The right book at the right time can transform how you think, work, lead, and live. 

Whether you're building a business, breaking bad habits, or just trying to get through the chaos of the day with a little more clarity, there's a book on this list for you.

From productivity classics to underrated gems, here are 43 of my favorite reads for Nurse Influencers who want to make a BIG impact in the world - and who always try to do too much - I’ve categorized these books to help you find your next read super fast. 

✨ Mindset & Personal Growth

For reshaping beliefs, building resilience, and unlocking inner growth.

1. Grit – Angela Duckworth

“Talent gets you started. Grit gets you to the finish line.” 

Angela Duckworth dives into the science of perseverance and passion, proving that GRIT—not genius—is the key to success.

Highlights:

• Grit is more predictive of long-term achievement than talent or IQ. Success comes from effort applied over time.

• Effort counts twice: once in building skill, and again in applying that skill to achieve outcomes.

• Passion is sustained interest; perseverance is consistent effort. Together, they form grit and drive remarkable outcomes.

Perfect for: Anyone who feels they're not “naturally gifted” but is ready to outwork their limits.

2. Atomic Habits – James Clear

“Tiny changes. Remarkable results.”

Learn how to create good habits, break bad ones, and master the tiny behaviors that lead to massive success.

Highlights:

• Build habits around identity: focus on becoming the type of person who naturally achieves your goals.

• The Four Laws: make it obvious, attractive, easy, and satisfying.

• Compound growth: small habits, when consistently applied, lead to exponential change over time.

Perfect for: High-achievers, procrastinators, or anyone trying to build better routines that actually stick.

3. The Slight Edge – Jeff Olson

“Success is built on simple disciplines, repeated over time.”

Jeff Olson reveals how small, daily decisions lead to either success or failure.

Highlights:

• Every small choice you make is either a step forward or backward. The secret to success is choosing the forward step consistently.

• Success doesn’t come from dramatic action, but from steady, compounding effort.

• The difference between successful and unsuccessful people is often invisible until results tip the scale.

Perfect for: People who feel stuck despite trying hard — and need to trust small steps again.

4. The 5 Second Rule – Mel Robbins

“5 seconds is all it takes to change your life.”

A science-backed tool to beat hesitation, fear, and procrastination. Just count backward: 5-4-3-2-1, then act.

Highlights:

• The rule interrupts patterns of doubt and anxiety, allowing you to act before your brain talks you out of it.

• Build courage by taking micro-actions that train your brain to trust your instincts.

• Helps build momentum, break bad habits, and rewire confidence through repeated action.

Perfect for: Anyone battling hesitation, self-doubt, or a motivation slump.

5. Willpower Doesn’t Work – Benjamin Hardy

“Change your environment, change your life.”

Benjamin Hardy explains why relying on willpower fails and how to design surroundings that make success easier. 

Highlights:

• Willpower is a limited resource—environment design removes the need to rely on it.

• Align your environment with your goals: structure, cues, and relationships matter more than sheer effort.

• Step into your future self by creating a context that supports their success, not your current comfort.

Perfect for: People tired of failing “self-discipline” and ready to upgrade their environment instead.

6. Embrace the Chaos – Bob Miglani

“You don’t need control to move forward.”

A mindset guide for thriving in uncertainty, change, and unpredictability. 

Highlights:

• Certainty is an illusion; progress happens when we take action anyway.

• Accepting chaos allows for greater peace, creativity, and resilience in unpredictable environments.

• Focus on what you can control—your mindset, response, and next step.

Perfect for: Entrepreneurs, creatives, and parents navigating unpredictable seasons.

7. Lean In – Sheryl Sandberg

“A powerful call for women to step into leadership.”

Sheryl Sandberg challenges women to own their ambition and offers practical advice for navigating career and personal growth.

Highlights: 

• Internalized bias holds women back more than external systems—confidence must be cultivated from within. 

• Women are encouraged to take risks, negotiate, and lead while balancing family, career, and personal fulfillment. 

