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Last updated on November 3rd, 2024
The 2025 reading challenge brings together some of the best personal development books designed to help you grow in every area of your life.
Whether you’re eager to make the most of the coming year or feel unhappy with where you are and want more for yourself, this challenge is perfect for you.
Are you ready to make 2025 your best year yet?
Let’s jump in.
About the challenge
How the challenge works
Each month focuses on a new area of personal growth, with 4 book options to choose from. You can read one or all of the suggested books for that month—no pressure.
Here are the 12 skills we’ll cover:
- JANUARY – Time Management & Productivity
- FEBRUARY – Relationships
- MARCH – Emotional Intelligence
- APRIL – Inner Child Healing
- MAY – Creativity
- JUNE – Mental Agility
- JULY – Money Mindset
- AUGUST – Self-Esteem & Self-Worth
- SEPTEMBER – Communication & Social Skills
- OCTOBER – Critical Thinking & Innovation
- NOVEMBER – Gratitude & Happiness
- DECEMBER – Motivation & Inspiration
Note: This challenge is flexible, so feel free to swap out the themes each month based on what you prefer.
How I chose the books
When it came to choosing these books, I wanted to combine both personal experience and solid research.
Over the past few years, I’ve dived deep into the personal development world and encountered many popular books in the genre. But, like most of us, life gets hectic, and I haven’t been able to read them all.
So, I combed through various Amazon and Goodreads reviews to handpick the best options in each personal development category—ones I think you’ll love (and I’m excited to read, too).
Of course, these are just some of the great books out there. If none of these resonate with you, there are plenty more to choose from.
But my hope is that this list gives you a starting point if you’re too overwhelmed by all the options out there.
5 tips for staying on track
Ultimate Printable reading Journal
Keep track of your 2025 reading challenge progress
Organize your ever-growing TBR pile, capture your favorite literary moments, and set reading goals you can actually achieve.
January
THEME: Time management & Productivity
In today’s fast-paced world, it seems like there is always more to get done. As you cross 3 things off your to-do list, 5 more items have been piled on.
Which is why I think we look at productivity in the wrong way. Productivity is not about getting more done but about getting more of the right things done.
So, my selections for this month focus on time management and productivity from the perspective of prioritization & focus.
The 12-Week Year: Picture your year as just 12 weeks instead of 52. This book flips the traditional goal-setting approach on its head, helping you stay more focused and productive by working in shorter, more intense bursts of time. The result? You achieve more without getting bogged down by long-term goals.
Make Time: Jake Knapp brings you a simple but clever solution to daily distractions. By choosing one “highlight” to focus on each day, you reclaim your time and direct your energy toward what really matters. It’s a fun, no-nonsense guide to creating days that feel less chaotic and more fulfilling.
Essentialism: Life can get cluttered, but Greg McKeown offers a way to cut through it all. Essentialism teaches you to focus on what’s truly important by stripping away the unnecessary. It’s about doing less with more focus, so you can live a life with meaning and less stress.
Four Thousand Weeks: Did you know that you have, on average, only 4,000 weeks to live? Instead of trying to “hack” your productivity, Burkeman encourages embracing life’s limits and focusing on what’s truly meaningful. It’s a deeply insightful guide on how to make peace with the limited time we have on this earth.
February
THEME: Relationships
With Valentine’s Day around the corner, this month is all about relationships—whether romantic, platonic or with yourself.
Harvard’s longest-ever study on human happiness came up with one simple conclusion – the quality of your relationships is the biggest determinator of long-term happiness.
So for February, let’s make sure that our relationships are being taken care of.
How To Know A Person: Building real, human connections is at the heart of How To Know A Person. David Brooks draws on his deep curiosity and knowledge from various fields to explore how we can truly see others—and, in doing so, discover something larger within ourselves. This book is a heartfelt guide for anyone looking to make people feel seen and valued in a disconnected world.
8 Rules of Love: Jay Shetty brings a thoughtful approach to love in 8 Rules of Love, blending ancient wisdom with modern insights. From the first date to heartbreak, Shetty offers practical advice for understanding and nurturing love at every stage of a relationship. It’s a roadmap for showing up as your best self, both in love and in life.
