50 Best Blogs on Self-Improvement & Personal Development

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Tired of reading the same self-improvement blogs over and over? Looking for fresh articles to read? A new angle on your favorite personal development topics?

We’ve got you covered! Much of our knowledge of self-development came from reading these great writers and thinkers.

Unfortunately, there’s no way to rank these bloggers objectively, as each one speaks to different people in different ways. That being said, many of those at the top are there for good reason.

We ordered this list by each blog’s Twitter following, but this list isn’t for ranking – they’re all great! We’ve read all these blogs and are long-term subscribers to a few of them. We’ve bought some of their books and courses, too (Thanks Tim and Ramit!).

Page Contents

Self-Improvement Blogs

Self-improvement is simply the improvement of our knowledge, status, or character through our own efforts. When we strive for it, we improve ourselves on many different levels that contribute to making us better.

We are committing ourselves and investing our time into it. Self-improvement blogs can inspire us to lead more ambitious lives and motivate us to reach our goals and dreams.

Follow these excellent Self-Improvement Blogs for Your Daily Dose of Wisdom, Inspiration, and Step-by-Step Instructions for Mastery and Achievement.

1. Tim Ferriss – Fourhourworkweek.com

I’ve been a fan since I read the 4-Hour Workweek, and I now have his other books, 4-Hour Body and 4-Hour Chef. He thinks and sees the world differently, which shows in his writing on this self-improvement blog and his Twitter (@tferriss).

From Tim, I learned that having many options isn’t always better. Sometimes, it’s better to eliminate them altogether, so you don’t waste time on petty choices like what to eat for breakfast.

Favorite Posts:

2. Scott Dinsmore – Liveyourlegend.net

Live Your Legend is dedicated to helping people find work that excites them. It’s an active community of inspiring and action-oriented people helping each other find meaningful work.

Dinsmore also continuously travels the world to host local Live Your Legend meetups. So if you’re tired of the glass ceiling, this blog is for you.

Favorite Posts:

3. Danielle LaPorte – Daniellelaporte.com

Danielle LaPorte is the author of The Fire Starter Sessions and co-creator of Your Big Beautiful Book Plan.

Yes, the site is probably geared toward people who love inspirational quotes and soul-searching, but LaPorte’s website is much more than that. The posts are relatable, memorable and inspirational, but not to the point that it’s too cheesy for my liking.

Favorite Posts:

4. Ramit Sethi – Iwillteachyoutoberich.com

Ramit Sethi’s writing is very direct and practical. No woo-woo inspirational but vague advice! He’s not afraid to call people out on their BS; as a result, he has a cult following.

In email, he sounds like a scary guy (you’ll know what I mean if you’re subscribed to his newsletter), but he’s cool and approachable in person.

From Ramit, I learned that everything is negotiable.  I also learned how to test (and break) my assumptions, like, “Who will pay me this much if other freelancers charge half of that?”

Favorite Posts:

5. James Clear – Jamesclear.com

On the surface, it looks like a health and fitness blog, but once you read through it, you’ll realize that everything here is focused on physical and mental mastery.

If you’re always trying to exceed your limits, physically and mentally, this site is for you.

Favorite Posts:

6. Steven Handel – Theemotionmachine.com

Steven Handel is the man behind The Emotion Machine, an in-depth blog on psychology and self-improvement. The site’s tagline is “The psychology blog that’s better than your local therapist,” based on the posts I’ve read, I think he’s right. I definitely learned more from him than from my Psych 101 class.

Favorite Posts:

7. Jonathan Mead – Paidtoexist.com

Paid to Exist can help you with the day job you hate and find freedom in working on your own terms.  Mead has written tons of realistic and actionable content to help you quit your day job, grow, and build a business that can support your lifestyle.

Favorite Posts:

8. Joel Runyon – Impossiblehq.com

If you want to stretch your limits, go to Impossiblehq.com. Let Runyon show you how to shatter your limiting beliefs about diet, exercise and more.

Be prepared to work hard, though. Runyon’s method, especially Impossible Fitness, is not for sissies. If you’re scared, hesitant or have serious self-doubts, that’s okay because he’ll help you overcome that.

