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8 Best Books About Finding Purpose in Life

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Updated on January 29, 2023

It’s been proven time and again that living a purposeful life is a strong predictor of living a happy life.

Yet, a lot of people simply live life without questioning the things they are working towards. Without a purpose in life, you may feel like you’re not really going anywhere, which can cause anxiety and unhappiness. When you know what motivates you, you’ll be better equipped to lead a happy life.

However, finding your purpose in life can seem like a difficult and daunting challenge. Where do you start?

These are the most inspiring books on finding a purpose in your life. If you’re looking to find the thing that sparks you in 2021, then one of the books discussed in this article is bound to inspire you.

1. Man’s Search For Meaning by Viktor Frankl

2. staring at the sun by irvin d. yalom, 3. the code of the extraordinary mind by vishen lakhiani, 4. the seven storey mountain by thomas merton, 5. boundaries by h. cloud and j. townsend, 6. lovingkindness by sharon salzberg, 7. waking up by sam harris, 8. the happiness trap by russ harris, wrapping up.

While incarcerated, he observes that the survivors are only those who preserve a sense of purpose and meaning within their suffering. He keeps himself alive with the purpose of one day lecturing about the psychological states of prisoners in the concentration camps – a purpose that he eventually fulfilled.

His book is raw and sometimes unnerving, but deeply inspiring. It is an irrefutable account of someone for whom finding purpose was a matter of life or death.

This quote from the book is my favorite:

Mental health is based on a certain degree of tension, the tension between what one has already achieved and what one still ought to accomplish, or the gap between what one is and what one should become. What a man actually needs is not a tensionless state but rather the striving and struggling for a worthwhile goal, a freely chosen task.

Contributor : Jaimie Eckert

Website : scrupulosity.com

This book teaches you how to live with purose by discussing death and meaninglessness, which is a welcome change!

There are two things that I particularly like about this book. First, it welcomes the reader to consider something we often avoid – our own death – and he convincingly suggests that thinking about death brings vitality and purpose to life. Entire theories (e.g., Terror Management Theory) explain how avoidant we are of death, so this is a welcome change.

Second, the book condenses the best ideas from the author’s long career into inspiring, actionable gems. These are the ideas that have helped his patients and Dr. Yalom himself deal with anxiety about death and meaninglessness, and he repeatedly encourages readers to pause and consider the ideas in relation to their own life.

It’s also quick and easy to read, so it won’t feel too daunting!

Contributor : Jon Reeves

Website : www.jonreevesphd.com

This book made me bolder and more comfortable pursuing my own dreams.

This is my favorite book on living life with a purpose because it gave me permission to quit following society’s BS rules.

It showed me how to finally quit worrying about what other people think of me. I knew I had a purpose in life – and I knew what it could be – but I didn’t know if it was right. This book gave me a way to free myself to live.

It showed me how to focus on living MY life, not someone else’s version.

Contributor : Janie J Jurkovich

Website : www.janiej.net

The simplicity and beauty in which Thomas Merton expresses his life’s journey to fulfillment has stayed with me for years.

I am not Catholic nor a monk, but Thomas Merton’s memoir on converting to Catholicism and becoming a Trappist monk has always inspired me.

My life is not remotely close to what he experienced, but his search for hope and fulfillment provides a wonderful look at how our individual journey can take us where we want to go based on our choices. Merton made some poor decisions early in his life that brought him significant unhappiness. He was able to turn his life around after finding for himself what would make him happy.

In the end, he followed the path that his heart needed. His search is illustrative for us all.

Contributor : Kyle Jones

Website : kylebradfordjones.com

This book breathed life into me when it made me realise that “No” is a complete sentence and it is okay.

Finding purpose in life is not just about actionable steps but also about looking at the underlying issues that might hold us back from finding our purpose. This book taught me that boundaries are about protection.

This has helped me protect my own journey to finding my purpose. It has given me the courage to say “no” to the things that don’t align with my purpose. This is one of my most highly recommended books as a therapist to help people get unstuck from the expectations of other people and the world.

Contributor : Bianca Hughes

Website: www.biancakhughes.com

I always refer my clients and family to this book about finding purpose in life. Lovingkindness doesn’t just help you find your purpose, it completely changes your life and how you connect to yourself and others.

Not only is it written in a very relatable, conversational tone, but the book also has a multitude of exercises and questions to ponder. It isn’t just a self-help book, though, it is also a book on the philosophy of life. Rather than just tell you what you should do, this book gives examples of why you should do it and how it will change your world and the world of those around you.

Contributor : Liz Shuler

Website : www.innerevolutioncounseling.com

My favorite book for finding meaning is Waking Up by Sam Harris. It’s very focused on meditation and letting go of the idea of the self.

The author bridges the gap between science and “spirituality” (for lack of a better term), particularly for secular humanists like me who know that a belief in God isn’t a requirement for a purposeful life.

Contributor : Kayce Hodos

Website : www.kaycehodoslpc.com

The book helps readers learn to clarify their core values. Core values provide direction for everyday life as well as big choices that infuse life with meaning and purpose.

The Happiness Trap also provides guidance on the practice of mindfulness, which helps readers learn to direct their attention to what matters most.

Contributor : Anna Yam

Website : www.bloompsychologysd.com

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Finding your purpose in life takes time and will likely not happen overnight. In fact, your purpose is an evolving part of your life that changes as you grow older . It’s therefore important that your daily life and mindset are constantly held in line with your purpose.

The goal of this list is to show you books that can inspire you to find your own purpose in life. These are recommendations from experts on the topic, and I’m sure that there is a book on this list that will help you find your purpose.

Founder of Tracking Happiness, with over 100 interviews and a focus on practical advice, our content extends beyond happiness tracking. Hailing from the Netherlands, I’m a skateboarding enthusiast, marathon runner, and a dedicated data junkie, tracking my happiness for over a decade.

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The 20 Best Books For Finding Your Purpose

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Living a purpose driven life is one of the keys to a life of happiness and wellness. That’s why we have put together this list of the 20 best books for finding your purpose!

Purpose is something that we all end up searching for at some point in our lives. But without purpose, life lacks personal meaning.

In short, your life purpose will be a combination of all the things that you find meaningful in your life. Once you have found your life’s purpose, engaging in it will feel as though you are having a lasting impact on the community around you. And what a fulfilling life it would be to feel like you are making a difference in the world!

There are plenty of interesting books that you can read to help you find your true purpose. But life is short! So we have put together this list of the 20 best books for finding your purpose!

#1. Man’s Search for Meaning – Viktor Frankl

In Man’ ’s Search for Meaning , Frankl details his dreadful experiences as a prisoner in Nazi concentration camps. Frankl’s story is truly horrific, yet he explains how he somehow still managed to find purpose and meaning despite his suffering.

Frankl explains that when faced with suffering, we can either work to overcome our experiences or be defeated by them. He explains that we can’t change the circumstances of our lives, but we are always in control of our attitude toward them.

Available in: print | digital | audiobook

#2. The Art of Work: A Proven Path To Discovering What You Were Meant To Do – Jeff Goins

As someone who quit what I thought was my dream job , Jeff Goins’ The Art of Work is one of my favorite books on this list.

Many people misunderstand the process of finding your purpose through your life’s work. The advice that is often given is that your work should be something that you are passionate about. While this is true, Goins redefines the concept of work by explaining that a sense of purpose in work comes from passion combined with a connection to the needs of the world and our community.

This is commonly referred to as the concept of the ikigai. Those who are fortunate to have found their ikigai know how truly amazing it is work and live a life that is centred around purpose .

#3. The Alchemist – Paulo Coelho

Unlike most of the best books for finding your purpose on this list, The Alchemist is a work of fiction. However, this great book still has its lessons for finding your life’s purpose.

In the book, the main character sets out on a journey to discover an unknown treasure that has been appearing to him in reoccurring dreams. At its core, The Alchemist is a story about discovering and maintaining your purpose despite life’s challenges. This book serves as a reminder that just beginning the journey is all it takes to start finding purpose.

#4. The Happiness of Pursuit: Finding the Quest That Will Bring Purpose to Your Life – Chris Guillebeau

In one of the best books for finding your purpose, The Happiness of Pursuit explains that having something to pursue is what gives us purpose. In short, “challenge is the essence of adventure”.

We all think that we want our lives to be easy and carefree. But if we had no challenges or obstacles in our lives, we would have no purpose or meaning to attach to our actions.

This book is a powerful reminder that it isn’t just about reaching your goals. Instead, the very act of having big dreams and goals that you are always working toward will bring purpose to your life.

#5. The Gifts of Imperfection – Brené Brown

In one of our favorite books on this list, Brené Brown explains that we need courage, compassion, and connection to help us live our lives from a place of worthiness. You can check out our full summary of The Gifts of Imperfection to learn more about how this book helps you embrace the imperfect person you truly are and your individual purpose.

#6. A New Earth: Awakening To Your Life’s Purpose – Eckhart Tolle

The struggle to find inner peace is something we can all relate to. A big part of that is the battle we fight against our ego.

In A New Earth , Tolle challenges the reader to confront and set aside their ego in order to connect with their purpose in life. Putting in this hard work will help you move forward in the right direction with your purpose in mind.

#7. To Be Told: Know Your Story, Shape Your Future – Dan Allender

When it comes to your spiritual well-being, the best place to look is inside. This is the key idea behind To Be Told – looking inward and listening to the story of our lives.

The idea is that when we look inward, we find clues toward our purpose in life. When we have an understanding of the story that has come before in our lives, we are able to control how we add to that story in new ways.

#8. The War Of Art – Steven Pressfield

We all struggle with an internal resistance that keeps us from pursuing our true calling. This resistance shows up as the excuses that we make to avoid working toward our deepest desires for our lives.

Pressfield helps the reader identify how this resistance shows up in their lives and arms them with the tools to defeat it. This is the only way to live a life of purpose focused on your true calling.

#9. The Path Made Clear: Discovering Your Life’s Direction and Purpose – Oprah Winfrey

Oprah’s inspirational The Path Made Clear provides actionable steps and insights from many purpose driven individuals to find the vision you have for yourself and your life. After discovering this vision, you will begin to find a deeper connection to your life’s purpose.

#10. Dream Year: Make the Leap from a Job You Hate to a Life You Love – Ben Arment

When it comes to the best books for finding your purpose, Dream Year is your go-to guide for making a job change . Your work takes up a large percentage of your life, so it is important to find work that you are passionate about and that makes a difference in the world.

Arment explains how to find, plan for, and start the career of your dreams so that you can connect with a sense of purpose in your work.

#11. The Artist’s Way – Julia Cameron

The Artist’s Way may not be one of the new books on this list of best books for finding your purpose, but it has stood the test of time.

While this book may seem targeted toward creatives, there are lessons about rediscovering purpose for anyone. Using a variety of exercises and activities, Julia Cameron helps the reader uncover their own personal restrictions on their creativity. And when you are unrestricted in your creativity, your life’s purpose becomes clear!

#12. Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation – Parker Palmer

Parker Palmer shares his personal experiences searching for a life of purpose in this short but powerful book. One key takeaway is that it is easy for us to end up imitating others who live a life of purpose, rather than listening to “the life that lives inside us”.

#13. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success – Carol Dweck

One of the reasons we don’t find our purpose is because we limit ourselves to facing only the obstacles we know we can overcome.

But with a growth mindset , obstacles can provide new opportunities and feedback when faced with failure. And when that happens, we can end up discovering new passions and new purpose.

Check out our top 5 key takeaways from Carol Dweck’s Mindset for more on how this great book can help you with finding your purpose!

#14. The Power of Habit – Charles Duhigg

Our lives are made up of different ‘habit loops’ that cause us to react a certain way to different events. The Power of Habit explains how you can take advantage of these loops to make big changes in your life. After reading this book, try making a new pattern out of intentionally pursuing your purpose!

#15. The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself – Michael Singer

Singer walks you through the steps you can take to free yourself from the things that place limits on what you are capable of doing with your life. Understanding how to free yourself from these limitations will help you find a sense of inner peace to pursue your life’s purpose!

#16. Getting Grit: The Evidence-Based Approach to Cultivating Passion, Perseverance, and Purpose – Caroline Adams Miller

Having ‘grit’ means that you are so passionate about a goal that your persevere toward it regardless of the obstacles that get in your way. In Getting Grit , Miller explains how cultivating this trait can help you develop a sense of purpose. This will in turn keep you focused on your goal – at all costs!

Available in: print | digital

#17. The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything – Ken Robinson with Lou Aronica

The ‘element’ is something that people have when their talent that comes naturally meets their own passions. Robinson explains that when we find this intersection, we are free to be ourselves and live the purpose driven life of our greatest dreams.

#18. The Life You Were Born To Live: A Guide to Finding Your Life Purpose – Dan Millman

While The Life You Were Born to Live is also not one of the new books on this list of best books for finding your purpose, it remains a powerful resource! Millman shares the Life-Purpose System and 37 paths of life to help you understand the various factors that contribute to your life’s purpose.

#19. Find Your Why: A Practical Guide for Discovering Purpose for You and Your Team – Simon Sinek

As the title suggests, Find Your Why is one of the best books for finding your purpose. Sinek explains that it isn’t about what you are doing, but why you do it.

Understanding your why is the key to having a vision and mission for your life. It transforms your goals from things that you want to accomplish to value-driven reasons for living a purpose driven life.

#20. The Last Lecture – Randy Pausch

After being told that he has only 6 months to live, Pausch set out to write what would become his last lecture as a professor. This great book will prompt you to reflect on the obstacles you are tasked with overcoming in your life. Most importantly, it will challenge you to make the most of the time you have on this Earth by living a purpose driven life.

Honorable Mentions:

• Designing Your Life – Bill Burnett and Dave Evans (check out our Designing Your Life book summary for more details!)
• Limitless – Jim Kwik (check out our Limitless book summary for an overview!)

Using The Best Books For Finding Your Purpose

We all feel stuck in life at some point. But it is possible to beat this feeling with a sense of purpose and meaning!

Each of the books on this list has its own powerful life lessons to help you start living a purpose driven life. The best thing you can do is pick one that sounds like it will resonate with your life experience and where you are at in your personal growth journey.

You may have to read a few before you start to feel like you are heading in the right direction. Just remember, your purpose changes throughout your life. Be flexible and listen to your own heart!

Don’t forget to share this post with your friends and family on social media! If you know someone who could use some help finding their life’s purpose, this post could be what they need to help them with their search!

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13 Best Books on Finding Your Purpose in Life

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Are you looking for enlightenment?

For centuries, philosophers, therapists, spiritual leaders, and nowadays motivational speakers have grappled with the age-old question: “ What on earth am I here for? ”

Whether you're a seasoned self-help enthusiast or on the cusp of your personal growth journey, the path to understanding life's purpose can be as perplexing as it is rewarding.

In this specially curated list of 13 profound books, we plunge into the depths of human experience to bring you a selection of wisdom-laden guides, each promising to shed light on the elusive quest for meaning.

From Viktor E. Frankl's poignant reflections on human resilience in “ Man's Search for Meaning ” to the nuanced exploration of blissful existence with Ken Mogi's “ The Little Book of Ikigai Way, ” these works are more than mere pages; they are a compass for your soul .

Get ready to flex your mental muscles and venture into the literary realms that challenge, uplift, and inspire—to find not just any purpose but one that resonates with the core of who you are.

Whether it's unlocking the secrets of a joyous life with “ Ikigai ” or discovering your unique ‘why' through Simon Sinek's thoughtful exercises , these 13 books are set to guide you on an unforgettable odyssey towards the fulfillment of your life's potential.

Join us as we reveal the best books for connecting with your ultimate calling, and perhaps, find the answers woven into your very being.

Table of Contents

The Advantages of Knowing Your Purpose in Life

The following are some of the benefits you’ll enjoy when you’re aware of your life’s purpose:

• Better heart health
• Stronger immune system
• Lower risk of developing dementia
• Happier disposition
• Ability to earn more

Quick Tips for Finding Your Purpose

Here are some quick suggestions to help you begin the process of uncovering your purpose in life. ( A detailed guide to finding your life’s purpose can be found in this post. )

• Recall the activities you enjoyed doing as a child .
• Recall your happiest childhood memory.
• Take note of the reasons people come to you for help.
• Think about the tasks or work you’d willingly do for free.
• Think about what you’d willingly do even if others might laugh at you.

Read on to discover 15 books that will help you discover what you were born to achieve and how you can contribute to improving the world.

1. Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

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• Man's Search for Meaning explores the author's experiences as a Holocaust survivor, offering profound insights into the human capacity for resilience , meaning, and purpose in the face of extreme suffering.
• The book delves into the concept of finding meaning in life , highlighting the transformative power of maintaining a sense of purpose and hope even in the most dire and challenging circumstances.
• It emphasizes the importance of embracing personal responsibility and choice, guiding readers to recognize the freedom to choose one's attitude and response to life's inevitable hardships.
• Man's Search for Meaning underscores the value of finding meaning in suffering, providing a thought-provoking perspective on how individuals can transcend adversity and find purpose in their experiences .
• The author shares profound philosophical and psychological reflections, offering valuable insights on the human spirit , resilience, and the pursuit of meaning in the midst of profound suffering and uncertainty.

Written from the perspective of a Holocaust survivor, Man's Search for Meaning is one of the most inspiring books about how to find meaning amidst a life filled with suffering .

Born in 1905, Frankl was an Austrian psychiatrist and neurologist. He was known for his breakthrough work in logotherapy .

When WWII broke out, he and his family (who were Jews) were sent to concentration camps. Most of his family did not survive this experience.

Frankl was able to make it, and wrote this book to chronicle his personal experiences in four different concentration camps.

The book shares the following insights:

• Our ultimate challenge, as human beings, is to find meaning in our lives.
• No matter what situation we are in, we have the power to find meaning in our lives.
• The way we react to suffering has an impact on how we find meaning.
• Holding on to a sense of purpose is equivalent to having the will to live.

2. The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? By Rick Warren

• The Purpose Driven Life emphasizes the significance of discovering and living out one's divine purpose , providing a spiritual framework for understanding and fulfilling one's role in the world.
• The book delves into the concept of living intentionally and aligning one's life with God's purposes, offering insights on how to cultivate a deeper spiritual connection and find meaning in everyday existence.
• It explores the importance of serving others and making a positive impact, guiding readers to embrace a life of purpose , fulfillment, and contribution to the well-being of others.
• The Purpose Driven Life underscores the value of spiritual growth and personal transformation, providing practical guidance on deepening one's faith, living with gratitude, and finding joy in serving others.
• The author shares actionable insights and spiritual principles for discovering and living out one's divine purpose, offering valuable perspectives on faith, fulfillment, and a life guided by spiritual meaning and significance.

