“People who do great things don’t wait until the time is right. They make the time.”
Books have an incredible ability to inspire. Immersing their audience in a way no other medium can, authors can share their stories and impart their wisdom through books that can profoundly shape and transform the lives of those who read them. From identifying problematic behaviours and mindsets to offering real and practical insights, join us at What We Reading as we present the best books that inspire readers. Whether it’s kickstarting a new adventure in your life, finding the productivity for a new creative project or fostering better relationships at work or home, these inspiring books will undoubtedly change your outlook on life!
Think Big: Take Small Steps And Build the Future You Want – Dr. Grace Lordan
Kicking off our list of the best self-help books that inspire is Dr. Grace Lordan’s Think Big. A personal development book that is founded on evidence, Lordan’s work is a resource that helps readers utilise behavioural science in their careers and help make their dream futures come true. Each chapter opens with a unique behavioural science concept, helping readers to discover more about themselves and others around them.
From goal planning and resilience to watching out for other peoples’ biases, Think Big is a celebrated collection of practical tips for getting your way and reaching the career goals you want to achieve.
When Breath Becomes Air – Paul Kalanithi
A Pulitzer Prize finalist and Goodreads Choice Award winner, When Breath Becomes Air is an inspiring memoir from Paul Kalanithi. At the age of thirty-six, on the verge of completing a decade’s worth of training as a neurosurgeon, Kalanithi was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. His memoir chronicles his transformation from a naive student to an accomplished surgeon, new father and finally a patient confronting his mortality.
It is an incredibly moving and powerful affirmation of life. For a book that inspires readers to celebrate the beauty of existence and go out and accomplish something, few reads match Kalanithi’s.
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The Four Agreements – Miguel Ruiz
In his personal development book The Four Agreements, Miguel Ruiz explains the source of the types of self-restricting beliefs that so often hold us back from fulfilment and create needless suffering. Ruiz’s four agreements are: ‘Be Impeccable With Your Word’, ‘Don’t Take Anything Personally’, ‘Don’t Make Assumptions’, and ‘Always Do Your Best Through’.
Taken from ancient Toltec wisdom and grounded in simplicity and common sense, Ruiz’s teachings have been universally lauded for decades and offer a code of conduct that will inspire a new experience of freedom, love and joy in any reader.
Someday Is Today: 22 Simple, Actionable Ways To Propel Your Creative Life – Matthew Dicks
In Someday Is Today, author Matthew Dicks teaches readers how to begin kickstarting their lifelong dreams into action. Through a combination of his strategies, Dicks explores creatives ranging from writers and editors to magicians to demonstrate inspire and motivate.
From blocking out negativity from loved ones, and being bold enough to make something terrible to cultivating optimism in the face of disappointment, Someday Is Today is an amusing and inspirational self-help book that helps readers turn minutes of each day into pockets of serious creative productivity.
Bewildered – Laura Waters
What would it take you to ditch your whole life and live wild for five months? For Laura Waters, it was the implosion of a toxic relationship and a crippling bout of anxiety. In her ASTW-winning book Bewildered, she inspires readers with her real-life tale of packing up her life and, armed only with maps, compasses and the bag on her back, taking on the incredible Te Araroa trail in New Zealand.
Waters faced not only the challenges of enduring everything nature could throw at her but also the trials her mind and emotions presented on a 3,000km trek through wild mountainous terrain stretching from the north to south of the islands. Powerful and alive with humour and humility, Bewildered is sure to inspire readers ahead of their next adventure.
Think Again: The Power Of Knowing What You Don’t Know – Adam M. Grant
Psychologist Adam M. Grant’s Think Again is a book that inspires readers to embrace the benefit of the doubt, the unknown and the joy of being wrong. He explains how creative geniuses aren’t attached to one identity and can switch stances, whilst leaders who seek critical feedback go on to lead more successful and innovative teams.
From identifying how society fails to embrace rethinking to how it can be taught as a skill and as a mindset, Think Again promises to transform the way readers see the world and give them an edge in a culture that is rapidly evolving.
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear – Elizabeth Gilbert
One of the best books on creativity for anyone looking for inspiration, Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic’s main message is that creative brilliance comes from just being human. Delving into the mysterious realms of what inspiration is and where it comes from, Gilbert teaches readers how to embrace curiosity and let go of needless negativity.
Whether it is creating art, tackling everyday challenges at work or simply filling their daily lives with more joy, Big Magic comes packed full of uplifting and inspiring insights into the attitudes, habits and strategies every reader can utilise to unleash their creative potential.
You Are A Badass – Jen Sincero
New York Times bestselling author and world-travelling success coach serves readers one of the most inspiring books for those looking to improve their lives.
Through twenty-seven bite-sized chapters, Sincero offers an assortment of sage advice, practical tips and exercises and hilariously inspiring tales designed to help readers identify self-sabotaging beliefs, overcome their fears and how to set big goals, achieve them and love both themselves and others. Delivered with her iconic ‘go get ‘em’ tone, You Are a Badass is the perfect go-to for an energetic book that inspires.
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Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
