The Best Books on Finding Your Purpose

I love books passionately. Having moved several times in the last few years, I must say that I really love the library and digital books with a passion (I love my kindle). I’m always finding new books and checking out too many of them from the library (which I’ve found to be a great way to rack up fees and support your local branch).

I examine and read just about anything I can get my hands on related to life’s purpose and passion. You can talk about these ideas in many ways, with words like calling, calling, discovering what you want to do, finding your voice, etc. I’m not too concerned with the specific words you use. instead, I like to focus on books that produce results, are actionable, and help a person take control of their own life. self help is my preferred genre. that’s why my list grows so much faster than I can keep up (as do my library fines!).

You are reading: Best books for finding your purpose

While there are plenty of great books out there that could cover this, I want to do the hard work of sorting and choosing for you to save you time. There are many positive psychology book authors who have written on the subject of passion, inner peace, and positive thinking that are not on this list. I’ve included a list of additional authors at the end, if you’d like to dig deeper.

what I discovered is that the problem with so many interesting books is that few of them really stand out after a few weeks or months. They can be fun to read once, but I’m interested in finding the books that stand the test of time and continue to offer more information as I read them.

so I wanted to offer my short list of favorites along with why I think they are important.

the best books to find your purpose:

let your life speak by parker palmer

let your life do the talking by parker palmer – this is by far my favorite book on the concept of work and meaning. Palmer frames his ideas around finding his calling on his own journey. It’s a short book, but I find myself constantly rereading and quoting sections.

I have yet to find another book that has this kind of wisdom and depth. I really think it’s the best thing out there and everyone should read it (probably more than once).

who is this book best for:

moving and inspiring seekers. people looking for meaning, passion and happiness.

available in: digital | print | audiobook

the war of art by steven pressfield

the art war: another short little book about the hard work of creating (perhaps I have a penchant for short books?). This book explores the inner battle of making something worth doing and all the fear, procrastination, and self-sabotage that goes with it.

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for many creatives, pressfield was the first to put these ideas into language. in my opinion, language is half the battle so his contribution is very valuable. Once he has read and absorbed some of Pressfield’s thoughts, he will notice his influence everywhere.

who is this book best for:

creatives, writers and lovers of passion.

available at: print | audiobook | digital

the art of jeff goins work

the art of working by jeff goins – jeff goins is not a foreign name here in the meaning movement. you can listen to my interview with him here.

This book is a fun, easy-to-read treatment of how different people find purpose in the work they do. “work” here is a pretty broad category. includes both work for income and the kind of work we do simply because we want to.

goins tackles the themes of work and meaning through stories of people doing things that are important to them. each section explores a different approach and focuses on a different story.

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Since the subject of purpose is so subjective, the stories in this book are incredibly helpful. There is no right or wrong way to find purpose and happiness. there is only the way that works for you. goins does a great job of distilling a framework from the stories to help you find your way to what works for you.

who is this book best for:

career-oriented inspiration seekers.

available in: digital | audiobook | print

creative vocation of chase jarvis

creative call from chase jarvis: I really didn’t want to like this book. Chase Jarvis is a fellow photographer from Seattle, and an incredibly successful one at that. I didn’t like that he wrote about “my topic”. I know: as if I could have complete control. it’s just that he’s so good at everything he does, he didn’t want me to add helping people find vocations to his list of accomplishments. but I gave it a try and I’m so glad I did. His book is kind, generous, and very insightful – all the things I didn’t want him to be!

tells his story of aspiring to be an action sports photographer, disrupting an industry, innovating and changing that industry, and beyond. While some of his outward success makes his story seem inaccessible at first glance (for example, his creativelive platform raised $58.3 million), it draws out universal principles and helps you apply them to your situation. I definitely recommend his book. worth reading.

who is this book best for:

creative and passionate.

available in: digital | audiobook | print

the artist’s path by julia cameron

the artist’s path by julia cameron: the artist’s path is positioned as a book that helps artists get unstuck. while I think it’s effective in that mission, there are plenty of non-artists who would benefit from it. cameron presents a 12-week journey that helps you get in touch with the deepest parts of yourself that may have been ignored for some time.

