37 Of The Best Books For Increasing Your Willpower

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congratulations. you’ve just found one of the best resources for improving your self-discipline and willpower you’ll find anywhere online.

These things excite me. it’s part of the reason I read hundreds of books every year.

You are reading: Best books on willpower

We are not meant to live with the willpower we were born with. there are strategies and methods that can help each of us address our greatest goals and challenges.

It’s almost stupid how many books are vying for your attention, all claiming they can help you do things you once thought impossible.

some are garbage. you probably already know.

but there are some phenomenally inspiring books out there, full of wisdom, and they’re just waiting for you to open them.

What I’ve done here is go through my list of the top 100 books I’ve read and select the best ones related to self-discipline and willpower. turns out there were 37 on that list.

In a future article, I’ll go from 101 to 200 and select the best books from there.

You can see my full reading list here.

Along with the title and author, I present the idea or message behind the book, as well as some important lessons I learned from it.

I take notes on every book I read and I strongly suggest you do the same.

you can also get all my book notes here: on this page

The link above is a non-profit fundraising campaign for Doctors Without Borders. that is my main cause, and I have given them everything. My entire website is non-profit and I donate every last dollar that people pay me to guide them.

but enough preamble…here are the books!

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#1) willpower, by roy baumeister

This is one of the seminal works on the science of self-control, and Roy is referenced so many times that it’s almost impossible to read a self-improvement book without seeing it mentioned. there’s a reason for that: this book is powerful beyond measure.

main lessons:

willpower can be depleted and replenished

you have a finite amount of willpower that depletes as you use it

do not attempt any important tasks while your glucose is low

the time it takes to complete a task expands to fill the allotted amount of time

making decisions weakens your willpower

train to face worse conditions than you will actually face

use pre-commitment to conserve willpower

advance one day at a time

form a specific willpower implementation plan to follow when faced with certain temptations

monitor every day

tell yourself you can eat something unhealthy later if you let it go now

giving in does not recharge your willpower

do one thing or nothing

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#2) the war of art, by steven pressfield

I’m a steven pressfield evangelist. the man inspires me daily to do my best work, and he has written four of my favorites. the war of art introduces us to the idea of “resistance”, or basically anything that prevents us from achieving something great. I read it in 2014 and I think it was one of the first times I embraced a book.

main lessons:

cannot reason with resistance

the resistance will say anything and do anything to stop you from doing your job

resistance is strongest near the end

There will never be a time when we cannot change our destiny

resistance can and has been overcome

respect the resistance because it can beat you any day

the artist pursuing his calling has volunteered for hell, whether he knows it or not

taking a few hits is the price of being in the arena and not on the sidelines

resistance is like a telemarketer: once you say hello, you’re done

It is better to be in the ring being stepped on by the bull, than to be up in the stands or in the parking lot

“whatever you can do, or think you can do, start. boldness has genius, magic and power in it. start now. -goethe

dreams and inspiration are as common as dirt. such are the sunrises. but that doesn’t make them any less miraculous.

what we fear most is that we succeed

if we were born to get rid of the order of injustice and ignorance of the world, then it is our job to realize it and get down to business

the artist must do his work himself

ask, “if I were the last person on earth, would I still do what I plan to do?”

contempt for failure is our cardinal virtue

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#3) the power of habit, by charles duhigg

Now here is a man with a simple and powerful message. all your habits have the same structure: cue -> habit -> reward. this means that when we experience a certain cue, say, passing by a fast food restaurant, we execute a habit. the reward associated with that habit is fat in this example. but you can change your “habit loop”, as duhigg calls it, into whatever you want. this book explains how. it has been immensely valuable to me personally.

main lessons:

find a simple and obvious signal

clearly define rewards

cultivate a craving to drive habit adoption

the signal should trigger a craving for the reward

champions do ordinary things but they do them without thinking

uses the same cue and reward but a different routine

go for small profits

mentally rehearse how to respond and deal with failures and setbacks

find the absolute root causes of problems

Crises provide an opportunity for change

your habits are what you choose them to be

we need to see small victories to believe that a long battle can be won

plan for setbacks and don’t let them sidetrack you

once you diagnose the cue, the routine, and the reward, you gain power over your habits

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#4) inner excellence, by jim murphy

Have you heard of this book? I didn’t. I was traveling to a work conference and read most of the book on the plane. I didn’t expect there to be so much wisdom here, but I guess it’s just another case of me being wrong, isn’t it?