• Encourages workplaces and partnerships to support equality and growth for all.

Perfect for: Women navigating leadership, career pivots, or personal reinvention.

8. The Gifts of Imperfection – Brené Brown

“Let go of who you think you're supposed to be.”

Brown teaches the power of vulnerability and how to live wholeheartedly by embracing your imperfections. 

Highlights:

• Perfectionism is not self-improvement; it's a form of shame-based fear.

• Wholehearted living comes from authenticity, courage, and connection.

• Vulnerability is the birthplace of creativity, love, and belonging.

Perfect for: Anyone stuck in perfectionism or burnout who craves authenticity and connection.

9. The Artist’s Way – Julia Cameron

“Unblock your creativity and reclaim your sense of self.”

A 12-week program designed to awaken your creative spirit and overcome self-doubt.

Highlights:

• Morning Pages (daily freewriting) help silence your inner critic and release mental clutter.

• Artist Dates reintroduce play and inspiration into your weekly routine.

• Creativity is not a luxury—it’s how we connect to our inner truth.

Perfect for: Creatives, blocked writers, or anyone craving creative recovery.

10. The Four Spiritual Laws of Prosperity – Edwene Gaines

“Prosperity begins with spiritual alignment.”

A blend of spiritual insight and financial wisdom, Gaines outlines four laws to attract abundance.

Highlights:

• Tithing shifts your mindset from scarcity to generosity and trust.

• Forgiveness clears emotional and energetic blocks to receiving.

• Prosperity flourishes when you're spiritually aligned, goal-focused, and emotionally unburdened.

Perfect for: Spiritual seekers looking to align faith, purpose, and finances.

⏳ Productivity & Focus

For getting more done with less stress and sharper clarity.

11. Slow Productivity – Cal Newport

“Do fewer things. Do them better. Do them slower.”

In a world obsessed with hustle, Newport proposes a radical idea: intentional slowness. By embracing depth over speed, we regain control, creativity, and clarity in our work.

Highlights:

• Overproduction leads to burnout and shallow work

• “Meaningful productivity” focuses on lasting impact, not output

• Create space for deep thinking and deliberate decisions

• Prioritize fewer high-quality projects rather than rushing through tasks

Perfect for: High-performing professionals craving deeper work and less overwhelm.

12. The 12 Week Year – Brian P. Moran

“What if you could achieve a year’s worth of goals in just 12 weeks?”

This book introduces a system for compressing your planning cycle into 12-week bursts, helping you act with urgency and clarity without the overwhelm of annual goals.

Highlights:

• Shorter cycles = greater focus and faster feedback

• Weekly scorecards and accountability drives execution

• Clarity of vision reduces distractions

• Turn planning into action by narrowing your window

Perfect for: Goal-setters who want faster results without waiting for January 1.

13. The One Thing – Gary Keller

“Focus on less to achieve more.”

Keller shows how narrowing your focus to the one most important task unlocks extraordinary results in every area of life.

Highlights:

• Success requires relentless prioritization

• Ask: “What’s the ONE thing I can do such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?”

• Multitasking is a myth that drains productivity

• Time-blocking your most valuable work creates momentum

Perfect for: Busy people juggling too much and unsure what to focus on first.

14. Indistractable – Nir Eyal

“Master your attention before it masters you.”

Nir Eyal explains the root causes of distraction and offers strategies to reclaim control over your time and focus.
Highlights:

• Identify internal triggers, not just external distractions

• Use “timeboxing” to pre-commit your attention

• Turn your phone from a distraction to a productivity ally

• Becoming indistractable is a life skill, not just a productivity hack

Perfect for: Anyone constantly distracted by notifications, social media, or multitasking.

15. Make Time – Jake Knapp & John Zeratsky

“Design your day around what matters most.”

A practical framework for escaping the busyness trap by intentionally making time for your “highlight” – the most meaningful activity each day.

