The best 100 Emotional Intelligence books

Emotions Revealed (2003) puts emotions under the microscope, revealing where they come from and how to recognize them, whether they’re yours or someone else’s. If you’ve ever wanted to know if someone was being dishonest or trying to deceive you with a friendly smile, these are the blinks for you!

Anger Management for Dummies (2015) is a guide to dealing with your inner irascibility. These blinks will give you the tools you need to understand and – more importantly – master your anger. You’ll learn methods for dissolving stress, dealing with provocations and even stopping temper tantrums in their tracks.

Unmasking the Face (2003) is an illuminating read about the subtleties of facial expressions. From the dynamics of surprise, fear, anger and happiness, to the eight styles of facial expression, these blinks shed light onto the complexity of an everyday skill that deserves more attention: reading other people’s emotions.

The Yes Brain (2018) is a hands-on guide to teaching yourself and your kids to approach the world with openness, creativity and boundless curiosity. Packed full of useful tips, examples and ideas, this book shows parents how to model and cultivate the traits that let you say “yes” to the world: balance, resilience, insight and empathy. And that doesn’t just give children better self-control and awareness; it also puts them on the path to meaningful and successful lives.

No Hard Feelings (2018) is a guide to understanding, expressing and managing your emotions in the context of your working life. All too often, we buy into the idea that emotions don’t belong in the workplace. But the reality is that your work life is full of emotion. From feeling frustrated with irritating colleagues to the misery of being unmotivated, these blinks are a practical guide to help you navigate how you feel about work.

Permission to Feel (2019) reveals that our emotions play a vital role in our cognitive processes, physical health, and relationships – but most of us don’t know how to identify exactly what we’re feeling, and why. Luckily, all of us can learn to be more emotionally intelligent by practicing emotion skills. This trains us to identify what we’re feeling, understand where the emotion is coming from, and manage our triggers. By giving ourselves permission to truly experience all of our emotions, we can greatly reduce stress and increase our well-being.

Parenting Outside the Lines (2020) is an essential guide to forgetting everything you’ve ever learned about parenting – and following your intuition instead. As parents, we’re insecure and desperate to get it right. So we keep searching for the perfect book or workshop that will tell us how to raise our children. But, truthfully, there is no perfect method. The only thing we can do is learn how to tune into ourselves and our children, and respond to specific situations with flexibility and grace.

Connect (2021) lays the groundwork for exceptional relationships. Drawing on social science research and the authors’ personal experience, it shares core behaviors and actionable advice to cultivate meaningful connections – leading to personal fulfillment and professional success.

The School of Life (2019) provides a set of philosophical, yet practical, lessons on emotional intelligence, compiled from the real-life institution of the same name. Offering insights on relationships, work, and life itself, it gives us the wisdom we need to understand ourselves and others just a little bit better.

Flawsome (2020) is a guide to becoming the best version of yourself by accepting your not-so-perfect parts. Many of us look for ways to hide our flaws, but the key to really growing into ourselves is embracing these flaws, understanding where they stem from, and learning from them.

Beyond Order (2021) is a prescription for how to navigate the complexities of modern life. While Peterson’s previous work warned of the danger of excessive chaos, this new guide to living details the perils of too much rigid order.

The Greatest Secret (2020) is a sequel to the worldwide best seller and self-help phenomenon The Secret, which inspired millions to better their lives by using the laws of attraction. In this installment, we learn an even greater secret: who we really are, and how we can use that knowledge to achieve everlasting happiness.

Deeper Dating (2014) is a roadmap to intimacy and loving relationships. It breaks down how looking inward can help us identify the kinds of people we’ll connect with most deeply, and shares tools for finding these people and fostering relationships that will inspire and fulfill us.

Fault Lines (2020) examines a common problem that no one talks about: family estrangements. Over a quarter of Americans experience being cut off from friends and family during their lifetimes, which has devastating psychological impacts. Fault Lines explores the common causes of estrangement and gives surprising and insightful advice on how to work towards reconciliation.

The Art of Living (2017) offers wisdom on how to fully experience every moment of every day. Many of us are consumed with fears or busyness that prevent us from engaging with the wonder of life. But by expanding our understanding of existence and embracing mindfulness practices, we can overcome the obstacles that stop us from truly living.

The Connected Child (2007) is an insightful guide for parents of adopted and foster children. Children from deprived or abusive backgrounds have unique needs. By taking a multipronged approach including behavioral interventions, good diet and exercise, and lots of nurturing, parents can play a vital role in helping their children heal. 

