Despite how other people’s lives appear in their heavily curated social media feeds, life isn’t smooth-sailing–for anyone. For those of us who are introspective, there are moments that lead to the re-evaluation of who we are as a person or how our life is progressing in general. Even with the wisdom that we acquire from our friends, relatives or significant other—there’s often still a gnawing feeling inside us that we need an expert (or a guru!) to answer all our impending needs for an upgraded life. But success in your career, relationships, or life path isn’t just about knowing all the tips and tricks. Most often, it starts with our holistic well-being as a person.
If you find yourself stuck in a rut and in need of dire upgrade, whether it’s in small or bigger aspect of your life, maybe it’s time that you find the inspiration that can motivate you to move forward. Here are 5 motivating audiobooks that can help you ‘2.0’ your life (and you can listen for free with Audible’s free trial):
The Untethered Soul
The Journey Beyond Yourself
Michael Singer is an author you should know about, but probably don’t. This book is an all-time great IMHO, given the immense power it unleashes to its readers. He gives us the easy steps that allow us to align with our true selves and release the assumptions about the world that don’t serve us (or the world) well. It asks us to analyze the voice in our head and determine if that voice knows what it’s talking about, or full of BS. The page turner should be on every shelf across the globe and read in schools. You’ll feel lighter as the pages turn, and see the day with confidence and truth. It’s an audiobook you’ll listen to more than once. Pop this baby in your headphones on your way to work. You’ll be happy you did…
The Book of Joy
Lasting Happiness in a Changing World
We all know how happiness can create a big difference in a person’s life. Just by knowing where to anchor your emotions and spiritual life, you’re on your way to an upgrade. Despite the trials and adversity I was going through at the time, when I listened to this audiobook my heart felt lighter and my mind felt clearer. By listening to this uplifting audiobook, you will discover the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu’s infectiously happy stories and teachings designed to aid you in searching for a better purpose in this changing world. They will inspire you to find a purpose that is fueled by compassion, and help you to be a joy to yourself and to others. (Even if you think you’re already the happiest and nicest person on Earth.) After all, this is “The Book of Joy”!
10% Happier
How I Tamed the Voice in My Head, Reduced Stress Without Losing My Edge, and Found a Self-Help That Actually Works
Dan Harris (the Nightline anchor) will take you on an unexpected, hilarious, and deeply skeptical odyssey in this audiobook. With spirituality and self-help, he discovers a way to be happier in an achievable way: through daily meditation “for fidgety sceptics”. Still sceptical? You’re not the only one. Even Dan used to think that meditation was useless and felt powerless to tame the loud voice in his head that was causing negative feelings and actions. But he solved many of his life’s issues when he found out that meditation can do almost everything–from helping us see our life and relationships more clearly, to lowering your blood pressure and even rewiring your brain!
The Happiness Equation
Want Nothing + Do Anything = Have Everything
New York Times best-selling author Neil Pasricha gives us the formula for a happy life through common ideals that are flipped on their head and cast in a completely new light. It includes fascinating lessons such as ‘why success doesn’t lead to happiness’, ‘how to make more money than a Harvard MBA’, ‘why multitasking is a myth’, and ‘how eliminating options leads to more choice’. Personally, I found that it contributed to a shift in how I thought about ‘everything’ in life—and how ‘everything’ contributes to a bigger change. The lessons here are highly relatable and easy to apply in life. Just a tip: you might want to makes notes as you read. It’s full of good references that can be useful in the future.
The 5 Second Rule
Transform your Life, Work, and Confidence with Everyday Courage
This audiobook teaches you how to: become confident, to break the habit of procrastination and self-doubt, to beat fear and uncertainty, to stop worrying and feel happier, and to share your ideas with courage. It is a very simple yet powerful book that contains stories of people who used the 5 Second Rule and witnessed the drastic changes in their lives. This isn’t your typically extremely motivating book, don’t get me wrong. It simply reminds you that whatever it is that you want to upgrade or achieve lies within you—and no one else. “The secret isn’t knowing what to do—it’s knowing how to make yourself do it.” Ain’t that the truth!
You know how others say you can’t mix career with your love life and the other way around? And how you can be career-centric and family oriented too? Well that’s because we all need a balance and that’s pretty much the holistic part of success. You can’t have it all unless you do a little sacrifice within those fields. Work-life balance is possible but don’t expect too much from it to change your life drastically.
I’ve been under a fair amount of stress lately. Nearly a year into self-employment, work has become steadier, sometimes more than steady. Although I love it, I’ve finally come to understand why people want to meditate. With my mind racing with mostly unproductive worries and nags, I’ve been thinking that I should try mediation to calm the tumult and find ‘flow’ again. Meditation really works wonders to just simply calm and clear your mind so you can make better decisions. I loved the 10% happier how I tamed the voice inside my head book.
I am not a man who likes self-help books. Due to what a crutch they were during a really nasty time in my life, I am prone to hate them more than anything. I despise their circular and contrarian nature. But this 10% Happier is worth the read.
I liked the Happiness Equation. Just because the themes and insights are simple, doesn’t mean that the book is badly written. I liked it. Sometimes it’s the simple things that people don’t do and that’s the truth.
I totally agree with this. Sometimes we just need a little nudge to be reminded of the common knowledge that we all “used” to know by heart.
After reading The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself I realize that the answer is more philosophical and complex than all that. Basically who I am and who you are exists in the seat of our consciousness. We are the person who observes our thoughts, emotions, actions. I enjoyed reading this.
Yes! I also loved this book a lot. I felt the same way upon reading it.
I must say that I was probably 10% happier the moment I read that book! I love it! ❤️
Great list of motivational reads. I’ve read a couple in these lists and I’ve enjoyed every one of them. I’m going to check out the others soon. It’s all very inspiring if not, eye-opening.
Personally, when I think of religion, what I think of is this Book of Joy. The fundamental good of it, all the ways that they draw people together and accept them no matter what.
This book called Untethered Soul is absolutely incredible. I’m a Yoga instructor and have read a lot of philosophical texts and spiritual books and have been working on this self-help thing for a while. When my friend left this book on my table a couple weeks ago, and she was raving about how amazing it was, I couldn’t figure out how such a small book could be so life-changing. Well, it definitely is and when I was told this was available in Audible, I immediately got it. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of reading/hearing the stuff in here.
It’s true that success isn’t all about one aspect of our life. Thank you for sharing these motivational books. I’m currently downloading one of it already! I’ll add the rest to my to-read list.