10 inspiring books that will motivate you through the year

In his latest best-selling book, Wharton professor and organizational psychologist Adam Grant challenges assumptions about innate talent through evidence-based findings and insights. He shares personal stories and stories from others – including average people – who have achieved great success from building character skills. The crux of his motivational message: that hidden potential can be found anywhere.

One of the greatest stories of determination and the human spirit is from David Goggins, an endurance athlete and the only member of the U.S. Armed Forces to complete SEAL training, Army Ranger School and Air Force Tactical Air Controller training. In this honest memoir, the retired United States Navy SEAL shares his experiences of childhood abuse, poverty and racism and pushing past physical limits. This is a story of perseverance not only in the face of adversity but in achieving what may seem unimaginable.

You may not expect the former music executive who has lived a rockstar-like life and produced hit records across many genres – hip hop, heavy metal, alt-rock and many more – to have such a zen approach to creativity as Rick Rubin does. But perhaps it is this zen philosophy that has allowed him to transcend expectations, get to the heart of artistry and influence industries. In The Creative Act, Rubin offers 78 areas of thought about the path of creativity, such as exploring the beginner’s mind, expectations, non-competition, self-awareness and sangha. For anyone who wants to be an artist, innovator, future disruptor or leader, this book is for you.

Facing health challenges can be all-consuming and when there is an experience of long-term illness, a life-threatening disease, or intensive recovery, things can feel defeating and even hopeless at times. For anyone facing illness or recovery, Jaouad’s memoir of her struggles from symptoms to diagnosis, a 4-year battle with cancer to reintegration into “normal” life may help offer simple companionship and inspiration in the journey of survivorship.

If you’re looking for a practical guide on how to overcome self-doubt and take actionable steps to achieve personal excellence, this book by The Mindset Mentor podcast host and high-performance coach Rob Dial may just be the ticket. Dial’s approach is genuine and down to earth and reminds the reader that lasting success comes from the accumulation of small efforts.

A winner of multiple book awards and a New York Times bestseller, Solito is a memoir about Salvadorian poet and activist Javier Zamora and his migration to the United States as a child. At nine years old, he travels alone without family on a three-thousand-mile journey for months in the hopes of reuniting with loved ones. It is a moving and emotional story about perseverance and hope, and it may help restore faith in the goodness of humankind.

Do you find your New Year intentions are the same year after year with nary a change? If so, Atomic Habits may be the book for you. Author James Clear shares practical strategies on how to form or break habits and help shift wishful thinking into results. It focuses on designing an environment that will help support you in creating good habits.

To be like water is to be pliable and adaptable and not be in a fixed mindset or position. This collection of Taoist-inspired philosophies of legendary martial artist Bruce Lee offers reminders to go with the flow, that there is a purpose to making mistakes, and to approach life with mindfulness and a growth mindset. The passages are meant to be returned to and re-read to help slow down to be like water through life’s ups and downs.

Although the original book was published over 10 years ago, the wisdom of university professor and researcher Brené Brown still rings true. It invites the reader to reflect on what it means to be worthy of love and belonging. The Gifts of Imperfection offers 10 guideposts to wholehearted living, such as cultivating self-compassion, cultivating intuition, and cultivating a resilient spirit.

No matter how many motivational tips, actionable steps and well-formed habits are in place, sometimes we may need to pause to ask: What makes a life worth living? The late neurosurgeon Paul Kanalithi had numerous accolades under his belt before being diagnosed with lung cancer at 36 years old. In his final days, faced with mortality and the vulnerability of being human, he wrote When Breath Becomes Air as he wrestled to find meaning. This heartbreaking yet inspiring book will ultimately encourage readers to live more fully.