7 Classic “Self Help” Books That You Can Read in Just One Sitting

Tao Te Ching is a classic work by Lao Tzu and a fundamental text in the philosophy of Taoism. It reads like very simple and elegant poetry, but the main idea behind this work is the idea of duality. Light defines darkness, highs define lows, masculine defines feminine, and good defines evil. With every force that exists in the world, there is another force that is equal but opposite. This book is great to read if you want to change your perspective on reality by recognizing the duality in all things and learning how to exercise balance in our lives. It’s also a common inspiration for artists, writers, musicians, and other forms of creativity.

The Art of War is a military treatise written by Sun Tzu, a high ranking military general, strategist and tactician in Ancient China. While the book focuses on war, its lessons can be applied to any realm of competition including business, politics, sports, and games. One of the major themes throughout the book is to pay attention to the strengths and weaknesses of both yourself and your opponents. If you want to give yourself a more competitive mindset, this is a must-read book to add to your collection.

Meditations is a book of personal thoughts and reflections by the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius. It’s considered a classic work in the philosophy of Stoicism, which centers around how to focus on the things in this world that are in your control and how to “let go” of the things that aren’t in your control. A very sobering and humbling read, this book is chockfull of practical wisdom and insight that applies to us today just as it did thousands of years ago. If you’re interested in getting a small taste, you can find a collection of some of my favorite quotes here.

The Underachiever’s Manifesto is a fascinating “self help” book that often contradicts the typical “self help” advice you might find on your average blog or Tumblr. Instead of pushing for more success and more happiness all of the time, this book shows you the value of “lowering your expectations” and being more satisfied with what you have in life without always trying to change it. It does a great job warning about the dangers of perfectionism and wanting too much success in life – and it shows you how to make the most out of your life without killing yourself because you’re trying too hard.

The Art of Money Getting is an excellent guide on money and wealth-building by the legendary P.T. Barnum, a showman and businessman most known for founding Barnum & Bailey Circus. While this guide was published over a hundred years ago, the advice here remains very pertinent to our times, especially in an age where people still mismanage their money and accumulate massive debt. While P.T. Barnum is widely regarded as a hoaxer and trickster (you’ve probably heard his famous quote, “There’s a sucker born every minute”), the book is a very “matter of fact” analysis on how to earn money, save money, and live rationally below your means. There’s a lot of very sound and practical advice here that everyone needs to know.

Life Is Short and So Is This Book is a super easy and inspirational read by entrepreneur Peter Atkins. It only seemed appropriate to add this book to the list because of its cute and fitting title. While the advice here jumps to many different topics, and isn’t necessarily the most “expert” analysis, there are plenty of pearls of wisdom and healthy reminders here as you turn the pages. The book does a great job giving you a “small boost” of motivation and inspiration – and it’s definitely worth checking out.