Wiser (2020) combines a scientific approach to wisdom with practical tips on how to grow wiser today. Drawing on decades of research and cutting-edge studies, it pairs explanation and advice in its investigation of compassion, aging, decision-making, and more.

The High-Conflict Couple (2007) is a guide to overcoming the common relationship pitfalls that lead to conflict and animosity. Drawing upon years of psychology research and therapy experience, Alan E. Fruzzetti explains where conflict comes from and how it can be reduced.

Fear Less (2021) highlights the countless ways that fear infiltrates our lives, negatively impacting our work, relationships, and personal satisfaction. We may not even realize that we’re afraid, but identifying our underlying anxieties and insecurities is the first step to leading a more fulfilling, fearless life.

Sales EQ (2017) explores how sales professionals can leverage the power of human emotion to boost their performance. It outlines the feelings that potential buyers experience and explains how sellers can learn to keep their own emotions in check during the sales process. 

The Power to Change (2020) examines how to cope with change, navigate change, and make change happen. Full of insights and practical tips, its lessons are equally applicable to change in your personal and professional lives.

Shift Into a Higher Gear (2021) uses the metaphor of a motorcycle to deliver some inspiring lessons on pursuing your dreams, achieving self-growth, and living your life to the fullest. Drawing from the author’s years of motorcycling experience, its teachings are equally applicable to your personal and professional lives. 

Atlas of the Heart (2021) is a guide to understanding your emotions and learning how to regulate them. Everyone experiences strong emotions, but most people can’t identify what it is they’re feeling, or work out where the feelings come from. Developing your emotional vocabulary will transform your relationship to yourself, and the people around you.

Twelve and a Half (2021) is a frank, straight-talking guide to the twelve emotional skills that will bring you success in business and in life. Combining anecdotes from the author’s experience as well as typical business scenarios, it shows how, in the grand scheme of things, “soft” skills can actually be more important than the oft-prioritized “hard” skills. With a strong foundation in emotional intelligence, executives, founders, and entrepreneurs can navigate even the most difficult of situations with poise and confidence.

The Enneagram at Work (2021) reveals how applying the Enneagram – an emotional intelligence metric – can elevate leadership in the modern workplace. It explores the different Enneagram types and shows how tapping into self-awareness can make teams stronger and spark innovative solutions. From managing conflict and building mentorships to giving and receiving criticism, it provides the tools to foster personal growth and long-lasting success in the office.

The Loudest Guest (2020) is a six-step guide to controlling your fear and taking back control of your life. It offers practical advice on how to recognize your fear, evaluate how it affects you, and choose when and how you listen to it. Fear may be at the party, but he doesn’t have to be your loudest guest.

Wellbeing at Work (2021) explores how the different spheres of our lives contribute to our overall sense of well-being. It also outlines how leaders can positively impact their employees’ well-being, and sheds light on the link between employee well-being and organizational success. 

Wired for Love (2012) is a guide to maintaining closeness and emotional security within romantic partnerships. It uses research from neurobiology and psychology to show why long-term couples come into conflict, and it offers practical tips on how to use knowledge about brain functions to promote peace and mutual security in your relationship.

Switch Craft: The Hidden Power of Mental Agility (2022) introduces the concept of switch craft – the art of being able to change and adapt in this fast-paced world. Drawing on scientific research and real life experience, switch craft uses the four pillars of mental agility, self-awareness, emotional awareness, and situational awareness, to give us the flexibility and understanding to thrive in any situation.

How to Meet Your Self (2022) is a practical guide to self-discovery. These simple exercises can help you to become more conscious, and more in touch with your own body and emotions, ultimately allowing you to discover your true self.

Smarter Tomorrow (2021) shows you how to upgrade your brain using a technique called neurohacking. You’ll learn how to improve your memory, creativity, emotional regulation, and what’s known as “executive functioning” through self-testing and experimentation – all backed up with insights from neuroscience.

The Cactus and Snowflake at Work (2021) offers a brand-new take on workplace relationships. It suggests that everyone falls into one of two personality types, the Cactus or the Snowflake, and that our types drive the way we think, feel, act, and collaborate. Learning your type – and how to deal with other types – can set you up for professional success.

The Power of Regret (2022) is a rebuttal of the “no regrets” worldview. Drawing from human psychology, it shares actionable steps for transforming emotion into action and using past disappointments to shape purposeful futures. 

Raising Good Humans (2019) is a mindful parenting guide that teaches you how to stop yelling and get grounded. It features healthy practices that can help you break generational cycles and be a better parent.

Big Feelings (2022) is a guide to coping with some of the toughest emotions we ever face, from anger to despair. By acknowledging and facing up to these emotions, it’s possible to work through them.

