Everyone has a purpose – but discovering your own may be quite a challenge. Thatās why this list will cover the best books about finding your purpose in life.
The books in this list are useful if youāre 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
Letās 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 lifeās purpose?
There is no single approach that works for everyone. And the same goes for books about finding purpose.
Thatās why there are different kinds of books on this list. Some of which are very practical, while others are more spiritual, and so forth.
What else?
Each book included in this list contains various insights to help you discover meaning in life.
And besides my subjective opinion, Iāve also researched the reviews of others to make sure this is the actual best list of books to read about finding your purpose.
Letās start with number one:
#1: Manās Search for Meaning – Victor Frankl
This book is a MUST read for anyone, in my opinion.
Itās an inspiring biography of the life of the psychiatrist, jew, and Holocaust survivor, Victor Frankl.Ā
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.
#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.
Hereās 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.
Reasons to read this book:
- Discover your purpose in your life story;
- Many examples of successful people;
- Become the leader youāre 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.
Hereās 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 youāre a Christian or have an affinity with religious writings, this is the best book about finding purpose in life.
Warrenās writing is uplifting and insightful. Yet, itās thought-provoking at the same time, which will help you in your journey towards finding meaning in your life.
While youāre supposed to read the book in 40 days, many people in the reviews said they couldnāt 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 itās 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 itās 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 wonāt tell you what is essential. Rather, you will have to extract the lessons from the story yourself. And thatās 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 lifeās 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 youāve 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.
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 donāt 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!