If you’re looking for a book on finding your life’s purpose from a Christian perspective, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? is a must-read.

It is not a passive read, but more like a workbook for finding your purpose as ordained by God .

There are 40 chapters in the book, which Warren recommends readers take one chapter per day.

These chapters give you the following insights:

• You were planned for God’s pleasure.
• You were formed for God’s family.
• You were created to become like Christ.
• You were shaped for serving God.
• You were made for a mission.

3. Think Like a Monk: Train Your Mind for Peace and Purpose Every Day by Jay Shetty

• Think Like a Monk offers insights into cultivating a more mindful and purposeful mindset , drawing from the author's experiences as a monk and providing practical guidance for integrating monk-like wisdom into everyday life.
• The book delves into the concept of self-discovery and personal growth , offering actionable strategies for developing greater self-awareness, resilience, and inner peace through mindfulness practices.
• It explores the significance of aligning one's thoughts and actions with personal values and purpose, guiding readers to lead a more intentional and fulfilling life rooted in compassion, gratitude , and service to others.
• Think Like a Monk underscores the value of cultivating a positive and resilient mindset, providing insights on overcoming challenges, managing stress, and nurturing a sense of inner peace and purpose. The author shares actionable insights and practical wisdom for integrating mindfulness and purpose-driven principles into daily life, offering valuable perspectives on personal growth, fulfillment, and living with greater intention and compassion.

If you’re looking for a book that can show you how to achieve purpose in your daily life, you might want to check out Think Like a Monk: Train Your Mind for Peace and Purpose Every Day by Jay Shetty.

In this book, Shetty discusses complicated issues such as the search for self-identity, fear and negativity , and living with intention.

In this book, you’ll find a lot of ancient wisdom, as well as anecdotes of Shetty’s personal experiences as a monk. It encourages readers to find where their true passions lie in order to start living life with purpose.

4. Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life: How to Finally, Really Grow Up by James Hollis

• Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life explores the psychological and spiritual dimensions of personal growth and fulfillment in the later stages of life, offering insights on embracing the challenges and opportunities of aging.
• The book delves into the concept of self-examination and self-discovery, guiding readers to confront existential questions, reevaluate priorities, and cultivate a deeper sense of meaning and purpose in the second half of life.
• It explores the significance of embracing change and transitions , providing perspectives on how to navigate the complexities of midlife and beyond, and find deeper fulfillment and authenticity.
• Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life underscores the value of introspection and inner work , offering insights on how to confront fears, confront the shadow self, and embark on a journey of self-actualization and personal transformation.
• The author shares actionable insights and psychological perspectives for navigating the challenges and opportunities of the second half of life, offering valuable guidance on finding meaning, fulfillment, and personal growth as individuals mature and transition into new life stages.

Some people view mid-life as the point where you’ve got most things figured out. However, other people experience mid-life as a time of major changes, disappointments, and a deeper evaluation of what life truly means.

These significant upheavals are addressed in this book by James Hollis

It is a refreshing alternative to the usual viewpoint that mid-life is the time for material success and public recognition.

Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life: How to Finally, Really Grow Up is a good option if you are looking for that crucial link in your understanding of personal development in adults.

[ Check out this post for our recommendations of the best personal development books that can help bring about the self-improvement you’re aiming for .]

5. The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield

• The War of Art explores the challenges of creative work and the resistance that often impedes artistic endeavors, providing insights on overcoming self-doubt, procrastination, and other obstacles to creative expression.
• The book delves into the concept of “resistance” as a formidable adversary to creativity, offering practical strategies for identifying and confronting the internal and external forces that hinder creative pursuits .
• It explores the significance of discipline and perseverance in creative endeavors, guiding readers to cultivate a mindset of professionalism, dedication, and relentless pursuit of their artistic goals.
• The War of Art underscores the value of embracing the creative process and committing to the daily practice of art, providing insights on how to overcome self-sabotage and achieve creative breakthroughs.
• The author shares actionable insights and strategies for combating resistance and unlocking creative potential, offering valuable perspectives on cultivating resilience, discipline, and the courage to pursue artistic endeavors with unwavering determination.

If you’re a creative type, The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles is a must-read for learning how to harness your creative inspiration in order to achieve your life’s purpose.

In the book, we are introduced to the concept of resistance , which is the reason why we do not reach our fullest potential.

Furthermore, we learn that we have two lives: the one that we are living right now and the one that is inside us, still unlived.

The force of resistance becomes stronger when we begin to manifest our unlived lives into reality.

Pressfield shares tips on how to overcome this resistance in order to fully embody the creative within ourselves.

6. Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life by Héctor Garcia and Francesc Miralles

• The book delves into the Japanese concept of “Ikigai ,” which represents the intersection of one's passion, mission, vocation, and profession, offering insights on finding purpose and fulfillment in everyday life.
• The book emphasizes the importance of living with intention and finding joy in simple pleasures, guiding readers to cultivate a sense of purpose, satisfaction, and longevity through meaningful daily activities.
• It explores the significance of balance and harmony in life, providing perspectives on how to integrate work, leisure, and social connections to nurture a fulfilling and purpose-driven existence.
• Ikigai underscores the value of self-discovery and lifelong learning , offering insights on how to align one's daily pursuits with personal values and aspirations to lead a more meaningful and contented life.
• The authors share actionable insights and practical wisdom for embracing the principles of ikigai, offering valuable perspectives on finding purpose, joy, and a sense of fulfillment in the pursuit of a long and happy life.

The concept of ikigai can be described as the place where your passion, vocation, profession, and personal mission intersect. It is loosely translated as “ one’s reason for living. ”

Garcia and Miralles share the results of their interviews with the long-living residents of a village in Okinawa, Japan, inspiring readers to embrace the things that truly make them happy.

Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life also offers helpful suggestions for cultivating habits that bring you closer to your purpose and help you live a happier life.

7. The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael A. Singer

• The Untethered Soul explores the nature of consciousness and the path to spiritual growth , offering insights on transcending the limitations of the ego and embracing a more expansive and liberated state of being.
• The book delves into the concept of inner exploration and mindfulness, providing practical guidance on releasing habitual thought patterns, emotional reactivity, and inner resistance to experience greater peace and freedom.
• It explores the significance of surrender and letting go , guiding readers to cultivate a deeper sense of inner peace, acceptance, and connection to the present moment.
• The Untethered Soul underscores the value of self-awareness and inner inquiry, offering insights on how to navigate the depths of consciousness and unlock the transformative power of mindfulness and introspection.
• The author shares actionable insights and spiritual principles for achieving greater freedom and inner harmony, offering valuable perspectives on embracing the journey beyond the self and experiencing a more liberated and authentic way of living.

What does it mean to live as an untethered soul?

In The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself , Michael A. Singer takes readers on a journey away from the ego and into their true selves, which is his description of an untethered soul.

Here are some of the insights to be gained through the book:

• Change is here to stay and is a constant part of life. The only way to cope with change is to accept it and realize that it helps bring forth personal growth .
• To gain freedom, we need to accept the presence of pain rather than avoid it.
• True happiness comes to us when we decide to be happy .
• You hear the voice in your mind, but this voice is not you.

By realizing these and other insights, the reader can move away from their attachments to ego and start living more authentically , in keeping with their true purpose in life.

8. A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose by Eckhart Tolle

• A New Earth delves into the nature of human consciousness and the awakening to a higher state of being, offering insights on transcending ego-driven patterns and embracing a more enlightened way of living.
• The book explores the concept of present moment awareness and the transformative power of living in the now , providing practical guidance on releasing attachment to the past and future to experience greater peace and fulfillment.
• It emphasizes the significance of transcending the egoic mind and embracing a deeper sense of interconnectedness and compassion, guiding readers to shift from self-centered thinking to a more expansive and inclusive perspective.
• A New Earth underscores the value of inner transformation and spiritual awakening, offering insights on how to cultivate a greater sense of presence, purpose, and alignment with the unfolding evolution of consciousness.
• The author shares actionable insights and spiritual principles for achieving personal and collective awakening, offering valuable perspectives on embracing a new level of consciousness and living in harmony with the greater purpose of life.

A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose is one of the most highly respected resources on finding your purpose. In it, Eckhart Tolle reveals how our ego-based state of existence creates our pain and suffering.

Tolle also offers a new way of being that involves going beyond the ego’s promptings and finally living an authentic and fulfilled life.

There are 10 chapters in the book, including:

• The Flowering of Human Consciousness
• Ego: The Current State of Humanity
• The Core of Ego
• Role-Playing: The Many Faces of the Ego
• The Pain-Body
• Breaking Free
• Finding Who You Truly Are

9. Sacred Contracts: Awakening Your Divine Potential by Caroline Myss

• Sacred Contracts delves into the concept of archetypes and their influence on personal and spiritual development, offering insights into identifying and understanding the symbolic patterns that shape one's life.
• The book emphasizes the significance of recognizing and fulfilling one's divine purpose, guiding readers to explore the archetypal forces at play in their lives and align with their higher calling.
• It explores the importance of self-examination and introspection, providing practical guidance on how to identify and embrace the archetypal patterns that influence personal choices, relationships, and life experiences.
• Sacred Contracts underscores the value of embracing the journey of self-discovery and personal transformation , offering insights on how to navigate the complexities of archetypal influences and live in alignment with one's divine potential.
• The author shares actionable insights and spiritual principles for uncovering and embodying one's sacred contracts, offering valuable perspectives on embracing a life of purpose, meaning, and spiritual fulfillment.

Sacred Contracts: Awakening Your Divine Potential helps you recognize and honor your spiritual commitments. It is your guide to discerning your true purpose in life.

The author, Caroline Myss, is a medical intuitive. Through her work with clients, she has discovered that mental disorders such as depression and anxiety , as well as physical illnesses, manifest when people do not know what their purpose is in life.

Through this book, readers are introduced to the concept of archetypes and their role in helping us develop a sense of fulfillment by living life in keeping with our purpose.

10. How to Do the Work by Dr. Nicole LePera

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• How to Do the Work: Recognise Your Patterns, Heal From Your Past, + Create Your Self delves into the process of recognizing and addressing personal patterns, offering insights on how to navigate past experiences and foster self-healing and growth.
• The book emphasizes the importance of understanding the impact of past experiences on present behavior , guiding readers to explore their patterns and develop tools for healing and self-discovery.
• It explores the significance of integrating mind-body practices and holistic approaches to well-being, providing practical guidance on nurturing mental, emotional, and physical health.
• How to Do the Work underscores the value of self-reflection and inner work , offering insights on how to cultivate self-awareness, release limiting patterns, and create a more authentic and empowered sense of self.
• The author shares actionable insights and holistic strategies for personal transformation, offering valuable perspectives on recognizing patterns, healing from past experiences, and fostering greater self-awareness and well-being.

11. Find Your Why by Simon Sinek, David Mead, and Peter Docker

• Find Your Why: A Practical Guide for Discovering Purpose for You and Your Team offers a practical framework for individuals and teams to discover and articulate their core purpose, emphasizing the importance of aligning personal and professional endeavors with a deeper sense of meaning.
• The book delves into the concept of the “Golden Circle” and the significance of understanding the “why” behind one's actions, providing actionable guidance on clarifying personal and organizational purpose.
• It explores the importance of authenticity and values-driven leadership , offering insights on how to create a culture of purpose and inspire meaningful contributions within a team or organization.
• Find Your Why underscores the value of fostering a sense of belonging and fulfillment, providing perspectives on how individuals and teams can leverage their purpose to drive engagement, innovation, and success.
• The authors share actionable insights and practical exercises for uncovering and articulating one's “why,” offering valuable perspectives on aligning personal and professional endeavors with a deeper sense of purpose and fulfillment.

12. Discover Your Dharma by Sahara Rose

• Discover Your Dharma: A Vedic Guide to Finding Your Purpose delves into the Vedic concept of “dharma” and offers insights into uncovering one's unique purpose and path in life, drawing from ancient wisdom and modern psychology.
• The book emphasizes the importance of self-discovery and aligning with one's innate gifts and passions, providing practical guidance on embracing one's dharma to lead a more fulfilling and purpose-driven life.
• It explores the significance of understanding one's unique traits and tendencies , guiding readers to identify their dharma archetypes and leverage them to make meaningful contributions to the world.
• Discover Your Dharma underscores the value of embracing personal growth and self-realization , offering insights on how to live authentically and in alignment with one's dharma for greater fulfillment and impact.
• The author shares actionable insights and Vedic wisdom for discovering and embodying one's Dharma , offering valuable perspectives on living with purpose, authenticity, and a sense of deep fulfillment.

13. The Little Book of Ikigai Way by Ken Mogi

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• In The Little Book of Ikigai: Live a Happy and Long Life the Japanese Way , embrace the concept of ikigai, or finding your sense of purpose and meaning in life, to live a fulfilling and joyful existence.
• Cultivate a positive mindset and appreciate the simple pleasures in life, such as spending time in nature and enjoying good food.
• Prioritize building strong social connections and nurturing relationships with family, friends, and community members.
• Practice mindfulness and live in the present moment, finding joy in everyday activities and experiences.
• Strive for a balanced lifestyle that includes regular physical activity, healthy eating, and adequate rest to promote overall well-being.

Final Thoughts on Books on Purpose

The quest for meaning is both deeply personal and universally significant. Each book on this list offers a unique roadmap, guiding us through introspection, reflection, and exploration to uncover our true calling.

From the practical exercises in “The Purpose Driven Life” to the inspirational stories in “Man's Search for Meaning,” these authors illuminate the path towards living a life of fulfillment and authenticity.

Whether you're grappling with existential questions or seeking clarity amidst uncertainty, these books provide invaluable insights and guidance to help you navigate the journey.

But the search for purpose is not just about discovering a destination—it's about embracing the journey itself.

As you delve into these books and reflect on their teachings, remember that finding your purpose is not a one-time event, but a lifelong pursuit. It's about aligning your actions with your values, listening to the whispers of your heart, and embracing the unique gifts and passions that make you who you are.

So, as you embark on this journey of self-discovery, I encourage you to approach it with an open mind and a sense of curiosity. Be willing to explore new possibilities, challenge your assumptions, and step outside of your comfort zone.

Embrace the process of growth and transformation, knowing that each step you take brings you closer to living a life of meaning and fulfillment.

If you enjoyed this article and are interested in more resources about finding your purpose, the following articles are also worth checking out:

• What Is Your Why? 12 Steps to Find Your Purpose in Life
• 47 Perspective Quotes to Get a Fresh Look on a Life Challenge
• 9 Life Purpose Questionnaires & Quizzes to Discover Your “Why” in Life
• 8 Steps to Write Your Personal Mission Statement (with Examples)

The 20 Best Books For Finding Your Purpose with Joy

By: Author Kelly Clark

Posted on Last updated: March 12, 2024

Categories Book Lists , Self Development

If you’re feeling stuck, reading some of these books for finding your purpose may give you new direction and inspiration.

One of the topics that gets brought up a lot in your twenties is this idea of “finding your life purpose.” Most of us have big dreams of finding our true calling, living a more fulfilling life, and pursuing personal growth .

If you’re anything like I was, hearing that phrase either confuses you or maybe terrifies you a little. I’m here to put those confusing and scary thoughts to rest as we talk about what it means to find your life’s purpose.

I’m by no means an expert in this subject, so I’m bringing in help from those that are. I’ll be sharing with you a list of 20 books that have helped many people find purpose. It’s key to have a growth mindset on your way to having a better understanding of yourself. And that’s where self-help books come in! They are fantastic tools to help you on your journey.

Before we get into the list, let’s dive into what it means to find your life’s purpose in your own life.

Defining Your Purpose

The word purpose holds such a heavy weight to it. It’s like we are born for one purpose and one purpose only, no do-overs, no exchanges, it’s our job to find it and accept it. I don’t view purpose like this, and I encourage you not to view it in this way as well.

I do believe we have one main purpose, I connect that to my religion, but I also see purpose in smaller segments as well. That is the one I want to talk to you about today. There is no one purpose but individual ones with a deeper personal meaning.

The way I see it, in school we had a purpose – get good grades and discover what it was we were interested in that we would want to learn more about in college , vocational school, the workforce, etc… In college our purpose has been about the same just at a higher level, and now more career focused. You get the idea. 

Then there is the purpose that sets your soul on fire, the one that you know in your gut you were made to have. This is the one that trips everyone up. If I’m honest it has tripped me up a time or two.

When I think I have it figured out something in me changes and I start thinking maybe that wasn’t my purpose after all. I connect this purpose to my main religious one and spiritual well-being. Others connect it to a career, hobby, etc…

Wherever you seek answers about your purpose, I hope that one day you find it. Working within your life’s purpose can bring inner peace, though you don’t have to work a paid job to work your purpose. You can volunteer, pursue it as a hobby, etc… These books I’ve listed below should help frame your mindset about your purpose.

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20 Of The Best Books For Finding Your Purpose

This list has everything from biographies to fiction books. They have been known to be inspirational reads for people that have turned the pages or listened to the audiobooks.

A great book can change your life! Be prepared to challenge your thinking in new ways and increase your quality of life.

Life on Purpose: How Living for What Matters Most Changes Everything by: Victor J. Strecher

If you need more of a reason why it’s a good idea to find your purpose, read this book. It’s all about the connection between your purpose and your health and overall happiness.

Author Dr. Vic Strecher draws on research, personal experience, and more to dive deep into the correlation between the two in Life On Purpose . You can lead a happy , fulfilling life!

The Quarter-Life Breakthrough: Invent Your Own Path, Find Meaningful Work, and Build a Life That Matters by: Adam Smiley Poswolsky

If you feel like your purpose lies in your work, then you’ll want to read this. The Quarter-Life Breakthrough is all about finding meaning in your work. This book is filled with advice about how to find purpose in your career, without worrying about if you’ll be able to make rent this month.

Sometimes when your purpose is tied to a career move it can be scary. Your career controls so much when it comes to finances and your life in general. I’m excited to dive into this book and soak up the advice it has to offer on this topic.

Man’s Search for Meaning by: Viktor E. Frankl

This book was first published in 1946, but the impact it has left has been timeless. It’s a biography from Viktor Frankl’s about his time in the Nazi concentration camps. He writes about finding meaning and purpose in his life despite the horrible things he had to go through during that time of adversity as a young man.

A Man’s Search For Meaning has been translated in over 50 languages, and has inspired countless amounts of people to keep going and keep searching for the good, no matter the obstacles they may face.

