Do you want to become successful and reach your goals? Then it’s time to cozy up with one of these goal setting books!

Success doesn’t come from luck or a stroke of genius – it comes from setting and reaching the right goals. That’s why we’ve rounded up 27 of the best-selling books about goals that can help you get focused on achieving the life and career of your dreams. From deep dives into personal development to strategies for setting a super-motivating vision, these goal setting books will show you how to set clear objectives and create plans for achieving them.

No matter what kind of goal you are trying to achieve, these goal setting books will help get you on track to achieving it. Get instant access to amazing advice from expert coaches, entrepreneurs, and authors who have gone through similar journeys and become successful in their own unique way.

Keep reading for our 27 favorite books on Goal Setting…and then let’s get to goal setting, shall we?!

What Are The Best Goal Setting Books?

I love goals. Love, love, love them! Why? Because they’ve helped me achieve a lot of really important things in my life, including buying multiple houses, launching multiple businesses, and even selling a few!

So if you have a dream in your heart and you really want to make it happen, it’s time to get serious about setting goals. And these best selling books on goal setting will definitely help you out!

1. “Atomic Habits” By James Clear

Goal setting can sometimes feel daunting, which is why “Atomic Habits” is such an awesome book. Instead of thinking you need to massively overhaul your life to reach a goal, Clear teaches you about the power of small, consistent actions that compound over time. Tiny behaviors can truly drive remarkable results!

2. “The Art Of Setting Smart Goals” By Anisa Marku

Goal setting is about a lot more than just daydreaming! You need to learn how to set goals in a way that actually drives you to take action. In this book, you’ll learn about the art of setting SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound), which can lead to a higher chance of success and achievement.

3. “The Desire Map” By Danielle LaPorte

Instead of traditional goal-setting, the book guides you to focus on your desired feelings as the basis for your goals. The idea is that when we pursue things we want in life, it’s not the thing itself we want but the feeling we believe we’ll have once we achieve it. By identifying these desired feelings first, you can align your goals with what truly matters to you in your career, relationships, health, and personal life.

4. “Succeed: How We Can Reach Our Goals” By Heidi Grant Halvorson

This book on goal setting draws on psychology to bring attention to how the way we frame our goals – whether in terms of getting better (a growth mindset) or proving ourselves (a fixed mindset) – can impact our motivation and likelihood of achieving them. Halvorson also emphasizes the importance of being specific with our goals (are you noticing a theme here?!), seizing the moment to act on them, and maintaining realistic optimism throughout the journey.

5. “Goal Setting For Success” By Eddie De Jong

Is goal setting the key to having a balanced, meaningful life? De Jong thinks so! He’ll teach you how to set good goals and take action, but also how to review and adjust your goals when necessary. Life is full of surprises and obstacles, so learning how to revise your goals is a great skill to develop.

6. “Your Best Year Ever: A 5-Step Plan For Achieving Your Most Important Goals” By Michael Hyatt

Hyatt is one of the OG’s of personal development, so this book offers a proven and research-backed five-step plan for setting goals and creating your best life. You’ll learn how to find clarity, overcome barriers, focus on what matters most, and commit to achieving your most important goals through his “SMARTER goals” process.

7. “How To Begin: Start Doing Something That Matters” By Michael Bungay Stanier

This book introduces the concept of a ‘worthy goal,’ which is something that not only motivates and excites you but also contributes positively to the world. Stanier shows you how to start with a ‘crappy first draft’ and gradually make it more feasible and compelling, which helps you gain momentum and motivation to reach your goals!

8. “Goals!: How To Get Everything You Want — Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible” By Brian Tracy

If you want a comprehensive, step-by-step guide that will help you come up with your goals and then figure out how to achieve them, this book is for you. You’ll also learn about the importance of clarity, dedication, and a positive mindset in reaching your goals.

9. “The Third Door: The Wild Quest To Uncover How The World’s Most Successful People Launched Their Careers” By Alex Banayan

Spoiler Alert: The ‘third door’ metaphorically represents an unconventional path to achieving one’s goals. Banayan shares interviews with some of the world’s most successful people, like Bill Gates and Lady Gaga! The book emphasizes the importance of relentless pursuit, creativity, and resilience in overcoming obstacles and achieving your goals.