Attached: Ever wonder why some people find relationships easier than others? Attached dives into the science behind why we love the way we do. Dr. Amir Levine and Rachel Heller introduce the concept of attachment styles—anxious, avoidant, or secure—offering a framework to better understand ourselves and our partners and ultimately build healthier, more satisfying connections.
The 5 Love Languages: Love doesn’t look the same for everyone, and The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman helps decode these differences. With five distinct love languages—words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time, and physical touch—Chapman shows how understanding your own and your partner’s love language can lead to stronger, more fulfilling relationships.
March
THEME: Emotional Intelligence
Humans are balls of emotions. We like to think we are rational beings, but emotions drive our actions more than we want to believe.
For March, the focus is on becoming more self-aware and managing our emotions so we can navigate the world around us with more empathy.
Atlas Of The Heart: Brené Brown takes us on a journey through the landscape of emotions in Atlas of the Heart, exploring 87 different feelings that shape our experiences. With her signature blend of research and storytelling, she empowers readers to better name and understand their emotions, fostering deeper connections with ourselves and others along the way.
Emotional Agility: Susan David’s Emotional Agility shows that the real key to handling life’s challenges lies in how we respond to our emotions. Rather than avoiding difficult feelings, David teaches us to face them with openness, aligning our actions with our values. This book offers practical strategies for developing the emotional flexibility needed to thrive.
Permission To Feel: Marc Brackett believes that the first step toward emotional wellness is giving ourselves permission to fully experience our feelings. In Permission To Feel, he introduces the RULER framework, which helps readers learn how to recognize, understand, and manage emotions. Brackett’s powerful message is clear: emotional intelligence can transform lives, and this book shows you how.
Emotional Intelligence 2.0: Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves explore the importance of emotional intelligence (EQ) in achieving personal and professional success. They break down EQ into four key skills: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. The book includes a step-by-step program for improving these skills, along with a helpful assessment to measure your current EQ.
April
THEME: Inner Child Healing
We can use everything we’ve learned about relationships and emotions in the previous months to help us heal our often neglected inner child.
The experiences of our childhood shape who we are today. Many of us carry wounds or unfulfilled needs from our younger years that hinder us from reaching our potential.
So this month is about addressing those childhood influences and cultivating self-compassion for the little girl or boy inside us who deserves it.
A Woman’s Guide To Inner Child Healing: This book by Gloria Zhang is a guide for women looking to heal from the hurt they experienced as children and rediscover who they truly are. With a mix of practical exercises and personal reflection, it helps readers connect with their inner child, face old emotional wounds, and find a path to peace. Zhang shows how healing the past can bring joy and confidence back into adult life.
Healing Your Lost Inner Child: In this insightful guide, Robert Jackman helps readers recognize how childhood trauma can lead to negative emotions and behavior in adulthood. By introducing the HEAL process, Jackman provides tools to confront and heal the lingering pain of childhood trauma. Each chapter empowers you to break free from self-sabotaging behaviors and move from being an impulsive reactor to a conscious creator of your life.
Break The Cycle: Trauma doesn’t just impact one generation—it can be passed down. In Break The Cycle, Dr. Mariel Buqué delves into the complex world of intergenerational trauma. Through personal stories and therapeutic exercises, Buqué guides readers on how to heal from these deep-rooted wounds and create a path toward emotional freedom for themselves and their families.
Inner Child Healing: Elizabeth S. Jordan’s Inner Child Healing reveals the hidden effects of childhood trauma on adult life, from poor health to strained relationships. With clear explanations and healing exercises, Jordan teaches readers to confront their inner child’s pain and begin the process of recovery through reparenting, self-forgiveness, and setting healthy boundaries.
May
THEME: Creativity
We all have untapped creative potential, even those of us who don’t think of ourselves as “creatives.” For the longest time, I’ve never considered myself a creative because I thought that term was reserved for artists, musicians, and writers.
But more recently, I’ve learned that everyone can create something to put into the world that only they can.