main lessons:

The enemy is our concept of ourselves, which was based on past actions and our beliefs about what we can and cannot do

a heart built on the love of temporal things will have insecurity as a constant companion

winning doesn’t necessarily mean you were excellent or even good

sacrifices pride and status for growth and experience

keep death in mind at all times

extraordinary performance is often the result of seeking out extraordinary experiences

tomorrow may never come

Maybe it’s only through tear-washed eyes that we can see who we really are

When you’re attached to something you can’t control, you live in constant fear of losing it

the more you give in, the easier it will be

beauty and presence, as well as focus, are always there, regardless of whether you choose to experience them or not

the more you look for beauty, the more you will find

try to find beauty everywhere

everything around you was meant to be there

what you don’t have right now, you don’t need

take a break from work every hour and a half to truly see, feel and be present

pressure comes from what we think about the situation and not from the situation itself

living your dreams means loving what you do and not the result of what you try to do

be grateful when your opponents do well or fight hard

accept every circumstance that comes your way as if you had chosen it

everything happens twice: first in your mind and then in your life

be comfortable feeling uncomfortable

your main search is the absolute fullness of life

constantly challenge what you know

Winning is dangerous because we don’t learn anything, or at least it’s easier not to learn anything

master the in-between moments of life by realizing that nothing is more important than the present moment

nothing will stop me except my physical body breaking

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#5) zen habits, by leo babauta

leo runs one of the most popular self-improvement blogs on the internet, called zen habits. it’s been around for a while and has made a name for itself in the sea of mediocrity, aka the real world. Zen habits are all about simplicity, and it’s something I’ve always cherished in my own life. I make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler. this is a great book with some very practical advice.

main lessons:

always celebrate your successes

only have commitments in your life that give you joy and courage

do the most important task first and don’t hold back

slow down through life

assess how you spend your time

leave space between your appointments and tasks

leave your room immediately after waking up

there is an ebb and flow in motivation and it will come back

a nap is like a reset button in life

live your life consciously

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#6) awakening the giant within, by tony robbins

you may have been wondering when we were going to have some tony robbins! he’s a guy who’s known what he’s been talking about for decades. he’s read even more books than I have (at the time of this writing, anyway!), and the scope of his knowledge is simply impressive. he’s the best in the business, and there’s a legitimate reason for that. Personally, I find the titles of his books silly, but you can’t argue with the results his books have helped me achieve.

main lessons:

winners have a sense of certainty

make the decision not to be less than you could be

what we do on a constant basis is what shapes our lives

never leave the scene of a decision before taking a concrete action

high achievers rarely see a problem as permanent

you travel in the direction of your focus

you will get a better answer if you ask a better question

move your body in the direction you want to go

put yourself in a state of determination instead of effort

cut off any other possibility except success

giant goals produce giant motivation

decide if you are absolutely committed to achieving the goals you set for yourself

Spend 90% of your time on the solution and only 10% on the problem

act in a manner consistent with your values

spend less than you earn and invest the difference

scarcity is an illusion

spends so much time improving himself that he doesn’t have time to criticize others

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#7) unlimited power, by tony robbins

Do you want more of tony robbins? well well, he is more than capable of delivering. Unlimited Power (again, silly title, IMO) has changed more lives than Netflix. if you have the time to devote to a bigger book like this, then it’s definitely worth it.

main lessons:

take responsibility for everything

turn up the volume and speed up or slow down the inner voice

the biggest influence we have is physiology

ask until you get what you want

communicate clearly and precisely

there is someone who can help you no matter what your goals are

success is a process and not an end result

push more of yourself than anyone could ever hope to

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#8) the principles of success, by jack canfield

Remember the guy who started Chicken Soup for the Soul? Well, he has filled this book with helpful advice and game-changing insights. in fact, I was really surprised at how much I learned from this one, and it seemed like he was taking notes on every page. There is significant substance here, and Jack knows how to get an idea off the ground at all costs. he surpasses the title and draws strength from this book.

main lessons:

“if we did all the things we are capable of, we would literally amaze ourselves”

you create everything that happens to you

no matter how small the decision, make one

we often achieve exactly what we anticipated

vague goals achieve vague results

Chase a revolutionary goal that would change everything if you reach it

stop having the same thoughts

repeatedly ask what you want

measure what you want most

It’s always too early to quit smoking

provide more service than you are paid for

use the end of the day to reflect and plan because that is what the unconscious mind focuses on during sleep

as soon as we feel like we should do something, we create an internal resistance not to do it

you have handled everything that has happened to you

100% commitment is easier to maintain

When you are happy doing what you love, you are already successful

work on your core genius and pay people to do everything else

everything you need to solve any problem, or achieve any goal, is already within you

Listen to it 100 times. meditate 1000 times. speak once.