You on Purpose: Discover Your Calling and Create the Life You Were Meant to Live by: Dr. Stephanie Shackelford and Bill Denzel

Do you ever wish there was a guide, roadmap, or north star to this whole finding your purpose thing? Well I think I’ve found it for you. In You On Purpose you are given a four-step process for discovering your calling/purpose and deepest desires.

Those four steps are define, discover, decide, and do. I’m excited to see what we can learn about ourselves and our purpose after reading this book. What about you?

Speak: Find Your Voice, Trust Your Gut, and Get from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be by: Tunde Oyeneyin

If you own or have ever worked out on a Peloton bike you probably recognize the author of this one.

Speak is Tunde Oyeneyin’s memoir, manifesto, and guide to life.

In the book she breaks down each step of the SPEAK acronym—Surrender, Power, Empathy, Authenticity, and Knowledge, while also sharing her personal experiences.

Together her life experience and advice will help you start living “a life of purpose on purpose” and have a happy life.

Your Purpose Is Calling by Dr. Dharius Daniels

In Your Purpose Is Calling Dr. Dharius Daniels, founder of Change Church, challenges readers to discover their true identity. By doing that then you are able to find your unique purpose. It’s less about material success and more about man’s journey.

This book is perfect for anyone caught up in the comparison game in life and feels a little stuck trying to discover their purpose. There is no one right direction, but the right one for you. Find your right place and live your best life.

Find Your Why: A Practical Guide for Discovering Purpose for You and Your Team by Simon Sinek, David Mead, and Peter Docker 

Find Your Why is actually part of a series. In part two in the Start With Why series, authors Simon Sinek, David Mead, and Peter Docker guide you in finding your why.

When you can find your why you’ve got something to hold on to on those hard days when all seems lost and impossible. While this series is more directed in a team/business direction you can apply the lessons in your personal life as well. 

The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by: Michael A. Singer

Sometimes finding your purpose takes more of an inward search. With so much noise in the world  it can be hard to get clear on what you truly want.

The Untethered Soul invites you on an inward journey. On this journey you’ll learn what has been blocking you and free yourself to live the life your innermost being desires. 

The Power of Writing It Down: A Simple Habit to Unlock Your Brain and Reimagine Your Life by: Allison Fallon

I may be a bit biased because I’m a writer, but I believe that there is an infinite amount of power you hold by writing out your thoughts, ideas, plans, dreams, etc…

In The Power of Writing It Down author, speaker, and writing coach, Allison Fallon shows readers how spending time writing each day can help change your life. Imagine how much a writing practice can help you on the journey to finding your purpose. I’m excited to read this and find out.

A Power of Your Own: How to Ignite Your Potential, Uncover Your Purpose, and Blaze Your Own Trail in Life and Business by: Nikki Groom

If you feel led to become an entrepreneur , this book is for you. Leaning into your purpose can be scary, especially in a world that hasn’t been kind to certain career choices for women.

Like the trailblazers that came before you, if you have a fire in your soul, then this is what you were meant to do. This book will help give you the push you need to go for it if you start doubting yourself.

You’ll hear stories from other powerful women, along with a few life lessons in this empowering book, A Power of Your Own .

The Alchemist, 25th Anniversary: A Fable About Following Your Dream by Paulo Coelho

A fiction book has entered the list. The Alchemist was first published in 1988, but the message is still important today.

This book about self-discovery starts with a boy on a journey to find treasure but ends with him realizing the real treasure was inside him all along. It’s a great example of how your purpose can change overtime.

The Happiness of Pursuit: Finding the Quest That Will Bring Purpose to Your Life by: Chris Guillebeau

How are you making your life count? Reading The Happiness of Pursuit might help you answer that question. In this inspiring book author Chris Guillebeau shares what he learned from his quest to visit all of the countries in the world by age thirty-five.

He met many remarkable people on their own quests and discovered that they all had similarities, which is where this book comes in. If you are feeling stuck right now, this book should inspire you to take action again and find your meaning of life.

How to Get Sh*t Done: Why Women Need to Stop Doing Everything so They Can Achieve Anything by: Erin Falconer

One of the reasons why you may be struggling to find your purpose is because you are busy doing everything else. If this is you, you’ll want to read this book.

In How To Get Sh*t Done you’ll learn how to find what to zero in on where you want to excel, off-load, and outsource. The rest doesn’t matter.  This will give you a more clear mind, and the freedom to find out what your purpose and passions are.

Get Your Happy Back: 7 Principles to Get Unstuck and Take Back Your Power! by: Diamond Leone

I believe fear is a big block when it comes to finding your purpose. At least I know it is for me. Maybe you’ve never done anything like this before, or maybe you have and it failed, or you could even be facing pushback from family.

Whatever you’re facing, just know that you are not alone.

In Get Your Happy Back , author Diamond Leone will help us get rid of these fears and limiting beliefs by showing us how to create a powerful mental toolkit, form amazing new habits, level up and play bigger in life, and more. All with the goal of getting our happy back.

The Path Made Clear: Discovering Your Life’s Direction and Purpose by: Oprah Winfrey

I’ve always found Oprah to be inspirational, so when I found out she had a book about purpose I knew I had to add it to the list. She also believes that everyone has a purpose and can lead a purpose driven life.

In her book, The Path Made Clear, she shares what she sees as a guide for activating your deepest vision of yourself by offering a framework to living a life of significance.

She not only shares her story, but also advice from other big names in different fields like  Eckhart Tolle, Brene Brown, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Elizabeth Gilbert, Jay-Z, and Ellen DeGeneres.

Miracles Now: 108 Life-Changing Tools for Less Stress, More Flow, and Finding Your True Purpose by: Gabrielle Bernstein

Stress is another factor when it comes to why we can’t find our purpose. If you enjoy meditation, or if meditation is something you have been wanting to try, you’ll want to grab a copy of Miracles Now .

In this book you’ll find a ton of meditations  that fit your lifestyle. The author has handpicked 108 simple techniques to combat the most common problems —stress, burnout, frustration, jealousy, and resentment. So you are sure to find something to help you feel more free after the meditating is over.

A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by: Eckhart Tolle

This powerful book is all about our attachment to our ego and the trouble that creates for us.

In a New Earth the author tells us how the ego can lead to anger, jealousy, and unhappiness while showing us that there is a better path. With lines like “The primary cause of unhappiness is never the situation but your thoughts about it,” you know that you are about to learn a lot from this book.

Your Self-Discovery Journal: A Guided Journey to Identify and Actualize Your Passions, Purpose, and Whole Self by: Sara Katherine  

Next on the list is less of a book and more of a journal. In order to find your purpose you have to know yourself pretty well. The only way to know yourself is to spend time with yourself.

The best way to get to know yourself, in my opinion, is through journaling. By participating in the prompts, activities, and meditations in the Your Self-Discovery Journal , you’ll be well on your way to finding yourself and your purpose.

Finding Your Fire & Keeping It Hot: Discovering Your Why, Your Passion, Your Purpose in Life by: Diana Stout

Finding your purpose is half the battle. I know, I know, I hate to tell you that, but it’s true. You also have to hold on to that sense of purpose. That fire in your soul can go out if you don’t keep it burning.

The good news is, there are books like Finding Your Fire & Keeping It Hot that help you not only find your purpose, but also figure out how to hold on to that purpose you worked so hard for. 

A Year of Finding Your Callings: Daily Practices to Uncover Your Passion and Purpose by: Dr. Matthew V. Glowiak

We’ve reached the end of the list. I’m leaving you by setting you up into the new year. In A Year of Finding Your Callings you’ll get daily exercises, action-oriented prompts, and a year’s worth of inspiration to help you find your purpose.

Finding purpose takes hard work but you can do it!

In Summary: Best Books For Finding Your Purpose

These purpose-filled books have changed the trajectories of many people’s lives. Will it change yours? Let me know which ones you’ll be reading in the comments. Maybe you’ll have a few new favorite books.

More Book Lists:

• 35 Books For Women in Their 20s
• 24 of The Best Books On Minimalism
• 65 Books to Read In Your 20s
• 6 Self-Care and Self-Love Books to Read ASAP
• 20 Books To Read This Summer
• 20 of the Best Books For Finding Your Purpose (2023)
• 15 Best Books For Career Development (2023)
• 16 of the Best Books For Motivation and Self Confidence
• 8 Of The Best Books For Shadow Work
• 30+ Books Releasing This Fall
• 6 Books To Read In Your 20s
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• 65 Books To Read In Your 20s – For Life, Money, Happiness and Beyond
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• The Top 18 Fiction Books Twenty-Somethings Should Read
• 30 Books To Read in Your 30s

About the Author

Kelly graduated from Liberty University with a degree in Advertising and Public Relations and a minor in Journalism. Even though it took her a little while to find her career path, she was always meant to be in Communications. She remembers writing poems and songs when she was a little girl and pitching to my parents the reasons why I should have a cell phone when I was a teenager. She currently has a blog (budding-joy.com) where she talks about her weight-loss journey, mental health and personal development. Her hope is to encourage and inspire readers and let them know they are not alone. Reading blog posts like that are what helped her in tough times and she wants to pay it forward. She loves dance fitness, listening to music, and creating layouts in her bullet journal. She's a big fan of planning, especially when cute notebooks and pens are involved. Her dream job has changed so much over the years; right now she'd love to co-own a dance studio.

Website: budding-joy.com

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7 Best Books to Help You Find the Meaning of Life

What aims should we pursue to live a fulfilling life?

There is no more important topic than the meaning of our lives. Many thinkers, past and present, have grappled with it (Baggini, 2005; & Eagleton, 2007.)

Broadly speaking, the theorists of meaning fall into two camps. Some believe that life has no intrinsic meaning and that we must construct our meanings ourselves. The meaning of life, they argue, is a subjective affair.

Others maintain that there is an absolute meaning to our existence. But they tend to disagree on what that meaning might be. The most cited contenders are happiness and love. Other common suggestions include self-realization, relationships, pleasure, service, and creativity.

The list below includes thinkers from both sides of the argument. I hope you will find it enlightening.

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Meaning and Valued Living Exercises for free . These creative, science-based exercises will help you learn more about your values, motivations, and goals and will give you the tools to inspire a sense of meaning in the lives of your clients, students, or employees.

This Article Contains:

1. man’s search for meaning – viktor frankl, 2. of human freedom – epictetus.

• 3. The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living – Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler 

4. The Happiness Trap – Russ Harris

5. aristotle’s way: how ancient wisdom can change your life – edith hall, 6. the power of now: a guide to spiritual enlightenment – eckhart tolle, 7. altruism: the science and psychology of kindness – matthieu ricard, a take-home message.

Frankl argues that our primary task in life is to furnish it with meaning, whatever form this may take. We must find meaning even in our suffering, he writes, for otherwise we are lost.

In the autobiographical section of his deeply moving book, Frankl relates that those who managed to stay in touch with what made their lives meaningful in the Nazi extermination camps were more likely to survive. Their personal meanings took many different forms. It could be a strong desire to return to a beloved person, complete a creative or intellectual project, or simply the strong wish to help others.

If there is a potent “why” that drives us, Frankl declares, paraphrasing Nietzsche, we can tolerate almost any “how.”

Frankl believes that we can discover the meaning of life in three main areas: “(1) by doing a deed or creating a work; (2) by encountering someone or experiencing something; and (3) by the attitude we take toward unavoidable suffering” (Frankl 2004, p. 115).

The meaning of our lives can be creativity in the broad sense of the word. This includes creative works but also merely making something, learning something, or being productive. Meaning can also be found in the experience of love and the appreciation of beauty, excellence, culture, and nature.

Crucially, Frankl (2004, p. 115) argues that meaning has to be located outside ourselves. It has to be discovered in the world rather than in our own psyches. “ Being human ,” he writes, “ always points, and is directed, to something, or someone, other than oneself – be it a meaning to fulfill or another human being to encounter. ”

Frankl’s existentialist approach , then, invites us to let go of our obsession with ourselves and of values such as self-realization, self-improvement, and happiness. Instead, he urges us to focus on meanings that lie outside the boundaries of our own psyches.

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All suffering, he holds, is in our minds. It is not caused by external events but by our reactions to those events – by our faulty judgments and unrealistic expectations.

Because most external events are beyond our control, Epictetus believed that it is pointless to worry about them. But our evaluations of these events, by contrast, are entirely within our control. It follows that we should not attach significance to any external phenomena or circumstance. Instead, all our mental energies should be directed inward, with a view to controlling our minds.

Epictetus believed that we should rationally evaluate our cognitions at all times and simply reason ourselves out of upsetting emotional states. He suggested installing a rational fact-checker in our heads, whose task it is to keep our mental state balanced and calm. If this sounds familiar, that’s because Stoic thought is the ancient precursor of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT).

Epictetus’s essay Of Human Freedom is a beautiful and concise introduction to Stoic wisdom. He writes about “ Concerning what is in our power and what is not ,” “ How a person can preserve their proper character in any situation ,” “ On satisfaction ,” and “ How we should struggle with circumstance .” He reminds us that “ Every circumstance represents an opportunity .”

The more we value things beyond our control, the less control we have. Freedom is, therefore, “ not achieved by satisfying desire but by eliminating it ” (Epictetus, 2010, p. 81). Life is suffering; bad things will happen, Epictetus asserts.

When they do, we can use our bad luck to test our resolve and strengthen our resilience. “ So when trouble comes, think of yourself as a wrestler whom God, like a trainer, has paired with a tough young buck. For what purpose? To turn you into Olympic-class material ” (Epictetus, 2010, p. 14).

The Stoics’ ultimate aim is control. They want to be the masters in their own house so that they become completely invincible to the many blows that fortune has in store for us. Essentially, they pursue a radical kind of inner freedom that grants full autonomy from external events. Honing a Stoic mindset, they believe, is our most noble purpose in life. The prize is inner peace.

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These detailed, science-based exercises will equip you or your clients with tools to find meaning in life help and pursue directions that are in alignment with values.

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3. The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living – Dalai Lama and Howard C. Cutler

In this book, he presents Buddhist thought as a comprehensive framework for ethical self-improvement.

Through effort and practice, and by adopting basic Buddhist assumptions about the world, the Dalai Lama believes we can cultivate happiness, wellbeing, and compassion.

Cutler supplements the Dalai Lama’s ancient wisdom with anecdotes from his psychiatric practice, as well as with neuroscientific arguments about brain plasticity . This combination of modern science and ancient thought is powerful.

Buddhism, Cutler and the Dalai Lama argue, offers an effective psychological, philosophical, and spiritual framework for transforming the self, above all through practicing compassion. In fact, the Dalai Lama declares kindness the very essence of his religion.

However, Buddhist happiness also entails a critical cognitive dimension. To achieve true happiness, we have to embrace the insight that our notion of a permanent and separate self is an illusion and that this very notion is the cause for much of our suffering.

Penguin lecture 2011 – the art of happiness – Dalai Lama

His international bestseller, The Happiness Trap,  is based on the principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Unlike the Stoics and CBT, ACT does not encourage us rationally to challenge our negative thoughts and feelings. Instead, it asks us simply to recognize and accept them, and then to let them go.

Together with present-moment awareness, value-based living, and taking committed action, ACT suggests acceptance as the healthy alternative to counterproductive attempts to control our unproductive thoughts.

Our default mode is not happy, Harris argues. We should simply accept this fact rather than wasting all our energy on fighting it.

Evolution has shaped our brains in such a way that we are now hardwired to suffer psychologically. For millennia, our minds have been trained to predict, detect, and avoid danger. The better we were at that task, the more likely we were to survive.

As a result, our minds are now constantly on alert, assessing and judging everything we encounter. But what used to be a crucial survival skill in the age of the saber-toothed tiger has turned into a curse in the social media age.

Now, we simply cannot stop comparing, evaluating, and criticizing ourselves, focusing on what we lack, growing dissatisfied with what we possess, and imagining “ all sorts of frightening scenarios, most of which will never happen ” (Harris, 2008, p. 5). What makes matters even worse is that our naturally edgy and slightly anxious state of mind has been pathologized in our feel-good society.

We are not just naturally unhappy, but also constantly made to feel guilty about it, which makes matters worse. Harris (2008) argues that we have far less control over our thoughts and feelings than we like to think. The idea that we can cure ourselves by controlling our unwanted thoughts is simply an illusion.

Willpower is a limited resource, and it is much better to manage our condition than to expend all our energy on trying to avoid or change bad thoughts. Instead, we should simply observe and accept them and then try to let them go. We can then invest our energies in what truly matters: leading a value-based life and taking committed action.

Our primary function as human beings, Aristotle believed, is rational activity in accordance with virtue. Aristotelian happiness, then, is inextricably linked to repeated virtuous action.

To realize our potential, we have to work on our behavior and emotional responses to become the best versions of ourselves. Aristotle strongly believed that we can train ourselves to be good by strengthening our virtues and controlling our vices.

A happy state of mind, he wrote in the Nicomachean Ethics , comes “ from habitually doing the right thing ” (Hall, 2018, p. 7). Aristotle, then, already knew about the vital power of habit. Rather than teaching and intellectual understanding, he considered habituation as the primary route to moral virtue.

In Aristotle’s Way: How Ancient Wisdom Can Change Your Life (2018), the classical scholar Edith Hall presents a charming and robust case for the relevance of Aristotle’s virtue ethics as a timeless self-help framework. It can also function as a powerful guide to the meaning of life.

Hall highlights that Aristotle’s idea of the good life ( eudaimonia ) emphasizes our moral responsibility for our actions. We have to actively “do” eudaimonia, because “f or Aristotle, happiness is activity ” (Hall, 2018, p. 26).

But truly being present is far from a simple matter. The key to living in the present, Tolle writes, is to stop identifying with our minds and the stream of involuntary and incessant thinking we tend to take as our personal essence.

Instead, we have to practice adopting the position of a disinterested observer, watching our minds chatter away, but without taking the chatter too seriously.

Our true essence, then, is not to be found in our shifting emotions or compulsive thinking, but in what lies behind it. Like the Buddhists, Tolle believes that our very notion of self is an illusion, a fiction of the mind that we need to let go. We need to learn to witness our thought patterns rather than identify with them.

Most of our thoughts and emotions revolve around the past or our future. Our past furnishes us with an identity and narratives of cause and effect. Our future, in turn, “ holds the promise of salvation, of fulfillment in whatever form ” (Tolle, 1999, p. 40). But both are illusions.

We need to practice withdrawing our attention from the past and the future and instead be present as “watchers” of our minds. Watching is all we need to do, and it includes refraining from analyzing and judging.