If this stirs up some untapped calling inside you, this month’s theme is for you. Let’s get those creative juices flowing.
The Artist’s Way: Creativity often feels blocked, but The Artist’s Way offers a guide to breaking free. With tools like daily writing exercises, Julia Cameron helps readers reignite their artistic passion and rediscover the joy of creating. It’s a practical approach for anyone looking to reconnect with their inner artist.
Steal Like An Artist: In this book, Austin Kleon reveals that creativity doesn’t come from starting from scratch but from borrowing ideas and making them your own. Through practical advice and clever insights, the book encourages readers to explore their interests, embrace inspiration from others, and take bold steps in their creative journeys. It’s a fresh take on how to live a more creative life in a modern world.
The Creative Act: Being an artist isn’t just about making art—it’s a way of life. In The Creative Act, Rick Rubin offers insights from his years as a music producer, helping readers tap into their creativity by connecting with their authentic selves. He shows how to find artistry in the simple, everyday moments.
The War of Art: Steven Pressfield gets straight to the point in The War of Art, addressing the internal resistance that keeps people from pursuing their passions. With a mix of tough love and practical advice, Pressfield shows how to push past the internal obstacles that keep us from doing the work we love, whether it’s writing, painting, or building a business.
June
THEME: Mental Agility
By mid-year, that “new year, new me” energy may be running low.
So, June is all about reviving it by sharpening your mental agility. This means staying flexible, thinking on your feet, and adapting to whatever life throws your way. With a more agile mind, you’ll stay focused on your goals and keep moving forward, even when motivation dips.
Switch Craft: Life throws plenty of curveballs, and Switch Craft shows you how to hit them. Psychologist Elaine Fox introduces “switchcraft,” a set of skills that helps you adapt to any situation. Drawing on decades of research, Fox explains how flexibility in thoughts, feelings, and actions can help you thrive in today’s unpredictable world.
Mindset Matters: In Mindset Matters, psychologist Gemma Leigh Roberts explores how developing mental agility is key to building resilience in both work and life. Teaching research-backed strategies, she covers everything from emotional flexibility and growth mindset to fostering resilience in your team.
Resilient: In a world full of uncertainty, developing inner strengths like grit, gratitude, and compassion is essential. In Resilient, Dr. Rick Hanson blends neuroscience, mindfulness, and positive psychology to help you build twelve vital strengths hardwired into your brain. With practical advice and step-by-step practices, this guide shows you how to stay calm, confident, and centered no matter what life throws your way.
Rising Strong: In this book, Brené Brown examines what it takes to rise after we stumble. Drawing on stories from leaders, artists, and everyday people, Brown uncovers a common truth: those who rise strong are willing to reckon with their emotions and lean into discomfort. By turning toward our struggles, we learn valuable lessons about courage, truth, and wholehearted living.
July
THEME: Money Mindset
July is here, and it’s time to get your financial ducks in a row.
Whether you’re wondering where your paycheck went or struggling to stick to a budget, it’s time to dig deep into those money habits.
By understanding our beliefs about money, we can stop self-sabotaging our financial future.
The Money Mirror: What if your financial decisions were more about your emotions than your bank account? In The Money Mirror, Chris Ategeka dives deep into how our beliefs about money shape our choices. With practical strategies and empowering insights, he shows how shifting your mindset around money can create both personal and societal impact.
How Not To Think About Money: In this book, Karel J. Glazer offers a refreshing perspective on mastering your financial mindset to welcome abundance into your life. By debunking ingrained myths about wealth—like the false connection between self-worth and money—Glazer provides actionable strategies to free yourself from financial stress and build a prosperous, more balanced relationship with money.
The Emotion Behind Money: Julie Murphy uncovers the hidden emotional patterns that shape our financial behavior in The Emotion Behind Money. These feelings influence how much money we make, keep, or lose throughout our lives. Through engaging stories and practical exercises, this book helps you break free and develop healthier financial habits.
