100 books like What Happy People Know

By Cameron Stauth, Dan Baker,

Here are 100 books that What Happy People Know fans have personally recommended if you like What Happy People Know. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of First, Break All the Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently

Scott Greenberg Author Of Stop the Shift Show: How to Turn Your Struggling Hourly Workers Into a Top-Performing Team

From my list on managing employees and building teams.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m fascinated with the relationship between personal growth and professional performance. Why is it in the same environment, doing the same work, some people can excel while others struggle? Most chalk it up to external circumstances that can’t be controlled. Others focus on tactics. But I’ve learned top-performers are masters at the human side of their work–the way they think, lead and serve–and that’s what gives them their edge. All of my work centers around infusing hard skills with improved soft skills, and getting better results in the process. That’s the stuff I find delicious, and it’s what I speak and write about.

Scott's book list on managing employees and building teams

Scott Greenberg Why did Scott love this book?

There’s no shortage of books on management, but many rely too much on conjecture. This book pulls in hard data derived from Gallup's in-depth research, research I respect so much I reference it in my work. It offers a fresh perspective on what separates great managers from the pack.

I especially appreciated the way it focuses on employees' strengths. Any leadership approach that encourages managers to adapt to individuals is one I can get behind. 

By Marcus Buckingham, Curt Coffman,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked First, Break All the Rules as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Gallup presents the remarkable findings of its revolutionary study of more than 80,000 managers in First, Break All the Rules, revealing what the world's greatest managers do differently. With vital performance and career lessons and ideas for how to apply them, it is a must-read for managers at every level.

Included with this re-release of First, Break All the Rules: updated meta-analytic research and access to the Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment, which reveals people's top themes of talent, and to Gallup's Q12 employee engagement survey, the most effective measure of employee engagement and its impact on business outcomes.

What separates the…


Book cover of Scaling Up: How a Few Companies Make It...and Why the Rest Don't

Tom Salonek Author Of The 100: Building Blocks for Business Leadership

From my list on practical, hands-on business leadership.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm the Founder and CEO of Intertech, an IT firm I started over 30 years ago. I've written three books and more than 100 articles on business, leadership, and technology. Intertech has won over 50 awards for growth, workplace best practices, and employee engagement including being named one of the Best 30 Employers in Tech by Fortune Magazine and one of the Top 10 Consulting firms in America by Consulting Magazine.  

Tom's book list on practical, hands-on business leadership

Tom Salonek Why did Tom love this book?

I learned from Verne firsthand at two separate multi-year courses at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology that were held for high-growth entrepreneurs.

In Scaling Up, he lays out what needs to be done at different stages/sizes of an organization to move to the next level. Like the other books I've recommended, he provides candid advice and practical ways to implement the ideas outlined in the book.

By Verne Harnish,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Winner of the International Book Awards for General Business


Winner of the Readers' Favorite International Book Award for Non-Fiction Business



It’s been over a decade since Verne Harnish’s best-selling book Mastering the Rockefeller Habits was first released. Scaling Up (Rockefeller Habits 2.0) is the first major revision of this business classic which details practical tools and techniques for building an industry-dominating business. This book is written so everyone — from frontline employees to senior executives — can get aligned in contributing to the growth of a firm. Scaling Up focuses on the four major decision areas every company must get…


Book cover of Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business

Scott Greenberg Author Of Stop the Shift Show: How to Turn Your Struggling Hourly Workers Into a Top-Performing Team

From my list on managing employees and building teams.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m fascinated with the relationship between personal growth and professional performance. Why is it in the same environment, doing the same work, some people can excel while others struggle? Most chalk it up to external circumstances that can’t be controlled. Others focus on tactics. But I’ve learned top-performers are masters at the human side of their work–the way they think, lead and serve–and that’s what gives them their edge. All of my work centers around infusing hard skills with improved soft skills, and getting better results in the process. That’s the stuff I find delicious, and it’s what I speak and write about.

Scott's book list on managing employees and building teams

Scott Greenberg Why did Scott love this book?

What I loved about this book was its very systemized approach to evaluating and improving an organization.

