My favourite mindset books.
I love every single book on this page. I’d re-read every one of ‘em.
Personality isn’t Permanent
by Benjamin Hardy
One of the most inspiring books on behaviour or personality change. This book fuelled my belief that it’s possible to change your personality.
The Little Book of Big Change
by Amy Johnson
This book will sound spiritual and woo, but it also strongly aligns with the work of neuroscientists (a few of the books below have really similar messaging with way more science-y wording). What I love about this book is the number of metaphors and different ways that the author was able to communicate her message. Sometimes you really need to hear the same thing a bunch of different ways before you get it.
You Are Not Your Brain
by Jeffrey Schwartz MD
This aligns with the book above, but it’s based on a process created to retrain the OCD brain. It’s all about how to rewire new patterns / break old patterns in your brain.
Unwinding Anxiety
by Judson Brewer
This book is about rewiring anxiety through curiosity and playfulness, but most of the lessons apply to rewiring other habitual behaviours that don’t serve you. It’s heavily ACT-based.
Mindful Self-Discipline
by Giovanni Dienstmann and Roy F.
Look, this isn’t the type of book I would normally recommend, but this had some great gems and is heavily mindfulness-based. Ignore the gruff bits and take the good bits.
The Inner Game of Tennis
by W. Timothy Gallwey
I LOVED this book so much more than I expected to. It’s about the art of “non-doing”. Obviously, the author talks mostly about tennis, but it goes way beyond tennis. A huge mindset-shifting book.
The Expectation Effect
by David Robson
Anything about the placebo effect fascinates me - especially when it’s not packaged as a cure-all but a helpful tool that shouldn’t be ignored, as it is in this book. This is allll about how your expectations can influence your outcomes.
Dating Without Fear
by Thomas Smithyman, PhD
I’ve been lucky enough never to experience dating anxiety, which is what this book is about. However, if you experience any social anxiety, you’re going to find this book helpful. It has so much worthwhile, practical advice.
Re-Create Your Life
by Morty Lefkoe
This book probably oversells itself a little, but I vibe with the overall message! When applied, it can be really impactful.