Humor, Seriously (2021) explores the value of a human-centered approach to business, and of the funny that can be found and created in any environment. It relies on science, psychology, and humorous anecdotes from experts in the field to show how using humor can create a culture of levity, build trust, and unlock creativity.

The 6 Phase Meditation Method (2022) is a ground-breaking transformational guide divided into six distinct phases. In as little as 20 minutes, you can reclaim your life and reap the many practical benefits of meditation.

Emotional (2022) explores a long-misunderstood part of the human psyche: emotions. It shows how neuroscience is shedding light on the role and importance of our emotions – and gives tips on how to control our emotions to lead better lives. 

Surrounded By Narcissists (2022) is a guide to recognizing narcissists and understanding how they operate. Erikson suggests simple, effective methods for dealing with any narcissists you know, whether it’s your partner, a relative, someone you work with, or possibly all three – you may be surrounded.

Stop Overthinking (2021) is an indispensable guide to breaking free from the negative thought patterns holding you back. Learn how to recognize your negative spiral triggers, overcome anxiety attacks, and declutter your mind to live a stress-free life.

Jerks at Work (2022) provides a handbook for how to deal with difficult people at work. Identifying seven types of jerks, it informs you about what kind of behaviors to look out for and how to deal with them in a pragmatic, positive way.

Master Your Emotions (2018) offers tips on understanding your emotions and controlling them. Instead of letting your negative emotions control your life, this guide encourages you to build positive instead of negative emotions and take back control of your life.

101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think (2016) is an antidote to anxiety, but not in the way you think. Instead of mounting roadblocks against your darkest feelings, it encourages you to use them as agents of personal growth. Managing your thoughts will lead you toward the daily habits that will bring you fulfillment.

The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook (2019) offers basic and advanced exercises to help people hone the four core emotional competencies. While it can be used alone, it’s also an excellent companion for anyone working with a therapist. 

Good Inside (2022) offers hope to parents who feel helpless when it comes to managing conflict in their homes. More than parenting, it’s about loving yourself and extending that love to your children. Dr. Becky rejects traditional reward and punishment strategies, instead encouraging parents to seek understanding with their children while still maintaining healthy boundaries.

How Am I Doing? (2022) helps you dive deep into your thoughts and find yourself. It features 40 introspective questions designed to prompt you to mend yourself and discover the path to the person you want to become.

Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents (2015) exposes the negative impacts that many adults face as the result of growing up with distant, rejecting, or self-involved parents. From demystifying the behavior of emotionally immature caregivers to providing practical tools for personal growth, it’s a step-by-step guide to healing old wounds and embracing a more positive future.

Platonic (2022) is an actionable guide to making and keeping friends as an adult. It combines true stories of friendship with psychological research to give you clear, actionable, and practical advice on building better friendships. 

A Year of Self-Care (2021) encourages you to jumpstart your investment in yourself, and begin integrating daily rituals of self-love and care into your life.

The Happiness Trap (2007) is a self-help guide to pursuing a richer and more rewarding life instead of fleeting feelings of happiness. It outlines the six core principles of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy that can help you tackle unpleasant thoughts and feelings and build a fulfilling life.

Be the Love (2022) offers valuable insights on how to overcome the hardships of everyday life. It provides helpful tools and a mindset to thrive and become more resilient in the face of daily challenges. 

Mindreader (2022) explains how to read and understand people. Written by an FBI instructor and lie-detection expert, it delves deep into how to understand situational subtext, interpret language, and determine whether a person is being honest.

Do Hard Things (2022) explodes mythologies around the popular conception of toughness. It shows how traditional markers of toughness, like putting on a brave face and pushing past pain, can actually hinder physical and mental performance outcomes in the long term. Instead, real resilience comes from listening to your body and embracing your emotions.

Reinventing Your Life (1994) is a manual on how to pull yourself out of negative habits and improve your life. By identifying key stumbling blocks to growth – or “lifetraps” – and presenting ways to overcome them, it guides you toward sustainable personal growth and happiness.

8 Secrets to Powerful Manifesting (2022) offers an eight-step approach to increasing your self-awareness, raising your energetic vibration, and bringing about your heart’s truest desires. 

Self-Love Workbook for Women (2020) maps your journey towards creating a life-altering relationship with yourself. Whether your self-love foundation is shaky or firm, this book will help you develop skills to heal and self-nourish, through using awareness and mindfulness practices.

How We Heal (2022) provides a detailed look at the complex and life-changing process of self-healing. Techniques are separated into a 4-step framework which provides encouragement, practical strategies, and journaling exercises to help you rediscover your inner power and cultivate a sense of inner peace.