Tolle (1999) writes that the present moment is all we ever have. The now is not only the most precious thing there is, but it is also the only thing there is. “ Give attention to the present ,” he urges, “ give attention to your behavior, to your reactions, moods, thoughts, emotions, fears, and desires as they occur in the present ” (Tolle, 1999, p. 75). Tolle sees this exclusive focus on the present as the royal road to our salvation.

As he puts it:

True salvation is a state of freedom – from fear, from suffering, from a perceived state of lack and insufficiency and therefore from all wanting, needing, grasping, and clinging. It is freedom from compulsive thinking, from negativity, and above all from past and future as a psychological need (Tolle, 1999, p. 122).

There is nothing we can ever do or attain, Tolle writes, that will get us closer to salvation than this moment. By freeing ourselves from our enslavement to our minds, we can radically transform our consciousness. And this radical transformation of consciousness is precisely what is needed to save not only ourselves but also humanity at large and our planet.

He believes that the meaning of our lives is to practice altruism.

Altruism is the desire to ensure the good of others and to care for them in a benevolent way. Its Christian form (agape) is unconditional love for everyone – for ourselves, our neighbors, and our enemies. But Buddhists go even further, wishing for the happiness of all sentient beings.

In Altruism: The Science and Psychology of Kindness , Ricard (2015) argues that the wider our circle of care is extended and the more unconditional and inclusive it becomes, the more genuine our altruism is.

We all have a biological tendency to care for the wellbeing of our children, our relatives, and the people who are kind to us. But we must cultivate the art of extending our altruism much further. “ The quality and validity of an ethic increases with its degree of universality, ” Ricard writes (2015, p. 154).

In most religions, altruism is the highest moral and spiritual value. Ricard presents altruism as the solution to all our problems – social, economic, and environmental. Altruism, he writes, “ is the Ariadne’s thread allowing us to connect harmoniously the challenges of the economy in the short term, quality of life in the mean term, and our future environment in the long term ” (Ricard, 2015, p. 691).

Buddhist altruism has two faces: loving-kindness and compassion. Buddhists desire not only that all beings find happiness, but also that they understand the causes of that happiness as well as those causes of suffering. There is, then, an important insight-oriented dimension to Buddhist altruism. In other words, it is not just a matter of the heart, but also a matter of our rational brains.

Furthermore, as numerous psychologists have shown, engaging in altruistic acts not only makes others happier; it also makes the one performing the act happier. It is, then, an ancient win–win behavior.

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You will no doubt have noticed that some of the ideas on what constitutes the meaning of life explored above are in contradiction. Some, such as Epictetus and Tolle, argue that we can find meaning inside our selves, by shoring up our defenses against the blows of fortune and by being present.

Frankl, Aristotle, Harris, and Ricard, by contrast, argue that meaning has to be located outside our own psyches. We need to do valuable deeds, they maintain, and engage in meaningful and virtuous interactions with others. The Dalai Lama and Ricard propose that our purpose in life is practicing kindness and altruism. Aristotle and Epictetus favor virtuous self-cultivation. All of them present persuasive cases.

The lesson from all of this is both banal and profound. Meaning is subjective. It cannot be imposed. It has to be discovered or created. There is no one-size-fits-all meaning we can simply adopt.

Some prescriptions and suggestions may resonate with us; others won’t. But I fully agree with Frankl that there is no more pressing task than to start the work of identifying what makes life meaningful for us. And when we know what is most meaningful to us, we must ensure that our lives are dedicated to serving these meanings and that we create the best possible conditions for realizing them.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Meaning and Valued Living Exercises for free .

• Baggini, J. (2005). What’s it all about? Philosophy and the meaning of life. Oxford University Press.
• Dalai Lama & Cutler, H. C. (2009). The art of happiness: A handbook for living. Hodder & Stoughton.
• Eagleton, T. (2007). The meaning of life: A very short introduction. Oxford University Press.
• Epictetus & Dobbin, R. (Trans.) (2010). Of human freedom. Penguin.
• Frankl, V. E. (1946, 2004). Man’s search for meaning: The classic tribute to hope from the Holocaust. Rider.
• Hall, E. (2018). Aristotle’s way: How ancient wisdom can transform your life. Bodley Head.
• Harris, R. (2008). The happiness trap. Based on ACT: A revolutionary mindfulness-based programme for overcoming stress, anxiety, and depression. Robinson.
• Ricard, M. (2015).  Altruism: The power of compassion to change yourself and the world. Little, Brown and Company.
• Tolle, E. (1999). The power of now: A guide to spiritual enlightenment. Hodder & Stoughton.

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Wonderfully helpful. Thank you for these tips 🙏 ❤

There is nothing more transformative then a relationship with Jesus. Why leave Him out A discussion without His input is lifeless. I respect the other authors you included but my Soul was not engaged.

Thanks for this great list, but why no books from a Christian perspective? Christianity has been the most influential meaning making system of Western culture. John of the Cross, Teresa of Avila and the writings of the Philokalia challenge and encourage us to make meaning in our lives. Oh, the Gospels too.

Thank you for the list. My son is in a battle with depression, desperately searching for meaning or a higher purpose.

Thank you so much for this list and summary of the various philosophies on meaning. I have some new books now to read

Great books. Would like to keep a set for my office and library so that more people could share the brilliance of the authors.

How about adding Islam it gives us a meaning of life we are not here only for happiness WE are here for test

Nice list of great books. I have read most of them.

You can include the Holy Bible to the list. Many people including myself found the meaning of life through that great book.

How about adding the Bible to your list of books to find meaning to life?

Ahahahahaahaha hahahahaaha joke of the year 😀 Hahaha that was super funny! 😀

You won’t be laughing hysterically when you stand before Him, The King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

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11 Eye-Opening Books On Finding Your Passion In Life

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What are the best books on finding your passion in life? Today, that’s the question we’re going to answer. 

Finding your passion is a phrase that many people find cliche. There’s some level of truth to that— it’s not like the rest of your life falls into place the same moment that you find something that you love.

But there’s also truth to the fact that life does get easier when you feel like you know why you’re here. We all have a unique contribution to make to the world — and this contribution usually comes from doing work that we feel like we were meant to do. 

It’s possible that you’ll just stumble upon what you love to do, but it’s the exception and not the rule. Typically, we’ll all need to do a little-soul searching before we realize what we were meant for.

It doesn’t hurt to have a little guidance in this pursuit. So without further ado, here’s a list of the best books on finding your passion so that you can find more meaning in your life.

Table of Contents

Top Books On Finding Your Purpose

The words passion and purpose are inextricably linked — typically when you find your passion you find your purpose too, and vice versa.

When talking about purpose, what we’re really talking about is an overarching mission that guides what you do. Passion is more about finding the work that helps you achieve this overarching mission.

This first batch of books will focus on helping you discover your life’s purpose.

** Top Pick ** #1: Man’s Search For Meaning By Viktor Frankl

In my opinion, this is a book that everyone should read at least once in their lifetime.

In this memoir/self-help manual, Frankl details his experience living in a Nazi concentration camp. It’s truly astonishing to read his first-hand account, but what’s even more astonishing is how Frankl was able to turn immense suffering into something positive.

The core of Frankl’s philosophy is that one’s deepest desire is to find meaning — if one can find that meaning, then they can endure anything.

He suggests that there are three ways to find this meaning — through suffering, through love, or through work.

And to survive the horrors of the Nazi concentration camps, he needed all three. 

• The thought of seeing his wife again gave him hope.
• The suffering he experienced placed responsibility on his shoulders to end it
• The work he still wanted to do motivated him to survive

It’s a tremendously powerful exploration of the human experience. Frankl’s inspiring story or survival will make you realize that no matter what you’re going through, you have the power to decide your future.

<< Get The Book Here >>

#2: The Alchemist By Paulo Coelho

After reading this book during my freshman year in high school, I wasn’t very impressed. It was entertaining, sure, but it wasn’t the life-changing experience work of art that my English teacher hyped it up to be.

However, after re-reading this book a little over a year ago, I realized that my naive 14 year-old just wasn’t ready to interpret the deeper meaning behind Coelho’s words.

The book follows a young boy named Santiago who sets off on a quest to fulfill his personal legend. What follows is an incredible story about a boy with a dream who faces many challenges as he tries to make it a reality.

Coelho expertly intertwines deep life lessons within this motivational story about the magical nature of dreams, the extraordinary power of little things, and the importance of following one’s heart .

As Coelho says, “You’ll never be able to escape from your heart. So it’s better to listen to what it has to say.”

The Alchemist is a great story that’s filled with practical insights about self-discovery and listening to your inner guide. 

Most of the time, it’s this inner wisdom we all possess that will move us closer to a life filled with purpose.

#3: Finding Your North Star: Claiming The Life You Were Meant To Live By Martha Beck

Do you feel like you have an overarching mission that’s guiding your actions? Or does it feel like you’re aimlessly wandering through life?

If you tend to resonate more with the second statement, then this may just be the one that you need to read right now.

Beck argues that throughout most of our lives, we wrestle with two selves:

• The Social Self – This is the self that has been shaped by external pressure, such as the will of our parents/teachers, and the norms of society. The social self tends to gravitate towards what’s expected of us.
• The Essential Self – This is the most pure expression of who we really are. Following the path means listening to our internal signals and emotions. The Essential Self is what guides us to a life filled with meaning and purpose.

It’s the practical insights about how to listen to our own mind and body that make this one of the best books on finding your passion.

Beck clearly outlines how to stop suppressing the deep urges you feel to align your actions with your Essential Self and create a life that’s uniquely yours.

<<  Get The Book Here >>

#4: Mastery By Robert Greene

The next read on this list of the best books on finding your passion comes from Robert Greene. 

You might recognize this name because he’s also the author of an outstanding book titled, The 48 Laws Of Power .

The focus of this particular book is finding purpose through mastery. All of the great people that we admire possess one thing in common — they’ve dedicated their life to the pursuit of mastery.

Whether it’s cooking, writing, business, or investing, we all have that one thing that we feel like we’ve been called to do. We all have this inner force that pushes us towards our life mission.

At some point along the way, as the daily anxieties of life take hold, we tend to lose sight of this mission. Greene’s book will help you rediscover it by making the first move towards mastery — learning who you really are and connecting with that inner force.

As you connect with this inner compass, your life will take on new meaning. Greene explains that as you start accruing wisdom and putting knowledge into practice,  you’ll start walking the long journey towards mastery and meaning.

Best Books On Finding Your Passion

Now that we’ve covered some really good reads on finding your life purpose, let’s talk about some of the best books on finding your passion — the work that’s going to set you on fire and make the suffering of life bearable.

Here’s the thing about success — it’s going to be a difficult journey no matter which path you take.

Excelling at anything requires hard work and determination. It requires long hours and a dedication to mastery in whatever field you decide to pursue. 

So if you’re going to make this journey, your best possible course of action is to choose work that excites you. 

If you truly love what you do, you’re going to put in the work even when the motivation isn’t there. You’re going to feel more intrinsically motivated to achieve your goals when the process of achieving them is inherently rewarding.

For example, the reason this blog exists is because I have an intense passion for self-improvement.

Does that mean that every moment of the process is enjoyable? Of course not! Writing and editing long blog posts is boring, tedious work that requires sustained focus. 

Even though the passion is there, I don’t just roll out of bed and get to work with no resistance — but the fact that the topic is so intriguing to me is what makes overcoming this resistance easier.

If I was writing about personal finance, or health and fitness, it’s likely that I’d sit at the computer for hours and do everything but write.

So when it comes to work, things are never gonna be on easy street 24/7. You don’t get a say in whether or not you suffer, but choosing work that you’re naturally passionate about lessens the degree to which you suffer.

Here’s a list of the best books on finding your passion so that you give yourself the best possible chance at reaching greatness in your chosen profession.

#5: Flow: The Psychology Of Optimal Experience By Mihaly Csikszentmihayli

This is one of my favorites on this list of the best books on finding your passion. Published in 1990, it’s still a wildly relevant work that dives into the concept of effortless work.

According to Csikszentmihayli, “The best moments in our lives occur when a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult or worthwhile.”

Put in fewer words  — we do our best work when we feel there’s meaning in it.

Have you ever found yourself so engaged in your work that the hours seem to fly by? Well, that’s not a coincidence, it’s what happens when we achieve something called the flow state.

When we’re in this state, our struggles in life seem to vanish as we become fully immersed in the task at hand. 

This book teaches you how to recognize, and more importantly, leverage these moments. Because when you do, you’re sitting on the cusp of finding what you were born to do.

#6: The Art Of Work: A Proven Path To Discovering What You Were Meant To Do By Jeff Goins

This classic from Jeff Goins is how-to-manual for finding your passion and building a legacy that’s bigger than yourself.

One point that Jeff makes is that the foundational key to finding what you were called to do starts with self-awareness.

If you don’t really understand yourself, you may never find your passion. Even worse, it may pass you by without you ever recognizing it.

Goins ensures that you never make this mistake by advising that you create a major list of the life events that have happened to you. As you go through the list, you’ll notice moments where you felt fulfilled and accomplished — these are the events that require deeper exploration.

He also reminds you to pay careful attention to your gut feelings. Notice where your gut is trying to lead and see if it takes you to a worthwhile place.

If not, you can always re-adjust and re-focus your efforts. Finding your passion is not an expedient pursuit, but often one that takes years of trying and failing.

However, this book may help you reduce that timeframe by outlining a simple process for figuring out the kind of work that will set you on fire.

#7: The Passion Test: The Effortless Path To Discovering Your Life Purpose by Janet & Chris Atwood

Just by reading the title, it’s no surprise that this is one of the best books on finding your passion.

This book is simple and to the point — it provides a step by step process that you can follow to uncover your passions and build a career around work that you love.

The premise of the book is pretty straightforward. We’re more alive and energized when we get to wake up every day and engage in meaningful work.

Using the Passion Test framework, you’ll be able to make room for great uses of time by subtracting good/average uses of time.

If you’re looking for a simple, no-nonsense guide to finding out what puts you on fire , reading this book will be a great use of your time .

#8: The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear And Take Your Life To The Next Level By Gay Hendricks

This book from Gay Hendricks is all about figuring out the work that you have the best chance at becoming great at.

In order to leave an impact, you need to play the game where you have the best chance to win. This means choosing work that lies inside of what Hendricks calls your “Zone of Genius.”

Hendricks outlines that there are four categories that your work falls into:

• Zone Of Incompetence – This is the type of work that will have you saying, “ why do I suck at everything? ” It’s work that many people can and will do better than you .
• Zone of Competence – You can get by and hold your own at these tasks, but others are more proficient than you.
• Zone of Excellence – You’re highly skilled at these tasks, few can hold a candle to you
• Zone of Genius – You’re literally the best in the world at this type of work

This book is all about helping you find your Zone of Genius. By picking the work that combines what you’re good at with what you’re motivated to do, you’re much more likely to leave a lasting impact on the world.

Hendrick shows you exactly how to pinpoint this type of work and make it the foundation for a successful, fulfilling career.

#9: Do The Work By Steven Pressfield

No matter what you decide to do with your life, you’re going to bump up against resistance.

Pressfield’s book will give you actionable strategies for how to avoid procrastination and laziness, which is the byproduct of resistance.

What I really like about this book is that it doesn’t focus that much on finding your passion, but more about how to consistently produce high-quality work once you find it.

Finding your passion is only the first battle — the next battle starts when you have to show up every day and put in the work.

That’s why it’s a great book to read in conjunction with some of the other books on this list.

#10: The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything By Ken Robinson

To wrap up this list of the best books on finding your passion, we have this awesome read from Ken Robinson.

Much of the book focuses on The Element — the meeting point between natural aptitude and personal passion.

In order to find one’s element, one needs to seek out the right opportunities and approach them with the right attitude. 

He also argues that the current system for determining intelligence is flawed. He suggests that in its current form, school teaches us to be obedient and educated.

But what about creativity? What about what makes you happy? What if what you want to do and what’s expected of you don’t line up? 

This book will help you break free from the norms of society and live an intentional life that’s unique to you.

Final Thoughts: Books On Finding Your Passion

What work do you feel truly engaged in? What is the unique contribution that you were put here to make?

These are essential questions that you need to answer if you want to squeeze the most joy and meaning from your life.

Take this list of the best books on finding your passion and start your journey of self-discovery.  

I’m not an expert on end of life emotions, but I’m pretty of this — getting to the end of life without ever chasing your passions is pretty gut-wrenching.

Don’t chance it. Don’t ever find out what that feels like. Find out what puts you on fire and go all-in.

• You Are Who You Surround Yourself With: Choose Wisely
• 10 Reasons You’re Feeling Unfulfilled (And How To Address Them)
• How To Be Consistent: 5 Tips To Master Daily Action
• 25 Best Spartan Quotes Of All-Time

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The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? Paperback – December 31, 2013

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The New York Times #1 bestselling book by Pastor Rick Warren that helps you understand and live out the purpose of your life.

Before you were born, God already planned your life. God longs for you to discover the life he uniquely created you to live--here on earth, and forever in eternity. Let The Purpose Driven Life show you how. As one of the bestselling nonfiction books in history, with more than 35 million copies sold, The Purpose Driven Life is far more than just a book; it's the road map for your spiritual journey. A journey that will transform your life.

Designed to be read in 42 days, each chapter provides a daily meditation and practical steps to help you discover and live out your purpose, starting with exploring three of life's most pressing questions:

• The Question of Existence: Why am I alive?
• The Question of Significance: Does my life matter?
• The Question of Purpose: What on earth am I here for?

The book also includes links to 3-minute video introductions and a 30- to 40-minute audio Bible study message for each chapter. Plus questions for further study and additional resources.

The Purpose Driven Life is available in audiobook, ebook, softcover, and hardcover editions. Also available: The Purpose Driven Life video study and study guide, journal, devotional, book for kids, book for churches, Spanish edition, Large Print edition, and more.

• Part of series The Purpose Driven Life
• Print length 368 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Zondervan
• Publication date December 31, 2013
• Dimensions 5.73 x 0.54 x 8.74 inches
• ISBN-10 031033750X
• ISBN-13 978-0310337508
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Named one of the 100 most influential people in the world, Rick Warren and his wife, Kay, founded Saddleback Church, the Purpose Driven Network, the PEACE Plan, and Hope for Mental Health. He is the cofounder of Celebrate Recovery with John Baker.

What Else Is He Known for?

Pastor Rick’s books have been published in 200 languages. His best-known book, The Purpose Driven Life, has sold more than 50 million copies.

What Is He Doing Today?

Pastor Rick is executive director of Finishing the Task, a global movement of organizations and individuals working on the Great Commission.