Favorite Posts:

9. Paula Pant – affordanything.com

Paula Pant created Afford Anything when she realized she could no longer trade time for money. She aspires to work on purpose-driven projects that stimulate people, especially those who consider themselves avid travelers.

Pant teaches tips and tricks for saving money and spending mindfully as you are motivated by wanderlust. She also has a free eBook that shows how you can break away from your office cubicle and find a happier life.

Favorite Posts:

10. Scott Young – Scotthyoung.com

I first heard of Scott because of his MIT challenge: take MIT’s 4-year Computer Science curriculum without taking any classes in one year. Sounds impossible, but he actually accomplished it.

Who knew it was possible to complete a challenging degree—or at least the equivalent of it—in 1 year?

His blog is a collection of his lessons, ramblings and experiments in different subjects, such as rapid learning, productivity, and the meaning of life.

Favorite Posts:

11. Brendan Baker – Startofhappiness.com

Brendan Baker’s Start of Happiness is full of strategies and tools for goal setting, entrepreneurship, career, and life improvement. Check out his post on scheduling the best year of your life to get a simple-to-use schedule template.

Favorite Posts:

12. Jennifer Gresham – Everydaybright.com

Gresham helps her readers design a fulfilling career by helping them figure out their priorities. Everyday Bright covers creative thinking, job hunting hacks, designing your own career, and defining personal success.

For me, it’s a collection of interesting stories, tidbits about careers, and the much coveted but elusive work-life balance.

Favorite post: How Do You Know If You’re Wasting Your Life?

13. Harleena Singh – Aha-now.com

Harleena writes inspiring content about family, self-improvement, relationships and health. She doesn’t like being labeled as a ‘personal development guru’ or a life coach but just a person with lessons and experiences to share.

Favorite Posts:

Personal Development Blogs

Personal development is a lifelong process. It is a way to assess our skills and qualities and see how we can use them to set goals and find personal success in life.

Personal development is when we look inward and focus on ways to better ourselves. These personal development blogs are a great place to start if you are on the hunt for some help and inspiration for your own journey.

If you still need a push after listening, don’t forget to check out our favorite books on personal development and keep the momentum going.

14. Lori Deschene – Tinybuddha.com

Lori Deschene is the author of Tiny Buddha’s Guide to Loving Yourself, co-founder of the Recreate Your Life Story eCourse, andcreator of Tiny Buddha, a site on simple wisdom, inspiration, relationships, and mindfulness. While many of the posts on this personal development blog are based on Buddhism’s teachings, it’s not exclusively about Buddhism—or religion, for that matter.

Favorite Post: 60 Life Lessons: Insights from Oprah’s Life Class

15. Leo Babauta – Zenhabits.net

Leo Babauta is a personal development blogger that writes about how to develop good habits and live a minimalist lifestyle. Zen Habits chronicles his journey in changing bad habits like smoking and adding better ones like waking early, plus the lessons he learned along the way.

Favorite Posts:

16. Penelope Trunk – Penelopetrunk.com

I found Penelope Trunk on Google while I was researching for an article. I forgot what it was about, but her article came up in the search results, and the headline stopped me in my tracks.

I was intrigued. What would you learn about time management by hating someone? Since then, I’ve loved her style of storytelling and candor in writing.

Trunk’s blog is full of stories and advice about life, work and starting a business.

Favorite Posts:

17. Chris Guilleabeu – Chrisguillebeau.com

Chris Guillebeau is a travel hacker. So what’s he doing here in a list of personal development bloggers? Aside from traveling the world using frequent flyer miles, he’s also the author of the unconventional guide series, which are awesome guides for traveling, publishing and getting rich.

Chris Guillebeau is a travel hacker. So what’s he doing here in a list of personal development bloggers? Aside from traveling the world using frequent flyer miles, he’s also the author of the  are awesome

From him, I learned how to dream dreams worth chasing. He also showed me how to conduct annual reviews without going crazy.

Favorite Posts:

18. Marie Forleo – Marieforleo.com

Marie Forleo is the host of Marie TV and author of Make Every Man Want You: How To Be So Irresistible You’ll Barely Keep from Dating Yourself.

Her website is full of sassy and actionable advice for anyone wanting to build a business, focus, and overcome their limiting beliefs. If you are in pursuit of personal excellence, then this is the best blog for you.