10. “The Jim Rohn Guide To Goal Setting”

Jim Rohn is one of the OGs of personal development, so he drops some awesome, easy-to-read wisdom on goal setting in this book. Despite its brevity, the book is packed with valuable insights on personal development and success, making it a useful resource for anyone looking to improve their goal-setting skills.

11. “Goals: How To Get The Most Out Of Your Life” By Zig Ziglar

Ziglar is a renowned motivational speaker who says that “you can’t hit a target you haven’t set,” shedding light on the importance of having clear, defined goals. If you’re reluctant to set goals in your own life or business, he shares key reasons why people often don’t set goals and offers solutions to overcome these barriers!

12. “The Power Of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is The Key To High Performance And Personal Renewal” By Jim Loehr And Tony Schwartz

Goal setting books aren’t all the same, including this one that takes a whole different approach to achieving success! This book shows you how to manage your energy, not just time! In this groundbreaking book, you’ll learn about ‘full engagement,’ which is about harnessing all types of energy – physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual – to improve productivity and achieve success in your life.

13. “Think And Grow Rich” By Napoleon Hill

This is one of the most famous goal setting books despite the fact that it was published in 1937. It is not just about acquiring wealth but also developing a success-oriented mindset. It underscores the importance of desire, persistence, self-belief, and planning in achieving one’s goals. The book introduces the concept of a ‘Master Mind’ group (a.k.a. mastermind group), highlighting the power of collaboration and shared knowledge.

14. “The One Thing” By Gary Keller

Have you ever felt like you have too many goals? Yeah, it’s a real thing! “The One Thing” teaches you that extraordinary results come from being narrowly focused. By concentrating your efforts on the one most important task in any given project, you can enhance productivity instead of multitasking, which often leads to mistakes and half-completed tasks.

15. “Smarter Faster Better” By Charles Duhigg

If you want to work smarter, not just harder, this book will show you the way! This book shares eight key productivity concepts that will help you reach your goals, including motivation, teams, focus, goal setting, managing others, decision-making, innovation, and absorbing data.

16. “The 12 Week Year: Get More Done In 12 Weeks Than Others Do In 12 Months” By Brian P. Moran And Michael Lennington

Instead of setting annual goals, this book provides a step-by-step system for achieving more in 12 weeks than what most do in 12 months. It emphasizes planning, prioritizing, and time management as keys to achieving success, as well as the importance of vision setting.

17. “The Path Made Clear: Discovering Your Life’s Direction And Purpose” By Oprah Winfrey

If you’re looking for a different, more intuitive approach to goal setting, this book is for you. Oprah offers thought-provoking questions and guidance to help you explore your personal desires and strengths, understand your potential, and align your goals with your true calling. Ahhh, how very Oprah!

18. “Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us” By Daniel H. Pink

This book challenges the traditional idea of what motivates us, arguing that the old system of external rewards and punishments is not as effective as we once thought. Instead, Pink proposes that intrinsic motivation – motivation that comes from within – is far more powerful. He refers to it as “Motivation 3.0,” which focuses on three elements, autonomy, mastery, and purpose, to help reach your goals.

19. “The Magic Of Thinking Big” By David J. Schwartz

According to this book, you don’t need to be extraordinarily intelligent or unique to succeed, but you do need to learn how to think and act positively towards yourself, others, and the situations you encounter. The book is filled with strategies for turning negative thought patterns into a ‘success mindset,’ and it provides actionable steps for achieving goals in work, relationships, and personal pursuits.

20. “The Compound Effect” By Darren Hardy

Success isn’t always about making big leaps but rather about the cumulative effect of taking small steps over time. The book offers practical advice on how to apply this principle in various areas of life, such as goal setting, time management, and personal development. It emphasizes the importance of daily choices, habits, and behaviors, illustrating how they compound over time to shape our destinies, for better or worse.