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#9) eat that frog, by brian tracy

for those of you who haven’t heard that phrase before, it comes from mark twain. Basically, the idea is that if you eat a live frog at the beginning of the day, you can spend the rest of the day knowing that the worst is over. Do you see how you can relate this to your most feared tasks and activities? brian tracy is literally one of the superstars of the productivity and discipline space, and i have read a lot of her books. they really got me into the idea of taking massive action. it’s still something I’m working on, of course, but that’s what great books do. light the way.

main lessons:

focus determinedly on your most important task

the key to success is action

set deadlines for your goals and tasks

describe the steps needed to complete

find unproductive uses of your time and eliminate them

have everything you need on hand before you start

all I can do is all I can do

talk to yourself every minute and motivate yourself to action

make every minute count

move quickly in all the important areas of your life

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#10) going pro, by steven pressfield

press the field for victory. again. His books are short (at least the non-fiction ones are), but his ideas get to the heart of what really keeps us from achieving. I can’t recommend it highly enough, and I urge you to check out both “turning pro” and “the war of art”. “the spirit of the warrior” is also amazing.

main lessons:

everything starts with a decision

our lives depend completely on us

the professional says “one day at a time”

the professional acts in anticipation of inspiration

real enemies lie inside, while physical opponents are just stand-ins

The hero wanders, the hero suffers, and the hero returns to give his gift. you are that hero.

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#11) the now habit, by neil fiore

I listened to this as an audiobook, which I don’t normally do. but despite everything, I stopped the tape several times and took notes. procrastination is a manifestation of the “resistance” that steven pressfield talks about, and neil fiore has been working on developing an answer for decades. the habit of now is her answer.

main lessons:

become your own source of approval

procrastination has been learned, so it can be unlearned

using work to give more pleasure than procrastination can give

think of worse reasons not to start

You don’t have to do anything to be a valuable person

schedule playtime to be legitimate and guilt-free

Feeling overwhelmed is natural and shouldn’t lead you to believe that you won’t be able to do the task at all

persist for a few minutes after experiencing a crash or minor mishap

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#12) mastery, by robert greene

I feel like robert greene doesn’t get enough credit for being the brilliant man that he is. Sure, “The 48 Laws of Power” is the number 1 most requested book in prison libraries, but that doesn’t seem like enough recognition to me. mastery breaks down the exact process everyone goes through when they get really good at something. it’s almost poetry, so it definitely deserves a place on this list.

main lessons:

mastery is the latent power within all of us

you are setting an example to humanity of what we can achieve

Mute your desire to impress and be the focus of attention in favor of learning

value learning over money

our minds are closed to other possibilities if we feel we already know something

trust the learning process and overcome negative emotions

resist the urge to be kind to yourself in your criticism

you must continually start over and challenge yourself

masters are those who have fought to get to where they are

adopt the philosophy of complete and radical acceptance of human nature

speak through the power of your work

it is the choice of where to direct your creative energy that makes the master

cultivate the ability to entertain two contradictory thoughts at the same time and doubt your previous beliefs

manufacturing times for yourself

look for something that will produce amazing results when capitalized on, but not at the expense of the same success

cultivate a deep dissatisfaction with your job and the need to constantly improve your ideas

the problem you are working on should always be connected to something bigger

the time that leads to mastery directly depends on our level of intensity and focus

calms the anxiety you feel when faced with something that seems beyond your capabilities

your experience of something happening in the world physically alters your brain

fall in love with the power of the human brain

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#13) no excuses, by brian tracy

another excellent addition to this list from the one and only brian tracy. this man is a productivity genius and will affect you in a positive way. give this book a try and you’ll be rewarded with increased self-discipline and ultimate willpower.