Favorite Posts:

19. John Romaniello – Romanfitnesssystems.com

Roman Fitness Systems is a fitness and lifestyle website, but they also have write-ups on personal development. The site is a good resource for people looking to improve their physical appearance, that is—to look thinner or put on some muscle.

Quick side note: Roman doesn’t like getting included in lists like this. But I’m including him here anyway because his site is a great resource for getting results in your diet and exercise, leading to a better life and ultimately helping you develop good habits.

Favorite Posts:

20. John Wesley & Erin Falconer – Pickthebrain.com

Pick the Brain has been around for a while now. Its coverage extends to many facets of personal development, but the general themes are productivity, motivation, self-improvement/education and health.

The site’s community writers are creative and often come up with a fresh angle on things, so although they talk about pretty much the same thing, the posts don’t read like the rehashed stuff littering the web.

Favorite Posts:

21. Tyler Tervooren – Riskology.co

What’s your risk appetite? Find out by taking Riskology’s quiz.

Tervooren’s blog offers life, career and adventure strategies with a focus on increasing your risk tolerance via science-backed methods.

Honestly, I was a bit skeptical when I first heard about this blog. Increasing my risk appetite? What is this a scammy investment? But no, Riskology’s content is great for people allergic to change or stuck in their comfort zone, as it teaches you to tame your brain (and improve your life) in tiny increments.

Favorite Posts:

22. Eric Barker – Bakadesuyo.com

The blog’s name translates to “I am an idiot” and also to “I am Barker” because Japanese people pronounce it as “Baka.”

Don’t let the name fool you. This site is anything but. My Getpocket account is filled with articles from Bakadesuyo!

I love his posts on productivity and goal setting, but he also writes cool stuff about negotiation and persuasion. Everything he writes is based on Science or at least a good book he has read.

Favorite Posts:

23. Jenny Blake – Lifeaftercollege.org

Blake writes about leadership, entrepreneurship and more. The site’s content is geared toward fresh graduates and millennials. It’s a great source of strategies for excelling in life outside academia. Her first blog, Life After College, was published in 2005. Since then, she has published it as a book with Running Press. She now does podcasts.

Favorite Post: What Are You Here to Do? How to Find a Path That Fits With Adrian Klaphaak

24. Luminita D. Saviuc – Purposefairy.com

Saviuc’s writing focuses on the hidden truths, the things we ignore yet hugely affect our lives. Read Purpose Fairy to learn more about human behavior from great thinkers like Einstein, Lao Tzu, Socrates and Victor Frankl, just a short list of Saviuc’s inspiration for her posts.

Favorite Posts:

25. Sean Ogle – Seanogle.com

It’s a great site for freelancers, travelers, and location independent entrepreneurs. Ogle initially put it up to keep himself accountable, but he now helps others accomplish their goals of being a ‘location rebel’—what he calls anyone who can work or earn a living from anywhere.

If traveling while working isn’t your thing, he also has posts about setting priorities, creating good habits, and building a business.

Favorite Posts:

26. Nisha Moodley – Nishamoodley.com

Moodley blogs about creating change for women leaders and entrepreneurs. She believes sisterhood (community) is essential to a woman’s freedom and creates communities of women supporting each other’s lives and businesses.

She also writes about doing more while having more fun, finding clarity and more.

Favorite Post: Does your lover validate your life?

27. Henrik Edberg – Positivityblog.com

Edberg is the first to admit that his blog is a work-in-progress, just like he is. So he makes no promises of being a one-stop shop for personal development.

Social skills, confidence and awareness, seem like the general theme here, but he also has some great content about reducing stress.

Favorite Posts:

28. Tim Brownson – adaringadventure.com

Tim Brownson is a life coach and NLP practitioner specializing in helping people get unstuck. Unlike other coaches and personal development bloggers, he doesn’t believe in molly-cuddling. He swears quite a bit in his posts and comments; it might be his brand of tough love.

His free e-books, 70 Brain Facts and Don’t Ask Stupid Questions, are entertaining and informative.

Favorite Posts:

29. Charlie Hoehn – Charliehoehn.com

I first heard about Charlie Hoehn when I read his post on being a workaholic on Tim Ferriss’ blog. I eventually got his book, Play It Away, which helped me deal with my panic attacks and burnout.