21. “The Art Of Possibility” By Rosamund Stone Zander And Benjamin Zander

Zanders, a therapist and a conductor (odd combo!), provides a collection of goal-setting practices based on concepts from psychology, philosophy, and music, which help us shift our perspective and approach to life’s challenges. The book encourages you to remember that everything in life is an invention and that problems often fade away when we choose to look at our lives in new ways.

22. “Awaken The Giant Within” By Tony Robbins

What goal-setting book list would be complete without a Tony Robbins book?! Of course, the OG of personal development and self-mastery makes the list. The book shares strategies for taking control of your life, from breaking free of limiting beliefs and setting clear goals to managing your emotions and making decisions that lead to personal and professional success.

23. “The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People” By Stephen R. Covey

This book has been around for a while, and for a good reason! These seven habits help you find success in life by being proactive, beginning with the end in mind, and thinking win-win. It’s a guide designed to help you achieve your goals by aligning yourself with universal and timeless principles of success.

24. “The Miracle Morning” By Hal Elrod

Want to reach your goals? Then the best time to get started on them is each morning, according to this popular, easy-to-read book. How you start your day profoundly impacts how you live your life, so this book offers practical advice on how to wake up each day with more energy, motivation, and focus.

25. “The Power Of Now” By Eckhart Tolle

If you prefer a spiritual approach to goal setting and life in general, this book is for you! This book emphasizes the importance of living fully in the present moment, where you can find peace and clarity. The central message is that accessing the power of the ‘Now’ can lead to a path of inner peace and a new way of looking at the world.

26. “The Success Principles” By Jack Canfield

This self-help book provides actionable advice on how to increase confidence, tackle daily challenges, live with passion and purpose, and realize your ambitions. Canfield encourages you to take 100% responsibility for your actions, and he offers strategies for setting clear goals, overcoming obstacles, and persisting through difficulties.

27. “Mindset: The New Psychology Of Success” By Carol S. Dweck

Dweck, a renowned psychologist, differentiates between two mindsets: the fixed mindset, where people believe their abilities are static and unchangeable, and the growth mindset, where people believe they can develop their abilities through dedication and hard work. Embracing a growth mindset fosters a love for learning, resilience in the face of setbacks, and a greater potential for personal and professional success.

What Is Goal Setting?

Goal setting is a powerful process that helps you turn your dreams into reality! You start by identifying what you want to achieve and then create the path to get there. Goal setting provides direction, boosts motivation, and gives a clear focus, helping you to concentrate your time & energy effectively.

Here’s A Simple Guide On How To Set Goals:

Identify What You Want: Start by brainstorming what you want to achieve. Your goals could be related to your career, personal growth, health, relationships, or any other aspect of your life. Looking for goal ideas? Grab one of these goal setting books to get inspired!
Make Your Goals SMART: “SMART” stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. A SMART goal clearly defines what you want to achieve and how you’ll measure your progress, ensures it’s realistic, aligns with your overall objectives, and has a deadline.
Write Down Your Goals: There’s a saying that “a dream without a goal is just a wish.” One of the best ways to commit to your goals is to write them down! Documenting your goals makes them tangible and serves as a constant reminder of what you want & need to do.
Create an Action Plan: Goals take time to achieve, so the best thing you can do is break them down into tiny, small steps that feel easy! Outline the steps you need to take to achieve each task in a way that feels manageable.
Take Action: Start working on your action plan straight away! Taking action every day will help you build momentum, but remember, it’s important to stay flexible and adjust your plan as needed.
Review and Adjust Your Goals: Regularly review your goals and progress. If you’re not making the expected progress, don’t hesitate to adjust your goals or the methods you’re using to achieve them.
Celebrate Your Achievements: Don’t just wait until you reach your goal to celebrate. Instead, celebrate your success along the way. Every little step you take on the road to reaching your goal is a WIN!

Remember, goal setting is a journey, not just a means to an end. Reading goal setting books is just the beginning! As you achieve your goals, set new ones that drive you toward your future self and your dreams!

How Can Goal Setting Benefit You

Goal setting is a powerful exercise that can improve both your personal and professional life. Here are some of the top benefits of reading goal setting books.