main lessons:

self-discipline is the magical quality that makes all other success possible

everything is difficult before it is easy

be willing to pay the price

do what needs to be done even when you don’t feel like doing it

becoming someone you’ve never been before means you have to do something you’ve never done before

you should do the things that ordinary people don’t like to do

your mind can only hold one thought at a time, so make it useful

accept full responsibility for everything in your life

the only direction you can slide is downhill

invest the first hour of each day in yourself

assess the true value of what you do

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#14) change your mind, change your life, by brian tracy

more brian tracy gold. If you haven’t noticed the trend, it’s that this man can do wonders for your self-discipline and willpower. Put him on his side and make his ideas work for you, and he will be amazed at his progress.

main lessons:

negative emotions only exist because we give them life

assert your mind control

forgive yourself for everything

take action immediately on new tasks

be proactive instead of reactive

there are no limits except those we put on ourselves

do only those things that bring you closer to your goals

your highest goals are peace of mind and happiness

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#15) the big picture, by tony horton

This book surprised me, and I surprised myself by buying it in the first place. I always thought of him as some crazy TV character who really had nothing to do with discipline and self-control. wrong again, matt karamazov! the big picture is presented as a well-thought-out meditation on how to assert control over his actions and set yourself up for continued success. it’s almost intimate, as he’s talking directly to you about what might work in your life. definitely gained a new fan even though i will never see one of the p90x videos of him.

main lessons:

do the best you can and forget about the rest

have a plan

change things that no longer work for you

just doing it will make you feel better immediately afterwards

every meal should support your goals and lifestyle choices

you can add intensity to everything you do

gradual progressive overload can be used anywhere and even outside the gym

whatever you do, do it a little harder, faster and better

You’re tougher than you think

the harder you work, the luckier you get

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#16) the alchemist, by paulo coelho

curve ball! You won’t find this book in the business or self-improvement section of your local bookstore. But like all great fiction, it contains deep truths about what we’re capable of and what it might look like once we’re on our way. This book is extremely easy to read and I finished it at work all in one sitting. Okay, it was a quiet night at the bar and I spent it with my head buried in a book… but it was worth it.

main lessons:

every day, every hour is part of the good fight

believing yourself worthy of what you fought so hard to achieve

It is the possibility of making a dream come true that makes life interesting

everyone seems to know how others should lead their lives, but they have no idea how to live their own

there is a great truth on this planet: whoever you are and whatever you do, when you really want something, it is because that desire originated in the soul of the universe

When you can’t go back, you can only think of the best way forward

every day is here to be lived or to mark our departure from the world

the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself

dying in the middle of searching for your personal legend is better than dying like those endless millions who don’t even find out what their personal legend is

The world we live in will be better or worse depending on whether we are better or worse. that’s where love comes in. because when we love, we strive to be better than we are.

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#17) axis, by seth godin

Finally, we come to one of my favorite authors of all. Seth Godin runs one of the most popular business blogs on the planet (and we can only assume, in the universe), and he’s mostly revered by everyone. I put myself in that group, of course. This man’s whole life seems to have been devoted to making people remarkable. different. and he uses short sentences. much. by impact he is better at it than me. clearly.

main lessons:

stop obeying what they tell you and create art that matters

They pay you a lot when there is no other choice but to pay you a lot

stand out and be seen as indispensable

I’ve never met anyone without art inside them

doing work that is not being done is absolutely essential

Leadership is worth much more than compliance

work is an opportunity to make art

the only purpose of starting is to finish

the most successful people don’t have an alternative plan

It’s no coincidence that successful people read more books

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#18) an astronaut’s guide to life on earth, by chris hadfield

I’m sure he doesn’t know I’m in love with him… but he will. I am determined to have him as a guest for a divine discipline, but so far that has not happened. I also heard of a speech of his in my city the day after it happened. not great so who is this guy? Chris is a Canadian astronaut who has spent time on the ISS. the man knew he was going to be an astronaut before it was technically possible for Canadians to become astronauts. he read this treasure of a book to find out how.

main lessons:

You have many options and every decision matters

what you do each day determines the type of person you will become

do the things that move you in the direction of your dreams, but make sure those things interest you so that no matter what happens, you’ll be happy

be as prepared as possible, just in case

the only thing you can control is your attitude

if you have time, use it to prepare

Imagine the most demanding challenge and then visualize what you would have to do to face it

fear comes from not being prepared and having no control over what will happen

have a plan to deal with problems as they arise

helping someone look good doesn’t make you look worse

As a leader, set your team up for success, then step back and let them shine

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#19) extreme productivity, by robert c. pozen

