Thinking positively in order to become more successful? It may sound like little more than wishful advice to some, but recent advances in psychology have shown real-world benefits to seeing the glass half full. Below you’ll find our top audiobooks for understanding and benefiting from a more positive mindset at home and at work.
If you feel thinking positively is harder than it sounds, that’s because it is. Our brains are hardwired to find problems. On a quest to change the way we think is Loretta Graziano Breuning, the founder of the Inner Mammal Institute (a consulting agency that helps people rule their mammalian brain
). Learn to recircuit your cynical thoughts with help from the author’s six-week process for just a few minutes each day.
In this recently revised edition of Mindset, psychologist Carol Dweck explains how a positive outlook can help you get ahead. Drawing on decades of research in everything from careers to sports to the arts, Dweck unpacks why those of us who believe in our ability to grow are more likely to achieve our goals.
Positive thinking is contagious—including at work. Renowned business consulting agency The Arbinger Institute explores the application of positive thinking on workplace success in this research-backed guide to shaping team thinking. When applied, an outward mindset can help spark innovation and increase trust in teams and in individuals.
Harvard lecturer and TED Talk speaker Shawn Achor spent more than a decade studying and lecturing on the benefits of positive thinking. In The Happiness Advantage, he unpacks the tangible benefits of a rosy outlook—especially on our careers. Your listening investment in this modern psychology classic is certain to pay off.
Ready to kick your negativity habit but aren’t sure where to start? Try neuroscientist Dr. Caroline Leaf’s five-step process for positive thinking. Supported by clinical research and case studies, Dr. Leaf’s Neurocycle
targets the root of anxiety and depression to help lead you to a happier you.
Shonda Rhimes undergoes a life-changing transformation when she takes on an experiment to say yes to each new opportunity that comes her way. Part memoir, part motivational self-help book, Rhimes’s candid account of her journey is sure to inspire even the most nihilistic among us.
While circumstances have a lot to do with our happiness, the way we approach challenges and uncertainty can make a massive impact on our health and longevity. According to Dr. Catherine A. Sanderson, those of us who have a happier mindset tend to live an impressive 7.5 years longer, on average, than those of us who don’t. The good news? Dr. Sanderson has some simple steps for challenging negative thinking.
For proof that positive thinking can be a boon in even the most devastating of circumstances, consider Holocaust survivor, best-selling author, and psychologist Viktor E. Frankl. In this uplifting series of lectures first given in Vienna in 1946, Frankl offers a hopeful message for even the darkest of times. This unique English translation will resonate with those of us who have endured hardships and persevered in spite of adversity.
On a lighter note, this adorable title will help clear your head and focus your energy in the present moment. A Walk in the Woods is perfect for those busy days when you just need a bit of an escape. Plus, who can’t relate to Winnie-the-Pooh? Even the most lovable honey-eating bear needs a pick-me-up from time to time.
Need more feel-good? When Nancy Davis Kho turned 50, she set out to thank everyone who had made a meaningful contribution to her life. What she received was mind-altering gratitude—one of the key ingredients to happiness. In this thoughtful memoir, Davis Kho reflects on our ability to influence one another and spread joy through the smallest of actions.
