Boosting your self-confidence takes practice, positivity, and sometimes, well-earned advice from a loved one or therapist. However, we know that it can be hard to ask for help. If you’re not ready to talk to someone, or if you are already in therapy but would like some extra insight, refer to this list of 15 of the best books currently available on confidence.
General Guides to Confidence
Confidence is a broad topic with many subsections, so let’s start with a few general guides on the subject. The next eight books deal with widespread confidence issues in all environments—home, school, and work.
1. The Confidence Gap: A Guide to Overcoming Fear and Self-Doubt by Russ Harris
Author Russ Harris doesn’t want readers to miss out on important opportunities due to low self-confidence. He offers up what some might consider surprising solutions to insecurities and shyness in relation to public speaking, leadership, relationships, and more.
Harris helps readers get comfortable with their fears and form an understanding based on techniques used in mindfulness, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
2. The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem: The Definitive Work on Self-Esteem by the Leading Pioneer in the Field by Nathaniel Branden
This book is a feat that combines the findings of clinical practices, studies, and research to lend insight into human behavior, specifically self-esteem and confidence. Author Nathaniel Branden provides compelling insight into psychological health, personal happiness, and positive relationships, and how all of those things relate back to confidence.
He also offers straightforward guidelines for parents, teachers, managers, and even therapists who are responsible for building the self-esteem of others.
3. Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brené Brown
Celebrated author Brené Brown uses this book to explain how vulnerability is at the center of difficult emotions like low self-esteem, shame, and embarrassment, and the birthplace of positive experiences like self-love, confidence, and creativity. Her research-based book, Daring Greatly, is all about finding the courage that exists inherently within vulnerability, and Brown uses her research and insight to explore the interesting paradox of courage.
4. The Power of Self-Confidence: Become Unstoppable, Irresistible, and Unafraid in Every Area of Your Life by Brian Tracy
The Power of Self-Confidence teaches its readers how to live in alignment with their values, set clear goals, commit to self-improvement, reprogram their minds to tend toward positivity, and develop confidence and courage.
Author Brian Tracy surmises and argues that self-confidence determines the kinds of goals you set and the energy you put into achieving those goals. This practical book has helped executives, entrepreneurs, sales professionals, and ambitious people everywhere to find their voice.
5. The Art of Extraordinary Confidence: Your Ultimate Path To Love, Wealth, and Freedom by Aziz Gazipura
Author Aziz Gazipura believes confidence is the doorway to success and happiness in every arena. He leads his reader toward achieving confidence through the sharing of stories, humor, activities, tools, and more. Discover more about how to put a stop to negative thinking, master methods of overcoming fear, communicate confidently, and boldly ask for what you want out of life.
6. How to Have Confidence and Power in Dealing with People by Les Giblin
How to Have Confidence and Power in Dealing With People is exactly what its title implies—a written masterclass and best-selling guide on how to communicate with self-assuredness and authenticity. Author and expert in human relations Les Giblin shares his method for dealing with absolutely anyone including parents, teachers, bosses, employees, friends, acquaintances, and even strangers.
It’s all about the exchange of information that any good conversation should be, and how each person can walk away feeling like they got exactly what they wanted.
7. Ultimate Confidence: The Secrets to Feeling Great About Yourself Every Day by Marisa Peer
This book recognizes a common misconception — that somehow confidence is the same as being outgoing. In reality, it’s far more complicated than that. Author Marisa Peer shares her program for overhauling your confidence in her book, Ultimate Confidence: The Secrets to Feeling Great About Yourself Every Day.
Readers and reviewers call her writing “hypnotic” and “highly engaging,” praising her focus on helping people like and appreciate themselves exactly as they are, and in doing so, enjoy the many benefits of confidence.
8. The Self-Love Experiment: Fifteen Principles for Becoming More Kind, Compassionate, and Accepting of Yourself by Shannon Kaiser
The Self-Love Experiment is all about encouraging readers to put themselves first. Regardless of your goal, whether that is to find a significant other, get out of debt, get a new job, or learn to love again, author Shannon Kaiser has your back.
She uses experience earned from recovering from eating disorders, drug addiction, corporate burnout, and depression. She walks you through a simple plan with compassion and relatability, helping you change your habits and perspective on the path to self-love.