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who is this book best for:

creatives, artists, passion seekers and anyone looking to break free.

available in: digital | print | audiobook

Icarus’ hoax by seth godin

the icarus deception by seth godin: seth godin is a living legend in the world of online business and marketing, and i feel like i would be remiss if i didn’t put some of him on this list.

This book in particular will help you question what you believe about yourself and the world of work so you can go out, dream and do bigger things, whether it’s starting your own business or changing the way you present yourself at work. . .

who is this book best for:

career-minded professionals, creatives, and anyone who wants to reframe the way they think about work.

available in: digital | print | audiobook

dream year by ben arment

dream year by ben arment — ben arment is an author and conference/event creator. I partnered with him on the creation of seattle’s pitch night some time ago.

The subtitle of this book was a detour at first. says, make the leap from a job you hate to a life you love, but once I got over it, I found the book very inspiring. armment has a specific vision of work that this book clearly communicates, and it is not for everyone. he truly believes in starting things that are uniquely his: dream projects, businesses, events, etc.

While not everyone is a starter, I think most of us have something in us to get started in some way, but let fear stop us from taking action (see art warfare above for more info!) about!). I recommend that you take this text with a grain of salt, but I think there is something for everyone to learn from the author and his unique take on life, work, and entrepreneurship.

who is this book best for:

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Christians and religiously oriented people. people who think in terms of god’s purpose and god’s will. anyone trying to make sense of their personal history.

available in: digital | print | audiobook

for dan allender to tell me

To Be Told: Know Your Story, Shape Your Future by Dan Allender — Allender has shaped my understanding of history and identity formation more than anyone else. If you’ve been around the meaning movement long enough, you’ve seen how much I talk about the importance of knowing the stories that have shaped you and how they affect you. this is allender’s life’s work.

This book is full of Christian language, which may put some off, but the content is useful for anyone who wants to learn more about himself and his narrative.

who is this book best for:

Christians and religiously oriented people. anyone trying to make sense of their personal history.

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available in: digital | print

rank: why generalists succeed in a specialized world by david epstein

I found this book to be a comforting counter-narrative to the idea that you have to decide early on what you want to do and if you change your mind, you’re making a big mistake. this book affirmed what I believe to be true: that it is never too late to do something that matters. epstein’s research shows that you might actually be more effective simply because you start later in the game.

who is this book best for:

people who think it’s “too late” for them, anyone who enjoys research-backed non-fiction, and lovers of passion.

available in: digital | print | audiobook

honorable mention: the calling process by dan cumberland

the dan cumberland calling process: i wrote this book to be a quick and accessible resource to help you reframe your thinking on the subject and offer the best insights i have come across in my work (15 years of research , a master’s degree , and a decade of hands-on training). Unlike most of the books here, it’s written first and foremost to be highly actionable. I am not interested in leading you on any thought experiment or endless reflection. I want you to have the tools you need to analyze and act. At the time of this writing, it’s also free on Amazon. grab it while you can!

who is this book best for:

Anyone who wants a short, actionable read.

available in: digital version

additional study

Other notable authors who have written at least one good passion-related book are, in no particular order:

  • tony robbins,
  • the dalai lama,
  • brene brown,
  • bob goff,
  • paulo coelho,
  • martha beck,
  • eckhart tolle,
  • mitch albom,
  • pema chodron,
  • jen sincere,
  • deepak chopra,
  • gretchen rubin,
  • barbara sher,
  • gabrielle bernstein,
  • ken robinson,
  • david whyte,
  • elizabeth gilbert (I loved big magic!)

for success and financial activities

For those who are more focused on professional and financial success as a way to pursue happiness and passion, three must-read classic titles are:

  • dale carnegie’s classic how to win friends and influence people
  • think and grow rich by napoleon hill (skip the weird sections on sex)
  • rich dad poor dad by robert kiyosaki (i love this book!)

for Christians

Christians can really enjoy life with purpose by rick warren.

in summary

Whether you’re looking for your next job or trying to find yourself, these books are sure to help. after reading some, let me know what you think!

before you go: I’m curious, what are your favorite books about finding your purpose? what have you found most helpful in the way you think about yourself, your work, and your life? purpose? ? Click here to share your thoughts in the comments!

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