Highlights:

• Choose a daily “highlight” that brings value or joy

• Tactics to beat distraction like “infinity pools” (endless content feeds)

• Energy and focus are design problems, not discipline problems

• Prioritize presence over productivity

Perfect for: People who feel too “busy” but can’t pinpoint where the time goes.

16. The 5 AM Club – Robin Sharma

“Win the morning. Win your day.”

Sharma’s method emphasizes the power of early rising and structured morning routines to unlock productivity, creativity, and peace of mind.

Highlights:

• The 20/20/20 formula: 20 mins of movement, reflection, and learning

• Mornings are your private time for growth and clarity

• Starting your day strong affects every decision you make

• Protect your “Victory Hour” before the world wakes up

Perfect for: Morning skeptics or achievers ready to own their day before it starts.

17. Miracle Morning – Hal Elrod

“Transform your life before 8 AM.”

Elrod’s Life S.A.V.E.R.S. routine helps you create powerful, consistent mornings using silence, affirmations, visualization, exercise, reading, and journaling. 

Highlights:

• Create momentum through morning rituals

• Start with just 6 minutes if you’re short on time

• Empower your mindset before distractions begin

• Your morning shapes your identity and long-term habits

Perfect for: Anyone who wants to build an empowering morning ritual—even in just 6 minutes a day.

18. 7 Habits of Highly Effective People – Stephen R. Covey

“Timeless habits for personal and professional mastery.”

Covey’s framework blends character ethics, proactivity, and principle-centered living to help you become more intentional and effective in every role of life.

Highlights:

• Be proactive, not reactive

• Begin with the end in mind for clarity and purpose

• Prioritize what matters most with “Put first things first”

• Sharpen the saw: renew yourself to grow sustainably

Perfect for: Leaders, professionals, and students looking to build life-long principles.

19. The Power of Habit – Charles Duhigg

“Understand how habits form—and how to change them.”

Duhigg explores the science of habit formation, revealing how keystone habits shape outcomes and how we can reprogram them for success.

Highlights:

• The habit loop: cue → routine → reward

• Identify and rewire triggers to change habits

• Keystone habits influence multiple areas of your life

• Organizations and individuals thrive on positive routines

Perfect for: Curious minds who want to understand and hack the science of behavior change.

💼 Business, Entrepreneurship & Marketing

For building, scaling, and standing out in your business.

20. $100M Offers – Alex Hormozi

“Make offers so good people feel stupid saying no.”

Hormozi breaks down how to craft irresistible offers that remove objections, increase perceived value, and skyrocket conversions—even without fancy marketing.

Highlights:

• Increase value by stacking outcomes, urgency, and scarcity

• Solve expensive problems, not just common ones

• Pricing isn't about cost—it's about perceived ROI

• Use the “Value Equation” to make your offer undeniable

Perfect for: Coaches, freelancers, or business owners who struggle to charge what they’re worth.

21. $100M Leads – Alex Hormozi

“What good is an offer if no one sees it?”

The follow-up to $100M Offers, this book teaches you how to generate consistent, qualified leads through content, ads, and outreach—without relying on guesswork.

Highlights:

• Focus on signal over noise—speak directly to your ideal audience

• Create lead magnets that educate, entertain, or solve

• Organic, paid, and owned media strategies explained simply

• Learn the “4 Ps of Promotion” for building authority and leads

Perfect for: Entrepreneurs and marketers looking for repeatable, scalable ways to get clients.

22. Expert Secrets – Russell Brunson

“Turn your knowledge into a movement.”

Brunson shows how to package your expertise into a story-driven, value-packed offer that builds trust and drives sales through content.

Highlights:

• People don’t buy products—they buy transformation stories

• The “Perfect Webinar” script for converting with authenticity
  Create belief shifts that overcome objections

• Build a tribe by becoming their guide, not their hero

Perfect for: Thought leaders, coaches, and content creators who want to turn knowledge into income.

23. Two Weeks Notice – Amy Porterfield

“Leave your 9–5 and launch your dream business.”

