10 Best Books About Self-Discipline to Help You Reach Your Goals

Struggling with motivation? Here are the best books about self-discipline to help you stay determined and focused on the journey to reaching your goals.

Many times we know exactly what we need to do...

...but we struggle to find the strength to actually do it.

Here are the best books about self-discipline to help you push through those times when it's a challenge to bring your ideas and vision to fruition.

These books will help you give you a new perspective on your goals and help you to identify the roadblocks that may be holding you back.

Why is this so important?

Well, once you unlock the keys to staying disciplined and motivated, you set yourself up for long-term success.

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What are the Best Books on Self-Discipline?

Here are the best books about self-discipline to help you do the things you need to do, when you need to do them:

1. The Power of Habit

The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg is one of my favourite books on self-discipline and cultivating good habits.

We need self-discipline to push through personal obstacles and stick to the routines we create for ourselves.

This New York Times Bestseller walks readers through real-life examples and scientific discoveries that explain why habits exist and how they can be changed.

You'll find engaging narratives that move from the boardrooms of Procter & Gamble, to the sidelines of the NFL, to the front lines of the civil rights movement - all with valuable lessons that will help you change your life for the better.

Read this book: get hard copy on amazon | get the free audiobook

2. The Marshmallow Test

Have you ever heard of the marshmallow test?

In the test, a child is presented with a marshmallow and given a choice: Eat this one now, or wait and enjoy two later.

What will he or she do?

More interestingly, what are the implications for the child's behavior later in life?

In this book, Walter Mischel - the psychologist who designed this famous test - explains what self-control is and how to master it.

As a leading expert on self-control, Mischel has proven that the ability to delay gratification is critical for a successful life, predicting higher SAT scores, a healthier lifestyle, and greater sense of self-worth.

But is willpower prewired, or can it be taught?

In The Marshmallow Test, Mischel explains how self-control can be mastered and applied to challenges in everyday life - and how much of a difference it can potentially make.

Read this book: get hard copy on amazon | get the free audiobook

3. The Science of Self-Discipline

As we all realize soon or later, best intentions are not enough.

Whatever you want in life, self-discipline is the missing piece - the motor that drives you to your goals.

This practical book about self-discipline takes a deep look into the factors that allow us to resist our worst impulses and simply execute, achieve, produce, and focus.

You’ll learn how top performers consistently exercise self-discipline, as well as what drives us to act, on an instinctual, psychological level.

In addition, you'll discover how to:

Diagnose what motivates you, what drains you, and what moves you emotionally

Beat instant gratification and create limitless motivation

Form productive habits to increase your focus

Create an environment and social circle that boosts self-discipline

When you understand what drives your cravings and the true roots of self-discipline, you’ll be able to rise above your temporary discomfort and focus on what really matters.

Read this book: get hard copy on amazon

4. The Willpower Instinct

Based on cutting-edge insights from psychology, economics, neuroscience, and medicine, The Willpower Instinct explains exactly what willpower is, how it works, and why it matters.

In the book, Stanford University ProfessorKelly McGonigal shows readers both how to strengthen willpower and avoid depleting it in the first place.

McGonigal reminds us that the more we use our willpower, the easier it gets in the future, and that just like muscles, we can train our brains to get stronger at self-control.

As you read, you will learn:

How temptation and stress hijack the brain's systems of self-control

How willpower is not a virtue, but rather biological function that can be improved through training

How willpower failures are contagious, and how to "catch" self-control from the right role models

The insights in this book are designed to help readers with a range of goals - from losing weight, to more patient parenting, less procrastination, better health, and greater productivity at work.

Read this book: get hard copy on amazon | get the free audiobook

5. Relentless: From Good to Great to Unstoppable

If you want to learn about self-discipline, this book by celebrity sports trainer Tim Grover will certainly teach you a thing or two.

For more than two decades, Tim Grover has trained hundreds of relentless competitors in sports and business, including famous athletes such as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade.

In this book, Grover details the essential traits shared by the most intense competitors, and reveals what it takes to achieve total mental and physical dominance.