From the Publisher

Your 40-Day Journey

• WHAT ON EARTH AM I HERE FOR? (days 1 — 7)
• PURPOSE #1: You Were Planned for God’s Pleasure (days 8 — 14)
• PURPOSE #2: You Were Formed for God’s Family (days 15 — 21)
• PURPOSE #3: You Were Created to Become Like Christ (days 22 — 28)
• PURPOSE #4: You Were Shaped for Serving God (days 29 — 35)
• PURPOSE #5: You Were Made for a Mission (days 36 — 40 plus two bonus chapters)

A Journey with a Purpose

This is more than a book; it is a guide to a 40-day spiritual journey that will enable you to discover the answer to life’s most important question: What on earth am I here for? By the end of this journey you will know God’s purpose for your life and will understand the big picture — how all the pieces of your life fit together. Having this perspective will reduce your stress, simplify your decisions, increase your satisfaction, and, most important, prepare you for eternity.

As I wrote this book, I often prayed that you would experience the incredible sense of hope, energy, and joy that comes from discovering what God put you on this planet to do. There’s nothing quite like it. I am excited because I know all the great things that are going to happen to you. They happened to me, and I have never been the same since I discovered the purpose of my life.

I want to challenge you to stick with this spiritual journey for the next 40 days. Make it a daily appointment.

—Rick Warren

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About the author.

A Time magazine cover article named Rick Warren the most influential spiritual leader in America and one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

Tens of millions of copies of Pastor Rick’s books have been published in 200 languages. His best-known books, The Purpose Driven Life and The Purpose Driven Church , were named three times in national surveys of pastors (by Gallup, Barna, and Lifeway) as the two most helpful books in print.

Rick and his wife, Kay, founded Saddleback Church, the Purpose Driven Network, the PEACE Plan, and Hope for Mental Health. He is the cofounder of Celebrate Recovery with John Baker.

Pastor Rick has spoken in 165 nations. He has spoken at the United Nations, US Congress, numerous parliaments, the World Economic Forum, TED, Aspen Institute, and lectured at Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, and other universities.

Rick is executive director of Finishing the Task, a global movement of denominations, organizations, churches, and individuals working together on the Great Commission goals of ensuring that everyone everywhere has access to a Bible, a believer, and a local body of Christ.

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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Zondervan; 10th Anniversary edition (December 31, 2013)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 368 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 031033750X
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0310337508
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.73 x 0.54 x 8.74 inches
• #10 in Christian Self Help
• #17 in Christian Spiritual Growth (Books)
• #29 in Success Self-Help

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About the author

Rick warren.

Rick Warren is often called "America's most influential spiritual leader." He and his wife, Kay, founded Saddleback Church in Orange County, California, which is now one of the largest and best-known churches in the world. He also wrote the #1 all-time bestselling hardcover book, The Purpose Driven Life.

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9 Books To Help You Find And Live Your Purpose

By  Lauren Gaggioli

If you’re feeling lost, you’re not alone. Figuring out what you want in life is challenging.

There are so many of us who are floundering, feeling untethered to our life’s purpose in ways both big and small. 

Noticing that we’re feeling lost and are in need of help can be isolating and uncomfortable at first, but that discomfort is an important catalyst for change. 

So many people stop here. They feel this ping of uncomfortable intuition and then numb the feeling of discomfort for a time. Many of us have chosen that path occasionally, but if you continue to choose the discomfort-numbing cycle, you'll never get to the root of the issue or free yourself to make progress towards your purpose-driven goals.

But, by seeking out books about finding your purpose, you’ve shown that you’re ready to stop that cycle. 

You’re searching. And that is incredible.

So many folks don’t do this and - since you’re here looking for books, specifically - you’re definitely my kind of person.

Whenever I start to feel that gnawing sense that something is off, I do my best to pinpoint why I’m struggling then seek out the wisdom of those who have taken the time to write extensively about the topic I’m wrestling with.

This habit is so ingrained in me that, in a moment of frustration, my husband once huffed at me, “Every problem can’t be solved by reading a book, Lauren!” over a box of new books I’d hauled home.

Au contraire, mon amour!

While problems have never been solved by reading alone ( transport me to that world STAT, please and thank you ), the actions taken as a result of the knowledge nestled between the bindings of a book have improved our world immensely. 

We are not supposed to have all the tools and resources on-board in our brains from day one of our existence. We need others to help us identify and take advantage of the tools, resources, and strategies we need to level-up and do life better. And I know no better resource for such things than authors who have taken the time to study an issue and then shine a light on a different path we can take.

While the actions we take in light of this new information are entirely ours to choose, I share these books about purpose with you in the hopes that they draw you closer to your truest calling and plant seeds of change in your life. 

Books To Help You Begin Seeking Your Life's Purpose

When it comes to finding and naming your purpose, one thing we must do before we can step forward into our purpose is to look backward.

If you feel resistant to this idea of examining what’s going on in your past or is occurring in your present that is keeping you stuck, I get it. 

A lot of people start exploring these topics and remain here a very long time which leads to the sense that it is a navel-gazing exercise that can devolve into finger-pointing and self-flagellation - both of which lead to a decidedly unfulfilling life. 

But in the same way that you have chosen to stop the discomfort-numbing spin cycle by seeking out these books about purpose, you have the power to make a different choice when confronting your past and present.

You can examine what led you to this point and what is going on right now, and then choose to move forward rather than stay stuck.

This is akin to finding yourself on a digital map. You have to see where you’re starting in order to figure out where you want to be.

So let’s begin by gaining a little insight into ourselves.

Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone

As I joke in my course to help you name your purpose, Big Why Life , my patron saint is Brene Brown. 

Our Lady of Vulnerability, Brown is the most incredibly incisive, honestly at-first-unwillingly vulnerable person I’ve ever heard speak. 

When Brown first went to therapy, she told her new therapist: “No family stuff, no childhood shit, I just need some strategies.”

YES! I feel that.

Her initial avoidance and subsequent surrender resonates with my soul because I am a “skip to the end” kinda gal but, in skipping over the looking back part of the process, I was missing crucial elements that would help me gain the courage to show up as my most authentic self.

If you, too, are resistant to showing up fully in this world, unarmored and authentic,  Braving The Wilderness by Brene Brown  is for you.

It is only in finding our way back to ourselves and accepting ourselves fully that we can unearth our truest calling. 

Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know

In order to find your way to your highest calling, you may need to rethink the way in which you’re going about things.

And there’s no better guide through this tricky terrain than Adam Grant.

This eye-opening book will help you begin (or continue) your journey to purpose with humility and openness. 

In Part 1 of Think Again by Adam Grant , Grant helps us gain a better understanding of ourselves and our own limitations. While some of this is in service of facilitating better conversations with others, it all starts with our own sense of self.

“Think Again reveals that we don't have to believe everything we think or internalize everything we feel. It's an invitation to let go of views that are no longer serving us well and prize mental flexibility over foolish consistency. If knowledge is power, knowing what we don't know is wisdom.”

And be sure to pay close attention to Chapter 11. There’s tremendous insight here for those who are tempted to conflate career and purpose. Grant will help you parse this and find more fulfillment both in work and in life.

Soundtracks: The Surprising Solution to Overthinking

If you’re feeling stuck and like you’re sabotaging yourself in your pursuit of purpose, I highly recommend Soundtracks by Jon Acuff . 

A lot of us are prone to overthinking. This can keep us from taking action. 

Acuff helps us hear our own self-sabotaging thoughts more clearly and then gives us the ability to:

• turn down the dial on the less useful thoughts, 
• turn up the volume on the more helpful thoughts we already have, and 
• add new positive soundtracks to the mixtape of our minds.

Added bonus: this book strikes the tricky balance of being both highly entertaining and deeply impactful. 

If you’re beginning your journey to finding your purpose, don’t take your first step without understanding the waters your mind is swimming in. Your success moving forward depends on it.

Books About Finding Your Purpose

If you're serious about finding your purpose in life, it helps to have a roadmap to reach that goal. Far too often, we're feeling totally lost and alone as we begin. And that can keep us from making progress.

I am so grateful for these next 3 books because they each helped me stay grounded as I began to pivot and move in a new direction.

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life

Ready to go for a raucous, irreverent ride into identifying the right f*cking values to live by?

Enter: Mark Manson.

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson  is not for the faint of heart but, let’s be honest, you’re here to figure yourself out and waltzing through the tulips ain’t gonna get you there.

If you struggle with cursing and poop jokes, this one’s not for you. 

But if that doesn’t bother you (or you can get over it), Manson will kick your butt in the very best way.

Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear

When trying to find our purpose, there’s often a sense that the answer to our question is ::gestures vaguely:: out there. That it lives outside of us and we’re supposed to go on a quest to find it.

But the truth is that it already is here. It lives within us. 

No author I’ve read delivers this message with more hope, faith, and practical advice than Elizabeth Gilbert does in Big Magic . 

And you have treasures hidden within you—extraordinary treasures—and so do I, and so does everyone around us. And bringing those treasures to light takes work and faith and focus and courage and hours of devotion, and the clock is ticking, and the world is spinning, and we simply do not have time anymore to think so small.

 Elizabeth Gilbert, Big Magic

I love this book and, whether you consider yourself a creative or not, I think you will too. 

If possible, listen to it on Audible because there is seriously big magic in Gilbert’s voice. She’ll rock you to your core. 

Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action

While decidedly a business book, Start With Why by Simon Sinek has tremendous application for your personal quest for purpose.

I love his concept of The Golden Circle because it is so clear. Though he does it while looking at companies, you’ll be able to see applications for your personal life.

Want to take a shortcut? You can also watch Sinek’s Tedx Talk about Start With Why to learn about the Golden Circle. 

Books To Help You Fully Live Your Purpose

Once you've identified your life's purpose and have taken those first few shaky steps in that new direction, the heaviest lift is done. 

Gaining momentum in that new direction, though, is a whole different ballgame.

To keep moving on the new path you're blazing is imperative. These books will come alongside you and support you as you continue to move in the direction of your dreams.

Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less

As I’ve already shared in this article, I do believe that our true purpose already lives within us. Often, though, we don’t feel connected to it because of the pressures of day-to-day life. 

It’s the tiny needle buried beneath the haystack of real life obligations. 

Staying connected to our purpose is incredibly important. But it’s easy to lose sight of our purpose - even after we’ve identified it - if we continue to move through life in the same way we did before naming our why.

Essentialism by Greg McKeown will help you stay focused on your purpose and give you a better framework for making decisions about where to spend your most precious resource - your time. 

Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones

In my course, Big Why Life , when we envision the future or set goals, students generally have an easier time naming the big end result goals rather than imagining their ideal day to day lives.

Many of us can state the Blue Sky Dreaming goals that we have. And that’s great for getting us fired up and motivated…for a time.

But the journey of living our purpose happens day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute. And it’s the small decisions we make in every moment that ultimately determine whether or not we make those grand visions manifest.

If you have big dreams but find you have a hard time converting the vision into action,  Atomic Habits by James Clear  is a must-read for you.

Clear will give you the tools and strategies you need to live your purpose in small ways each and every day so you can achieve your purpose-driven goals.

You Are A Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life

One of my all-time favorite mindset books ever,  You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero  will help you stay high-vibe and on track as you pursue your purpose-filled life. 

Sincero’s brand of humor is startlingly refreshing and candid. 

This book is like having a mindset coach in your passenger seat, telling stories, cracking jokes, and downloading the best mindset mixtape ever.

Pair reading this book with Soundtracks and you'll laugh until your sides hurt while growing a whole new outlook on your life and the agency you have to make your wildest dreams come true.

Your Next Right Step

Pick up a book and start reading! And then implement, implement, implement. 

And if, like me, you also happen to also be a business owner on this quest for purpose, be sure to check out these books for entrepreneurs because, for us, our businesses are absolutely an expression of our highest calling.

But whether you're an entrepreneur or not, there's one more thing that everyone should explore as they embark on their journey to living with purpose: their core values.

Being clear about the core values that you wish to live your life in alignment with is incredibly important work that will charge the needle on your life's compass to True North. 

But, as you're not a walking thesaurus, sometimes it's hard to figure out exactly which word will strike a resonant chord with our soul.

To help, I've crafted a free downloadable PDF list of core values to choose from.

Simply enter your name and email address below and I'll send them your way right away.

9 best books on finding purpose, passion, and meaning in life.

WRITTEN BY ( AUTHOR BIO ):

Christine Songco

When I was in my late thirties, I was going through some very challenging times in my life and suffered an existential crisis.

I didn’t know I was going through one at the time and kept thinking that I must be going crazy because I felt so lost.

I didn’t know where to look for help and was too proud to ask, let alone admit that I had a problem.

Fortunately, you don’t have to suffer like I did in order to find your purpose in life.  If you are going through something similar, I want you to know that it’s not a sign of weakness to search for help.

This is why I made a list of 9 best books on finding purpose, passion, and meaning in life.

Your purpose in life is the reason behind the things that you do.  While I was going through my existential crisis and health challenges, I knew that I had to find my purpose in life if I was going to thrive in all areas of life.

Studies have even found that having a purpose in life can help you become more resilient, live longer , feel happier, and improve your health !

The books in this list are informational and not meant as a substitute for professional help.

Some of the books in this list are easier to read than others and some of them have exercises to help you get clear on your purpose in life; while others have great stories that will inspire you not just to find your purpose and meaning in life, but to experience life with more joy and happiness.

1. The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron 2. You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay 3. Dying to be me by Anita Moorjani 4. The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren 5. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho 6. The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer 7. The Path Made Clear by Oprah Winfrey 8. Life on Purpose by Victor Strecher 9. Find your passion by Henri Junttila

1. The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

This book was written for artists who needed help removing blocks to their creativity. It’s full of stories and exercises that take 12 weeks to complete.

You don’t have to be an artist to make this book useful for you.  The book can help you find your purpose in life through all the writing and exercises that help you dig deep into your soul.

It doesn’t even have to be used to unblock your creativity.  The morning pages help you get the thoughts out of your head so you can see them with more clarity.

You learn how to recognize the things that hold you back in life, such as self-doubt, self-criticism, fear, and anger.

It’s a great book for anyone who wants to find their purpose, know themselves better, or get unstuck.

2. You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay

This was one of the first books I read to help me find purpose and meaning in life.  What’s great about this book is that the author guides you and helps you search for the answers from within.

It is more than a book about healing.  It’s about self-empowerment and learning to trust in yourself and your higher power.

Louise Hay doesn’t tell you but gently shows you how to live your life with more meaning through overcoming self-criticism, affirmations, and so much more.

3. Dying To Be Me by Anita Moorjani

Anita Moorjani wrote this book after suffering for years from cancer and then having a near-death experience or NDE.  During her NDE, she learned how to love herself unconditionally and live her life without fear.

She said that she lived most of her life pleasing others and lived a life that was not her own.  She stated that this was one of the reasons why she suffered a serious illness and almost died.

This book teaches the importance of self-love, which is crucial for living your life on your own terms and living a life with meaning and purpose.  Anita’s story will resonate with you if you are a people pleaser and you want to start living a life you love.

4. The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren

I first saw this book on my parents’ bookshelf when I was in high school and the title caught my eye.  I was immediately hooked after the first page and read the entire book within a few days.

This book on purpose has a Christian theme within it, although anyone who aspires to live a purposeful life will find it useful.

It teaches you how to focus on what’s most important in life, which is one of the tenets of living a purposeful life.

5. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Although The Alchemist is a fictional book, you’ll be inspired by the underlying theme of living a life that is meaningful and heart-centered.  I don’t want to give too much away because the story is so good.

It is about a shepherd boy from Spain who goes out into the world seeking treasure.  He goes on his journey and finds what he was looking for in the most unexpected place.

This is a book about following your heart, chasing after your dreams, and living a life that is meaningful to you.  It is a deeply endearing and humbling story that will touch you long after you’ve finished it.

6. The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer

The Untethered Soul is a book that helps live a life of purpose by uncovering who you truly are using the principles of mindfulness.

When you complete the book, you realize how much you attach your identity to things that may not really be your true self, such as beliefs, societal norms, political views, social ties, and even how you feel and react to situations in your life.

If you want to live a life that feels peaceful, free, and truly yours, then this book is for you.

7. The Path Made Clear by Oprah Winfrey

The Path Made Clear by Oprah Winfrey is a book about finding your purpose in life through personal stories from the author herself, thought leaders, and people who have been successful at finding & living their own purpose in life.

It’s a great beginner’s book if you enjoy reading about other people’s experiences, insights, and anecdotes on living a life that is in alignment with what matters most.

If you’re looking for a book that is a very quick read and will satisfy your burning questions about how to live life with purpose and meaning, then this one is it.

8. Life on Purpose by Victor Strecher

Vic Strecher is a professor and has been at the forefront of research about living a purposeful life.  He’s even given TED talks and courses about living a purposeful life.

If you want a comprehensive book about how to find purpose in life and actually live it, then I highly recommend this one.

This book goes into great depth on the how-to’s of finding purpose and meaning in life in a way that is simple to understand but is very informative.

The author even shared his own personal, poignant story of how he began his journey of finding his own purpose in life that will leave a bittersweet but hopeful feeling inside.

The book is divided into four parts with twelve chapters.  Each section of the book gives practical and educational information on living your life on purpose.

9. Find Your Passion by Henri Junttila

I read this very book about finding your passion in life on Kindle, when I was at the beginning stages of my journey to finding purpose and meaning in life.

This book is very practical if you need a step-by-step guide on finding your passion in life.  Oftentimes, your passions become your purpose in life, which is why I recommend this book.

Each question reads like its own chapter because the author goes into depth explaining the reasoning behind them, and he even says so at the beginning of the book.

If you’re not in a rush to find your purpose in life and need a good guide on how to get there, this book is for you.

“Remember, unlike your past (or for that matter, most tattoos), your purpose can be easily changed! You can refind, update, edit, expand, reduce, or overhaul it any time you like.  In fact, I’ve done all of these things over the years, and my purpose – and life – is a lot better for it.” – Victor Strecher

Related books on purpose and meaning.

Here is a list of related books on purpose that have helped me find meaning in life.  They’re a collection of stories, anecdotes, and studies that will educate, inspire, and motivate you to find your purpose and meaning in life.

• The Book of Forgiving by Desmond Tutu & Mpho Tutu
• The Art of Happiness by The 14th Dalai Lama & Howard C. Cutler, MD
• You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero
• You Are Here by Thich Nhat Hanh
• Sensitive Is The New Strong by Anita Moorjani
• The Experience of Meaning in Life by Joshua A. Hicks

Closing thoughts.