This practical book was written by a CEO. most of those books are worth reading because not everyone gets to be a CEO. you have to bring something special to your organization to be entrusted with the top spot (the good ones, anyway), and mr. pozen has some valuable ideas to share. and it’s also good to get a little personal with the CEO. Robert comes across as very likeable and knowledgeable, and his book is definitely worth reading.

main lessons:

focus on the results you want to achieve, instead of the hours you work

plan your work around your strengths and abilities

spend a higher percentage of your time on high-priority tasks and goals

take into account if you spend more time than necessary on a project and when the project is good enough

respond immediately when possible instead of wasting time in the future to re-familiarize yourself with the request or task

take afternoon naps

underpromise and overdeliver

become a finalist and advance to the end

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#20) the power of now, by eckhart tolle

a strange choice? maybe. But there is wisdom in this book, and focusing on the present moment will do wonders for your productivity. however, I will put a disclaimer that this book gets a bit new at times. but that’s okay. if you can tolerate a few chapters of that, great wisdom can be gained. I certainly took a lot of it and it continues to affect me in a positive way. Eckhart Tolle claims to have been homeless and living in a bank in a state of blissful gratitude. do you believe that? weirdly, I certainly do.

main lessons:

become intensely aware of the present

the past is no more and the future will never exist

The present moment is all you’ll ever have

death is stripping away everything that is not you until you realize that you do not exist and that death does not exist

withdraw attention from the past and future when not needed

learning from a mistake makes it no longer a mistake

Have a stillness within you that never leaves you

the stillness and immensity that allow the existence of the universe are also present within you

don’t make living and dying a problem

become like a deep lake; still deep down, no matter what’s going on on the surface

Only those who have transcended the world can create a better world

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#21) ultimate achievement, by brian tracy

brian tracy appears so many times on this list for a reason. I urge you to check out some of their stuff if you’re serious about self-improvement and productivity. He ranks right up there with Tony Robbins as one of the best of the best. we can all learn a thing or two from both.

main lessons:

do what other successful people are doing

if you want the effects, just repeat the causes

you can choose what your attitude will be every minute of every day

you perform as well as you think you are capable of

proceed with your goals in the same frame of mind you were in when you first set them

ask what’s stopping you

do the things you fear

act like it’s impossible to fail

ask yourself what is in your life that you are not facing

Peace of mind should be your most important goal

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#22) the four-hour workweek, by tim ferriss

tim ferriss came out of obscurity with this instant classic and i thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It’s actually one of the few books I’ve read twice. it’s so good he basically coined the term “lifestyle design” and has set up the whole life of it to be a great classroom. lately, he has been deconstructing the best players and teaching others how to improve their game. this man is a hero to many, and to me too.

main lessons:

there is hardly any competition for the top

success can be measured by the number of awkward conversations you’re willing to have

the most important actions are never comfortable

be productive instead of busy

ask, “if this is the only thing i accomplish today, will i be happy?”

there are rarely real emergencies

let some little bad things happen so you can focus on making the big important things happen

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#23) the body of four hours, by tim ferriss

These two go together quite a bit, so I put them together here as well. Tim basically experimented on himself constantly and compiled all the results of his experiments in this amazing book. You don’t have to take ice baths and lots of crazy supplements if you don’t want to, but he has done it all and brought us the best of what works. the best way to read this book is as a reference book. I read it all the way through, but by all means skip to the chapter on weight loss/gain, or running faster, etc., if that interests you more. there is something here for everyone.

main lessons:

the decent method you follow is better than the perfect method you don’t follow

doing the unusual requires unusual behavior

develop a singular approach to the process

take at least one nap throughout the day

trust the data instead of the masses

nothing has yet been discovered in biology that points to the inevitability of death

refuse to accept partial integrity

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#24) earn what you’re worth, by brian tracy

Are you getting tired of hearing this guy’s name mentioned on this list? well, you can always go to another site related to the discipline. wait… don’t… don’t do that! This is the last Brian Tracy book on this list. As always, I have notes on each of these books, so if you’d like me to send them all to you at once, click here.

main lessons:

You have chosen your current income

constantly look for ways to improve

for your life to improve, you must improve

build your own competitive advantage

everyone who succeeds does so with the help of others

you are constantly selling yourself and your services

order what you want

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#25) 10 minute hardness, by jason selk

jason selk is another good one. I discovered it in 2014 and I remember looking at everything differently after reading this one. some of the books on this list will do it for you. this one is all about the mental game and properly preparing to compete. It doesn’t matter if you’re competing against your to-do list or the boxer on the other side of the ring, Jason Selk will give you an edge. or rather, he will help give you an edge.

