The 5 Books That Will Change Your Life in 2025
When Warren Buffett was asked about the secret to his wealth and success, he revealed that he read every day—500 pages, to be precise. Unfortunately, if you’re already working 9-5, you might not have enough time to read. But what if you could?
You can! With the Blinkist app, you can understand the key learnings from the best nonfiction books in minutes—not hours or days. Our experts take the insights from these books to create quick, memorable, easy-to-understand insights which can either be read or listened to in just 15 minutes.
That’s the magic of the Blinkist app. You can listen or read to these books wherever, whenever: in between meetings, on the way to work, while doing chores, or waiting at the doctor’s office. Blinkist is available on the web or on your phone’s app store, conveniently located on whichever device you are currently using. No longer worry about finding time to learn, because you can easily fit powerful ideas into your life, however you want.
“Blinkist encourages you to read more nonfiction books. The app contains cleverly written digests—called Blinks—where books are broken down into their main arguments.” – The New York Times
This innovative concept is helping millions of people change their lives and has caught the attention of some of the world’s most prominent organizations. The app has won a prestigious design award from Google, been named one of the world’s best apps by Apple, and was even listed as a Global Leader in Learning and Education by the United Nations.
“With Blinkist you can boost your knowledge and gain new perspectives so that you can be a better professional, a better partner, or a better you—and finally get through your book list or make sense of the increasingly big and busy world of ideas.” – United Nations, World Summit Awards
The app now has 30 million users who are learning from the world’s best nonfiction. And there are more than 6,500 titles to choose from, spanning 27 categories like personal development, productivity, and entrepreneurship. Start with the 5 most-read titles on self-improvement that will change your perspective and see if you don’t feel a little more satisfied already.
The 5 Books that Will Change your Life in 2024
1. Thirteen Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do by Amy Morin
13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do
- 15 min reading time
- audio version available
- 15 min reading time
- audio version available
Do you struggle to get over your failures? Or dwell on things out of your control? Getting over these obstacles can have a profound influence on your everyday life. Morin shares how her most successful therapy patients overcame these difficulties.
2. Less Doing, More Living by Ari Meisel
Less Doing, More Living
- 15 min reading time
- audio version available
- 15 min reading time
- audio version available
Does your to-do list feel like it has no end? No matter how hard you try, you have more to do and less time to do it. In Ari Meisel’s Less Doing, More Living you will be guided through nine fundamental steps that have been tried and tested to make you more effective. With his formula, you will not only be able to check off more tasks than you ever have before but inevitably make more time for the things that matter to you most.
3. How Will You Measure Your Life? by Clayton M. Christensen, James Allworth, and Karen Dillon
How Will You Measure Your Life?
- 15 min reading time
- audio version available
- 15 min reading time
- audio version available
Are you making the right trade-offs in life? While career achievements can be satisfying, neglecting your family and friends can be detrimental in the long-run – in ways you can’t even imagine.
4. Finding Your Element by Ken Robinson
Finding Your Element
- 15 min reading time
- audio version available
- 15 min reading time
- audio version available
Everyone has a passion. If you don’t know what yours is, it just means you haven’t discovered it yet. Or perhaps you have, but it was dismissed early in life. Find out how you can break free of society’s strict rules and find your calling in life.
5. Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman
Emotional Intelligence
- 15 min reading time
- audio version available
- 15 min reading time
- audio version available
Did you know if your pulse rate rises above 100 bpm, you’re deemed too emotional to think rationally? You probably let feelings cloud your judgment more often than you know. Goleman explains how you can avoid letting your emotions rule you and make better decisions in life.
Bonus Recommendations
6. The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
The Power of Now
- 15 min reading time
- audio version available
- 15 min reading time
- audio version available
Have you ever felt trapped in your own mind? Constantly worrying about the past or future and struggling to fully appreciate the present moment? The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle provides a transforming perspective on the importance of present awareness. Whether you’re seeking to improve your mental health or simply enjoy life more fully, The Power of Now has the potential to positively impact your life and alter your perspective.
7. What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast by Laura Vanderkam
What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast
- 15 min reading time
- audio version available
- 15 min reading time
- audio version available
If you’re looking for a way to improve your productivity and start your day off on the right foot, What the Most Successful People Do Before Breakfast is a must-read. The explainer to Laura Vanderkam’s inspiring book offers a fresh perspective on the benefits of waking up early and creating a morning routine. From exercise and meditation to planning and prioritizing, this book will empower you to create a morning routine that sets you up for success throughout the day.