Crazy About Money: In this book, Maggie Baker shows how emotions and unconscious beliefs, often formed in childhood, drive our financial decisions as adults. With examples from her 30 years of clinical psychology, Baker helps readers change destructive money habits and make smarter financial choices.
August
THEME: Self-esteem & Self-worth
As the back-to-school season kicks in and opinions from friends and colleagues start taking over our thoughts, it’s a great time to focus on self-esteem and self-worth.
This month is all about building self-confidence, embracing who you are, and recognizing the unique value you bring to the world—regardless of what others think.
The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem: What if the secret to success lies in your self-esteem? Nathaniel Branden reveals six essential practices that form the foundation for building healthy self-worth. From parenting to the workplace, The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem offers practical tools to help individuals and professionals alike cultivate confidence in today’s demanding world.
The Gifts of Imperfection: In this book, Brené Brown shares ten guideposts for wholehearted living, showing how to let go of sabotaging expectations and embrace authenticity. She invites readers to redefine self-worth, where choosing to value our own stories is an act of resistance in today’s world.
Worthy: In Worthy, Jamie Kern Lima shares the key to transforming your life by changing what you believe you’re worthy of. This book helps readers unlearn the lies that fuel self-doubt, embrace truths that restore confidence, and eliminate the fear of failure and rejection. Full of practical lessons on self-love and self-worth, Worthy provides a roadmap for achieving your goals and living a fulfilled life.
You Are A Badass: Ready to stop doubting yourself and start living boldly? Jen Sincero’s You Are a Badass is a fun, no-nonsense guide packed with advice and exercises to help you shift your mindset, break free from limiting beliefs, and create the life—and financial freedom—you’ve always wanted.
September
THEME: Communication & Social Skills
We know that good communication can make or break relationships—whether it’s with family, friends, or coworkers. In September, we’re focusing on leveling up our communication game.
It’s all about active listening, handling difficult conversations gracefully, and feeling more confident in our discussions, no matter the situation.
Nonviolent Communication: In Nonviolent Communication, Marshall Rosenberg teaches how everyday communication habits like judging and criticizing can unintentionally harm relationships. By focusing on compassion through four key components—consciousness, language, communication, and influence—this book offers readers a framework for building deeper connections and resolving conflicts peacefully.
Supercommunicators: Did you know that every conversation has three hidden layers? In Supercommunicators, Charles Duhigg blends deep research with captivating stories to reveal how understanding the practical, emotional, and social layers of communication can transform how we connect with others. Through diverse settings, from jury rooms to marriage counseling sessions, Duhigg shows readers how to navigate complex conversations and become better communicators in every aspect of life.
Effective Communication: Imagine having 115 different tools at your disposal to become a more persuasive and engaging communicator.” That’s exactly what Emma Leigh Weber offers in Effective Communication, a guide to mastering influence, social skills, and storytelling. Whether you’re aiming for professional growth or stronger personal relationships, this book gives readers clear techniques for honing their communication abilities.
Fight Right: What if your arguments could actually strengthen your relationship? In Fight Right, Drs. John and Julie Gottman reveal how conflict, when handled properly, can bring couples closer together. The book outlines the five common mistakes made during arguments and provides strategies to turn disagreements into opportunities for intimacy and growth.
October
THEME: Critical Thinking & Innovation
October is all about boosting your problem-solving skills by thinking both critically and creatively. Whether you’re facing everyday challenges or tackling bigger projects, learning how to analyze situations and come up with fresh, innovative solutions will give you an edge.
This might just come in handy when you’re wondering what to dress up as for Halloween! So, let’s tap into that brainpower and think outside the box.
Evolve or Die: Written for anyone seeking growth and improvement, Evolve or Die by Tom Triumph is a collection of true stories from world-class innovators and creators. Through themes of hard work, persistence, and courage, Triumph demonstrates how success is earned, not inherited. The book encourages readers to innovate, create, and pursue their visions, offering guidance and inspiration to those ready to make a difference in their lives and the world.
The Design Thinking Toolbox: In The Design Thinking Toolbox, Michael Lewrick presents practical methods for bringing creative ideas to life. With clear instructions and helpful templates, this book guides readers through brainstorming and problem-solving techniques, making it a must-have resource for innovators looking to boost their creativity.