You'll learn how to:

Trust your instincts and get in the "zone"

Control and adapt to any situation

Find your opponent’s weakness and attack

Keep going when everyone else is giving up

Packed with stories and unparalleled insights into the mindset of winners, Grover openly shares the same advice he gives his world-class clients, and shows you that anything is possible.

Read this book: get hard copy on amazon | get the free audiobook

6. The Compound Effect

How can self-discipline and consistency help you multiply your success and achieve phenomenal results over time?

Through an amazing process known as compounding.

The Compound Effect is a book by Darren Hardy that outlines how you can reap huge rewards from small, seemingly insignificant actions.

It's the #1 strategy you can use to achieve any goal and triumph over any competitor even if they're smarter, more talented or more experienced.

Inside you will find strategies on:

Eradicating your bad habits (some you might be unaware of!) that are derailing your progress

Painlessly installing the few key disciplines required for major breakthroughs

The real, lasting keys to motivation - how to get yourself to do things you don't feel like doing

How to capturing the elusive, awesome force of momentum that will help you be unstoppable

This strategy is what very successful people use to accelerate their progress, and it's something you can use too. Understanding the power of compounding can really motivate you to prioritize tasks that you would usually put off.

Read this book: get hard copy on amazon | get the free audiobook

7. Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength

In this book, world-renowned psychologist Roy F. Baumeister, teams with New York Times science writer John Tierney to reveal the secrets of self-control and how to master it.

As you read, you'll discover science-backed lessons on how to set realistic goals, monitor their progress, and keep going even when doubts creep in.

Through a mix of scientific research and the wisdom of real-life experts, Willpower makes it clear that whatever we seek - from happiness to good health to financial security - we won’t reach our goals without first learning to stay focused and resist temptation.

Read this book: get hard copy on amazon | get the free audiobook

8. Tools of Titans

Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss (author of The 4-Hour Workweek) is the ultimate compilation of high-leverage tools to help you thrive in life and business.

The book showcases the tactics, routines and habits of billionaires, icons and world-class performers - from celebrities and athletes to legendary Special Operations Commanders and black-market chemists.

Tools of Titans features answers to questions such as:

What do these people do in the first 60 minutes of each morning? What do their workout routines look like, and why?
What books have they most gifted to other people?
What are the biggest wastes of time for novices in their field?
What supplements do they take on a daily basis?

Though this book covers a range of topics, it contains very specific tips on self-discipline that can make a huge difference to your wellbeing and productivity.

Read this book: get hard copy on amazon

9. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success

This book about self-discipline is by Carol S. Dweck, the Stanford University psychologist famous for her insights on the broadly embraced concept of the "growth mindset".

In Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, Dweck shows how success in school, work, sports, the arts, and almost every area of human endeavor can be dramatically influenced by how we think about our talents and abilities.

Building on her previous findings, she introduces a phenomenon she calls false growth mindset and guides people toward adopting a deeper, truer growth mindset.

In addition, she reveals how great parents, teachers, managers, and athletes can put this idea to use to foster outstanding accomplishment.

Read this book: get hard copy on amazon | get the free audiobook

10. The Now Habit

The Now Habit is a book designed to help busy people get more things done more quickly, without the anxiety and stress brought on by delay and pressing deadlines.

You will learn how to:

Use the symptoms of procrastination to trigger the cure

Overcome the perfectionism and fear of failure that lie behind procrastination

Make and internalize positive statements about work

Use the "unschedule" time-management technique

Accomplish more in less time through efficient "flow state" work styles

Whether you're a professional, student, or entrepreneur, this book will help you identify and address the root causes of procrastination, so that you can achieve your goals and have more time for guilt-free play.

Read this book: get hard copy on amazon | get the free audiobook

Final Thoughts

Thanks for reading this list of the best books about self-discipline.

Did you find any that resonate with your particular challenges?

Many of the above books feature both tips on mental reframing and actionable suggestions to help you gradually bridge the gap between where you currently are and where you would like to be.

It takes effort and determination to become a more disciplined person, but the results are certainly rewarding!

I recommend that you keep your favourite books on self-discipline in an easily accessible location, so you can regularly tap into these important reminders as often as you need.

=> Get a free audiobook on self-discipline of your choice here.

Enjoy!