Porterfield provides a step-by-step plan to transition from employee to entrepreneur, covering mindset, offers, audience-building, and monetization.

Highlights:

• Clarify your “why” and lean into your personal brand

• Build your email list from day one

• Overcome the fear of starting from scratch

• Use simple systems to replace hustle with structure

Perfect for: Side-hustlers and 9–5ers dreaming of going full-time on their own terms.

24. The E-Myth Revisited – Michael E. Gerber

“Work on your business, not in it.”

Gerber explains why most small businesses fail and how to avoid burnout by thinking like an entrepreneur, not just a technician.

Highlights:

• Every business must balance three personalities: Entrepreneur, Manager, Technician

• Systematize your processes to scale without chaos

• Build a business that runs without you

• Start with a vision, then reverse-engineer the systems to support it

Perfect for: Small business owners trapped in “doing the work” instead of building systems.

25. Purple Cow – Seth Godin

“Be remarkable—or be invisible.”

In a crowded marketplace, blending in is a recipe for failure. Godin urges businesses to stand out by being genuinely remarkable.

Highlights:

• Safe is risky. Boring is invisible.

• Your product is your marketing—bake in the “wow”

• Find your edge and lean into it

• Be the purple cow in a field of brown cows

Perfect for: Creators, marketers, and founders who want to stand out in any market.

26. Tribes – Seth Godin

“People don’t follow products. They follow leaders.”

Great brands aren’t built on features—they’re built on communities. Godin shows how to lead with purpose and rally a tribe around a shared mission.

Highlights:

• Leadership is about connection, not control

• Speak to a worldview your audience already believes

• Niche down to lead deeply, not broadly

• Tribes thrive when they feel seen and empowered

Perfect for: Visionaries ready to build community and lead movements—not just sell products.

27. The Soul-Sourced Entrepreneur – Christine Kane

“Build a business with heart, not hustle.”

Kane challenges the hard-charging entrepreneur mold and offers a soulful, aligned approach to growth, blending intuition with structure. 

Highlights:

• Success starts with energy, not effort

• Intuition is a leadership skill—not a liability

• Structure is spiritual—use systems to protect your creativity

• Reframe selling as service and visibility as value

Perfect for: Creative entrepreneurs craving alignment, flow, and intuition in their business.

28. The 4-Hour Workweek – Tim Ferriss

“Escape the 9–5. Live anywhere. Automate everything.”

Ferriss teaches how to escape the “deferred life plan” by building a business that funds your freedom and time, not just your bank account.

Highlights:

• The DEAL system: Define, Eliminate, Automate, Liberate

• Focus on output over hours

• Outsource, batch, and automate to escape time-for-money traps

• Build mini-retirements into your life plan

Perfect for: Lifestyle entrepreneurs and digital nomads seeking freedom, automation, and adventure.

💰 Wealth & Financial Freedom

For understanding, growing, and preserving your wealth.

29. Rich Dad’s Advisor: Tax-Free Wealth – Tom Wheelwright

It’s not about how much you make—it’s how much you keep.

A comprehensive guide to using the tax code to your advantage. Wheelwright, a Rich Dad Advisor, reveals how entrepreneurs and investors can dramatically reduce taxes legally and ethically.

Highlights:

• Taxes are your single largest expense—strategize to minimize them

• Use incentives in the tax code to grow wealth (real estate, business, energy, etc.)

• Shift your mindset from tax-paying to tax-planning

• Work with tax professionals who focus on strategy, not just compliance

Perfect for: Business owners, real estate investors, and high-income earners ready to stop overpaying the IRS

30. The Four Laws of Financial Prosperity – Blaine Harris & Charles Coonradt

“Simple laws. Life-changing financial results.”

Told through a parable, this book distills financial success into four timeless laws: Track, Target, Trim, and Train. Perfect for those just starting their financial literacy journey.