Awe (2023) is a deep dive into this elusive emotion. Drawing on new research, it shows how awe can improve your mood, well-being, cognitive abilities, and relationships with others. 

The Power of the Pussy (2014) shares the twelve secret “powers” that women can use to transform their lives by changing the ways they perceive men and dating. Through straight-forward advice and positive encouragement, author Kara King gives readers tools to break the cycle of bad relationships and create the life they want with the man of their dreams.

The Emotional Lives of Teenagers (2023) is a best-selling guide to navigating the highs and lows of parenting your child through adolescence. It dispenses honest, practical, research-informed advice aimed at helping parents understand, support, and connect with their teens in a way that honors the huge transition they’re experiencing.

The Procrastination Cure is a practical and motivational guide to overcoming procrastination. It offers strategies and personal insights to diagnose and address the root causes of this behavior, enabling readers to balance productivity and relaxation without guilt.

Coaching for Performance (2009) is the foundational text which launched the multimillion-dollar business coaching industry. The 25th anniversary edition brings new life to the hallmark GROW model, and revisits the methods after a quarter-century of learning in performance coaching. It’s essential for leaders and coaches globally.

Fool Proof (2023) explores how the universal human fear of being a sucker contributes to the social order and drives our actions and behaviors. By explaining how the “sucker’s game” permeates so many aspects of our lives, it shows us how we can recognize our fears and keep them from influencing our values and beliefs.

You Are the One You’ve Been Waiting For (2008) lays out the secret for finding happiness and intimacy in modern romantic relationships. Using the established Internal Family Systems (IFS) model, it shows that true contentment and compassion come from understanding and trusting the Self – your compassionate center of peace and clarity. By adjusting your perspective and completing some practical exercises, your relationship can start to flourish like it never has before.

The Law of Attraction (2006) shows how you can use a fundamental law of the universe – the law of attraction – to manifest the life you always wanted. It explains what laws govern the world around us and how, once we understand them, we can use them to our own advantage.

Primal Leadership (2013) argues that the fundamental task of any great leader is to engage the emotions of their followers and guide them in a positive direction. Offering up an emotionally intelligent, resonant style of leadership, it delves into the skills and qualities needed to become a better leader and bring out the best in your team.

DBT Made Simple (2023) is your passport to navigating the complex terrain of emotional well-being. Unraveling the practical strategies of dialectical behavior therapy, it empowers you to turn life’s challenges into catalysts for personal growth and resilience.

Peace Is Every Step (1990) offers profound and practical teachings on mindfulness in everyday life. It emphasizes the importance of being present in each moment, transforming negative emotions, cultivating awareness, and fostering compassion and understanding.

That Little Voice in Your Head (2022) is a guide to understanding and optimizing your brain so you can live a happier life, using concepts from computer science and neuroscience to map the mind as an operating system. It includes many simple exercises to help you take control of your brain, thoughts, and emotions to reshape your own experience and positively affect the lives of others.

The Worry Trick (2016) is a no-nonsense guide to dealing with worry and anxiety. Drawing from acceptance and commitment therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy, it breaks down where worry comes from and offers concrete steps on how to face and ultimately overcome it.  

Read People Like a Book (2020) unravels the complex tapestry of human behavior, guiding readers to decipher verbal and non-verbal signals broadcast by people 24/7. Marrying scholarly wisdom to sly real-world tales, the book presents the art and science of people-reading with both flair and finesse. Dive in, and soon you'll be navigating human interactions like a seasoned anthropologist.

Feeling is the Secret (1944) uncovers the profound connection between consciousness and reality. It offers a method to harness your thoughts and emotions, helping you redefine your understanding of your own existence – and reshape your life.

The Mental Toughness Handbook (2020) offers a step-by-step guide with proven strategies and time-tested wisdom for overcoming adversity and obstacles in life by developing mental discipline and resilience.

The Borderline Personality Disorder Workbook (2019) is a practical guide to taking control of your BPD. Through expert advice and actionable exercises, this empathetic resource illuminates a path beyond unhealthy beliefs and destructive behaviors. With these proven techniques, anyone with BPD can begin to improve their emotional patterns and rebuild healthy relationships.

The Highly Sensitive Person’s Guide to Dealing with Toxic People (2020) sheds light on why empathetic individuals tend to attract those with toxic personalities and harmful behaviors. It provides a practical guide to recognizing, mitigating, and recovering from the manipulative tactics of toxic people.  