Finding purpose, passion, and meaning in life is not always easy.  Every day, we make decisions that affect the trajectory of our lives.

If we desire to live with purpose, passion and meaning, we will have to change our mindset from living a life that is neutral and complacent, to living a life of intentionality.

In order to do this successfully, we have to trust our instincts and listen to that small voice inside of us that knows what is best for us.

Whether you’ve been struggling your whole life or just started asking the tough questions lately, I hope that these books enlightened your personal path to fulfillment and happiness.

I hope you found this list of books on finding your purpose, passion, and meaning in life helpful. If you want to take a spiritual path toward finding purpose in life, be sure the check out, What it means to have a higher purpose .

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Insideout Mastery

Create a Life You Love

7 Best Books About Finding Your Life’s Purpose

March 8, 2022 by Mick

Everyone has a purpose – but discovering your own may be quite a challenge. That’s why this list will cover the best books about finding your purpose in life. 

The books in this list are useful if you’re struggling to find your purpose or just starting out.

Discovering your purpose comes with several benefits:

• Inspires you to push through challenges and setbacks
• Improves clarity and focus
• Improves your mental health
• Enables you to live a life of integrity
• Increases your chance to achieve big things

Let’s first define what makes a good book about purpose. 

P.S. If you prefer audiobooks, make sure to read my Audible review .

What defines a good book about life’s purpose?

There is no single approach that works for everyone. And the same goes for books about finding purpose.

That’s why there are different kinds of books on this list. Some of which are very practical, while others are more spiritual, and so forth.

Each book included in this list contains various insights to help you discover meaning in life. 

And besides my subjective opinion, I’ve also researched the reviews of others to make sure this is the actual best list of books to read about finding your purpose.

Let’s start with number one:

#1: Man’s Search for Meaning – Victor Frankl

This book is a MUST read for anyone, in my opinion.

It’s an inspiring biography of the life of the psychiatrist, jew, and Holocaust survivor, Victor Frankl. 

He was captured in World War II, separated from his wife and kids, deported to a concentration camp, and put to work in the most dehumanizing conditions.

Yet despite these conditions, he not only remained sane – he arguably enjoyed more freedom than his captors. 

Think about that statement for a second: He experienced more freedom than his captors.

Quite a bold claim.

Though his captors were physically free to go home at the end of the day, Frankl maintained the mental freedom that no one could take away and used it to thrive in those camps.

How did he do it?

While most people gave up on life after days or weeks, Frankl found a purpose that gave him the power to survive the Holocaust.

Reasons to read this book:

• An inspiring story from a Holocaust survivor;
• Real-life case study for why you need a purpose;
• Learn how to overcome challenges and difficulty;
• Simply a must-read for anyone.

Who should read this book? If you want to understand the essence of purpose and how it benefits you in challenging times and during moments of suffering, you will love this book.

Get your copy here

#2: Find Your Why – Simon Sinek

Find Your Why is a practical book with catchy real-life examples to help you understand your why , how and what .

First, it explains why having a why is essential. 

And Sinek explains this with practical examples that show how the most successful individuals and companies like Apple have used this idea to stand out from the crowd.

Then, he dives into how you can discover your purpose.

But also, how you can rally behind the purposes of other people, especially if these align with yours. 

Here’s why I love this book:

• The best explanation of why finding your why is essential;
• Clear and inspiring real-life examples;
• A practical approach to discover your own;
• And also includes how you live your purpose.

Who should read this book? Anyone who wants to get the full picture and enjoys practical examples from successful individuals and companies will love this book.

#3: Discover Your True North – Bill George

Bill George is a Professor at Harvard Business School and is one of the leading names around leadership.

His book is all about finding direction for your life and how to become the best leader you can be.

Why care about becoming a leader?

Because you already are. 

Leadership comes in various degrees, whether you lead a company, your children, or simply yourself.

George explains how you can find your sweet spot within your own life story. And how you can integrate that into your life to become the best possible leader.

But there is more.

You will also learn why most leaders lose their way at some point. And how you can avoid that from happening.

• Discover your purpose in your life story;
• Many examples of successful people;
• Become the leader you’re supposed to be;
• And learn to avoid the pitfalls that many leaders fall into.

Who should read this book? If you want to use your purpose to become a better leader, then you should read this book.

#4: The Happiness of Pursuit – Chris Guillebeau

In comparison to the other books in this list, Guillebeau tackles the search for purpose in a lighter fashion.

Chris sees life as an adventure.

And he wants to inspire you to embark on many different quests and adventures to make your life more purposeful and enjoyable.

This book focuses much more on finding purpose every day for more joy and happiness. It also dives into the daily struggles you will encounter and how you can move forward.

Here’s why I enjoy this book:

• Many practical tools to make every day more enjoyable;
• A positive tone and enjoyable read;
• Inspiring but keeps it real;
• Explains how to overcome everyday struggles.

Who should read this book? If finding your purpose feels like a challenge, then this book will lighten your spirit.

#5: The Purpose Driven Life – Rick Warren

Rick Warren is a Christian, and in his book, he makes many mentions with regards to God and religion . 

So if you’re a Christian or have an affinity with religious writings, this is the best book about finding purpose in life.

Warren’s writing is uplifting and insightful. Yet, it’s thought-provoking at the same time, which will help you in your journey towards finding meaning in your life.

While you’re supposed to read the book in 40 days, many people in the reviews said they couldn’t help themselves and finished it much faster.

Here are the main reasons why you should read this book:

• Best book for finding your purpose if you also love the Bible;
• Contains references to God and quotes from the Bible;
• Uplifting yet thought-provoking;
• And it’s also an excellent book to read with a group of people.

Who should read this book? Christians and those who are drawn towards religious writings.

#6: The Alchemist – Paulo Coelho

The Alchemist is the only fiction book in this list of best books about discovering your purpose. But it’s one of the best personal development fiction books in general.

So if you enjoy self-improvement and prefer fiction over non-fiction, you will love this read.

The main topic of this book has everything to do with the meaning and purpose of our lives. 

However, Coelho won’t tell you what is essential. Rather, you will have to extract the lessons from the story yourself. And that’s also what makes this book personal and interesting.

To sum up this book:

• A fictional story about a shepherd pursuing dreams;
• The main topic is all about the meaning of our lives;
• But the book contains many other lessons about life;
• Simple story yet filled with wisdom.

Who should read this book? Anyone in general but specifically those who prefer a fictional story over a non-fiction book. 

#7: Discover Your Why – Simon Sinek

This book is not a duplicate of the second option in this list from Simon Sinek, Start With Why. Instead, this is the sequential book in his series.

Discover Your Why is a step-by-step handbook to discover your life’s purpose. Sinek provides various tools to find your purpose from the stories of your life.

While the book dives deeply into finding your individual and organizational purpose, it does not explain much about why it benefits you or how you can use your purpose.

Summarizing the benefits of this book:

• Step-by-step handbook;
• Practical tools to discover your purpose;
• It explains how individuals can find their why ;
• And also how organizations can find their why.

Who should read this book? If you’ve been trying to find your purpose for some time, this book may provide a breakthrough.

I bought the two books by Sinek together, and they do complement each other very well.

Get your copy here.

Which book will you read first?

Each book in this list tackles purpose from a slightly different perspective. But all are fantastic options to read.

Keep in mind that finding your purpose is a process.

While these books can become your breakthrough, it may also take some time before you figure out your own. So don’t worry if you cannot find your purpose straight away.

And if you prefer listening on the go, you can get your 30-day free trial with Audible here .

Also, make sure you check out the best books about finding your passion .

Finally, if you want more practical tips to build the best life for yourself and live your purpose, then sign up for the newsletter below!

Mick is a personal growth enthusiast and was able to use it to transform his life. He now helps others pursue their dreams, create positive change, and build better lives through self-improvement.

• Best Books on Purpose
• Finding Your Calling
• Finding Your Voice
• Finding a Mentor

Best Books on Finding Purpose (Updated for 2024)

Dan Cumberland

Reading Time: minutes

I love books with a passion. Having moved several times in the last few years, I should say that I really love the library and digital books with a passion (I love my Kindle ). I’m always finding new books and checking way too many of them out from the library (which I’ve found is a great way to rack up fees and support your local branch).

I peruse and read just about anything that I can get my hands on related to life purpose and passion. You can talk about these ideas in a lot of ways, with words like calling, vocation, figuring out what you want to do, finding your voice, etc. I’m not too concerned with the specific words you use. Instead, I like to focus on books that produce results, are actionable, and help a person take control of their own life. Self help is my genre of choice. This is why my list grows way faster than I can keep up with it (just like my library fines!).

While there are many a great book that could be on this, I want to do the hard work for you of sorting and choosing to save you time. There are many positive psychology books authors who have written on the topic of passion, inner peace and positive thinking who are not on this list. I’ve included a list of additional authors at the end, if you’d like to dig deeper.

What I’ve found is that the problem with there being so many interesting books is that few of them really stand out to me after a few weeks or months have passed. They may be fun to read once, but I’m interested in finding the books that stand the test of time and keep offering more insight the more you read them.

So I wanted to offer my short list of favorites along with why I think they matter.

The Best Books on Finding Your Purpose:

Let your life speak by parker palmer.

Let Your Life Speak by Parker Palmer – This is by far my favorite book on the concept of work and meaning. Palmer frames his ideas around finding your vocation in his own journey. It’s a short book, yet I find myself constantly returning to reread and quote sections .

I have yet to find another book that has this kind of wisdom and depth. I truly believe that it is the best that is available and that everyone should read it (probably more than once).

Who this book is best for:

Soulful and inspirational seekers. People looking for meaning, passion, and happiness.

Available in: digital | print | audiobook

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

The War of Art — Another short and small book about the hard work of creating (maybe I’m biased toward short books?). This book explores the inner battle of making something worth making and all the fear, procrastination, and self-sabotage that comes along with it.

For many creatives, Pressfield was the first to put language to these ideas. In my opinion, language is half the battle so his contribution is very valuable. After you’ve read and absorbed some of Pressfield’s thoughts, you’ll notice his influence everywhere.

Who this is book is best for:

Creatives, writers and passion seekers.

Available in: print | audiobook | digital

The Art of Work by Jeff Goins

The Art of Work by Jeff Goins  –  Jeff Goins isn’t a foreign name here at the Meaning Movement.   You can listen in to my interview with him here .

This book is a fun and easy to read treatment of how different people find purpose in the work they do.   “Work” here is a pretty broad category.   It includes both work for income and the kind of work we do simply because we want to do it.

Goins approaches the topics of work and meaning through stories of people doing things that are important to them.   Each section explores a different approach and centers on a different story.

Since the topic of purpose is so subjective, the stories in this book are incredibly helpful. There isn’t a right and wrong way to find purpose and happiness. There’s only the way that works for you. Goins does a great job of extracting a framework from the stories to help you find your way into the thing that work for you.

Career oriented inspiration seekers.

Available in: digital | audiobook | print

Creative Calling by Chase Jarvis

Creative Calling by Chase Jarvis – I really didn’t want to like this book.  Chase Jarvis is a fellow Seattle photographer , and an insanely successful one at that. I didn’t like that he was writing on “my topic” – I know: as if I could own a whole domain. It’s just that he’s so good at everything he does, I didn’t want him adding helping people find calling to his list of accomplishments. But I gave him a chance and I’m so glad I did. His book is kind, generous, and very insightful – all the things I didn’t want him to be!

He tells his story of aspiring to be an action sports photographer, breaking into an industry, innovating and changing that industry, and beyond.  While some of his outward success makes his story feel inaccessible at first pass (his CreativeLive platform raised $58.3 million, for example), he extracts universal principles and helps you apply them to your situation.  I definitely recommend his book.  It’s well worth a read .

Creatives and passion seekers.

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron — The Artist’s Way is positioned as a book that helps artists get unstuck. Though I think it is effective in that mission, there are many non-artists who would benefit from it. Cameron lays out a 12-week journey that helps you get in touch with the deeper parts of yourself that may have been ignored for some time.

Creatives, artists, passion seekers, and anyone seeking to get unstuck.

The Icarus Deception by Seth Godin

The Icarus Deception by Seth Godin — Seth Godin is a living legend in the online business and marketing world, and I feel like I’d be remiss if I didn’t put something by him on this list.

This book in particular will help you question what you believe about yourself and the realm of work to get you to step out and dream and do bigger things — whether it’s starting your own thing or changing the way you show up at your job.

Career minded professionals, creatives, and anyone wanting to reframe how they think about work.

Dream Year by Ben Arment

Dream Year by Ben Arment — Ben Arment is an author and conference/event creator.  I partnered with him in the creation of  Seattle’s Pitch Night  some time ago.

The sub-title of this book was a turn off at first.  It reads, Make the Leap from a Job You Hate to a Life You Love, but once I got past it, I found the book to be very inspiring.  Arment has a specific view of work that this book clearly communicates— and it’s not for everyone.  He really believes in starting things that are uniquely your own: dream projects, businesses, events, etc.  

While not everyone is a starter, I believe that most of us have something in us to start in some way but let fear keep us from taking action (see the War of Art above for more on that!). I’d recommend you take this text with a grain of salt, but I believe there’s something for everyone to learn from the author and his unique take on life, work, and entrepreneurship.

Christians and people with a faith orientation. People who think in terms of God’s Purpose and God’s will. Anyone who is trying to make sense of their personal story.

To Be Told by Dan Allender

To Be Told: Know Your Story, Shape Your Future by Dan Allender — Allender has shaped my understanding of story and identity formation more than anyone. If you’ve been around The Meaning Movement long enough, you’ve seen how much I talk about the importance of knowing the stories that have shaped you and how they affect you. This is Allender’s life work.

His book is full of Christian language, which may be a turn-off for some— but the content is helpful to anyone who wants to learn more about themselves and their narrative.

Christians and people with a faith orientation. Anyone who is trying to make sense of thier personal story.

Availabe in: digital | print

Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein

Range by David Epstein – This is the newest addition to the list. It’s not directly on the topic of finding your purpose, or happiness and meaning in life, but the topic is incredibly relevant. Epstein looks at stories and examples of people who have achieved at high levels and made break-through and found that time and time again, great things come from bringing together diverse experiences. This is good news for any and all of us who have spent a lot of time not sure what to do with our lives.

I found this book to be a comforting counter-narrative to the idea that you have to decide early what you want to do and if you change your mind, you’re making a huge mistake. This book affirmed what I believe to be true : that it’s never too late to do something that matters. Epstein’s research shows that you might actually be more effective at it simply because you’re starting later in the game.

Late bloomers, anyone who thinks it might be “too late” for them, anyone who enjoys research backed non-fiction, and passion seekers.

Honorable Mention: The Calling Process by Dan Cumberland

The Calling Process by Dan Cumberland – I wrote this book to be a quick and accessible resource to help reframe your thinking on the topic and offer the best takeaways I’ve found in my work (15 years of research, a master’s degree, and a decade of hands on coaching).  Unlike most of the books here, it’s written first and foremost to be highly actionable.  I’m not interested in leading you in any thought experiments or endless reflection.  I want you to have the tools you need to analyze and act.  At the time of this writing, it’s also FREE on Amazon.  Grab it while you can!

Anyone wanting a short and actionable read.

Available in: digital version

Further Study

Other notable authors who have written at least one good book related to passion are, in no particular order:

• Tony Robbins,
• the Dalai Lama,
• Brene Brown,
• Paulo Coelho,
• Martha Beck,
• Eckhart Tolle,
• Mitch Albom,
• Pema Chodron,
• Jen Sincero,
• Deepak Chopra,
• Gretchen Rubin,
• Barbara Sher,
• Gabrielle Bernstein,
• Ken Robinson,
• David Whyte,
• Elizabeth Gilbert (I loved Big Magic !)

For Success and Financial Pursuits

For those more focused on career and financial success as a way of pursuing happiness and passion, three classic titles you should read are:

• Dale Carnegie’s classic, How to Win Friends and Influence People .
• Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill (skip the weird sections on sex)
• Rich Dad Poor Dad by by Robert Kiyosaki (I love this book!)

For Christians

Christians may really enjoy Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Life .

Whether you’re looking for your next job, or trying to find yourself, these books are sure to help. After you read a few, let me know what you think!

Before you go: I’m curious, what are your favorite books on finding your purpose? What have you found to be most helpful in how you think about yourself, your work, and your purpose? Click here to share your thoughts in the comments!

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I loved To Be Told by Dan Allender as well. But I would also suggest the Apprentice Series by James Bryan Smith. It may not give you a micro idea of purpose, but definitely unfolds the larger over arching themes of purpose.

Thanks Rilo! I’ll have to check out that series!

I really do appreciate a good book recommendation list. Keep them coming! I promised myself not to buy/start another book until I actually finish the ones I’m working on (I’m still paying off Wheaton College library fines). But I definitely added some of these to my list. The War of Art and To Be Told have been incredibly influencial in how I think about myself and my purpose.

Boy do I know the pain of library fines! As soon as you get through the ones you’re working on definitely check out Let Your Life Speak, if you haven’t read it already.

I’m also curious what other books you’ve found helpful?

Dan, Thanks a million.

I am real estate entrepreneur from Singapore/Dubai. Right now I am in India.

Recently after my brain tumor surgery. My purpose changed. I really want to write.

After that I read many books about purpose, calling, passion etc… But nothing hit me so hard as “Let your life speak”…. Absolutely life changing.

In fact I bought the book after reading your post:)

Any other books you recommend? As this post was written long back it seems.

Couple of other books I loved about life’s calling are

(1) The Crossroads of Should and Must: Find and Follow Your Passion (2) Mastery (Author: Robert greene… Robert’s first book is pure evil, which is 48 laws of power.. I throw in dustbin, literllay… I think his soul transformed while writing “Mastery”.. 🙂

God bless you buddy:)

It sounds like you’ve been on an incredible journey!

I love that you found Let Your Life Speak through the Meaning Movement, and that you enjoyed it. It’s a book I often come back to.

As far as others to add, I did enjoy The Crossroads of Should and Must (I read the original in blog post format here ), and I’ll have to check out Mastery. Sounds interesting.

I personally don’t have any to add yet, but there are a couple new comers for consideration: The Art of Work by Jeff Goins and Do Over by Jon Acuff . I have yet to read either, but both are by bloggers that I respect and who were listed on my round-up of bloggers who write about finding purpose .

Another book I’ve really enjoyed that I would consider adding is David Whyte’s Crossing the Unknown Sea: Work as a Pilgrimage of Identity .

