15 Non-Fiction Glow Up Books According to AI
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- March 12, 2024
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So, I love ChatGPT.
As in, I use it almost every day. It started with using it to help me check grammar when I send out work emails, then I started using it to help me with some coding questions (I am a software engineer), and before I knew it, it began to creep into my life in ways such as helping me plan meals and more.
So, after I picked out a book for my ‘soft glow up’ challenge in March, the idea of asking ChatGPT to give me a reading list of the greatest self help books came to mind. I’m a mom, so my time is very limited. Why not see if this AI can give me the top 15 nonfiction books that will help me holistically ‘glow up’? Like the pun?
Anyway, I thought maybe I should share my results with you. Oh, and I will be reading or rereading these books and then writing out my review to see if I truly agree with ChatGPT’s recommendations.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning we get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through the links, at no cost to you! This helps us keep publishing! Thank you for your support 🙂 <3
Top 15 Nonfiction Glow Up Books
My Prompt:
“Do research on the internet about the best books for self help in different categories – then give me a list of 15 books that I should read as a well rounded glow up. Rank them from what I need to read first.”
The Response:
“To embark on a holistic “glow up” journey, focusing on personal growth, mindset transformation, and productivity, here’s a prioritized list of top 15 books you should consider reading. This list is curated to start with foundational mindset shifts, then move towards actionable strategies for personal development, and finally, to applying these insights for lasting change.” – ChatGPT 4
1. “Atomic Habits” by James Clear
This book offers a comprehensive guide to building good habits and breaking bad ones. Clear provides insights into how tiny changes can lead to remarkable results, emphasizing the compound benefits of small habit changes.
2. “The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment” by Eckhart Tolle
Tolle introduces the concept of “living in the moment” to achieve happiness and enlightenment. He discusses the importance of detaching from external circumstances and the ego to find peace in the present.
3. “Man’s Search for Meaning” by Victor Frankl
A psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor, Frankl writes about finding purpose in all forms of existence, even the most brutal ones, and offers a compelling argument for living a life filled with meaning.
4. “Meditations” by Marcus Aurelius
A series of personal writings by the Roman Emperor, offering wisdom on Stoic philosophy. Aurelius reflects on virtue, rationality, and the nature of the universe, providing guidance on leading a meaningful life.
5. “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck” by Mark Manson
Manson delivers a counterintuitive approach to living a good life. He argues that focusing on what truly matters—instead of chasing success or positivity—leads to genuine contentment.
6. “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie
A timeless self-help classic that teaches essential interpersonal skills, like how to make people like you, win others over to your way of thinking, and change others’ behavior without causing offense.
7. “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance” by Angela Duckworth
Duckworth explores the importance of grit—a combination of passion and perseverance—in achieving success. She argues that talent alone is not enough to reach high levels of achievement.
8. “The Four Agreements” by Don Miguel Ruiz
Ruiz presents a simple but effective code of personal conduct learned from his Toltec ancestors. The agreements are essential principles to practice for freedom and happiness.
9. “Radical Acceptance” by Tara Brach
Brach offers a path to freeing yourself from the grip of insecurities, fears, and shortcomings through Buddhist meditation practices and the pathway of radical acceptance.
10. “Rich Dad Poor Dad” by Robert Kiyosaki
Kiyosaki shares the financial lessons he learned from his biological father (poor dad) and the father of his best friend (rich dad). This book challenges the conventional views on money and investing.
11. “The Happiness Trap” by Russ Harris
Harris introduces Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a mindfulness-based program for reducing stress, overcoming fear, and creating a rich and meaningful life.
12. “Presence” by Amy Cuddy
Cuddy explores how adopting powerful, expansive body postures can boost confidence in stressful situations, change our body chemistry, and impact how we’re perceived by others.
13. “The Comfort Crisis” by Michael Easter
Easter investigates how modern comforts and conveniences have led to a decline in physical fitness, mental health, and overall happiness. He advocates for embracing discomfort as a means to grow.
