belonging is through the body, the breath, and presence. Selassie is that friend who gently leads you to look inward and understand the power and joy of connection.  

By Sebene Selassie,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked You Belong as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"A POWERFUL WORK OF SPIRITUALITY AND ANTI-RACISM"-Publishers Weekly

"IF YOU READ ONE BOOK IN 2020, MAKE IT THIS ONE."-Tricycle

From much-admired meditation expert Sebene Selassie, You Belong is a call to action, exploring our tangled relationship with belonging, connection, and each other

You are not separate. You never were. You never will be.

We are not separate from each other. But we don't always believe it, and we certainly don't always practice it. In fact, we often practice the opposite-disconnection and domination. From unconscious bias to "cancel culture," denial of our inherent interconnection limits our own freedom.

In You Belong,…


Book cover of More Than Happiness: Buddhist and Stoic Wisdom for a Sceptical Age

Jonas Salzgeber Author Of The Little Book of Stoicism: Timeless Wisdom to Gain Resilience, Confidence, and Calmness

From my list on modern books about Stoicism (even if they don't appear to be at first glance).

Why am I passionate about this?

Jonas Salzgeber is the bestselling author of The Little Book of Stoicism. His interest in the mystery of life has sculped him into a mindful reader & learner for almost a decade now. Together with his brother Nils they write at NJlifehacks.com and share what they find most valuable.

Jonas' book list on modern books about Stoicism (even if they don't appear to be at first glance)

Jonas Salzgeber Why did Jonas love this book?

This informative book looks at the similarities and differences between Buddhism and Stoicism. It provides a philosophical framework for those practicing mindfulness and interested in dealing more effectively with life’s challenges. Antonia Macaro has packed this book with wisdom and actionable steps to put it into practice right now. This lesser known book has definitely not yet received the attention it deserves.

By Antonia Macaro,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked More Than Happiness as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'This groundbreaking study provides a much-needed philosophical framework for those practising mindfulness as well as a call to recover the pragmatic and therapeutic dimensions of philosophy.' - Stephen Batchelor, author of After Buddhism and Secular Buddhism

Modern readers tend to think of Buddhism as spending time alone meditating, searching for serenity. Stoicism calls to mind repressing our emotions in order to help us soldier on through adversity. But how accurate are our popular understandings of these traditions? And what can we learn from them without either buying in wholeheartedly to their radical ideals or else transmuting them into simple self-improvement…


Book cover of We Were Made for These Times: Ten Lessons for Moving Through Change, Loss, and Disruption

Diana Winston Author Of The Little Book of Being: Practices and Guidance for Uncovering Your Natural Awareness

From my list on Buddhist stories from lesser-known women authors.

Why am I passionate about this?

There are so many good spiritual books out there that get little attention, especially books by women and women of color. I have been a meditation practitioner for three decades, running a mindfulness center at UCLA, and been teaching and sharing Buddhist and mindfulness teaching for 20+ years. I need my sources of inspiration too! Each of these books forced me to think—and brought new depth to my own meditation practice. I am interested in how the Buddhist and mindfulness teachings, which I love so deeply, can help us build resiliency and weather the challenges of the intersecting, current ecological, political and social crises. These books are a great start.

Diana's book list on Buddhist stories from lesser-known women authors

Diana Winston Why did Diana love this book?

This book of short essays is a “jewel” in its simplicity and timeliness. Each essay tackles Buddhist teachings through teaching stories, but also with a clear heart and guidance for living in these challenging times. Kaira Jewel is a trustworthy guide with a big, loving heart, who can help us navigate loss, loneliness, anxiety, disempowerment, and change. 

By Kaira Jewel Lingo,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked We Were Made for These Times as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In ten concise chapters, you'll learn powerful ways to meet life's challenges with wisdom, resilience, and ease.

We all go through times when it feels like the ground is being pulled out from under us. What we relied on as steady and solid may change or even appear to vanish. In this era of global disruption, threats to our individual, social, and planetary safety abound, and at times life can feel overwhelming. Not only are loss and separation painful, but even positive changes can cause great stress. 

Yet life is full of change: birth, death, marriage, divorce; a new relationship;…


Book cover of Good Vibes, Good Life: How Self-Love Is the Key to Unlocking Your Greatness

Ruby Dhal Author Of Dear Self

From my list on if you want to learn how to love yourself.

Why am I passionate about this?

I embarked on my very first healing journey at the age of 4, after I lost my mother. Through the years, I wanted nothing more than to live a happy life. It wasn’t until the age of 21 that I understood the reason for my pain and discomfort –the lack of love that I had for myself. I started writing about my emotions and sharing these pieces on an online blog. Within a few months, my page grew tremendously. I realised then that we’re all on various healing journeys, and most of us struggle with self-love, even if we look like we’ve got it ‘figured out’ – we still struggle. 

Ruby's book list on if you want to learn how to love yourself

Ruby Dhal Why did Ruby love this book?

This is one of the first self-help books I read that didn’t feel like too much ‘hard work’ and was still incredibly helpful. What I mean by that is that often self-help books can get a little too theoretical, or hard to digest, and this makes it difficult to uncover the tools that we need without getting lost in all the words. Vex’s book wasn’t like that at all. Vex King breaks down self-love into positive vibes, emphasising that the way to become your greatest self is to welcome and experience these good vibes in various areas of your life. Vex’s approach to self-love is to unpack concepts such as lifestyle, mindset, acceptance, manifestation, and good habits and what they can do to promote your best life. 

To love yourself, then, would be to ensure that you’ve adopted a healthy way of practising all, or most of the above. The…

By Vex King,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Good Vibes, Good Life as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The #1 Sunday Times bestselling non-fiction book of 2021 - over one million copies sold worldwide.

Join the self-love revolution with visionary writer Vex King and discover inspirational messages and universal wisdom to help you manifest positive vibes.

Vex overcame adversity to become a source of hope for thousands of young people, and now draws from his personal experience and his intuitive wisdom to inspire you to:

- practise self-care, overcome toxic energy and prioritize your wellbeing
- cultivate positive lifestyle habits, including mindfulness and meditation
- change your beliefs to invite great opportunities into your life
- manifest your…


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