Then I got his course, Recession Proof Graduate, which teaches you how (and why) to work for free and then, later on, accelerate your career— and salary—even if you don’t have experience.

Favorite Posts:

30. Tynan – Tynan.com

Tynan is an adventurer, traveler, founder of the blogging platform Sett.com and a former pickup artist.

Don’t let the pickup artist title fool you. His blog has several thought-provoking posts on minimalism, lifestyle, and habits.

Favorite Post: When to be Stubborn

31. Scott Britton – Life-longlearner.com

Scott writes about business development, self-development, life hacks, fitness and psychology. He’s a great example of the 4-hour Workweek lifestyle and a true life hacker with a sense of adventure. But prior to all his amazing accomplishments, he was rejected for a job on Wall Street and worked as a towel boy for New York Jets.

His life is an inspiring comeback story, and the blog serves as a guidebook for achieving something awesome despite major setbacks in life.

Favorite Posts:

32. Douglas Eby – Talentdevelop.com

When I first visited this site, I was a bit overwhelmed by the categories on the menu. What in the world is high sensitivity anyway?

Once I got past that, I saw Talent Develop as a goldmine of well-researched articles—some short, some long—about different areas of human potential (talent and creativity).

Eby says the site started as a project and personal research to understand his own challenges, like his self-critical nature, questions about creative expression—and its accompanying ‘dark moods.’

Favorite Posts:

33. Amit Amin – Happierhuman.com

Don’t let the site’s name fool you. The posts here are, on average, 3 times longer than your average blog post. And for good reason!

Amin’s posts are very detailed, backed with links to studies and research, not just empty claims.

Happier Human is for people who really want to understand happiness, the process, geeky details and all the nuances in between. But he does a good job explaining things in layman’s terms, so you won’t get bored reading.

Most of the posts are about positive psychology, but you’ll also find in-depth guides about stress and human behavior.

Favorite Posts:

34. Stephen Guise – Deepexistence.com

Guise writes about minimalism, maintaining focus, and the importance of small steps to building habits.

If you’re looking for inspiration or motivation to do your job, this site isn’t for you. Guise says it himself; Deep Existence is about “12% inspiration and 88% logic,” so you’re better off picking another site from this list.

Like me, Guise believes inspiration isn’t enough to change your life. Only logic, practical steps you can follow, will. And that, in turn, will motivate you to keep going.

Favorite Posts:

35. Eduard Ezeanu – Peopleskillsdecoded.com

Ezeanu is a social and confidence coach with a background in Psychology. His blog doesn’t look much, but I appreciate the simple and logical explanations he provides in each post.

Honestly, I just found this blog a few months ago. But being the introvert I am, I’ve been reading it frequently, hoping to lessen the awkwardness I feel when talking to people.

Favorite Posts:

36. Steve Pavlina – stevepavlina.com

Steve Pavlina has a personal development blog that answers questions many of us may have, such as what patterns help us grow faster and what patterns cause us to slow down. His book, Personal Development for Smart People, also touches on this and states that the more intelligent we become, the faster we grow, and vice versa.

On his site, you will find many personal development blogs that teach you how to shift focus, eliminate distractions, and how to upgrade your life.

Favorite Posts:

37. Joel Brown Iamjoelbrown.com

Joel Brown is a mentor and life coach who offers inspiration and motivation to achieve great success in our lives. He is the founder of Addicted2Success; a podcast considered the number one source for self improvement, personal development, and motivation. You will find interviews with other influential bloggers on the motivation grid on his podcast, including Tim Ferriss.

Favorite Posts:

38. Seth Godin Seths.Blog

Some have referred to Seth Godin as the Michael Jordan of Marketing. He has decades of wisdom under his belt and uses his blogs to provide roadmaps to success. He writes blogs on various aspects of life and also offers digital resources one can use, such as interviews and motivational speeches.

He also offers elements for personal growth that apply whether you are in a leadership role in the business world.

Favorite Posts:

39. Lisa Brookes Kift loveandlifetoolbox.com

Lisa Brookes Kift believes that one’s sense of self and the quality of their relationships are influenced by earlier experiences. If you have blocks in your life that you don’t seek to understand, it can block your happiness overall.

