What are the best books on mindset?
As a real estate coach for my entire adulthood and a lifelong student of optimizing productivity, I’ve read hundreds of the best real estate books and books for success to come out in the last century.
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But Tom, why dedicate so much time to reading about something as straightforward as mindset? Isn’t one system enough to follow?
That’s one perspective, but I’m not interested in seeing things from just one angle. The mind tends to settle into a routine, becoming rigid and complacent. We must prevent that, and that’s why reading is crucial. It keeps you dynamic, adaptable, and motivated.
Harry S. Truman once remarked, “Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers.”
This blog focuses on the best books for mindset. It covers the essentials of both leadership and reading – the books that teach you self-leadership. I’ll introduce you to 18 of the top books on mindset, helping you build a strong foundation to tackle and excel in whatever challenges life presents.
What is your mindset?
Your mindset is the way you think, perceive challenges, and approach success. It shapes how you respond to opportunities, setbacks, and growth. A positive, growth-oriented mindset allows you to embrace challenges, learn from failures, and continually improve. Books on mindset can help you develop and refine this way of thinking, offering valuable insights and strategies to shift limiting beliefs and unlock your full potential. By cultivating the right mindset, you can overcome obstacles and achieve personal and professional success.
Why are books on mindset such good reads?
Books on mindset are essential for anyone looking to grow personally and professionally. These real estate books and mindset books delve into the psychology of success, helping you shift your thinking to unlock your full potential. From Carol Dweck’s "Mindset" on growth versus fixed mindsets to Eckhart Tolle’s "The Power of Now," these reads offer practical strategies for overcoming challenges and achieving your goals. Whether in real estate or life, mindset books provide the tools to boost resilience and transform your approach to success.
So, let’s dive right in…
1: Think & Grow Rich – Napoleon Hill
The most famous book on mindset and getting rich is also the best.
You’ve probably heard me or others mention this one before, and it’s no surprise that it tops this list. Written in 1937, the principles in this book are just as relevant today as they were then. It offers a complete system for creating success and financial abundance in your life, and it all starts with your mindset and the power of your thoughts.
2: Psycho-Cybernetics – Maxwell Maltz
Maxwell Maltz, a plastic surgeon, noticed that many of his patients believed their lack of confidence and inability to succeed in life stemmed from a physical feature. However, after surgery, most patients still struggled with the same mindset issues, experiencing only minimal change. Maltz realized that transforming one’s mindset and self-image had a far greater impact than any surgery could. In his book, he shares his groundbreaking method for changing mindset, helping individuals unlock their true potential and achieve lasting success.
This book on mindset provides powerful insights into how your mindset shapes your life.
3: The Science of Getting Rich – Wallace D. Wattles
“There is a thinking stuff from which all things are made… A thought in this substance produces the thing that is imagined… Man can form things in his thoughts, and by impressing his thoughts upon formless substance can cause the thing he thinks about to be created. In order to do this, man must pass from the competitive to the creative mind…”
That’s the general essence of this book on mindset. Wattles explains that getting rich isn’t an art; it’s a science. And just like a science, when you combine the right elements, you’ll get predictable results. But it all starts with your mindset. The key to success lies in developing the right mindset, as your mindset shapes your actions and outcomes. Books on mindset, like this one, show how cultivating a powerful mindset leads to consistent, positive results.
4: The Strangest Secret – Earl Nightingale
Earl Nightingale is a legendary figure in the world of mindset and self-development. My dad’s career began working for Earl, which highlights the power of surrounding yourself with disciplined individuals who share the same mindset. Nightingale’s book, which started as a radio show, remains a timeless resource for anyone seeking to enhance their mindset.
I personally owned the recordings on CDs, and you can still access the original broadcast as an audiobook, making it a valuable tool for anyone looking to strengthen their mindset and achieve personal growth.
5: Awaken the Giant Within – Tony Robbins
There’s a reason my friend Tony is one of the top self-development gurus out there. His book is one of the best books on mindset, and it’s worked for millions, so it’s a fair bet it’ll work for you too.
One of the central ideas in this mindset book is conquering yourself to conquer the world. The world becomes easy when you manage to get past your own limitations. There’s a giant mindset inside of you, but until you wake that giant up, you’re at the mercy of whatever fate your mindset has created for you.
6: No Excuses!: The Power of Self-Discipline – Brian Tracy
“Perhaps the most important insight of all with regard to success is that to achieve greatly, you must become a different person. It is not the material things you accomplish or acquire that matter so much as it is the quality of the person you must become to accomplish well above the average. The development of self-discipline is the high road that makes everything possible for you.”
Brian Tracy is a dear friend and personal mentor of mine. He’s one of my earliest and most influential coaches. In working so closely with him, I got to gain firsthand how much wise he was when it came to just about anything, and if I were to recommend a mentor to anyone out there, Brian would be the guy. This book is an excellent place to start.
7: The Diary of a Young Girl – Anne Frank
The diary of a 15-year-old girl is undoubtedly one of the greatest books on mindset ever. Anne’s mindset during such unimaginable circumstances, like the Holocaust, is remarkable. Her reflections, thoughts, and philosophies are so level-headed, compassionate, and wise that they challenge you to rethink your own mindset.
The way she approached life, even in the most difficult of situations, offers profound lessons on how mindset shapes our perspectives. Had she lived longer, Anne Frank would have undoubtedly become one of the greatest philosophers of all time, influencing the way we think about mindset and human resilience.
8: As a Man Thinketh – James Allen
The Bible says: “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.”
James Allen took this thought and expanded on it in his 1903 masterpiece, making it a timeless read on mindset. This short book, which you can likely finish in an hour, is packed with powerful insights on how mindset shapes both your life and the world around you.