Highlights:

• Track every dollar to regain control and awareness

• Set specific targets that motivate you to act

• Trim unnecessary expenses without sacrificing joy

• Train your mind to think long-term about money

Perfect for: Budget beginners, young professionals, or anyone needing a reset on money habits

31. The Millionaire Fastlane – MJ DeMarco 

“Get rich young—or die trying slow.”

DeMarco calls out the “get rich slow” myth and presents an alternative: building scalable businesses that detach income from time. Brutally honest, yet actionable.

Highlights:

• The “slowlane” (job and savings) vs. the “fastlane” (entrepreneurship and leverage)

• Wealth = value + scale + time

• Don't trade hours for dollars—build systems that scale

• Avoid mediocrity disguised as stability

Perfect for: Aspiring entrepreneurs who refuse to wait until retirement to live fully

32. Die with Zero – Bill Perkins

“Maximize life, not your bank balance.”

Perkins argues that the ultimate financial goal isn’t saving—it’s spending intentionally to maximize life experiences before it's too late.

Highlights:

• Don’t delay joy—use your money to buy time and memories

• The “memory dividend” makes early experiences more valuable

• Balance between saving, giving, and spending across life stages

• Die with purpose, not a pile of unused wealth

Perfect for: Savers who fear spending, and anyone rethinking what wealth is really for

33. 5 Types of Wealth – Sahil Bloom

“True wealth is more than money.”

In this short yet profound framework, Bloom expands the definition of wealth into five types: financial, social, time, physical, and mental—encouraging a more holistic view of success.

Highlights:

• Financial wealth is only one part of a meaningful life

• Time and freedom are the new status symbols

• Invest in relationships, health, and personal growth

• Design a life that values all forms of abundance

Perfect for: High achievers who want success with depth—not just numbers

🧬 Health, Energy & Longevity

Because thriving in life and business starts with the body and brain.

34. Why We Sleep – Matthew Walker

“Sleep isn’t a luxury—it’s your superpower.”

Neuroscientist Matthew Walker presents groundbreaking research on how sleep affects every aspect of our physical and mental health, creativity, memory, and lifespan.

Highlights:

• Sleep impacts everything from immune function to emotional regulation

• Poor sleep links to Alzheimer’s, heart disease, and low productivity

• Prioritize 7–9 hours of quality sleep for long-term performance

• Blue light, caffeine, and erratic schedules are silent sleep killers

Perfect for: Night owls, workaholics, and high-performers who treat sleep as optional

35. Brain Energy – Chris Palmer

“What if mental illness is a metabolic disorder of the brain?”

Dr. Palmer connects the dots between brain health, metabolism, and nutrition. This eye-opening book offers a new model for understanding and treating mental disorders through metabolic strategies

Highlights:

• Mental health and metabolic health are deeply connected

• Lifestyle factors like diet, sleep, and exercise influence brain function

• Ketogenic interventions show promise for conditions like depression and bipolar disorder

• A hopeful, science-backed bridge between psychiatry and nutrition

Perfect for: Anyone struggling with mental health—or supporting someone who is—and seeking root-cause solutions

36. Outlive – Dr. Peter Attia

“Don’t just live longer—live better, longer.”

Attia offers a detailed, forward-looking guide to healthspan optimization—focusing not just on how to avoid death, but how to avoid decline. 

Highlights:

• Four key health pillars: exercise, nutrition, sleep, emotional health

• Early action beats late intervention—be proactive, not reactive

• VO2 max, muscle mass, and insulin sensitivity are top longevity levers

• Balance evidence-based strategy with personal experimentation

Perfect for: High performers, mid-lifers, and health nerds who want to optimize for the long game

37. Rushing Woman’s Syndrome – Dr. Libby Weaver

“Chronic stress is rewriting women’s health stories.”

Dr. Weaver explores the physical toll of modern-day busyness on women’s hormones, adrenals, and emotional well-being—and how to restore balance.