She created Love and Life Toolbox as a way to offer support to people who may be struggling with their personal relationships. She also places emphasis on self-love as well and promotes well-being as a vital component of happiness.

Favorite Posts:

40. Dean Bokhari – DeanBokhari.com

Dean Bokhari writes about personal development, meaningful work, motivation, and mastery. He has articles, podcasts, and recently published works on these subjects. He is also a speaker, entrepreneur, writer, and television and podcast host. He offers self-improvement classes and is known as one of the world’s top trainers and motivational speakers.

Favorite Posts:

Self-Care Blogs

Self care has been proven to have the power to reduce or even eliminate anxiety and depression. It can reduce stress, improve concentration, and minimize any anger or frustration we may be feeling and experiencing.

These self care blogs further highlight the importance of self care and offer tips and suggestions on how to work on yourself so you are happier, have higher self-esteem, and learn to love yourself more.

41. Joshua Becker – Becomingminimalist.com

Becker’s site is about living a simple yet rewarding life. He emphasizes the importance of focusing on ‘more important pursuits’ and throwing away the stuff that clutters your life.

You’ll probably like this site if you believe in less is more. But it’s not just for organization freaks. Dig around and find great articles on success, parenting, work, finances, and more.

Favorite Posts:

42. Mark Manson  Markmanson.net

Manson writes unconventional life advice, the kind you won’t like reading if you’re used to getting things easy or if you’re a fan of The Secret.

His blog is a realistic self-help site based on psychology and evidence through experience. Topics covered include life choices, culture, relationships and self-improvement.

Favorite Posts:

43. Tina Su – Thinksimplenow.com

Think Simple Now is a collection of real-life stories from different people.  Whatever you’re going through, you’re not alone—that’s their message.

With over a thousand stories from people all over the world, chances are you’ll find someone who went through the same troubles you’re currently experiencing. You can read their stories to learn from their experience or just find solace in knowing that others have walked the same path as you.

Favorite Post: How to Quiet Your Mind

44. Brett McKay – Artofmanliness.com

Okay, this site might be focused on men, but the ladies might find it useful, too. If not that, at least it gives us an interesting perspective of how guys think.

Man or not, The Art of Manliness will show you there’s more to being a man than having a car and a gorgeous six-pack. Like McKay says, it’s a blog about ‘growing up well.’

They have posts about confidence (swagger), old-school manly skills, grooming or fashion, career, and relationships.

Favorite Posts:

45. Simona Rich – Simonarich.com

Simona knows what it’s like to work in a toxic job— toxic not because of the management or environment but the job description itself. The site is full of good articles on traveling solo, failure, meditation, yoga and clarity.

Favorite Post: What Being Present Means and What It Does to You

46. Dan Pardi – Dan’s Plan

Dan’s Plan provides tips about food, movement, and sleep—what Pardi considers as the basics of a healthy lifestyle.

Favorite Post: Vitamin D Revisited

The website itself is a tracking service helping you monitor your food intake, sleep, exercise, weight and more. They also hold group contests and allow you to connect different fitness trackers.

47. Catherine – theblissfulmind.com

Catherine created The Blissful Mind as a way to help those feeling overwhelmed or burnt out. She offers a guide on finding calmness in each day while learning effective ways of preventing burnout, so you experience less stress. Catherine is a mindset coach and uses her blog to show you how to take action in your own life.

Favorite Posts:

48. Sarah A. Gibson – selfcarepursuit.com

Sarah A Gibson creates Self Care Pursuit for those tired of habits that don’t lead them to accomplish their life goals. Her blog teaches us to make ourselves the priority in life. Sarah’s goal is to help you find balance in your life by offering valuable resources that can help you do just that.

Favorite Posts:

49. Summer – The Sunshine Suitcase

Summer is a lifestyle blogger who specializes in self care and personal growth. She is also a mental health advocate living out her dreams in Hawaii. Along with self care, she is also passionate about mental wellness and mental health topics.

With her self help blog, The Sunshine Suitcase, she wants to inspire others to live a life they don’t want to have to take a vacation from, one free from negative thoughts and with better care.