However, I urge you not to rush through it. Take your time, allowing the lessons on mindset to sink in, especially the idea that your mindset influences the world just as much as the world influences your mindset. This book is a must-read for anyone looking to develop a powerful mindset.
9: Daring Greatly – Brenè Brown
If you want anything in life (happiness, love, money, or success) you must first embrace the mindset that you are worthy of it.
So, who decides if you’re worthy?
You do. The only thing standing between you and your worthiness is mindset. Shame holds you back by preventing vulnerability and stopping you from fully expressing who you are.
In Daring Greatly, Brené Brown offers an enlightening look at how shifting your mindset to embrace vulnerability can transform your life. This powerful mindset shift will give you the courage to be imperfect and authentically yourself in the most beautiful way possible.
10: The Alter Ego Effect – Todd Herman
Did you know that Beyonce used to get nervous and suffer from stage fright? When we think of “Beyonce,” we often associate her with fearlessness, but, as is often the case, that’s not how she saw herself. In her mindset, she had to leave behind “Beyonce” and adopt an alter ego named “Sasha Fierce.”
This shift in mindset is something that many athletes, public speakers, and top performers use to overcome fear and boost confidence. Performance coach Todd Herman has studied these alter egos for years and, in his book, he’ll guide you in discovering your own mindset shift to reach your highest potential.
11: The Artist’s Way – Julia Cameron
But Tom… I’m a real estate agent, not an artist! Well… it depends on what you consider an “artist” to be. If an artist is someone who uses mindset and creativity to solve problems and create change, then you’re most definitely an artist. But more importantly, this book on mindset provides several indispensable techniques that you can practice every day to improve your mindset and clear the clutter in your mind.
These books on mindset are designed to help you shift your thinking and stay focused, enabling you to reach your goals without mental obstacles slowing you down.
12: Dominant Thoughts – Chris Heller & Greg S. Reid
I know a lot of my friends are making it to this list (Chris is my former affirmation partner), but that’s because I surround myself with brilliant people who understand the power of mindset! In this book, Chris takes simple mindset concepts that you may already be familiar with and expands them into something bigger, providing you with clear steps on where to begin.
In an episode of my podcast, Chris shared that his hope for this book is that team leaders would read it and then pass it on to every member of their team to help foster a strong mindset throughout their entire organization.
13: Feeling is the Secret – Neville Goddard
Before Rhonda Byrne wrote “The Secret,” there was Neville Goddard. He’s widely believed to be one of the most influential spiritual thinkers and mindset pioneers of the last couple of centuries, but his ideas are still a little too out there for some.
He interprets The Bible to be a metaphor for how to manifest any desire into your life by thinking and feeling in just the right way. This might not be everyone’s jam, but if you’re interested in the Law of Attraction, there’s no better writer on the subject.
14: Ryan Holiday’s Books on Stoicism
I couldn’t pick just one here because each one of Ryan Holiday’s books seems to speak to me at a different time when I’m in need of that message. He’s today’s great synthesizer of stoic wisdom – for those who don’t know, this is a Greek school of philosophy that later made its way to Rome and influenced one of the world’s greatest emperors, Marcus Aurelius – and uses modern examples to show how great people have used these principles to accomplish amazing things.
15: Mindset – Carol Dweck
The entire point of reading books on mindset is to develop a growth mindset, and this book is a masterclass in doing just that.
Many people believe that their current mindset defines them forever, but psychologist Carol Dweck shows us that neuroplasticity proves our brains can change and transform at any stage of life. By understanding how mindset shapes our abilities, we can harness this power to reshape our brains and develop a growth mindset.
Dive into this masterpiece to learn how to unlock the potential of your own mindset!
16: It Works! – RHJ
This is more of a pamphlet than a book, but the insights in these 30 minutes could completely change your mindset.
Written in 1926 by an anonymous businessman, this guide offers a powerful three-step approach to accessing your subconscious mind and shifting your mindset to achieve anything you desire. Whether you're looking to transform your life or cultivate a more positive mindset, this booklet provides timeless wisdom on harnessing the power of your mind.
17: Flow – Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Have you ever heard of accessing a “flow state,” where time disappears, and you’re fully immersed in your work at your absolute best? This mindset, known as the “state of effortless work,” is powerful for a reason.
In this book, you’ll discover how to shift your mindset to access that flow state by aligning your mindset with the right challenges that match your skill level. Most importantly, it teaches you how to cultivate a mindset that helps you enjoy your work and find deep fulfillment in it.
18: Gratitude Works! – Robert. A. Emmons
We all know we should practice gratitude, but what many don’t realize are the incredible benefits it can have on our mindset. Books on mindset often highlight how gratitude can transform our thinking, improve our health, strengthen our relationships, and even enhance our businesses. By focusing on gratitude, we can shift our mindset to one of abundance and positivity, which leads to profound changes in every aspect of life.
Robert A. Emmons is the leading scientist on gratitude (yes, that’s a real thing) and this masterwork not only shows you the benefits but shows you how to practice being grateful in the most effective way.
Pick One of these Best Books for Mindset and Grow Your Mind
So there you have it, some of the best books on mindset that can help you transform your thinking. There are so many more out there, and it’s hard to cover them all, but these are some of the most impactful ones to get you started on your mindset journey.
It’s crucial to remember that reading these books on mindset isn’t just about extracting the main ideas—it's about engaging with the content to create real, lasting change in your brain. Sometimes, a message needs to be repeated for it to truly resonate on a subconscious level, and that’s where the power of mindset comes in.
So pick up one of the books on this list that speaks to you, dive in, and enjoy the process. Cultivating a positive mindset is not only rewarding but also fun, and you’ll soon see the positive changes in your life and business!
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