Critical Thinking, Logic & Problem Solving: In an era of information overload, this book offers a practical guide to mastering essential skills for thinking clearly and solving complex problems. By covering four key areas – critical thinking frameworks, structuring thought, problem-solving strategies, and clear communication – readers will learn to detect fallacies, prioritize effectively, and make informed decisions.
The 4 Pillars of Critical Thinking: In this book, Patrik Meyer explores how to sharpen your analytical skills, solve problems effectively, and communicate with confidence. With over 100 techniques to enhance analytical thinking, problem-solving, and communication, the book helps readers overcome bias, detect misinformation, and express ideas more clearly.
November
THEME: Happiness & Gratitude
With Thanksgiving on the horizon, November is the perfect time to focus on gratitude and happiness. This month’s reading is about finding happiness in the present moment and appreciating the small joys of life.
The Happiness Trap: In this book, Dr. Russ Harris presents a practical guide to finding authentic happiness using the principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). This expanded edition covers topics like reducing stress, managing painful thoughts, and improving relationships. Whether you’re struggling with anxiety, insecurity, or everyday stress, this book provides tools to help you build a fulfilling life from the inside out.
Build The Life You Want: In this book, Arthur C. Brooks and Oprah Winfrey offer readers a roadmap to happiness, showing how to overcome life’s challenges through emotional resilience and intentional living. With wisdom and practical advice, they encourage readers to focus on the key elements of happiness—family, friendships, work, and faith—while sharing personal stories and lessons to help others create a more fulfilling life.
The Almanack of Naval Ravikant: Eric Jorgenson gathers the key lessons Naval Ravikant has shared over the past decade about creating both financial success and lasting happiness. Naval teaches that these aspirations are not about luck or innate traits but are skills that anyone can learn.
The Good Life: This book dives deep into the study mentioned above for the month of February – the longest scientific study on happiness ever conducted by Harvard, revealing that the key to a fulfilling and healthy life is strong relationships. Based on over 80 years of research,, the book blends personal stories with scientific research to illustrate how relationships can positively shape our well-being.
December
THEME: Motivation
As the year comes to a close, December is the time to reflect on how far we’ve come and gear up for the new year.
This month focuses on setting new goals, staying inspired, and ending the year with a sense of accomplishment and optimism for the future.
The Greatness Mindset: In this book, Howes shares personal stories and expert strategies to help readers reconnect with their purpose and achieve greatness. With actionable steps, he guides you through defining a meaningful mission, conquering self-doubt, and transforming your mindset so you can make a positive impact on the world.
Atomic Habits: Did you know that Atomic Habits hits the #1 spot on bestseller lists every New Year? James Clear’s framework for achieving remarkable results through small, everyday changes has captivated millions. By focusing on the systems that shape our habits rather than just goals, Clear shows how to make good habits automatic and break bad ones. With insights from biology, psychology, and real-life examples, this book provides practical strategies to help you transform your life one tiny step at a time.
The Mountain Is You: In this book, Brianna Wiest delves into the reasons behind self-sabotage and how to break free from it. She explains how emotional awareness, healing from past trauma, and changing self-destructive patterns can help us step into our true potential. Using the metaphor of climbing a mountain, Wiest encourages readers to do the inner work needed to overcome their own challenges and transform their lives.
Hidden Potential: What if success was more about growth than talent? In Hidden Potential, Adam Grant argues that the key to achieving success isn’t innate talent but how well we learn and grow. Drawing on research and real-world examples, Grant highlights the importance of character development and seizing opportunities, showing that potential is measured by how far we climb, not where we start.
Conclusion
There you have it, folks! By the end of this 2025 reading challenge, I hope you’ve gained valuable insights about yourself, grown in ways you didn’t expect, and become someone you can look at proudly in the mirror.
Let me know in the comments which part of the challenge resonated with you the most, and if you have any additional book recommendations, I’d love to hear them!
RELATED READING: For fiction lovers – check out the 2024 reading challenge.
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