Best Self-Help Books for Men
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Best Self-Help Books for Men
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Best Self-Help Books for Men

14 Empowering Self-Help Books That Will Change Your Life

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We live in an age where the ideas of “self-care” and “self-improvement” are widely embraced. Self-help is a big business in the United States, valued at $11 billion, which means that there is no shortage of resources to help you. Just type in “self-help books for men” on Amazon and you’ll be greeted with over 50,000 results. Even if you’re old-school and decide to look at your local bookstore in the hopes of finding a more curated collection, you'll still be greeted by hundreds of glossy book covers in the self-help aisle, all offering advice on how to find true love, get rich, find your passion, or be a kinder, more compassionate person.

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Self-help books can genuinely help you, especially when they are well-written by knowledgeable authors. Buying a book can also be a lot cheaper than therapy, and according to one study, these kinds of books can sometimes recreate the same kind of relationship you could have with a therapist to drive change.

But with so many options, it’s really difficult to know which books are actually helpful. Some promise unrealistic, unattainable goals that won’t work for the vast majority of people, while others just recycle conventional wisdom, but lack any true substance. There are also some that call themselves self-help books, but really, they are more memoire-like, simply recounting the author’s own journey.


How to Shop for a Self-Help Book


At the end of the day, the self-help book that will work best for you depends on what you are looking for. While these books are aimed at vast swaths of the population, they generally cover a specific area, such as finance, relationships, work, etc. So the very first thing you’ll want to consider when buying a self-help book is what kind of help you need. Pick one on a topic that is relevant to you and your life circumstances.

Next, look into the author’s credentials. Just because the book is published doesn’t mean that the author is a true expert on the topic. Consider their educational background, their profession, and their lived experiences. Ask yourself whether you really think they’ll be able to offer unique and genuine advice based on their background.

You might also want to look into how the book invites you to apply their advice. Does the book provide practical application ideas or exercises you can try? And if it does, do you think you’ll actually want to do those exercises? If you don’t think you’ll actually follow through on what the book asks you to do, there’s no point reading it.

Finally, be sure you like the writing style. Some books might be too jargony or academic in tone, while others might come off as condescending to you. If you want to actually get something out of the book, make sure it actually speaks to you.

With all that in mind, here are 14 self-help selections to consider.

Best for a Tough Love Approach

Unfu*k Yourself: Get out of your head and into your life by Gary John Bishop

Unfu*k Yourself: Get out of your head and into your life book

If you've ever felt stuck — no matter how hard you try to push forward— then you need to find a way to get yourself unstuck. The author writes that most often, you have the life you settle for, not the one you aspire to. But you can shake things up. This book can be harsh, but it offers a combination of abrasive truth and tough love so you can realize your true potential instead of living beneath it.

Who this book is great for: Anyone that’s feeling trapped.

Promising Review: “This book is really helpful in explaining why you’re your own worst enemy and how to get out of your head. It really does help make you feel better and gives great advice on how to improve your life by controlling your thoughts.” -Jordan C

$15.49 on Amazon.com

Best for the Tech Age

Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport

Digital Minimalism book

We’re living in an era of smartphones, smartwatches, computers, TVs, and various other digital devices. And in a lot of ways, they’ve diminished our quality of life because they are ‘fragmenting’ our in-person experiences. This book offers readers a 30-day plan to pare down non-essential tech and begin using it with intention so that you can lead a more focused life.

Who this book is great for: Those looking to do a “digital detox”

Promising Review: “Folks, read Digital Minimalism. You (and I) are more addicted to social media and our smartphones than we would care to admit (or worse, know that we should admit.) This is a practical book on how we can break our digital addictions and what you can help replace the time with — real conversations, craft work, leisure time, rest.” -Mike Pritchard

$18.89 on Amazon.com

Best to Break Bad Habits

Atomic Habits by James Clear

Atomic Habits book

In this book, one of the world's leading experts on habit formation, James Clear, outlines how we can break away from our bad habits and start forming new positive ones. Clear provides frameworks with small steps that readers can use as motivation to escape their everyday routines and change their lives for the better.