Highlights:

• Constant stress elevates cortisol, disrupts digestion, and drains energy

• Overachievement can mask deep fatigue and imbalance

• Nourish, breathe, and slow down to restore vitality

• Awareness is the first step to reclaiming your health

Perfect for: Women juggling multiple roles and feeling burnt out despite doing “everything right”

48. The Big Fat Surprise – Nina Teicholz

“What if fat wasn’t the enemy?”

Teicholz unpacks decades of flawed nutrition research and reveals why dietary fat (even saturated fat) may be wrongly vilified—changing the way we think about healthy eating.

Highlights:

• Nutrition guidelines were based on weak science and political agendas

• Full-fat foods may protect against obesity and heart disease

• Embrace real, whole fats over processed low-fat options

• Challenge food myths with curiosity and evidence

Perfect for: Anyone rethinking their diet or confused by conflicting nutrition advice

39. Why We Get Fat – Gary Taubes

“It’s not just about calories in, calories out.”

Taubes challenges the conventional wisdom around obesity, arguing that hormone regulation—especially insulin—plays a bigger role than willpower in weight gain.

Highlights:

• Refined carbs and sugar drive insulin spikes and fat storage

• The body’s biology dictates fat loss more than willpower

• Low-carb and high-fat diets can reset metabolic health

• Shift from blame to biological understanding

Perfect for: People frustrated with yo-yo dieting and eager for a science-backed explanation

40. Dose Effect – TJ Power

“Dopamine control is the new productivity hack.”

Psychologist TJ Power explores how our digital habits shape brain chemistry and offers tools to regulate dopamine for better mood, focus, and mental energy. 

Highlights:

• Modern life overstimulates dopamine—leaving us fatigued and unfocused

• Simple daily shifts can rewire the reward system

• Improve focus, motivation, and presence without quitting tech

• Small doses of discipline = huge mental clarity returns

Perfect for: Anyone feeling overstimulated, under-motivated, or addicted to their phone

🧭 Leadership & Influence

For leading with trust, vision, and lasting impact.

41. The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership – John Maxwell

“Leadership isn’t given—it’s earned through principle and practice.”

Maxwell outlines 21 timeless laws that separate good leaders from great ones. These laws are easy to understand but take time, consistency, and self-awareness to master.

Highlights:

• The Law of the Lid: Your leadership ability determines your level of effectiveness

• The Law of Influence: Leadership is not about titles, it's about impact

• The Law of Addition: Serve others to elevate your leadership

• Each law builds character, trust, and long-term effectiveness
   

Perfect for: New and seasoned leaders who want to level up their influence and legacy.

42. Start With Why – Simon Sinek

“People don’t buy what you do—they buy why you do it.”

Sinek reveals how the most inspiring leaders and brands begin with a clear purpose. This “why” drives loyalty, innovation, and deep trust.

Highlights:

• The Golden Circle: Why → How → What

• Clarity of purpose inspires both team and customers

• Companies and leaders who lead with “why” outlast competitors

• People follow belief, not just direction

Perfect for: Founders, managers, and creators building purpose-driven businesses or teams

43. Leaders Eat Last – Simon Sinek

“Great leaders make people feel safe, seen, and supported.”

Drawing from biology, military culture, and organizational psychology, Sinek shows how trust and empathy are the real drivers of effective leadership.

Highlights:

• Leadership is a responsibility, not a privilege

• Create environments where people feel secure and valued

• The best leaders sacrifice first and celebrate last

• Psychological safety fuels loyalty and innovation\

Perfect for: Leaders managing teams, culture-builders, or anyone shifting from authority to service-based leadership

Wrapping Up

Whether you’re chasing clarity, clients, or calm—these books offer a blueprint. Each one has the power to shift the way you think, work, and lead, but the real transformation comes when you apply what you read.

Don’t try to read them all at once. Pick one that resonates with where you are right now. Read it deeply. Reflect on it. Apply just one idea—and let it ripple through your life and business.

Which one are you reading next? Drop it in the comments or DM me—I’d love to hear your thoughts and how it’s changing things for you.