main lessons:

if you’re thinking about what’s wrong with your life, then you won’t be able to think about what you should do to improve it

people end up achieving what they think they are capable of achieving

self-image will eventually regulate behavior and outcomes according to the dominant beliefs of the individual

continually tell yourself that you have what it takes to be the kind of person you want to be

5 percent of people make 95% of the profits; most people won’t be as prepared as you are

relentlessly focus on solutions

there is a solution for your problem

you must bring to life each solution you identify

make success permanent and failure temporary

mental toughness can be said to be present when the mind can control the body enough to do what needs to be done to be successful

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#26) the way of the superior man, by david deida

I dare say this book was a bit advanced for me when I first read it. Of course, I didn’t think about it at the time, but I’m sure I’ll have to re-read it at some point to really get everything out of it. david deida is a very smart man, he has done what most people only think of doing, and i highly recommend the book. he definitely explained some things to me that I’m still learning to this day. solid addition to this list.

main lessons:

eventually we got over it all

hold nothing

challenge your mediocrity and the mediocrity of your friends

every moment of your life is a test or a celebration

the only options are fear or dominance

life is a process of dying through what cannot be lost

give yourself to others when you feel tense

practice deep breathing throughout the day

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#27) think and grow rich, by napoleon hill

ah, napoleon’s hill. what a boy Forget the fact that he got rich writing self-help books and was never successful until then. Of course, I use the term “successful” very loosely, because success comes in so many different forms. The backstory behind this book is that Andrew Carnegie (the steel tycoon) asked him to interview all of his most powerful friends and find out what they did and didn’t do when it came to being successful. Hill spent 25 years doing this, and the result is this book. a classic.

main lessons:

the belief that success for you is inevitable makes you a new person and the world cannot help but change for you

cultivate the burning desire to win

practical dreamers will always drive progress

every failure brings with it the seeds of an equivalent success

no one has been defeated until defeat has been accepted as reality

our only limitations are the ones we set in our own minds

faith removes limitations

we go up or stay down due to conditions we can choose to control

the conversion of desire into its monetary equivalent is no more miraculous than the formation of the universe

the definition of the purpose should be the starting point

temporary defeat is not permanent failure

no leader is too busy to do what is required of him as a leader

The subconscious mind works day and night and responds to all kinds of stimuli

completely banishes fear in all its forms

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#28) rework, by jason fried

This book may seem like a strange choice to me, and indeed it was. but I have no regrets as it more than lived up to what I heard about it. 37signals (now basecamp) is the web development company that jason fried co-founded. In this book, he revisits ancient business wisdom and shares some of his insights about real productivity and progress in the modern world. it’s a short book, and anyone in business (or most people, for that matter) can find a lot of value in it.

main lessons:

That “real world” may be real to some people, but you don’t have to live in it

evolution has always been based on what has worked and so should you

the real hero is not the workaholic but the person who came home early because he found a solution to the problem

ask what you really need to get started

see how far you can go with what you’ve got

remove the good things and leave only the best

when you’re stuck on something, that means you’re not doing other things

don’t waste good time because of bad work

momentum is generated by finishing one thing and then moving on to the next

Imperfections are real and people respond to them

most of the things you worry about never end up happening anyway

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#29) you’ll see it when you believe it, by wayne w. dyer

wayne dyer is a personal role model of mine, and don’t let his place on this list fool you. he was one of the brightest men on the planet and one of the biggest influences in my entire life. I cannot overstate that fact. wayne taught me a lot about the world and how it’s possible to be happy in it, and a lot of things about him can also be translated into self-discipline and self-control. the man did whatever it took to get his message to the people, and this message has literally transformed millions of lives. mine included. You already read the damn book!

main lessons:

be willing to do whatever it takes to make your visualization a reality

work every day on your thoughts instead of your behavior

We can only give away what we have inside

love your job, no matter what your current task is

focus on what you have, rather than what you don’t

flow instead of fight

self-discipline is easier when we love ourselves

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#30) the law of success, by napoleon hill

Any napoleon hill fans here? You may or may not know that he also wrote this one, called “The Law of Success.” now, it’s long (actually 16 booklets), but i definitely got some value. the writing style is, well… old. but it doesn’t feel like a strenuous read. I’d read “Think and Grow Rich” first if you’re just entering Napoleon Hill, but this one is also available if you choose to pick it up. For my part, I certainly have no regrets.