Thanks for coming back to this post, Abbey! I’ll update it more formally when I have a chance.

Keep me posted on your reading and journey!

I read “the art of work”… Didn’t resonate with me… Jeff is an awesome person. I communicated with him many times.

I read Jon Acuff previous book.. Again didn’t appeal much to me.

I tried to get Crossing the unknown sea on kindle, but sadly its not available.

Thanks for all your recommendation.

I truly appreciate.

Hey Abbey, I’m not too surprised by your feelings about those books. This list is short for a reason! Keep me posted with anything new you find 🙂

Dan, Try this book “The Second Mountain” by David brooks. Its all about how we climb the first mountain of achievement and now we are in the valley and how we can climb second mountain in service of humanity.

I loved loved the book!

Hi Aby! Thanks for the recommendation. That one has been on my list for some time. I need to read it!

Thanks for this! I’ve just placed an order on these four books now.

That’s great, T! Let me know what you think of them 🙂

Am in africa (Cameroon) am young and don’t have means now to purchase or order for those books but I will love to read them they may help me THANKS

Hi Indou! I hope that you get a chance to read them some day. Thanks for your comment 🙂

I have almost all but the book “Dream Year”. Loved the recommendation. I confess that some of these books questioned some of the certainties that they had been building, and they had defeated them. Books are the best way to get to know each other and to chart our own way. Thanks to some of them today I can live my life mission. Thanks

“A New Earth Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose” By-Eckhart Tolle

Hey, Mr. Dan. I just read this article of yours today. I wanted you to know that I would love to try those books you’ve recommended. So far I’ve been searching inspirational books to read. I’m a bibliophile ever since and now I’m too particular of what I am reading. I’m from the Philippines by the way.

The Alchemist.

I love that one, Ron! Great choice!

To dan Cumberland:

I am a retired architect and Follow of jesus living in Georgetown, TX. Like you I have a passion and life endeavor of concerns for mentoring young professionals and second career folks. I yearned fro a professional and spiritual mentor most of my life as an architect and businessman who formed my own firm at age 30 and had a marvelous yet challenging life. I am now writing a book ( first draft complete and in editing ), titled for now : A Hidden Calling Revealed. As my first book, other than professional master plans and reports throughout my career, is a passionate endeavor focus on developing a type of mentor support guide. I am using my remarkable experiences of gifted calling that I am now seeing much clearer at age 70 and can better explain how this has worked for myself. I too have read many of the books you recommend in fact I use them in my book as texts to check how those concepts and spiritual wisdom did work in my life.

I am seeking a collaborator to assist my efforts for the book and possible enlarging my mentoring beyond local young architect professionals and a few guys in men groups. Let me know if you have any recommendations. Thank you.

Kim A. Williams, Architect, Businessman, Follower of Jesus, Non-profit volunteer at the local Caring Place

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Best Books on Finding Your Passion and Purpose in Life

4. Follow Your Heart by Andrew Matthews

“Your mission in life is not to change the world. Your mission is to change yourself. “

This book is not just about finding your passion or purpose, it’s about life.  Andrew believes that if you don’t like your work, you can either:

• change your attitude, or
• change your job.

In the book, Andrew shares other insights about beliefs, attachment and courage, which are all related to doing what you love. If you hate your job right now, read this book to gain a different perspective towards life and your job.

Amazon: Print  | eBook  | Audio

5. The Art of Work by Jeff Goins

“The search begins with passion but does not end there.”

Jeff believes that work is never done. To him, a calling is the thing that you cannot not do.

What are you born to do? This book reminds us that it’s not just about doing, it’s about who are we becoming.  Sometimes, getting everything you want doesn’t always make you happy.

The journey to discovering your calling is different for everyone. But if you are looking for some inspirations from people who had succeed, the stories in each chapter will get you working on your own calling.

Amazon: Print |  eBook  | Audio

6. The Renaissance Soul by Margaret Lobenstine

Are you a person who says, “Please don’t make me choose one thing to do for the rest of my life!”  ?

If you have too many passions and don’t know what to do about them, this book is for you. Renaissance soul is a person who has many different interests and passions.

In this book, Margaret would teach you how to focus and get paid for your passion. Most importantly, you will learn how to  design a life of multiple passions.

Amazon: Print |  eBook

7. Finding Your Element by Ken Robinson

In his first book, The Element , Ken tells us what is element and explains why we need to find our element. This book is a continuation of the first book. It is about how to find your element.

According to Ken, Element = Talents + Personal Passion . We need to find something which we are both good at and love to do.

A mixture of stories and pratical exercises. This book is a good starting point for those who aren’t aware of their strengths and passions.

8. Find Your Passion by Henri Junttila

What is the best way to find your passion? Ask yourself important questions.

Finding your passion is about self-inquiry and reflection. In this book, Henri presents the readers with important questions to get us thinking.

This book isn’t just about discovering your passion, it’s also about inner awareness. If you are stuck, use this book for self-reflection. You’ll have a better understanding of yourself.

Amazon: Print | eBook

9. It Starts With Passion by Keith Abraham

“When the WHY becomes clear, the HOW becomes easy.”

This is the premise of the book. Most of us don’t start with why ; we start with what we want to do. But when we do something without knowing why we do so, the work becomes meaningless.

If you are feeling disengaged or something is missing from your life, this book helps you to reconnect and reignite your passion.

10. The Fred Factor by Mark Sanborn

“There are no unimportant jobs, just people who feel unimportant doing their jobs.”

This is not the typical “how to find your passion or purpose” book. In fact, it is a business and leadership book. However, this book is on the list because it shows that passion and purpose don’t have to be something grand. It can be something simple like delivering a mail.

The opening story is about a postman, Fred who the author met. Fred enjoys his job and took the effort to get to know his new customer. He did something more than he was paid for.

“Delivering a mail can be a calling!” If you have no passion in your work, read this book as it makes you rethink what you passion is.

Hey there, I’m Yong Kang, best known as Nerdy Creator. I’m an author of seven books. I write about spirituality, self-compassion, and mindfulness. I love reading books, especially non-fiction. The list above is a combination of what I have read and my research. Each year, I create a Top 10 list of my favorite books .

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24 Life-Changing Healing Books

Alice Nuttall

Alice Nuttall (she/her) is a writer, pet-wrangler and D&D nerd. Her reading has got so out of control that she had to take a job at her local library to avoid bankrupting herself on books - unfortunately, this has just resulted in her TBR pile growing until it resembles Everest. Alice's webcomic, writing and everything else can be found at https://linktr.ee/alicenuttallbooks

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If you’re looking for help with a specific health problem, then there are clinical guides that can support professional therapy and medical help. Want to work on building motivation and positive feelings in your day-to-day life? There are books which give you a toolkit to achieve this. If you’re feeling alone, reading memoirs of others who have been through similar tough times can help. And fiction is always a good way to explore how other humans have processed the difficult times in life.

While this rundown of healing books can’t fix the problems of the current world, they can help you feel a little better, and perhaps contribute to your own healing.

Self-Help and Self-Care Healing Books

Hell Yeah Self-Care! A Trauma-Informed Workbook by Alex Iantaffi and Meg-John Barker

Journalling can be a great way to work through things that are bothering you and find ways to build the life you want, but sometimes the concept can be a bit daunting. In this workbook, there are writing prompts and many other activities that will help you work on mindfulness and build self-care into every aspect of your life.

The Trans Self-Care Workbook: A Coloring Book and Journal for Trans and Non-Binary People by Theo Nicole Lorenz

It’s currently a scary time for trans people all across the world, and while self-care can’t effect serious systemic change, it can provide some small relief from the onslaught of everyday life. Lorenz’s book celebrates trans joy, teaches body neutrality and positivity, looks at building and maintaining relationships, and has plenty of awesome colouring pages and journaling prompts.

Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang

In a world where we’re primed to see rest as a luxury or indulgence, focusing on taking time out for ourselves is a crucial part of healing from overwork, stress, and the other impacts of capitalist society on our mental and physical health. In this book, Pang argues for frequent rest as a necessity for human health and fulfillment, using examples from history as well as plenty of scientific backing.

The Black Girl’s Guide To Self-Care: A 30-Day Self-Care Workbook by Kristin D. Hemingway

Systemic racism and societal pressures have taken an immense toll on the physical and mental health of Black women and girls, and while self-care cannot solve these society-wide problems, it is still a radical and important act. This workbook teaches Black women and girls to centre themselves and focus on their joy, instead of constantly putting others’ wants first; with plenty of practical exercises to create a personalised self-care plan, this book is an important part of your toolkit towards self-healing.

Light Magic for Dark Times: More than 100 Spells, Rituals, and Practices for Coping in a Crisis by Lisa Marie Basile

I’ve written before about my journey back into witchcraft as a way of feeling some kind of control while the world burns. One of the best books I found during this journey is Light Magic for Dark Times , a practical guide for witches who want to engage in self-healing, world-healing and political magic. With spells for everything healing-related, including one to recharge after activism, this book is empowering in every sense of the word.

A Spell in the Wild: A Year (and Six Centuries) of Magic by Alice Tarbuck

Another fantastic book for people who want to explore magical empowerment for the first time, or go deeper into their magical practice, A Spell in the Wild details writer and witch Alice Tarbuck’s year gaining a deeper connection to her own magic. Tarbuck talks about the healing aspect of getting back in touch with nature, as well as exploring why witchcraft has had a recent resurgence amongst people feeling the pressures of modern life.

Brown Girl Like Me: The Essential Guidebook and Manifesto for South Asian Girls and Women by Jaspreet Kaur

In this healing manifesto aimed at South Asian women and girls, Jaspreet Kaur looks at tackling social and life problems piece by piece, avoiding overwhelm and burnout. Brown Girl Like Me combines interviews with inspirational women and pragmatic advice, looking at feminism, microaggressions, and body confidence, amongst many other topics.

You Are Your Best Thing: Vulnerability, Shame Resilience, and the Black Experience: An anthology , edited by Tarana Burke and Brené Brown

#MeToo founder and campaigner Tarana Burke and academic/podcaster Brené Brown join forces in this empowering, healing book. Exploring Black vulnerability and resilience in a society where Black people are targets of systemic and institutional violence, the book collects essays from several well-known Black contributors, including Laverne Cox, Imani Perry and Austin Channing Brown.

Memoirs About Healing

What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma by Stephanie Foo

Foo’s memoir is a heavy but ultimately healing book, recounting her diagnosis with complex PTSD following an abusive childhood. Following neglect and parental abandonment, Foo lived an outwardly successful life, but was dealing with the impact of her parents’ abuse; What My Bones Know deals with her journey to heal from her past. The memoir looks at different kinds of therapy, as well as the subject of generational trauma, and while it’s a hard read, it’s ultimately hopeful.

Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body by Roxane Gay

Renowned feminist writer Roxane Gay has written many spectacular essay collections, but Hunger is a stand-out book about trauma, healing and recovery. After experiencing an act of horrific sexual violence as a teenager, Gay struggled with her physical and mental health for years. Hunger looks at trauma, fatphobia in society, and how to reclaim your right to take up space.

Hijab Butch Blues: A Memoir by Lamya H.

In this memoir, Lamya H. writes about the tensions she experienced growing up, both as a queer Muslim and as a South Asian woman in a Middle Eastern country. As a teenager, Lamya attempted to hide her sexuality, but after moving to the United States, she was able to come out. Hijab Butch Blues follows Lamya as she draws on her faith to build her sense of identity and understand her sexuality.

The Apology by V

Written by the author of The Vagina Monologues , The Apology is a tough read, but an ultimately uplifting and healing one. As a child, V was first sexually and then physically abused by her father, violations which, understandably, had a massive impact on her life, causing her to become angry and engage in many self-destructive behaviours as a teen and young adult. After becoming a successful writer and feminist activist, V realised that, although her father was long-dead, she could write the apology that she had always hoped he would give her, and find healing and closure through her own words.

Transitional by Munroe Bergdorf

Part memoir, part essay collection, Transitional is Munroe Bergdorf’s exploration of how we all transition in different ways throughout our lives. Bergdorf reflects on her life growing up as a young Black trans woman in the UK, coming out at university and the beginning of her modelling career, but also looks more broadly at sex, race, gender and politics. Transitional is a thought-provoking read, with the uplifting message that it is always possible to live authentically.

Behind Bars by Lady Unchained

After trying to defend her sister from being attacked in a bar, Lady Unchained was sent to prison. During the 11 months of her sentence, she began writing poetry as a way to process the trauma and isolation of her time inside. Behind Bars explores the racism and violence of the prison system, but also the resilience of incarcerated people.

Medical and Mental Healing Books

Break Free from OCD: Overcoming Obsessive Compulsive Disorder with CBT by Dr. Fiona Challacombe, Dr. Victoria Bream Oldfield and Paul M Salkovskis

As someone living with OCD, I know how consuming intrusive thoughts and compulsive rituals can be. Healing from OCD is a struggle, but it’s possible, and Break Free From OCD is recommended by a huge number of OCD charities and specialists as one of the best books to support recovery. The techniques in the book will be helpful for everyone dealing with OCD patterns, or other kinds of obsessive thoughts and anxieties.

Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? by Dr. Julie Smith

Clinical psychologist Julie Smith has plenty of experience helping people with mental illness, or people who are struggling with low mood and difficult thoughts. Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? gives the reader useful tools on dealing with anxiety, managing guilt, and learning how to become more confident. Designed for readers to dip into based on what they’re currently concerned about, this book is a helpful healing guide for everyone.

Needing to Know for Sure: A CBT-Based Guide to Overcoming Compulsive Checking and Reassurance Seeking by Martin N. Seif, PhD and Sally M. Winston, PsyD

Uncertainty is one of the most difficult things to deal with (in my experience, at least) — and sadly, almost nothing in life is certain. If you, like me, have issues with repeated checking and a desperation to finally find absolute certainty that, deep down, you know you’ll never be able to achieve, this book will help. With CBT-based practices built from clinical experience, Needing to Know for Sure will help you break the cycle of checking.

Self-Care for People with ADHD: 100+ Ways to Recharge, De-Stress, and Prioritize You! by Sasha Hamdani, MD

Neurodivergence isn’t a mental illness, but living as a neurodivergent person in a neurotypical world can make it much more likely that you deal with anxiety, depression, and other consequences of stress. In Self-Care for People with ADHD , Sasha Hamdani, MD describes ways to negotiate life without hiding your neurodivergence, radical self-acceptance, and how to find people who support you.

Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Program That Works by Evelyn Tribole, M.S., R.D. and Elyse Resch, M.S., R.D., F.A.D.A.

Diet culture is toxic, and restrictive eating is hugely damaging, but such a central part of modern society. Intuitive Eating is a fantastic healing resource for anyone who wants to reset their relationship with food, building a healthy, stress-free attitude to eating rather than keeping a damaging focus on restriction and calorie-counting. The book is useful for everyone who has struggled with food and eating, whether they’ve experienced eating disorders or are simply unhappy with their relationship with food.

I’m Telling the Truth, But I’m Lying: Essays by Bassey Ikpi

This essay-based memoir collection follows Bassey Ikpi’s journey after being diagnosed with bipolar II, her struggle with anxiety, and her creative work as a slam poet. Ikpi describes the challenges of negotiating the world while living with mental illness, her hospitalisation and recovery, and how she challenges preconceptions of “being normal”.

The Sawbones Book: The Hilarious, Horrifying Road to Modern Medicine by Justin McElroy and Sydnee McElroy

A more lighthearted offering (despite the often-gruesome subject matter), The Sawbones Book is a fun romp through medical history by the hosts of the popular Sawbones podcast. Looking at historical methods of healing, the book is frank and funny, and reminds us that, whatever the flaws with the modern medical system, at least we don’t have to deal with quite so much bloodletting or mercury.

Healing Fiction al Books

The Boy, The Mole, The Fox and The Horse by Charlie Mackesy

Mackesy’s drawings, posted on his Instagram account, went viral during lockdown, and the short animated film based on the book was a smash hit over Christmas 2022, watched by thousands and ultimately winning an Oscar. The book is a beautifully-illustrated story featuring four unlikely friends, who are hurt and heal together, learning lessons that we can all relate to.

Are You the F**king Doctor?: Tales from the bleeding edge of medicine by Dr. Liam Farrell

Although this book is based on Liam Farrell’s real-life experience as a doctor, it falls more into the category of fiction — telling real stories would breach patient confidentiality, so instead, Farrell uses them as inspiration for fictionalised tales from the front lines of medical practice. The book is a hilarious collection of short vignettes describing interactions between a long-suffering doctor and his patients, and the oddness of life in the healing sector.

A Library of Lemons by Jo Cotterill

Healing from grief can be a long and difficult process, and fiction can sometimes be the best way to explore it. In this children’s novel, Calypso is dealing with the death of her mother, with little help from her father, who has emotionally shut down in his grief. Calypso begins to heal through her friendship with new girl Mae, but getting to know Mae’s loving family brings Calypso’s own home situation into sharp relief, causing a confrontation that shows Calypso and her father that they need to confront and process their grief.

For more literary support in healing, try our list of Literary Healing Quotes . If you want to get in touch with your emotions and work on your inner sense of self, have a look at the recommendations on our list of 16 of the Best Books on Emotional Intelligence .

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Book review: sebastian junger’s ‘in my time of dying’.

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Book cover, In My Time of Dyiing

Why would a war correspondent prove to be an excellent guide to quantum theory? Sebastian Junger’s success in In My Time of Dying: How I Came Face-to Face with the Idea of an Afterlife (Simon & Schuster, May 2024) may lie in his urgency.

I’ve never found quantum theory easy to understand intuitively because the physics it describes are not those of the visible world. For example, in the visible world, I know that a tether ball circumventing a pole will follow either a circular or elliptical path. If given the right information (force applied, angle of application, weight of ball, length of rope, wind resistance, and maybe a few other factors), anyone with a reasonably-informed understanding of math can calculate the ball’s path and exactly where it will be along it at any given moment. Paths of momentum are less predictable inside atoms. As Werner Heisenberg made clear with his uncertainty principle, when circumventing the neutron of an atom, the position of an electron can only be expressed in terms of the probability of finding it at any given point. There is no certainty.

And then there’s the matter of “spin.” Decades ago, my high school Chemistry teacher patiently explained to my class that, as electrons orbit nuclei, they “spin” positively or negatively. As it turns out, electrons don’t spin . Scientists use the terms “spinning” or “spin angular momentum” to refer to electrons’ magnetic pull. Even the use of the term “momentum” may be misleading, as “spin angular momentum” may have nothing to do with movement of any kind. (And, BTW, given how small electrons are, in order to gain their magnetic effects from spin, they would have to spin faster than the speed of light .)