Best Confidence Books for Women & Girls
Women and girls face seemingly impossible barriers, both personal and professional, that can lead to issues with confidence. Fortunately, things are changing, but change is a slow process. The next four books were written with women in mind, sent out into the world with the hope of boosting someone’s sense of self-worth, self-love, and self-acceptance.
9. The Confidence Code: The Science and Art of Self-Assurance—What Women Should Know by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman
The Confidence Codeis a guide for women of all ages on how to achieve and maintain confidence in their personal and professional lives. We’re living in an age when women are rising to the top of business, politics, law, etc., but still, men are ultimately more predominant in almost every field. Authors Claire Shipman and Katty Kay believe that the reason for that is a lack of confidence.
They combine research in genetics, gender, behavior, and cognition, interspersed with personal examples from their own lives, and offer motivation and practical advice for women to close the gap and achieve the career they deserve.
10. You are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero
Reviewers say that Jen Sincero brings a “fun, feminine verve to now well-treat self-help tropes…” citing her book You are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life as a refreshing guide to confidence. Sincero will help readers identify self-sabotaging beliefs and behaviors, and form a better understanding of why they are the way they are.
Amidst its many inspiring stories, bits of sage advice, and exercises, this book endeavors to help women everywhere move forward with confidence and self-love.
11. The Confidence Code for Girls: Taking Risks, Messing Up, & Becoming Your Amazingly Imperfect, Totally Powerful Self by Katty Kate and Claire Shipman
This New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller was written specifically with girls in mind. It’s an empowering guide from the writers of The Confidence Code that essentially lays out the guide to becoming brave and bold in a big scary world.
Using engaging illustrations, graphic novel strips, lists, quizzes, and challenges, The Confidence Code For Girls captures its reader’s imagination, all while tackling a major concern for parents — that while girls are achieving more than ever before, they’re also consumed with serious self-doubt.
12. Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are So You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be by Rachel Hollis
In this well-received and highly celebrated book, author Rachel Hollis aims to help women who have had any of the following thoughts: “Something else will make me happy;” “I’m not a good mom;” “I will never get past this;” “I am defined by my weight;” or “I should be further along.”
Girl, Wash Your Face is challenging yet entertaining, exposing the lies and misconceptions that have been baked into society to hold women back. Hollis provides practical strategies, encouragement, and inspiration to convince readers that they really can live a life of passion, hard work, hustle, and grace.
Workbooks on Self-Love
We’re finishing the list up with three workbooks on confidence. The joy of workbooks is that learning happens on a hands-on level. Readers will take actionable steps to build their confidence and become more empowered than ever before.
13. The Self Esteem Workbook for Women: 5 Steps to Gaining Confidence and Inner Strength by Megan MacCutcheon
The Self Esteem Workbook for Women provides an actionable plan to build confidence at home, work, and anywhere else. Author Megan MacCutcheon lays out a concise 5-step program for her readers with activities that range from journal entries and tests to checklists and engaging motivational tools.
She provides a broad overview of self esteem in a variety of contexts—social, cultural, and familial — and gets down to the details on how readers can forge respect and acceptance for themselves.
14. The Self Confidence Workbook: A Guide to Overcoming Self-Doubt and Improving Self-Esteem by Barbara Markway, PhD and Celia Ampel
This workbook offers practical advice for building confidence and shaping the best version of yourself. Readers will learn strategies to tame the inner self-critic and make goals to vanquish self-doubt. Authors Barbara Markway and Celia Ampel provide a 5-step program to practicing self-compassion, plenty of interactive exercises and reflections, and an overarching guide to being more confident.
15. The Self-Love Workbook: A Life-Changing Guide to Boost Self-Esteem, Recognize Your Worth, and Find Genuine Happiness by Shainna Ali, PhD
The Self Love Workbook is crafted to help anyone who suffers from low self-esteem or even self-hatred. It’s all about transforming your attitude and perspective, allowing you to become more aware of your own unique needs.
Within the pages of this workbook, author and mental health clinician Dr. Shainna Ali includes interactive activities, reflection prompts, and advice. Reviewers call it “challenging,” “fun,” and “effective.”
For Further Reading
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- Self Help Books for Men
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