Who this book is great for: People looking to make positive change in their lives

Promising Review: “Beware! This book can change your life :-) And I absolutely mean it.” -Pravin Poojary

$11.98 on Amazon.com

Best for Worriers

Declutter Your Mind by S.J. Scott

Declutter Your Mind book

This book is aimed at people who feel overworked, stressed, and anxious. It gives them actionable advice and exercises to reduce mental clutter and figure out what aspects of their life deserve attention and which ones don’t. It also aims to help you change negative thoughts into positive ones, navigate relationships, set goals, and find more time to be calm.

Who this book is great for: Anyone who wants to feel less anxiety and stress.

Promising Review: “‘Declutter Your Mind’ is a powerful book on gaining total control of your mind, environment, and shaping the future as you want it to be and not just relying on life to happen as it should.” -Scott B. Allan

$14.99 on Amazon.com

Best for Workaholics

#Chill by Bryan E. Robinson

#Chill  book

If you’re someone who finds it difficult to leave work at the office or actually be present with your loved ones on your time off, then this might be the self-help book for you. Through month-to-month mindfulness exercises and meditations, the author guides the overworked reader into learning how to be present and break their addiction to work so that they can live the balanced life they want.

Who this book is great for: Anyone who brings their work home with them and wants to change.

Promising Review: “Whether you are a workaholic, generally overextended, or someone caught up in chronic over-caring, because of Bryan’s gentle and consistent guidance on every page, you will have the opportunity to let #Chill deliver on its promise to you. It certainly has for me!” -Sarah Elizabeth Malinak

$22.99 on Amazon.com

Best for Fathers

Manhood for Amateurs: The Pleasures and Regrets of a Husband, Father, and Son by Michael Chabon

Manhood for Amateurs: The Pleasures and Regrets of a Husband, Father, and Son book

While not a true self-help book (at least not in the traditional sense), this collection of essays is an impractical handbook for men who are about to become, or have become, new dads. Written about the author’s life, the essays are insightful, provocative, moving, and funny. They’ll force you to rethink your ideas of fatherhood and manhood.

Who this book is great for: Expectant and new fathers.

Promising Review: “I’m not the sort of person who gets much out of self-help books, but Michael Chabon’s erudite musings may be as close as I’m likely to get.” -Matthew Quann

$11.99 on Amazon.com

Best Classic Self-Help Book

Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson

Who Moved My Cheese? book

This book is an oldie, but a goodie. It is set up as a fable that takes place in a maze: Two mice and two mice-sized humans have to get cheese. But what happens when the cheese disappears? The mice immediately go looking for new cheese to sustain themselves, but the humans waste time complaining and hoping for the long-gone cheese to come back because they think the cheese is tied to their self-image. By the time one of them discovers new cheese, the mice have already gotten to it. The story is there to remind you that things will always change, so instead of dwelling on what you lose, learn to adapt. The quicker you do, the happier you’ll be.

Who this book is great for: Anyone going through a major life change

Promising Review: “Change is everywhere and change is constantly happening, we can either wait for circumstances to bring our comfort zone back to us or we can be proactive and seek to behave in a manner that keeps our comfort zone with us at all times… Buy this book, even if you do not think you need it, I am positive that there is someone else in your life who probably does.” -Larry Holder

$8.84 at Amazon.com

Best Finance Self-Help Book

The Behavior Gap: Simple Ways to Stop Doing Dumb Things with Money by Carl Richards

The Behavior Gap: Simple Ways to Stop Doing Dumb Things with Money book

This book is written by a financial planner who grew tired of seeing people make foolish financial decisions so he wrote a book to help discourage spending on the wrong things. The book helps you make meaningful financial goals and break your bad money habits in order to build financial security. It also examines the underlying negative behaviors that result in poverty and financial insecurity.

Who this book is great for: Anyone who struggles with their finances

Promising Review: “Anyone who wants to know where they are heading financially, and the pitfalls to avoid, should read this book. It is very easy to read and contains many ‘nuggets’ you’ll not get from your bank, life insurance/fund salesperson, or stockbroker.” -Iain P. Wishart

$22.49 at Amazon.com

Best Timeless Self-Help Book

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People  book

Another oldie, but a goodie. This book takes an ‘inside/out’ approach to personal change by focusing on the inner qualities that forge positive habits, like being proactive, focusing on end goals, or engaging in empathic communication. If you read this book and really try to apply its lessons, it can drive real personal change. You can also get the workbook to do exercises while you read.