Favorite Posts:

50. Mary England – Uncustomary.org

Mary England created Uncustomary, a self care blog inspiring self love through merriment and creativity. She wants to remind everyone what is already available in their life. She teaches a technique known as Merriment Making. It is a way of self love that teaches us to confront our fears, embody joy, and return our awareness back to the world.

Favorite Posts:

How To Use This List

Whew! That was a lot! Okay, now you might be thinking, “What now? So many choices… Where do I start?”

Whatever you do, don’t try to read them all in one go. Go back and scan the list, then pick 2-3 blogs that caught your attention. Or you can choose which blogs will help with your life goals this year.

After that, choose all the blogs that you might read, or be interested in reading this year, then follow them on Twitter. That way, you’ll get updates from them and won’t forget to check their site.

When your priorities change, or if you’re looking for something new to read, go back to this list.

Did We Miss Someone?

Do you know someone who should be on this list? Let us know in the comments. We’re always on the lookout for new blogs to read. We hope you find a few that encourage you too.

Photo of author

Quincy Seale

Quincy is KIM's editor, and has collected and shared inspiring quotes and stories since 2005. Quincy holds an MBA from the University of Dundee and an MSc from the University of Edinburgh, and lives in San Antonio with his wife Natalie, son Alex, and his dog Oban.

14 thoughts on “50 Best Blogs on Self-Improvement & Personal Development”

  1. Great list of exceptional people. We all have favourites and one of mine is the Purpose Fairy. it is such an “out there” name for a bold and beautiful person. And. Aha-now. I will definitely be looking at this list in more detail. cheers

    Reply
  2. Wow, amazing list of amazing people. For sure there are more of them but still, this list is great. Thanks for your awesome job. I’m going to save it and check all of them.

    Reply
  3. Thanks for this great list of personal development bloggers. I already enjoy many of them and I will enjoy checking out the ones that are new to me. There is always room to grow:)

    Reply
  4. Amazing!
    I love Tim Ferris and thanks to him I decide to go on and make an important change in my life, thanks this article too 😀

    Reply
  5. Thanx for providing a long list of personal development bloggers. I am surprised to get to know about the bloggers I haven’t heard of before. Quite hard to choose from which one should I start.

    Reply
  6. Thank you so much for the great introduction of the authors. It is truly helpful to get to know the person behind the wonderful thoughts. The blogs are excellent and motivating. Thank you for sharing the amazing list.

    Reply
  7. This is quite the comprehensive list! So fantastic to find so many wonderfully inspiring sites in one place 🙂 Thanks so much for putting this together!

    Reply
  8. Thank you for this great list!

    I made it an exercise to look up great blogs like these. There are many other lists, but the one thing that stands out on this one is that you’ve taken it a step further and actually made up a summary of each one! It takes out the guessing work from the reader having to click on each individual link to find out!

    Reply
  9. Excellent list! Some of these people I haven’t heard of before, but after digging into their sites a bit… I wish I had found out about them sooner. Thanks for pulling together this list of so many personal development rock stars!

    Reply
  10. I am new to the blogosphere. My gift is offering inspiration to help people SLICE UP and SLICE through barriers that keep them from moving forward in God’s plan for their lives. This has always been my calling and the blog is helping me reach people in ways that were not available many years ago. I am so glad I found your list. I am so anxious to follow other bloggers. I hope you take a minute to view my very first blog.

    Reply
  11. Thanks for providing a wonderful list of personal development bloggers. I really love reading self-improvement topics. I must appreciate your efforts in putting down top 50 bloggers. You have made easy for me to visit all these wonderful sites.

    I got the opportunity to write a guest post for Harleena Mam. She is very supportive and mesmerizes with her insightful comments. I have learned lot from her because it was first guest post on her site. I can’t express the true feeling in simple words.

    I have bookmarked this page for my future reference. Thanks again for taking out time to come up with such a lovely post.

    Reply
  12. This is a wonderful list indeed!

    Thanks for including me among these great personal development bloggers, I’m indeed honored. 🙂

    I agree that it’s difficult to rank these bloggers as each one of them is important and special in his or her ways.

    So, congratulations to everyone who made it to this special list. I’ll definitely be visiting and connecting with them.

    Thanks again and have a great life ahead! 🙂

    Reply

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