I’m interested in the human elements of business, and this book places great emphasis on aligning the right people with the right roles, totally gelling with my philosophy. It simplifies the process of strategic planning. EOS has become quite common in the business world, and this book spells out exactly how to move through it.

Really good stuff here. 

By Gino Wickman,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Do you have a grip on your business, or does your business have a grip on you? All entrepreneurs and business leaders face similar frustrations--personnel conflict, profit woes, and inadequate growth. Decisions never seem to get made, or, once made, fail to be properly implemented. But there is a solution. It's not complicated or theoretical.The Entrepreneurial Operating System(R) is a practical method for achieving the business success you have always envisioned. More than 2,000 companies have discovered what EOS can do. In Traction, you'll learn the secrets of strengthening the six key components of your business. You'll discover simple yet…


Book cover of Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us

Scott Greenberg Author Of Stop the Shift Show: How to Turn Your Struggling Hourly Workers Into a Top-Performing Team

From my list on managing employees and building teams.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m fascinated with the relationship between personal growth and professional performance. Why is it in the same environment, doing the same work, some people can excel while others struggle? Most chalk it up to external circumstances that can’t be controlled. Others focus on tactics. But I’ve learned top-performers are masters at the human side of their work–the way they think, lead and serve–and that’s what gives them their edge. All of my work centers around infusing hard skills with improved soft skills, and getting better results in the process. That’s the stuff I find delicious, and it’s what I speak and write about.

Scott's book list on managing employees and building teams

Scott Greenberg Why did Scott love this book?

Finally, someone has revealed the truth about what really motivates people.

Pink challenges traditional motivational techniques and sheds light on the key drivers of high performance. My clients complain a lot about their employees, and often it’s because they don’t understand them as well as they think they do. I’m grateful to have people like Daniel Pink out their sharing the insights people need to become better bosses who can lead better teams.

Really good read. 

By Daniel H. Pink,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

The New York Times bestseller that gives readers a paradigm-shattering new way to think about motivation from the author of When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing

Most people believe that the best way to motivate is with rewards like money—the carrot-and-stick approach. That's a mistake, says Daniel H. Pink (author of To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Motivating Others). In this provocative and persuasive new book, he asserts that the secret to high performance and satisfaction-at work, at school, and at home—is the deeply human need to direct our own lives, to learn and create new things,…


Book cover of Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment

Chase Mielke Author Of The Burnout Cure: Learning to Love Teaching Again

From my list on making teaching suck a little less.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a veteran teacher, instructional coach, and speaker. I’ve dealt with the bull crap and beauty of education for a decade and a half. As such, I’m dedicated to helping educators find their love of this work, even amidst the struggles. I’m a columnist for Education Leadership and host of the Educator Happy Hour podcast. I travel all over the world to help teachers and school leaders learn the science of well-being so they can be at their best in order to give their best, even on full-moon, post-holiday, “WIFI crashed” days of student chaos.

Chase's book list on making teaching suck a little less

Chase Mielke Why did Chase love this book?

Another happiness book!? Okay, if a philosophical book on the “art” of happiness isn’t your cup of Tibetan tea, then how about the science of happiness? Dr. Martin Seligmann is considered the founder of positive psychology – a movement to understand not just what’s wrong with people but what’s right. 

Though Seligman has written a few books over the decades on the research of well-being, I think Authentic Happiness is the best introduction to the many studies helping us find more meaning, engagement, and joy. My favorite part is that Seligman seems like a “natural grouch” – like a guy who didn’t want to believe in positive psychology but couldn’t ignore the robust research showing that we can change our well-being. Reading this is like chatting with the gruff, 40-year-teaching-veteran who is chock full of stories, wisdom, and insights to look at and live life differently.

By Martin E. P. Seligman,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

A national bestseller, Authentic Happiness launched the revolutionary new science of Positive Psychology—and sparked a coast-to-coast debate on the nature of real happiness.

