Authors like Seth Godin and Malcolm Gladwell have written works that have inspired countless readers to change how they view the world. But that isn’t exactly what I look for in a book. For me, the real triumph of written works is books that inspire people to take action and improve themselves.

The following is a list of the nine books that have changed not just how I view the world, but more importantly, how the world views me.

The Nine Books That Inspired Me to Improve Myself

9. Drink, Play, F@#k – Andrew Gottlieb (Inspired me to get reading again)

8. Iceland, India, Interstate – Colin Wright (Inspired me to share my travel experiences with others)

7. Fahrenheit 451 – Ray Bradbury (Inspired me to revisit the classics)

6. The War of Art – Steven Pressfield (Inspired me to embrace my creativity)

5. Vegabonding – Rolf Potts (Inspired me to take the leap to Argentina)

4. In Defense of Food – Michael Pollan (Inspired me to take action on my diet)

3. Bird by Bird – Anne Lamott (Inspired me to love writing again)

2. 1984 – George Orwell (Inspired me to write a novel)

1. The Alchemist – Paulo Coelho (Inspires me to do more… repeatedly)

The Important Part!

These are only the books I have had the privilege of reading. I am sure there are more out there.

What books have shaped you? What works have you read that have inspired you to take action and improve yourself?

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P.S. Some of the links above are affiliate links. This means I earn a small percentage of the sale if you choose to buy the books. That said, these really are my favorite books and I recommend them even if you don’t buy them via my links above. They are really fantastic!

P.P.S. Thanks to Hailee Rustard for the idea for this post. :-)