It is no secret that I have a love for personal development books. I am actually infamous for it. The books I will list here are books I have read, and I know they are worth reading. There is nothing worse than getting a book and going through the motivation and drive to read it, only for it to fall flat.
I want you to have a thriving 2022. That kind of happiness and productivity takes work, and you don’t want to waste time reading books that are generic and don’t give you the kind of information you are looking for. But this is a list of tried and true classics.
I once heard someone say that it is better to study a masters’ work over and over again rather than study many novices’ work, which I really like in this context. Because when you find an author who you connect with and have the results you want, it is best to stick with them and study their work.
I find it frustrating to read a whole book only to feel like it was a waste of time. This brings us to my master list of books that I have had the luxury of reading and implementing their wisdom into my life to make me lead a successful and happy life.
Here are the 22 best books for 2022 that will make this year a happy and productive one:
1. The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy
If you want to be productive this year, read this book. The Compound Effect is a staple book in productivity because the whole concept makes achieving goals and working towards anything easy, simple, and achievable.
It breaks down the goal-making process and builds you back up to achieve your goals. It has a no-nonsense approach to personal development, and it is a personal love of mine.
Darren Hardy also runs daily video emails with nuggets of knowledge to help keep you on track with your goals. I watch it every day over coffee to help get my mindset in place, achieve goals, and stay on track while also following The Compound Effect. If you haven’t read this one, get it.
2. The Courage to Be Disliked by Fumitake Koga and Ichiro Kishimi
This book is a secret love of mine, and it’s one of the best books for 2022. The Courage to Be Disliked is really easy to read as it is structured like a conversation. You get to follow along as someone discovering the secrets of happiness for the first time and it is fascinating.
Sometimes, personal development books can be dry and hard to get through. But this one reads more like a novel, and the concepts in it are exceptional. They also have a follow-up book called The Courage to be Happy, which is just as good, but it is more of a practical book.
3. Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway by Susan Jeffers
One of the biggest holdbacks of happiness is fear—fear of being judged, of injury, of death. Fear is what holds us back from doing things we want and need to do to make us happy.
Fear will always hold you back from happiness and progress unless you learn how to overcome it. Reading Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway is the best way to do that. As the title says, you have to feel the fear but you have to do it anyway, and this book gives you the confidence to do that.
4. You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero
When people start their journey into finding happiness, I always send them to Jen Sincero. Her book, You Are a Badass, is hilarious, upbeat, to the point, and covers some fundamentals of self-love to get you off your buns and go for what you want in life.
It is written in a personal style with her unique sense of humor, so it feels like you are sitting with a good friend and listening to their wisdom. If you are looking for that “get started” or motivational book, this one is a great one to come back to over and over again.
5. Discover Your Destiny With the Monk Who Sold His Ferrari: The 7 Stages of Self-Awakening by Robin Sharma
You may be thinking something along the lines of “what is this book and how does it lead to either happiness or productivity?” And you would be right in thinking it. I admit, it is an off recommendation, and it is a different suggestion. But Discover Your Destiny With the Monk Who Sold His Ferrari is a great book.
This book covers really important lessons that can help you build a happier life. It is also really easy to read, and it is nice to follow along with the protagonist learning all the wisdom. It isn’t a big book either, so it is something you can read on your commute or over coffee in the morning without having to sit down and focus.
6. Karmic Management: What Goes Around Comes Around in Your Business and Your Life by Christie McNally, Michael Gordon, and Michael Roach
Karmic Management comes under the category of helping you become happy and productive. It covers the concept of being selflessly generous—how being kind and generous can lead to personal and financial growth.
It is a short book, which means that it is to the point, which I love! It’s a quick read and offers great insight into happiness and growth. It is one of the best books for 2022 that you can read over coffee in the morning and you can absorb the content and incorporate it into your life easily.
7. Respect Trumps Harmony: Why Being Liked is Overrated and Constructive Conflict Gets Results by Rachael Robertson
I have had the luxury of interviewing this writer, and I cannot express how much I loved this book. Respect Trumps Harmony is not only engaging and interesting to read but also filled with exceptional nuggets of wisdom.
Her theory about Triangles alone makes this book worth reading. Adopting Rachael’s Triangle system into my life has led to an end to miscommunication and drama. If communicating with other people is causing you to be unhappy or less productive, you need to read this book.
8. The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday
Are you a chronic procrastinator? If so, this one’s for you.
9. Courage Is Calling by Ryan Holiday
I am adding this book even though I have not finished it yet because I hold this author in such high regard. It is sitting in my reading pile (which is always five books high).
Happiness and productivity require courage to overcome fears and push you out of your comfort zone. These aren’t easy feats. You need the courage of a lion to overcome your battles, and this author is exceptional at what he does. Courage Is Calling is also well-reviewed, and I just cannot wait to finish it.
10. Rhinoceros Success by Scott Alexander
If you are looking for a short and quick motivational book, Rhinoceros Success is the one you need. It is short, funny, but to the point.
It is the sort of book you can read in an hour but will hype you up to get you over your excuses and into the thick of it with excitement. It is one I love to have nearby for that kick in the pants when the procrastination sinks in.
Final Thoughts
These are my 22 best books for 2022 for you to thrive and have an excellent year ahead. This year will be what you make of it, so I hope you find the motivation and courage to make it the best year ever.
