100 Books Like Manifest Your Destiny

I’ve read this book more times than I can count.

Hell, I think I actually wore the pages out, if that’s even possible. When I was younger, I went back to it like a lab rat hitting the lever for a pellet—each parable connecting another dot. To me, the mystery was life, the teacher the universe, and I was the student—albeit a lousy one. 

The Alchemist is one of those rare novels that feels both timeless and uncomfortably personal. At its foundation, it’s about following your own path—trusting the itch of intuition and chasing something bigger than yourself, even when it feels a little foolhardy in the moment.

What I love is how Coelho cuts through with fable-like simplicity: those who love walking go farther than those who love the destination—and they usually learn a hell of a lot more if they’re paying attention. 

I recommend it because it doesn’t… show more.

This book helped me shift my mindset, and I first picked it up during a stressful phase of my life. I gave myself some time to simply breathe and take it in. It reminded me that the “now” is not just a passing second, but a sacred space where peace and clarity live.

I love how it helped me stop living in the echo of yesterday or the fear of tomorrow. I remember closing my eyes and whispering, “This moment is enough,” and feeling my shoulders relax for the first time in weeks. It helped me feel more connected with myself, my son, my clients, and in doing so, intentionally live every moment with more compassion, stillness, and supremacy.

This is one of those books that will inspire you to do more for your own health and longevity. I was a semi-plant-based vegan back in 2010 and losing motivation to stick to my new diet. With this book, I was able to embrace veganism in a healthy, tasty, and cost-saving way.

I carry Michael Pollan’s decree close to my heart, and his wise words guide my choices around food, moderation and common sense to this day. 

Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.

Words to live by, if ever there were any, and for this recovering emotional eater, Pollan was a much-needed voice of common sense. A great reminder to avoid industrialised, heavily processed foods, and get back to experiencing pleasure at the dinner table, enjoying whole foods that my grandparents would have recognised.

Pollan’s decree guides my decisions in the supermarket and my kitchen constantly. Another essential book discovered along my healing journey as I reclaimed my health.

I am a passionate advocate for the process of using foods and supplements, especially natural herbal ones to aid the body in the cleansing and detoxification process. This is one of the best books describing this process to help support and rejuvenate from the inside out.

A powerful book where the author describes her journey from extreme hardship through hope and into renewal, wisdom and healing. This book will teach you that the pain of your past doesn’t have to be your reality today and how to rise above.

I’m my own biggest critic and sometimes get caught up in doing what I think others expect me to do, rather than listening to my own inner voice and following my dreams. Louise Hay’s writing is a ray of light and breath of fresh air to me. The Power is Within You is such an inspirational and nurturing book, that you can read over and over again. It taught me how to love, accept and trust myself. Packed full of positive affirmations to silence those negative thoughts about ourselves, that I think we all experience from time to time. Louise also talks about the power of practicing gratitude which I’ve found to be life-changing.

The go-to book about voluntary homelessness, I always appreciate George Orwell’s amazing writing. It’s hard to put down.

The first half is about his time as a lowly kitchen assistant in the basement of a Parisian restaurant in the 1930s. The brutal divide between the rich and the destitute is better depicted here than in anything else I’ve ever read. The second half describes his time back in England and provides a heart-rending understanding of why homeless people are referred to as tramps and the ultimate emptiness of church-organized aid.

Although Orwell always had the option to opt out, his study of the lived experience of homelessness and the skill with which he captured it afterwards stand out as a colossus of the genre.

The bottom line is that the people who focus on what they want, not what they don’t want, achieve their goals and even accelerate the achievement of their goals. So many times we have limiting beliefs (things we don’t want to happen) that get our focus and that is the wrong thing to focus on. No matter what you want in business or in life, the power of focus will help you get there. This book helps you to focus on your strengths and eliminate what holds you back from getting to where you ultimately want to go. It can help you change bad habits into habits that will serve you much better in life. This is a powerful book to help you no matter where you are or what you want in your business and life.

“Help, I don’t know anyone” was the refrain that played over and over in my head when I moved to New York City after 30 years in Texas. Susan McPherson’s book came to my rescue. Challenging me to think about the experience and expertise I have, the book encouraged me to make connections based on how I could help others. “Make it about them,” McPherson emphasizes. “Understand their world and their circumstances and what you can offer.”

While it took soul searching, I did find ways to benefit others, from initiating introductions, to understanding challenges and finding a means to help, and taking responsibility for keeping relationships moving forward. McPherson is 100% right that connecting is a learned skill. Her book is the perfect primer.