Who this book is great for: Anyone who feels stuck.

Promising Review: “Amazing concepts, ideas, and theories — and truths — to integrate into both one’s personal and professional life; it really makes you think and (re)consider. I’ve had multiple ‘wow’ moments as some ideas and ways of thinking really spoke to me.” -Katia H.

$14.75 on Amazon.com

Best for Fitness

The Fitness Mindset

The Fitness Mindset book

Fitness is about more than just working out. It’s about your mindset, too. That’s why this book not only covers diet and fitness training tips, but it also dives into the psychological side of fitness and tackles why fear and anxiety can get in the way. The book will challenge you to transform the way you think about food, exercise, and stress, and help you develop a routine that you’ll actually stick with.

Who this book is great for: Anyone looking to change their mindset about food and exercise

Promising Review: “Quite frankly the best book to buy for fitness and nutrition advice. I've read tons of fitness books and this one is by far the most insightful, practical and value for money.” -David Chambers

$15.99 on Amazon.com

Best for Improving Relationships

The Relationship Cure by John M. Gottman

The Relationship Cure book

Written by a scientist who has spent his career studying the psychology of relationships, you should read this book if you're looking to have a healthy relationship with your partner (and maybe avoid marriage counseling). It will guide you towards more healthy communication with your partner and help you reconnect. Plus, some of the advice is applicable to your other relationships too, including your friends, family, and coworkers.

Who this book is great for: Everyone looking to improve their relationship

Promising Review: “My therapist recommended this author, and I immediately gained benefit from this book. It is based on solid scientific research, and goes further than anything else I've found to explain human interactions.” -JW

$14.89 on Amazon.com

Best for Straight Shooters

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck  book

There’s a reason this book is so popular: It’s shockingly stoic, uncompromisingly pragmatic, and full of humor, making for an easy read that will leave more of an impact on you than you might expect. In the book, blogger turned author Manson explains how societal, cultural, and familial norms can influence your daily decisions on what to pursue to make yourself happy, which, in turn, can lead you to realize one day that you spent your whole life going after something you never really cared about at all. The book helps remind you that the only things you should care about are those that give you a sense of purpose.

Who this book is great for: Anyone feeling unfulfilled.

Promising Review: “As someone who has given far too many f***s about far too many things their entire life, this book was exactly the wake up call I needed… If you're the type of person who's struggled to keep their temper in line or if you're like me and you find yourself on an emotional roller-coaster because you take every event in the world and within your own life to heart, I strongly encourage you to read this book” -Aria Ursa

$16.19 on Amazon.com

Best for Grief

Bearing the Unbearable by Joanne Cacciatore

Bearing the Unbearable book

When you lose someone, it takes time to grieve, but many of us feel pressured to “be OK” sooner than we want. This book will help mourners learn to stop looking for permission or approval from others in their grief and it will help them redefine their life without their loved one in it. The chapters are short — two to three pages — to help make it easier to focus on during your darkest moments.

Who this book is great for: Anyone grieving the loss of a loved one.

Promising Review: “This is the Grief Bible – no matter what your specific circumstance is. Hands down, the best book on grief. I’ve read it cover to cover and I’m starting over again.” -storyink

$12.98 price on Amazon.com

Best For Small But Meaningful Changes

Make Your Bed by Admiral William H. McRaven

Make Your Bed book

Written by a Navy Seal and four-star Admiral, this book contains lessons inspired by the author’s speech at a graduation commencement at the University of Texas, which went viral. The goal of this book is to help remind readers how small changes can add up to create great personal transformation for yourself and the world around you.

Who this book is great for: Anyone who is ready to be inspired to make real change

Promising Review: “If you are looking for a book that inspires you in all walks of life... a book that will give you the mental energy to get through situations in life which are tough to understand and get through... this is the book to read.” -urs_red

$13.98 at Amazon.com

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