8 Books You'll Wish You Had Read 5 Years Ago

In a world where personal growth, professional development, and self-mastery are paramount, books are still among the most transformative tools available. The right book, read at the right moment, can alter the course of your career, mindset, and even your entire life. Below is a list of 8 books you'll wish you had read 5 years ago.

1. Grit by Angela Duckworth

In Grit, psychologist Angela Duckworth reveals that the secret to extraordinary achievement is not talent, but a blend of passion and persistence—what she calls grit. Drawing on groundbreaking research, real-world case studies, and personal stories, Duckworth explains how grit predicts success more accurately than IQ or innate ability. Five years ago, understanding this principle could have transformed how you approached long-term goals, setbacks, and personal growth. This book is essential for developing resilience, mental toughness, and long-term dedication in your professional and personal life. Grit isn’t born—it’s cultivated, and this book shows you how.

2. The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel

Morgan Housel's The Psychology of Money explores how personal beliefs, emotions, and behaviors drive financial decisions more than logic or spreadsheets. With a collection of 19 insightful essays, Housel reveals why building wealth has more to do with temperament and long-term thinking than technical knowledge. If you had read this five years ago, you'd likely be making more grounded investment choices, avoiding lifestyle inflation, and thinking generationally about wealth. This book is essential for mastering financial literacy, emotional investing, and long-term personal finance success.

3. Deep Work by Cal Newport

In an era dominated by distractions, Deep Work by Cal Newport offers a compelling strategy to regain focus and produce high-value output. Newport defines deep work as the ability to focus without distraction on cognitively demanding tasks—a skill becoming increasingly rare and valuable. The book provides practical methods to eliminate shallow work, schedule time blocks for intense focus, and create environments that foster flow. If you had internalized these principles five years ago, your productivity, career advancement, and learning efficiency would be exponentially higher.

4. Start With Why by Simon Sinek

Start With Why is a powerful leadership and branding manifesto that explores why some individuals and companies inspire while others don't. Simon Sinek’s central idea—the Golden Circle—teaches that great leaders and brands begin with a compelling “why” before explaining “how” or “what.” If you had absorbed this concept five years ago, your ability to lead, communicate, and build loyal followings in business and life would be far more effective. This book is essential for anyone seeking to craft purpose-driven careers, businesses, or missions. It’s a cornerstone of inspirational leadership, visionary marketing, and authentic brand storytelling.

5. Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins

David Goggins’ Can’t Hurt Me is an unfiltered look at the power of resilience, mental toughness, and embracing pain as a path to greatness. Through his personal story—from an abused child to a Navy SEAL and ultra-endurance athlete—Goggins shows how we can reframe suffering as fuel for transformation. The book’s “Accountability Mirror” and “Cookie Jar” techniques provide tactical tools to override limiting beliefs. Reading this five years ago would have shifted your mindset toward discomfort, discipline, and personal excellence. It’s a call to demolish excuses and unlock the untapped potential that lies beyond pain, fear, and mental barriers.

6. So Good They Can’t Ignore You by Cal Newport

So Good They Can’t Ignore You debunks the myth that passion alone leads to a fulfilling career. Cal Newport argues that mastering rare and valuable skills—through deliberate practice—creates work you’ll love. The book highlights how career capital, rather than blind passion, gives you the leverage to gain autonomy, impact, and creativity in your profession. If you had embraced this approach five years ago, you’d likely be further along in a meaningful, skill-based career path. It’s a practical, evidence-based guide to building a work life grounded in excellence, mastery, and long-term satisfaction rather than emotional whims.

7. Dare to Lead by Brené Brown

Dare to Lead equips leaders with the emotional courage required to build trust, navigate hard conversations, and foster psychologically safe workplaces. Brené Brown draws on two decades of research into vulnerability, shame, and empathy to redefine leadership for the modern era. The book provides actionable strategies like “rumbling with vulnerability” and “living into our values,” essential for creating resilient, connected teams.

8. The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

Steven Pressfield’s The War of Art is a fierce manifesto on overcoming the inner resistance that blocks creativity, productivity, and progress. Whether you're a writer, entrepreneur, or creator, this book names and dismantles the fear-based force that stops you from doing meaningful work. Through short, hard-hitting chapters, Pressfield reframes resistance as a universal enemy and shows how to fight it with discipline, courage, and professionalism. Had you read this book five years ago, you’d likely have finished more projects, taken bolder risks, and built stronger creative habits. It’s a must-read for unlocking your creative power, discipline, and artistic courage.

Conclusion

Each of these books holds the potential to radically improve your thinking, habits, relationships, and finances. The best time to have read these books was five years ago. The second-best time is today. Don't delay the growth, insight, and transformation that these pages offer.