Usually I promote my own content, naturally, but today I wanted to mix it up and give you some insight as to where all my ideas come from. These books all contributed directly to me building confidence, and I believe they can do the same for you.
For those of you interested in developing massive self-confidence – particularly you people pleasers out there – these are my top 10 recommend books (in no particular order):
Meditations, by Marcus Aurelius
Stoicism has had a huge influence on me developing my own philosophy, and there is no better representative of active stoicism than the late Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius. Imagine reading the private journal of the most powerful man in the world. (For Stoicism, I also recommend The Obstacle is the Way, by Ryan Holiday).
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck, by Mark Manson
Manson and I have very similar ideas about how to create a meaningful life, we just use different words. In this book, Manson acknowledges the strife of being a human and the psychological barriers we all face. He talks about how to make decisions you’ll be proud of and that will give meaning to your life.
This was a surprise from the author of the pick-up artist bible The Game. After years of seducing women, he learns that nothing can fill that hole in his psyche. In this book, he makes a transformation from needy pick up artist to fully honest and vulnerable man, facing his greatest fear: honest commitment.
The Philosophical Baby, by Dr Alison Gopnik
I believe that we’re born confident. This isn’t just a wild guess – there’s solid science to back this up. Gopnik explains how decades of researching infants has shown her what potential we have before the world fucks us up – and what we can learn from our younger selves.
Radical Honesty, by Dr Brad Blanton
A man to my own heart, Blanton is the only other advocate I know of besides Sam Harris who is in favour of full unadulterated honesty at all times. Whereas I recommend considered honesty, Blanton is in favour of completely unfiltered expression of yourself.
Wanna know why humans are the way they are? You must know where we came from. Few people can bring together history, psychology, religion, economics and science inclusively to explain why we are how we are. Harari does just that – this book will explain everything about your current culture, and where you came from.
The 4 Hour Work Week, by Tim Ferriss
You waste most of your time, simple as that. And you work to put money in someone else’s pocket most of the time. And they don’t care about you. But there is a way out. This book took my own workweek from 45hours down to about 20, which allowed me to start my own business on the side.
No More Mr Nice Guy, by Dr Robert Glover
This book fundamentally changed my life. People pleasers need to read this to face the dark truth about their behaviour and take responsibility for their lives. No book has affected me more personally than this one.
Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor E. Frankl
You think you got it bad? Try being a Jew in a Nazi concentration camp. Frankl used his experience in the camps as a foundation for developing logotherapy, a Stoic form of psychological counseling based on finding meaning rather than happiness.
I Will Teach You to be Rich, by Ramit Sethi
Most people are managed by their money. This book will help you understand how money works and why you’re broke all the time. A must read.
Enjoy your reading!
Dan
And for my take on confidence, check out my book:
Nothing to Lose: Using Curiosity to Destroy Hesitation, Procrastination, and Limiting Beliefs