In My Time of Dying

Author Sebastian Junger is a well-published nonfiction author and a former war correspondent. In In My Time of Dying, he discusses quantum theory from a historical perspective rather than from a mechanical one. As he explains, Nobel Prize-winning theoretical physicist Richard Feynman is reputed to have once said, “If you think you understand quantum mechanics [quantum theory expressed mathematically], you don’t understand quantum mechanics.”

Taking a historical rather a mathematical tack, Junger infuses the discoveries of Max Planck, Albert Einstein, Niels Bohr, Louis de Broglie, Ludwig Boltzmann, Werner Heisenberg, and Erwin Schrödinger with urgency. This is largely because his historical perspective is wrapped in the real reason for his book’s existence: against all odds, Junger survived an out-of-the-blue medical emergency that culminated in a near death experience (NDE). With all of the suspense of a war report, In My Time of Dying relates the emotion and details of the emergency. At the same time, it looks to quantum theory for clues about the NDE.

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Author Sebastian Junger.

Granted, there are books aplenty about NDEs and “visits” from dead relatives and friends. Some lean into metaphysics. Some dabble in a cloud of ideas vaguely related to quantum theory. The derisive term often used for such books is “woo-woo.” Junger’s book doesn’t “woo.” It describes in nearly cinematic detail his aneurysm at the age of 56. He lost ten pints of blood. His wife, whom he outweighed by 50 pounds, had to get him out of the woods to their house and into an ambulance even though a storm had washed out both the land lines and cell service. It took an hour and a half from the time the emergency started to when Junger arrived at the hospsital. During four hours and twenty minutes of surgery he got no general anesthetic. Too fragile to withstand it, he floated in and out of consciousness, sometimes joking through the pain with the medical team.

Yes, these passages of the book read like war reporting. Other passages — not so much, and that’s good, too

According to Junger, his father showed up during his surgery and assured him that there was no need to be afraid of what would come next. That makes at least some sense, assuming that his father was scrubbed for the OR. But he’d been dead for 11 years. While Junger’s father talked soothingly to him, he stood at the rim of a yawning black emptiness that had formed on the left side of Junger’s field of vision. The void pulled unrelentingly at Junger while his father spoke gently and Junger urged the surgical team to please work faster.

The next morning, according to Junger, a nurse told him, “No one can believe you’re alive.” Indeed, he is alive and well and living in New York City and Hyannis with his wife and two little girls.

So what does a tough guy journalist — someone who is at least a little inured to death, having flirted with it as a thrill-seeking kid, having dodged it on the battlefield, and having seen friends blown apart in battle — do with a medical emergency and NDE experience like that? In general, journalists try to make sense of things. Junger’s attempts to make sense of his medical emergency are very nice lessons in physiology and human anatomy. When he delves into the development of quantum theory, the book really shines. Again, it’s good reporting; it’s detailed and fun, and it sometimes relieves intense emotion by employing a bit of ironic distance. People have personalities and motivations. The pre-World War II physicists, “a group of men not known for good looks or fashion sense,” are mostly Eastern European refugees who drink too much. Some behave appallingly. (Schrödinger, in his 40s, became sexually involved with Junger’s own aunt while she was a young teenager. His diary counted her among the great loves his life. I wrote about this for Forbes.com in “Schrödinger’s Pedophilia: The Cat Is Out of the Bag (Box).”)

To his credit, Junger never blatantly uses quantum theory to speculate about how his dead father could have visited him during his surgery. He spreads no “good news, we’re all going to live forever!” gospels. Rather, his passages about his father and his brush with death read like the notes-to-self of a reporter who has been staring for a long time into a glorious sun. His eyes are burnt. Crisp. He is changed.

“It’s an open question whether a full and unaverted look at death crushes the human psyche or liberates it. One could say that it’s the small ambitions of life that shred our souls, and that if we’re lucky enough to glimpse the gargoyles of our final descent and make it back alive, we are truly saved. Every object is a miracle compared to nothingness and every moment an infinity when correctly understood to be all we’ll ever get. Religion does its best to impart this through a lifetime of devotion, but one good look at death might be all you need.”

Junger may not directly point out possible links between quantum theory and NDE, but he braids the fabrics of his story so tightly that it’s easy for readers to draw their own conclusions. In Junger’s march through the history of early 20th century physics, he explains that electrons are not necessarily in any one place at any one time. They may even occupy all places along their orbit simultaneously as a statistical probability. ( Schrödinger .) They can even exist in multiple states simultaneously. ( Schrödinger again, and too bad for his cat ). Any subatomic particles that have momentrum and energy can be entangled, meaning that what happens to one proton, neutron, photon, or electron happens to its entangled twin even when they are miles — or, theoretically, a universe — apart. (This idea originated with Albert Einstein and his two postdoctoral research associates, Bors Podolsky and Nathan Rosen , though they didn’t use the term “entanglement.”)

In My Time of Dying is a short book. You can read about quantum entanglement almost in the same deep breath in which you read about Junger’s father’s visit to the OR. While Junger refuses to tie up loose ends about NDEs, he graciously provides some standard, no-nonsense ideas. For example, maybe they are temporal lobe seizures caused by the stress of impending death.

Quantum physics has raised questions about the extent to which reality can ever be known. In his economically-written but utterly expansive book, Junger wonders whether, if infinitesimally small matter have confounding “talents,” maybe so do the bigger objects and beings that they comprise. Humans are entirely atoms, nothing more, nothing less. Which is to say that maybe humans are weird, too, dead or alive.

Publisher: Simon & Schuster (May 21, 2024)

Length: 176 pages

ISBN 9781668050835

List price: $27.99

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‘The Inner Game of Tennis’ is a Zen classic for all of us

W. Timothy Gallwey’s book, originally published in 1974, continues to offer wisdom for life on and off the court.

For most of my life, basketball was my game, not tennis. I preferred scrappy competition in an atmosphere of honest sweat, not in starchy white shorts and an aura of country-club cologne.

Still, decades ago, a neighbor kept insisting that I try tennis, and to entice me, he invited me to practice on his private court. He said that if I got good enough to hold my own against him in a match, he’d let me use the court — and his swimming pool — whenever I wanted. Although 25 years my senior, the guy looked fit and eager. For all I knew, he might have been a former pro.

Undaunted, my wife and I bought $10 rackets with plastic strings and leatherette hand grips and began batting balls back and forth. My neighbor offered no instruction, not even the commonplace mantra: “Keep your eye on the ball! Bend your knees!” He did, however, give me a book — not a conventional how-to manual, more a Zen compendium of suggestions for accessing the tennis talent that resided within me. “ The Inner Game of Tennis ,” by W. Timothy Gallwey, published in 1974, sparkled with concepts that seemed to be as old as Emerson — as in Ralph Waldo, not Roy. “Do the thing and you shall have the power” was its underlying premise.

My friend’s court, lodged like a jewel in a copse of oleanders and cypress trees in the south of France, was a perfect spot for beginners. Its gritty surface guaranteed a slow bounce that made every shot playable if you were ready to run. Loping around in my old Converse All Stars, I immediately loved the geometry and pace of tennis, and understood why so many writers were devoted to the sport. As I was 30, it was much too late for me to master picture-perfect groundstrokes.

But “The Inner Game of Tennis” convinced me that didn’t matter as long as I got every ball back across the net. In tennis parlance, I became a “pusher,” a craven retriever, a devotee of drop shots and lobs. Too ignorant to apologize, I was soon the nightmare of more experienced players, the kind of guy who wins with pure, or impure, intuition. My neighbor never complained, but one defeated opponent shook my hand at the net, snarling, “You make a beautiful game very ugly.” Later a teaching pro took one glance at my strokes and suggested, “Take two weeks off, then quit the sport.”

Still, the message of “The Inner Game” gave me faith. It convinced me that I only needed to get out of my own way and allow my autodidactic game free rein. For the next 50 years, Gallwey — a tennis star at Harvard and a coach who went on to write several other books about developing one’s “inner game” in sports and beyond — freed me to ignore the strictures of classic instruction and simply play singles three times a week. This isn’t to claim that I ever achieved more than a 4.0 U.S. Tennis Association rating. I was what the English called a “useful” club player. At my best, I could occasionally beat — or at least take a set from — a former Division 1 college player. To celebrate my 65th birthday, I humbled a local teaching pro 6-1, 7-6 — all because he lost his patience and refused to respect my improvisations.

It delights me now to read the 50th-anniversary edition of “The Inner Game of Tennis” and reacquaint myself with the brain-teasing koans with which Gallwey, now 86, shaped my unshapely game. Opening the book at any page, I rediscovered insights worth pondering.

♦ “The secret to winning any game lies in not trying too hard.”

♦ “All these skills are subsidiary to the master skill, without which nothing of value is ever achieved; the art of relaxed concentration.”

♦ “When we unlearn how to be judgmental, it’s possible to achieve spontaneous, focused play.”

♦ “Exercise no control; correct for no imagined bad habits. Simply trust your body to … toss the ball up, focus your attention on its seams, then let the serve serve itself.”

♦ “Once you learn how to learn you have only to discover what is worth learning.”

These words transport me back in time to that beautiful place in the south of France where, without fully realizing it, I was changing my life. Learning tennis was only part of it. Playing the game forged a deep friendship with my neighbor. It also persuaded me to alternate the writing of fiction with nonfiction books about the gritty reality of life on the pro tennis tour. Even at the highest level, where stark power rules, the inner game plays a role. As Vitas Gerulaitis told me, tennis is a game you have to be smart enough to play but dumb enough to think it matters.

Summer reading

In a foreword to the new anniversary edition, football coach Pete Carroll writes, “Developing this skill of supreme trust and focus has always been the aim of the inner game and the aim of my coaching.” Bill Gates adds in an introduction that Gallwey has influenced his work ethic. “Even though I stopped playing tennis in my 20s so I could focus on Microsoft,” the billionaire writes, “Gallwey’s insights subtly affected how I showed up at work. … For example, although I’m a big believer in being critical of myself and objective about my own performance, I try to do it the Gallwey way: in a constructive fashion that improves my performance.”

By comparison, the impact of “The Inner Game of Tennis” on me may seem minor. But please indulge the happiness of a hacker who has for half a century owed W. Timothy Gallwey a debt of gratitude.

Michael Mewshaw is the author of 23 books, four of them about professional tennis. His most recent book is “My Man in Antibes: Getting to Know Graham Greene.”

The Inner Game of Tennis (50th Anniversary Edition)

The Classic Guide to Peak Performance

by W. Timothy Gallwey. With an Introduction by Bill Gates and a Foreword by Pete Carroll

Random House. 192 pp. $28

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He Took a Terrible, Horrible, No-Good 800-Mile Hike So You Don’t Have To

In “A Walk in the Park,” Kevin Fedarko recounts a trek-of-a-lifetime that becomes a nightmare in one of America’s most stunning sites. At least he can laugh about it.

By Blair Braverman

Blair Braverman is a writer, adventurer and dog-sledder. Her most recent book is “Small Game.”

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A WALK IN THE PARK: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon, by Kevin Fedarko

Maybe it’s when he’s extracting drinking water from damp sand with a syringe, trying desperately not to die from dehydration, but there came a point in “A Walk in the Park,” Kevin Fedarko’s memoir about walking the length of the Grand Canyon, that I thought: Wow, this hike is a terrible idea.

Not that this was a revelation; Fedarko says as much from the start. But I still assumed, being well versed in the rhythms of adventure stories (and the accompanying “wait-till-you-hear-how-bad-it-was” ), that a Grand Canyon hike wouldn’t be uniquely awful. I was wrong.

Fedarko grew up in Pittsburgh, in a landscape drained by coal mining and poisoned by the byproducts of industry; his family recalls the yellow mist of the Donora Death Fog, a quirk of atmospheric pressure that trapped chemical emissions over a town some 20 miles south of the city, killing at least 20 people and sickening many more. As a child visiting his grandparents, he played on hills of strip-mine waste.

But when a magazine assignment brought him to the Colorado River, he fell in love with both the Grand Canyon and the elegant wooden dories that traverse it. He uprooted his life to volunteer for a tour company, handling raw sewage on rafting expeditions in the hope of one day being promoted to the driver’s seat of a dory. As he relates one grievous mishap after another, the reader faces a dawning realization. Wait: Is this guy going to walk the whole canyon because he’s not good enough to row a boat?

Indeed — and outdoor literature is the better for it, because “A Walk in the Park” is a triumph. Fedarko doesn’t describe awe; he induces it, with page-turning action, startling insights and the kind of verbal grace that makes multipage descriptions of, say, a flock of pelicans feel riveting and new. The canyon has no established through route. It is a living oven, full of scorpions, cactuses, venomous snakes, flash floods and various other incarnations of hell on earth.

Indeed, Grand Canyon is one of the deadliest national parks, and Fedarko relates in unflinching details the list of fatalities: Various tourists plummet off viewpoints and a guy drowns while crossing rapids on an air mattress. By the time he explains how the canyon’s extreme heat can cause the proteins in human cells to “denature and congeal as if one were boiling an egg,” I wished he were a little less gifted in his descriptive powers.

Fedarko’s hiking companion is his longtime creative partner, the photographer Pete McBride. Each man “often found the other to be madly annoying,” writes Fedarko — but some of his warmest and funniest writing is about his friendship with McBride, whether they’re discovering ancient petroglyphs or wrenching pieces of cholla cactus off each other. McBride is made up of equal parts idealism and “pigheadedness.” He theorizes that they don’t need to train because “the hike itself is the thing that’s gonna get us in shape for the hike” — though Fedarko acknowledges, in a lengthy and diplomatic footnote, that his depiction of the duo’s incompetence, while not technically in accurate, may be played up for drama. That it annoys McBride, it seems, is only a side benefit.

The canyon, unlike the reader, is unamused. The prospect of death very real, these men have to get their act together or quit. Though at times they come close to their demise, a team of magnanimous experts helps them to trek on. They encounter radioactive mine sites, wild horses, pools of dead tarantulas and countless other shocks and wonders, such as a cactus that retracts into the dirt and a carnivorous mouse that howls at the moon. Along the way they, and we, meet many of the park’s stakeholders, from Indigenous activists to a professor of Euclidean numbers theory. Fedarko interweaves their stories with wry, precise distillations of natural history and incisive profiles of the investment interests that aim to squeeze wild nature into cash.

The book never shies from its paradoxes: I did this so you don’t have to; I did this because you shouldn’t; I shouldn’t have done this, but it’s good I did. By the time the men complete their yearlong hike, they’ve endured and overcome so much that they’re briefly mistaken for plane crash victims. But in truth, they, and we, are pilgrims on holy ground. Readers will be tempted to visit the canyon just to keep the book’s spell alive longer — and to feel Fedarko’s company in their awe.

A WALK IN THE PARK : The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon | By Kevin Fedarko | Scribner | 489 pp. | $32.50

Exploring the Outdoors, One Step at a Time

Hiking is a great way to immerse yourself in nature and tune out the chaos of city life. the tips below will help you get ready before you hit the trail..

Hiking offers a host of mental and physical benefits. If you’re new to it, here’s how to get started .

Fourteen years and one Apple App of the Year award in, AllTrails has become something rare: a tool that works for both experts and newbies .

Make sure you have the right gear . Wirecutter has recommendations for anything you might need — from hydration packs  to trekking poles . And remember to try on hiking boots  at the right time of the day .

These clever apps and devices  will help you to find your way, triage an injury and generally stay out of trouble on the trail.

Planning to venture out for a nighttime  hike ? Opt for wide, easy-to-navigate paths.

Experts say failing to alert family or friends of your plans is one of the biggest mistakes hikers make. Here are some more safety tips .

Fish fly swarms have arrived in metro Detroit: When they'll go away

Fish fly season has begun, bringing thousands, if not millions, of the winged insects to swarm the backyards, screen doors and car windows of metro Detroiters.

Fish flies are considered by many to be a messy inconvenience, although the bugs' sensitivity to environmental conditions has led many researchers to use the species and the size of their swarms as an indicator of nearby freshwater ecosystems' health.

And if you still just can't stand the infestation, know that the swarms should end within 10 days of its beginning thanks to their short life cycle.

What are fish flies?

Fish flies, otherwise known as mayflies, are insects with slender bodies, prominent wings, and long antennae and tails.

Fish flies live a mostly aquatic life, hatching from eggs resting in freshwater sediments to feed on algae and other organic matter in their nymph stages of life. They emerge from the water as adults in early summer when water temperatures reach about 68 degrees to reproduce and lay eggs in the water before dying within a day or two of emerging.

More: Michigan may see changing insect patterns amid severe weather

How long do fish flies live?

Within 48 hours a fishfly develops wings, flies toward land, mates and dies, according to MSU Extension . The insect spends 99% of its life in the water.

Unfortunately, carcasses can pile up and smell like rotting fish.

A single fish fly can lay 500 to 8,000 eggs on the water surface.

The fish fly season typically starts in June and can last through August. Scientists aren't sure why they're present for so long, but think it has to do with the timing of different cohorts emerging.

"One cohort has gone through several growth stages and is almost ready to emerge in late summer or fall but is prevented by the declining temperatures," according to MSU Extension. "These are the first cohorts to emerge the following summer. Individuals in the second cohort are smaller in the fall and are not ready to emerge until later in the following summer. There are also two similar but separate species of mayflies in Lake Erie and they may develop at slightly different rates."

Where are fish flies swarming?

While fish flies can be spotted across our lovely Great Lakes State, filled with prime egg-laying space across 11,000 inland lakes , in metro Detroit, the winged insects pop up more in waterfront communities near Lake Erie, Lake St. Clair and the Detroit River.

Are fish flies harmful?

Besides the nuisance of throngs of bugs — as well as the look and smell of their piled bodies as they die — fish flies don't pose a threat to humans or plants. In adulthood, fish flies don't even have mouths to feed from plants.

Why do fish flies exist?

Fish flies act as a plentiful food source for other animals, like birds and bats, while also serving as an indicator of good water quality.

Fish flies live best in clean water with a high oxygen content, so many scientists and researchers view big fish fly hoards as a sign of good water.

During the mid-20th century, fish fly populations were nowhere near the number that we see now ; scientists take the larger populations today as living proof of improved water quality in Lake Erie and other waters.

More: Tick season is expected to be worse than ever in Michigan

How do you prevent fish fly swarms?

If you want to stave off a fish fly swarm, you can do so by turning off your lights at night. Like other winged insects, fish flies are attracted to light, so if you remove light sources, they'll be less inclined to flutter around and flit to your property.