See also Barack Obama - The White House

main lessons:

power is applied knowledge

taking initiative consistently will make it more likely in the future

teaching others will also develop the same skills within you

only excellence inspires jealousy; mediocrity is ignored

thought is the only thing you have total control over

nothing great is achieved without a temporary defeat

refrain from labeling anything a failure until you’ve had enough time to reflect

There can be success without happiness, but it’s never worth it

guard your thoughts because of the ease with which they can be influenced

any kind act or thought, regardless of whether it is reciprocated, has a positive effect on your own character

your reputation is made by others, but your character is made by you

The most successful people make decisions quickly and stand behind them firmly until they are carried out

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#31) man in search of meaning, by viktor frankl

Do you remember the last time you hugged a book? I have embraced many books since this one, but Man’s Search for Meaning is a must read. I cannot overstate the importance of this book, and it is not just the account of a psychiatrist’s incarceration in various concentration camps during World War II; valuable discipline lessons can also be learned. I urge you to choose this one sometime in the next 3 months.

main lessons:

happiness and success must be achieved indirectly

the last of human freedoms: to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s path

without suffering and death, human life cannot be complete

ask what life expects of you

The hopelessness of our struggle does not detract from its dignity or meaning

a meaningful life can and should include all your suffering

man does not simply exist, but also decides what he will become in the next moment

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#32) the art of nonconformism, by chris guillebeau

chris is one of those guys who is just doing it right. when you read any of his stuff you see that he is not an internet marketer and he doesn’t want your money unless you feel he has helped you. well, he has helped me and has taken part of my money. As the title might suggest, the reader realizes that he or she does not have to live their lives by anyone else’s rules. that takes discipline, and there’s a lot of it here. another solid addition to the list.

main lessons:

You don’t have to live your life the way other people expect you to

The key to a better lifestyle is not less work, but better work

The most memorable moments of our lives are often the most challenging

work on the meaningful things that are meaningful both now and in the future

start taking your dreams very, very seriously

In the end you probably won’t be satisfied with a life that revolved solely around you

momentum drives progress and growth

the person who says something is impossible should not interrupt the person who is doing it

no one will ever be as involved in your development as you are

don’t just escape something; escape something

failure is a real possibility, but regrets are optional

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#33) the happiness of the search, by chris guillebeau

We just saw this guy! again, don’t let his placement on the list take anything away from him. Chris is world class when it comes to improving everyone around him as well as himself. he stubbornly pursued the goal of traveling to all the countries of the world, and he succeeded. that alone would be impressive, but he has a very successful blog (the art of nonconformity) and an annual summit. he’s one of the more approachable guys who do this kind of thing for a living, and his competitive advantage is that he really cares.

main lessons:

whatever we want to learn, the possibility is available to each of us

journey produces its own rewards

don’t save anything for later

cultivate an emotional awareness of death rather than just an intellectual one

you have to be deliberate about doing what matters to you

any real test will challenge you to the core

value the overall experience enough to persevere

We tend to overestimate what we can do in a day, but underestimate what we can do in a year

if your family and friends don’t support you, then you need to find people who will

know when to give up or change tactics

if there is something that will keep you awake at night, let it be the fear of not following your dream

regret is what you should fear most

be afraid to settle down

As you gain confidence, “I can do this!” becomes “what else can I do?”

entrepreneurs are willing to work 24 hours a day for themselves, but not a single hour doing something they hate

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#34) the tools, by phil stutz and barry michels

I don’t remember how this book came into my life, but I still think about it after all this time has passed since I finished it. I took about 4 pages of notes in total, and I give this book my heartiest recommendation here. they do their best with the exercises in this book, and each one is worth trying. I often wonder how many people actually do the exercises in books like these? Well, I went ahead and put my faith in these two authors, and I was not disappointed. they will help you cultivate courage, creativity, and willpower in abundance.