Provides Clear Direction: Goals give you a destination and a roadmap, making it easier to decide how to reach your desired future and what steps to take to get there.
Boosts Motivation: Having clear goals can inspire and motivate you to work harder to achieve them. Even reading these goal setting books can help you get pumped up!
Enhances Self-Discipline: Goals require commitment and consistency, which help in fostering self-discipline.
Promotes Focus and Concentration: When you have defined goals, it’s easier to concentrate your efforts and resources on what is important, thus avoiding distractions like binge-watching Netflix or playing on Tik Tok for hours!
Better Decision Making: By knowing exactly what you want to achieve, you can make decisions that align with your goals, including how to invest your time, energy, and money!
Improves Self-Confidence: Achieving set goals boosts your confidence and belief in your abilities.
Measurable Progress: With goals, you can track your progress, see how far you’ve come, and what needs to be done to reach your target. It’s super motivating to see how much you’ve achieved along the way!
Increases Accountability: Goals make you accountable to yourself. They encourage you to take responsibility for your own success.
Fosters Resilience: The process of setting and striving towards goals helps you develop resilience as you learn to navigate obstacles and setbacks because challenges will arise! That’s just life
Clarifies Importance: Goals help you understand what is truly important to you, enabling you to live a life that’s fully aligned with your core values and aspirations.

Conclusion

Goal setting is a powerful tool for helping you create your best life and turn your dreams into a reality. These 27 goal setting books will help you learn how to become successful through the power of goal setting. By writing down your goals & creating action plans to achieve them, you can become successful in life. Develop a growth mindset so you can stay positive while striving toward your goals, even in the face of setbacks. Grab one of these goal setting books today and get started setting your goals. And remember, you’re far more likely to achieve your goals if you write them down!

Goal Setting FAQs

How can I stay motivated to reach my goals? Surround yourself with positive people, break your goals down into bite-sized tasks, and celebrate the achievement of EVERY task, no matter how big or small. And revisit some of these top goal setting books anytime you’re feeling in a rut!

How often should I review my goals? You can review your goals every day, week, or month, but I’ve found that the most successful people review their goals every week and then focus their attention on top priorities every day!

What should I do if I’m not making progress towards my goals? It’s possible that you’re not doing the work, in which case you need to make it a priority and schedule the time to work on your goals. But if you’re feeling overwhelmed, you may need to break your tasks down into smaller bits!

How can I handle setbacks or obstacles when trying to achieve my goals? It happens to all of us, so don’t get discouraged! Remind yourself of your BIG goal and why you want it, and that will often bring back the motivation and inspiration!

Can I have multiple goals at the same time? How do I prioritize them? The fastest path to achieving your goal is to have ONE goal. Seriously! I get that it feels exciting to set lots of goals, but that just spreads your attention very thin. Read “The One Thing,” and you’ll learn how to “go deep” on one goal, which will maximize your chances of success.

What’s the difference between short-term and long-term goals? Short-term goals are typically things you’ll be able to accomplish within a relatively short amount of time, such as a few months or weeks. Long-term goals take on a broader view and often take many months or even years to complete.

How can goal setting improve my professional life? If you want to earn a promotion, start a business, or even move into a completely new career, goal setting can help you get there. Get clear on what you want, and then set goals to help you achieve it.

How can goal setting improve my personal life? You can set goals about health, wealth, friendships, family, fun, and more! The sky is the limit when it comes to setting goals that can have a positive impact on your personal life.

What are some common mistakes people make when setting goals? One of the biggest mistakes people make in goal setting is choosing too many goals. That just spreads your attention really thin. Another common mistake is not being specific enough about what you want and how to get it. You really need to think through the action items that will help you achieve your goal, not just fixate on the end goal itself.

How can I celebrate reaching a goal? In whatever way feels good to you! It could be as small as a high-five with a friend or family member, but it could also include going out for a drink or dinner or even taking a vacation (after a really big win). Make sure you celebrate along the way because the joy is truly found in the journey, not in the end destination!

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27 Best Goal Setting Books To Become Successful [2024]