10 meaningful self-improvement books to help you start 2024 off right

James Clear’s No. 1 New York Times bestseller is all about how to create good habits, break bad ones and find the motivation to create a habit system that actually works for you. It’s not only Amazon’s No. 1 book in the self-help category; it’s the No. 1 book on all of Amazon, across categories, for 2023. How’s that for cred?

Have trouble getting out of your own way? “The Mountain is You” explores why we self-sabotage and how we can stop, for good. It helps you turn that negative behavior into something positive. 

There’s a reason more than one million copies of “Outlive” have been sold. Filled with practical advice on how to live well mentally, physically and emotionally, it’s a perfect kickstart for any reader looking to prioritize health.

Tired of hearing how a positive mentality is the key to a happy life? We get it! This book is a breath of fresh air. Mark Manson doesn’t sugarcoat hardship; instead he bluntly shares how we can find happiness by accepting our faults and the real difficulties that come with modern life.

Attention introverts — and everyone else, for that matter! This guide is your new best friend. From making a great first impression to mastering small talk, “How to Talk to Anyone” decodes social situations and self-presentation. It even teaches you how to work a room. Who couldn’t use help being a more effective communicator? 

Money matters, there’s no denying it. But for most of us, it can be a hard thing to get and an even harder thing to hold onto. “The Psychology of Money,” shows you, through 19 compelling stories of real people and their relationships to money, how to see money in a whole new way — a way that’s personal and attainable. 

David Goggins’ childhood was full of hardship. He was in no way set up for success. Yet he overcame the odds and has gone on to become a U.S. Armed Forces legend. In “Can’t Hurt Me,” Goggins teaches you how to move beyond fear and pain in order to reach your full potential.

This book explores how we can find lasting happiness through self-forgiveness and self-care. “The Courage to Be Disliked” teaches and empowers you to release yourself from self-imposed limits and find the strength to change.

Beloved memoirist and podcaster Cheryl Strayed, author of “Wild” and “Tiny Beautiful Things,” reflects on her complicated relationship with her mother-in-law, in the final days of the elder woman’s life. In this witty and wise book, the two women reflect on the challenges they’ve overcome and try to heal together.

If you’d like to start a regular meditation practice in 2024, The Daily Stoic is a wonderful place to start. This book features 366 dated meditations to help you begin each day feeling more centered.