main lessons:

if you want different results, you’ll have to do things differently

adversity is the “weight” with which you build your inner strength

The times when you want to quit are the times when it is most important not to quit

asking for pain to stop is like asking for education to stop

commitment requires an endless series of small painful actions

anger puts your life on hold while the world moves on without you

If left unchallenged, negative thoughts will grow stronger

a human being can never be more than a work in progress

The future is yours to win or lose

your future is in danger at all times, and that develops an incredible urgency

The future may bring you darkness, but it cannot take away your ability to create light

the only real mistake you can make is to do nothing

the future is your responsibility

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#35) change your thoughts, change your life, by wayne w. dyer

in case you’re joining this list late, wayne dyer is one of my top role models. I even try to talk like this guy sometimes. Seriously, listen to him talk. he is the most calm, wise and caring person I know. and I know many calm, wise and affectionate people. In Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life, Wayne breaks down the 81 verses of the Tao Te Ching and distills Lao Tzu’s ideas into 81 essays. I listened to it as an audiobook and was untouchable for the rest of the month and beyond.

main lessons:

nature does not create storms that never end

at every moment, you have a choice

The cure for a life of restlessness is to choose stillness

if you realize you have enough, then you are truly rich

For you to know weakness, you must have felt strength at some point

the challenges you face do not arise

simplify and deal with difficulties while they are still small

each individual action is simple

take a single simple step

take preventive control over your health and affairs

one action or no action, one day at a time

When people know they don’t know, they can find their own way

be like the water in the ocean and never put yourself above anyone

never assume you know what’s best for someone and not even yourself

Without the kindness of your competitor, you could neither win nor lose

live cooperating

Anyone who improves the lives of others is on your team

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#36) talent is overrated, by geoff colvin

This upcoming work of art is one of those books that is referenced so often that it’s hard to ignore. I tend to gravitate towards books like that because I know they’re probably popular for a reason. If you’re just becoming a student of discipline and achievement, you’ll hear the term “deliberate practice” over and over again. this describes the process of systematically improving during each and every practice session or homework assignment. deliberate practice will separate you from the “too rans” and geoff colvin digs into this.

main lessons:

there are very few people today who are truly excellent at what they do

focus on the skills that will create mastery

an observer can point out our mistakes much better than we can

deliberate practice is hard and you can take comfort in the fact that most people won’t do it

The little things that elite artists do take a lot of practice to implement successfully

see below

the best performers establish precise roadmaps to get where they want to go

more is learned during a crisis than at any other time

Creativity is rarely a burst of inspiration and more often the result of deliberate practice

choose something you are willing to suffer for all your life

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#37) 168 hours, by laura vanderkam

You have beaten 37 books! I wonder how long it will take you to finish them all. It would probably take me 45-50 days, but everyone is different! Laura’s thesis is that we all have more time than we think. In this, I think she is absolutely right. she even stopped by divine discipline to answer some of my questions on the subject in an interview, located here. Being intentional about how we spend our time and following up to keep ourselves accountable can really be life-changing if we commit to it. she gives us the inside scoop in this highly accessible and insightful book.

main lessons:

slow down and really live

there is enough time to do everything

plan your week instead of your day

you can choose how you spend your 168 hours

You have more time than you think

When estimating how long we work, we tend to subconsciously shift to cultural pressures or norms

create a blank spreadsheet with 168 hours

complete a one week time log

Any “job” that doesn’t lead you towards your professional and personal goals should not be labeled as work

comply with everything you tell yourself you will do, as a matter of personal integrity

The world is not going to make it easy for you to stick to your priorities

change your meeting mindset: you were invited because you have nothing better to do

you get 30 to 60 hours per week, or 1,500 to 3,000 hours per year at work

time spent doing one thing is time not spent doing another

there’s time for anything you really want to do

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that’s it! 37 of the best books to increase your self-discipline and willpower. I hope the trip has been enlightening for you. I loved each of these books, and especially for what they taught me.

If you know of anyone else who could benefit from reading one of these, please share this article with them. Divine Discipline is completely non-profit (and always will be!) in support of Doctors Without Borders. As such, we rely on actions and word of mouth to get the message across rather than expensive marketing campaigns. your help would mean a lot to us and to all the people whose lives you’ll help save with us.

The main lessons above were taken from my personal notes that I keep for each book. If you’d like a personal copy of those notes, along with every note from every book I’ve ever read (full list here), simply contribute to our non-profit campaign here.

I wish you all the best and may your discipline be divine!

mat karamazov

author biography:

matt karamazov is a mentor, boxer and human rights activist who reads 300 books a year and throws 300 punches a minute. The website, Discipline Divine, is his most heartfelt project, dedicated to raising funds for causes such as Doctors Without Borders and Human Rights Watch, among others. is also dedicated to helping people meet their greatest willpower challenges. he also likes death metal, so he doesn’t have many second dates.

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37 Of The Best Books For Increasing Your Willpower

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