These are the 10 books you must read to succeed

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The multi-billion-dollar industry of personal development is huge. This industry produces literally thousands of books each year on success and how you can achieve it. There are many books on success, from the practical to the modern age.

Which books are best for you? What books can you trust to help you in your quest? And which books should be put aside? This is an important question because people are often busy.

These are the ten most important books that you must read to understand the philosophy behind success. These books cover everything, from positive thinking and the law attracting success to goals and enlightenment.

These are your best bets. Study them. Take the time to study them. Once you have read these books, it will be easier to move on to the most important part of your success story – taking action.

10. The Magic of Believing Claude M. Bristol

This is a classic book. The author, Mr. Bristol, explains how to tap into your subconscious mind in great detail. Although it may sound like it is new age woo, this is actually not. Bristol offers great auto-suggestion techniques and helps us to think through the issues we face. This book will teach you a lot.

9. Blair Warren – A Guide to Enlightenment that is Nonsensical – Blair Warren

Blair Warren is one the smartest people that I know. This book (e-book) shows this. His premise? While many people seek enlightenment and are often unsuccessful, the truth is that most of us have experienced it at least once in our lives. This book is something I have read a number of times. Every time I go back to it, I learn something new. The best part? It is available as a free download from Mr. Warren. Get Mr. Warren’s book to get enlightened.

8. Psycho-Cybernetics Maxwell Maltz

Are you curious about how your brain works? Are you looking to improve your golf swing? Are you looking to become a guided missile in achieving your goals and objectives? This book is for you. This book is among the most important you’ll ever read. It is so classic, you may have already read it. You can read it again if that is the case. These concepts are worth repeating.

7. Think and Grow Rich – Napoleon Hill

This book is a must-read for anyone looking to learn more about the philosophy behind success. This classic deserves to be read again and again. It’s hard to think of anything I haven’t written about this book. It’s possible to get it if you have it already and go back and read it. It’s worth getting if you don’t already have it. Think and Grow Rich is the proof. Many successful people credit this book with their success.

6. SHAM – Steve Salerno

How America’s Self-Help Movement Left Us Helpless is the sub-title. What would one consider an anti-self-help title on a list of best self-help books and what would it look like? To separate the wheat and the chaff one must not only know the wheat but also the chaffs. Mr. Salerno does a great job of showing where self-help has gone wrong and how it can hurt people in certain circumstances. Personal development is not without its fair share of scammers and charlatans, just like any other human endeavor. You can be more successful if you’re better equipped to spot them before they lead your way.

5. Felix Dennis – How to Get Rich

This isn’t new age fluff. Not at all. This book is different from any other book on the list. Multi-millionaire publisher Mr. Dennis, founder of Maxim Magazine, calls his book an “anti-self help book”. What will you get from this book? This book will give you Dennis’ perspective on how to truly become rich. And not just six-figures-a-year rich, but multi-millionaire, never-have-to-worry-about-money-ever-again rich. Are you sure you have the skills and determination to reach that level? This book will help you find out. It will change your life.

4. You Were Born Rich – Bob Proctor

Bob Proctor was a writer and speaker before he became “Scientist Bob”, the quantum physics “expert”. Even though I don’t like what he has become, You Were born Rich is one the most important personal development books ever written. I not only have the book but also the unabridged audio, which I have listened to many times. It might seem tempting to purchase his other books, but that is not necessary. This book is his only one that has merit, and it will help you on your way to success.

3. Anthony R. Michalski’s Master Key Workbook

Yes, this book was written by me. Yes, it really is. No, I’m not exaggerating my views. After researching the success philosophy and speaking with many people, I realized that one of the major reasons people fail to achieve notable success is because they don’t try hard enough. It’s not that they don’t try hard enough. It’s not that they don’t understand success philosophy. Sometimes, it’s even not because they aren’t talented or skilled. Many people don’t succeed because they don’t know what they want. The Workbook helps you to do just that. The Workbook contains a wealth of concepts, mental exercises and written exercises to help you define your definition of success. This book will help to clarify your goals. It is easier to achieve your goal when you know what it is. This book will be a great companion. It’s a workbook that you’ll be using to write in, so you’ll return to it often as you move toward your goals.

2. Charles F. Haanel – The Master Key System

Is there anything more? The Master Key System “is the only clear, concise and comprehensive, definitive, distinct, scientific, and scientific presentation ever made of the creative power to think.” You will learn how to train your brain to focus and visualize as you go through the book in 24 weeks. This book will teach you how to see a problem, situation, or opportunity from a different perspective and how to fix it. It is a very powerful book that can be used to your advantage.

1. Robert Anton Wilson – Prometheus Rising

This book is the one you should read if you only have one book to read from this list. It is a book I try to read at least once a year. Every time I do, I learn something new. In Prometheus Rising Mr. Wilson takes you on a journey through seven “circuits of consciousness” as defined by Timothy Leary. What will you discover? There is a lot. There is too much to cover here. This book is one of my favorite books. After you have read the book, I’m certain you will agree.

There you have it. These are the only ten books that you will need to read if you want to succeed.

You might be wondering, “Why only ten?”

It is common for personal development professionals to say that you should read every personal development book you can find. Seminar speakers will tell you that you’re “investing in education”. Others will say that you should be “combing your own hair every day” and that you need to read personal development books daily, or you could fall into the same mistakes that led to your failures.

This reasoning is not mine. I have seen two things happen if someone reads too many books on personal development.

  1. Because they are constantly exposed to too many ideas and techniques they become confused. They never reach their full potential.
  2. They become a “self-help junkie” in search of the “silver bullet” that will make their life easier.