According to esteemed psychologist and bestselling author Martin Seligman, happiness is not the result of good genes or luck. Real, lasting happiness comes from focusing on one’s personal strengths rather than weaknesses—and working with them to improve all aspects of one’s life. Using practical exercises, brief tests, and a dynamic website program, Seligman shows readers how to identify their highest virtues and use them in ways they haven’t yet considered. Accessible and proven, Authentic Happiness is the…


Book cover of The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can't Stand Positive Thinking

Kara Loewentheil Author Of Take Back Your Brain: How a Sexist Society Gets in Your Head--and How to Get It Out

From my list on women to feel confident, powerful, and brave.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve been a professional feminist since I had a profession. I spent the first half of my career advocating for women's equality as a reproductive rights attorney and academic. I’ve spent the second half teaching women how to liberate themselves from the inside out as a feminist mindset coach, host of the UnF*ck Your Brain podcast, and founder of The School of New Feminist Thought. These books were all crucial in helping me create more confidence and more power to impact the course of my own life, and I know they will help you do the same. 

Kara's book list on women to feel confident, powerful, and brave

Kara Loewentheil Why did Kara love this book?

This was one of the first books I ever read that showed me that there was an intelligent way to do self-help. I have always been interested in how to make it easier and more fulfilling to experience my human life, but I was always allergic to the watered-down or overly simplified takes of many self-help books out there.

But this book was well-reasoned, logical, rational, and smart, and it showed me that it was worthwhile to work on changing my perspective and my thinking without having to be delusional or in denial. It was the gateway book I needed at my most skeptical to start down the path of emotional and mental growth and self-improvement that transformed my life. 

By Oliver Burkeman,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked The Antidote as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Self-help books don't seem to work. Few of the many advantages of modern life seem capable of lifting our collective mood. Wealth—even if you can get it—doesn't necessarily lead to happiness. Romance, family life, and work often bring as much stress as joy. We can't even agree on what "happiness" means. So are we engaged in a futile pursuit? Or are we just going about it the wrong way?

Looking both east and west, in bulletins from the past and from far afield, Oliver Burkeman introduces us to an unusual group of people who share a single, surprising way of…


Book cover of The Happiness Advantage: How a Positive Brain Fuels Success in Work and Life

Matt Phelan Author Of The Happiness Index: Why Today's Employee Emotions Equal Tomorrow's Business Success

From my list on workplace happiness.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm Matt Phelan, and I've always been fascinated by how people think and feel, especially in the workplace. That's why I co-founded The Happiness Index, where we use data to help organizations understand and improve their workplace culture. I love exploring the connection between happiness and performance, and I'm eager to share the insights I've gained along the way. 

Matt's book list on workplace happiness

Matt Phelan Why did Matt love this book?

This book highlights the science behind positive psychology and its impact on workplace success. It demonstrates how happiness fuels productivity, creativity, and resilience, leading to improved performance and better outcomes.

By cultivating positive emotions and fostering strong relationships, you can create a more supportive and enjoyable work environment for everyone.

By Shawn Achor,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Most people want to be successful in life. And of course, everyone wants to be happy. When it comes to the pursuit of success and happiness, most people assume the same formula: if you work hard, you will become successful, and once you become successful, then you'll be happy. The only problem is that a decade of cutting-edge research in the field of positive psychology has proven that this formula is backwards. Success does not beget happiness.

Based on the largest study ever conducted on happiness and human potential (a survey conducted by the author of more than 1,600 students),…


Book cover of The How of Happiness: A New Approach to Getting the Life You Want

Chris West Author Of The Karpman Drama Triangle Explained: A Guide for Coaches, Managers, Trainers, Therapists – and Everybody Else

From my list on really helpful psychology.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have always been fascinated by human behaviour since going to a school where we were told there was a right and a wrong way to do everything. That never felt right to me – human beings are much bigger than that! I studied Counselling and Therapy at Norwich City College in the 1990s and later specific courses on Transactional Analysis. Many years on, I am still learning…

Chris' book list on really helpful psychology

Chris West Why did Chris love this book?

This book is based on the science of Positive Psychology, not just helpful tips from someone nice.

Since 1980, lots of serious research has been done on what behaviours and mindsets really make people happy – and the results are all here, in this clear, well-presented book. I dip back into this book regularly.