8. The Power of Ritual by Casper ter Kuile
The Power of Ritual
- 15 min reading time
- audio version available
- 15 min reading time
- audio version available
The explainer to this book provides a roadmap for transformational change through the power of ritual. It explores the science behind rituals and how they can help us create more fulfilling lives. By incorporating rituals into our daily routine, we can cultivate emotional well-being, enhance our relationships, and connect with our spirituality. The Power of Ritual is a game-changer that can help you live your best life.
9. The 5AM Club by Robin Sharma
The 5 AM Club
- 15 min reading time
- audio version available
- 15 min reading time
- audio version available
Are you looking for ways to transform your life? Look no further than Robin Sharma’s best-selling book, The 5AM Club. The explainer delves into the strategy of waking up early to maximize productivity and success. It emphasizes the power of routine, including not only waking up early but also exercising, meditating, and reflecting on one’s passions. The 5AM Club provides a blueprint for a daily routine that can lead to better health and a more fulfilling life.
A Book Explained in 15 Minutes
The average book takes about eight hours to read. That means if you wanted to check out every book on this list, it would take at least 40 hours. With Blinkist, you can get the core messages in 1 hour, and 15 minutes.
The Blinkist app gathers the key ideas from nonfiction books and explains them in 15 minutes. So, if you want to check out any of the books on this list, you can get the most important ideas quickly on the app. Plus, there are 6,500 other titles to explore.
Studies Have Shown That This New Feature Increases Learning
If you’re a lifelong learner and want to absorb even more in-depth knowledge, this latest feature might be the one for you.
Studies have shown that guided knowledge increases learning which is why Blinkist has just launched Guides, an exciting new way to learn and absorb knowledge in a comprehensive and effective manner. Guides allow you to take an even deeper dive into a particular topic you are curious about. Guided by experts and thought leaders, Blinkist utilizes both new, original audio content and existing Blinks to provide practical insights of great value. By adding quizzes and practical tools to the routing, this feature helps you test and retain what you’ve learned. Guides also include valuable resources such as exercises, infographics, and recaps to facilitate your learning journey. Guides are an opportunity for learners to truly engage with the topics they are interested in.
Take a look below:
Blinkist Helps Users Make Real Change
Using Blinkist is literally life-changing for its 30 million users. The app helps them to implement and use the new things they learn to make a real difference in their daily lives.
In fact, 87.5% of 3,500 users surveyed in the US said they often make changes to their lives based on what they learn on Blinkist.
“I read a lot of management, self-improvement, and entrepreneurial books through Blinkist because I can gain specific knowledge on my industry or on ways to improve myself.” – Steven Renwick, CPO of Regis24
Each piece of content includes actionable advice, specific examples, and practical tips which make new ideas easy to understand and use day to day.
For each title, there’s also a final summary to help to cement the key takeaways and changes users can make in their own careers or personal lives.
“Blinkist has helped me read more – period. I love that I can get the key learnings from 10+ books a week, and immediately implement them in my own life.” – Hitha Palepu, entrepreneur and author
Millions are Learning by Listening
What’s more, these explainers are available to read and listen to. Listening with Blinkist ensures learning never has to be deprioritized and can fit easily into any spare moment of the day.
As it turns out, listening is the most popular way people use Blinkist to learn, with around 70% of the 30 million users opting to listen as opposed to reading the 15-minute explainer packs. This comes as no surprise given that around 30% of people retain information better when it’s listened to.
Find New Titles with Expert Curation
There are so many books out there and limited time to read them, so finding which ones are worth checking out is key.
Blinkist adds titles across 27 categories to ensure users can explore a broad range of interests. Expert curators look for new reads on bestseller lists—like The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal—as well as on Amazon charts and awards lists.
To decide where to start, turn to Blinkist’s curated lists. These lists round up titles around certain topics—like mindfulness and flow—and recommendations from thought leaders like Tim Ferriss, Arianna Huffington, and Bill Gates.
Users can also get tailored recommendations on the app. Once they’ve read a title or two, Blinkist will learn what they like and recommend other books that are similar.
Through reading lists, spot-on recommendations, and expert picks, users can find titles they might not have found otherwise and discover new ideas, authors, and topics they knew nothing about before.
Join millions of other learners and download Blinkist to start listening today!
Vanessa is a freelance writer living in London. When not at her laptop, she loves to run, travel and scuba dive wherever she can.
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What is Blinkist?
Blinkist is an app that transforms key insights from great nonfiction books into quick, easy-to-understand highlights. The reality is – everyone loves reading, but no one has the time. Blinkist fills this learning gap and makes acquiring new knowledge effortless.
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