14. “The Art of Impossible” by Steven Kotler
Kotler breaks down the science of peak performance and offers actionable advice on how to achieve seemingly impossible goals by harnessing flow states and other productivity hacks.
15. “Year of Yes” by Shonda Rhimes
Rhimes shares how saying “yes” to everything for one year transformed her life. She emphasizes the power of openness, saying yes to opportunities, and stepping out of comfort zones.
This list is designed to guide you through a comprehensive self-improvement journey, beginning with fundamental mindset changes and culminating in actionable strategies for sustained growth and success. Each book offers unique insights and practical advice to help you achieve a holistic “glow up” in your personal and professional life.
Why The Ranking?
My Prompt: “Explain why you structure the list this way”
The Response:
The structure of the recommended reading list is intentionally designed to guide you through a holistic and sequential self-improvement journey, focusing on building a strong foundation before tackling more specific and complex areas of personal growth. Here’s the rationale behind the structure:
- Starting with Habits: “Atomic Habits” is placed first because habits form the foundation of all self-improvement. James Clear’s focus on small changes for significant impact provides practical, actionable strategies that can be applied across all areas of personal and professional life.
- Emphasizing the Present: “The Power of Now” follows, encouraging a shift in mindset to live more fully in the present moment. This book aims to reduce suffering by minimizing the focus on past regrets and future anxieties, which is a critical step after establishing good habits.
- Finding Purpose and Resilience: “Man’s Search for Meaning” and “Meditations” come next, as both deal with finding purpose through adversity and cultivating resilience and self-discipline. These books offer profound insights into enduring life’s challenges with grace and purpose.
- Reevaluating Values: “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck” introduces a counterintuitive approach to prioritizing what truly matters. This stage of the journey is about reevaluating one’s values and learning to focus on what is genuinely important, serving as a bridge to improving interpersonal relationships.
- Improving Communication and Relationships: “How to Win Friends and Influence People” is pivotal for developing better communication skills and building positive relationships. This skill is essential for personal and professional success and builds upon the earlier foundation of mindset and resilience.
- Developing Grit and Understanding Personal Conduct: The inclusion of “Grit” and “The Four Agreements” emphasizes the importance of perseverance and introduces a simple yet powerful code of personal conduct, pushing the reader towards sustained effort and integrity in their personal growth journey.
- Embracing Self-Love and Financial Literacy: “Radical Acceptance” and “Rich Dad Poor Dad” address emotional healing and financial independence, respectively. These areas are crucial for a well-rounded personal development, focusing on self-compassion and financial intelligence.
- Addressing Mental Health and Embracing Discomfort: Books like “The Happiness Trap”, “Presence”, and “The Comfort Crisis” are positioned towards the end to build upon the previously established mental and emotional resilience, encouraging readers to embrace discomfort and accept life’s challenges as opportunities for growth.
- Achieving Peak Performance and Saying “Yes”: Finally, “The Art of Impossible” and “Year of Yes” are recommended towards the end of the journey to apply the insights and strategies learned in reaching peak performance and embracing life’s opportunities with an open heart and mind.
This structured approach ensures that readers start with foundational aspects of self-improvement—such as habit formation and mindset shifts—before moving on to more complex themes like resilience, financial literacy, and peak performance. Each book builds on the lessons of the previous, creating a comprehensive and progressive path towards personal growth and a holistic “glow up.”
My Thoughts:
As a reader who has already read some of the recommended books, do I completely agree with the list? Not 100%.
I do love how ChatGPT structured the ranking of the glow up books – like I am going through a full journey to become a better version of me.
There are some books I would have preferred to replace or see included. However, I asked, and ChatGPT answered. So, I’m going to keep an open mind and give this list a try. I might need to take a before and after photo to see if I actually ‘glow up’! Maybe I need to ask it to help me come up with an approach to measure this before and after.
Anyways, what do you think? Do you agree with the list? Are you planning to give it a try, or do you have a different recommendation than ChatGPT’s? Curious to hear your take.
Let me know.