By Sonja Lyubomirsky,

Why should I read it?

4 authors picked The How of Happiness as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The key tenet of THE HOW OF HAPPINESS is that every human being has a happiness 'set point' which, depending on how high or low it is, can determine how positive or negative they feel. This book offers a practical approach to help readers increase their set point, and find a level of happiness above that which they would normally feel, and feel more satisfaction in life.

Based on scientific research and trials, this is a groundbreaking book that offers a practical plan to enable readers to achieve a more positive outlook at home, at work and in their personal…


Book cover of Resilient: How to Grow an Unshakable Core of Calm, Strength, and Happiness

Kate Truitt Author Of Healing In Your Hands: Self-Havening Practices to Harness Neuroplasticity, Heal Traumatic Stress, and Build Resilience

From my list on healing trauma and building resilience.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a clinical psychologist and neuroscientist, I have dedicated my life to understanding and healing the wounds of trauma and stress. My passion comes from witnessing the power of blending neuroscience with therapy in my personal and professional life. The resilience and healing I see daily inspire me. My work empowers individuals to reclaim their mental health and build resilient minds. This curated book list reflects my commitment to accessible, actionable tools for self-healing and growth. I believe mental health is a human right, though access to therapy is a privilege. These authors offer empowering, insightful works to put healing into everyone’s hands.

Kate's book list on healing trauma and building resilience

Kate Truitt Why did Kate love this book?

This book offers practical strategies for building inner strength and emotional stability. I love how Hanson combines the science of neuroplasticity with accessible, actionable steps for fostering resilience. His warm and engaging writing style makes complex concepts relatable, and the exercises can be easily integrated into daily life.

I find Hanson’s emphasis on the power of small, consistent practices to create lasting change both encouraging and motivating. This book has been a valuable companion in my personal and professional life, and I strongly recommend it for building resilience and finding calm amidst life’s challenges.

By Rick Hanson, Forrest Hanson,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Your key to lasting happiness, self-love and inner peace

'A master of his craft' - Prof Mark Williams, bestselling author of Mindfulness: a practical guide to finding peace in a frantic world

Rick Hanson, author of the New York Times bestselling Hardwiring Happiness, is known for his trademark blend of neuroscience, positive psychology and contemplative practices. In Resilient, he explains how to build the very foundations of well-being by harnessing the power of positive experiences to build an unshakeable core.

Dr. Hanson poses that anyone can build up resilience, the key to a positive mindset, unshakeable sense of self and…


Book cover of Happier Being: Your Path to Optimizing Habits, Health & Happiness

Jocelyn Davis Author Of Insubordinate: 12 New Archetypes for Women Who Lead

From my list on women done with leaning in.

Why am I passionate about this?

On Jan 30, 2013, I was sacked for "insubordination." No notice, no severance. My bosses threatened the other employees with dismissal if they talked to me. I'd been at the company for decades, rising from entry level to the executive team; after years of striving, it was a devastating blow. Once I picked myself up, I realized I’d leaned in so far, I’d toppled over. So I set off on a new path. Today, I have a master’s degree in Eastern classics, four leadership books, and one historical novel, and I’m committed to helping high achievers—women, especially—find their own paths to happy success: paths beyond “lean in.”

Jocelyn's book list on women done with leaning in

Jocelyn Davis Why did Jocelyn love this book?

If you want to be happy, the first thing you need to do is put happiness first.

“But what if I’m a type-A achiever who wants a big title and salary?” you ask. That’s great! People find happiness in all sorts of things, and maybe a corner office is your jam. The point, says Dr. Tal Leead, is to prioritize the purposes, activities, and relationships that bring joy to your life.

We can’t always avoid doing stuff we don’t enjoy, but we can make a mental shift to create our unique, soul-deep definition of happiness—and pursue it. This simple shift to a Happier Being mindset has helped me more than all the to-do lists, success seminars, and exhortations to “lean in.”

Book cover of First, Break All the Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently
Book cover of Scaling Up: How a Few Companies Make It...and Why the Rest Don't
Book cover of Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business

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