Emotional Intelligence Habits (2023) is a comprehensive guide to cultivating the emotional intelligence (EQ) skills essential to both personal and professional success. It covers 35 habits that underpin the highest EQ scores and offers practical exercises to get you on your way today. 

Getting Past Your Past (2012) offers practical eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) techniques that can help you understand how personalities develop and overcome barriers. It explains why you can become trapped in unhelpful thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and provides exercises to help you take charge of your life, improve your relationships, and effect real change.

The Practice of Adaptive Leadership (2009) demonstrates how leaders can mobilize people to tackle tough challenges and thrive in the face of harsh realities that demand new skills and responses. It provides a practical framework for diagnosing situations, distinguishing between technical problems and adaptive challenges, and avoiding common leadership pitfalls that come with over-dependence on authority.

The Conquest of Happiness (1930) explores the pursuit of human happiness. It dissects common obstacles to happiness, such as competition and fatigue, as well as the various factors that contribute to it. Equal parts philosophical and practical, you’ll come away with a deepened understanding of, and preparedness for, a fulfilling life. 

The Mind of the Leader (2018) explores how leaders can cultivate critical inner capacities like mindfulness, selflessness, and compassion to become more effective guides. Supported by research conducted by The Potential Project, it draws on psychology, neuroscience, and case studies of global organizations to provide science-based tools for strengthening these core leadership skills. 

It's On Me (2023) unpacks the experience of “self-loss.” It provides a revelatory process of self-reflection and acceptance to help you stop sleepwalking through life – and step into a vibrant, authentic, and purposeful you.

The Status Game (2019) explores the unspoken social hierarchies and competitions for status that drive much of human behavior. Examining the hidden rules of the status game provides insight into the psychological dynamics behind people’s everyday choices and interactions, clearing a path for the ethical player to maintain their locus while thriving in a chaotic world.

The Polyvagal Theory (2011) introduces a groundbreaking understanding of the autonomic nervous system, emphasizing its role in social behavior, emotional regulation, and mental health. The theory posits the existence of three neural circuits within the autonomic nervous system, each of which plays a crucial role in shaping our psychological and physiological responses. Through this lens, it explores the neurobiological foundations of emotions, social connections, and health – offering new insights and implications for therapy, research, and interpersonal relationships.

Complex Borderline Personality Disorder (2022) unravels the layers of a multifaceted mental health condition. It guides you through understanding the intertwining of intense emotions, behavioral challenges, and co-occurring mental health issues, offering insights for those directly affected or supporting loved ones. This exploration empowers you with strategies for effective management, fostering resilience, healthier relationships, and personal growth.

Tiny Humans, Big Emotions (2023) helps caregivers navigate and manage children's emotional outbursts, such as tantrums and meltdowns. It offers strategies to raise emotionally intelligent children by teaching them how to handle complex feelings like anger, sadness, and anxiety, emphasizing the importance of fostering emotional resilience and well-being in children through a research-based approach that strengthens the parent-child relationship.

The Art of Positive Thinking (2023) is a guide to positivity as a practice. Through regular, simple exercises, we can all learn to change our mindsets, and improve the quality of our lives.

The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook (1990) is a comprehensive guide that offers practical strategies to manage and overcome anxiety. Covering a range of topics, from self-esteem and nutrition to meditation and other coping strategies, it provides a holistic approach to mental well-being, offering many actionable steps for a more fulfilling life.

How Trust Works (2023) delves into the intricate dynamics of trust, exploring its fundamental role in forming, breaking, and repairing relationships. It offers a comprehensive guide to understanding how trust operates within personal and community connections, backed by extensive research in the field of trust repair. 

Staring at the Sun (2008) explores the universal human fear of death and strategies for alleviating death anxiety. It blends psychotherapy case studies with philosophical ideas to argue confronting mortality is key to living a meaningful, present-focused life. Through vivid patient stories, it illuminates how facing death enables you to prioritize what really matters.

Sensitive (2023) explores the meaningful lives and gifts of highly sensitive people, whose emotional depth and perceptual sensitivity shed invaluable light into human consciousness. Interweaving scientific research with compelling personal stories, it guides highly sensitive people toward validation and compassionate self-care. With poetic reflection and empowering advice, it frames high sensitivity as a vital form of beauty both challenging and critical to embrace.

Securely Attached (2023) is an insightful exploration into the world of attachment theory and its practical implications in everyday life. It delves into how different attachment strategies, formed during early childhood, influence the way individuals interact and bond with others throughout their lives. Offering a multitude of reflection exercises, questions, and tips, its goal is to help people recognize the attachment strategies they’re currently using and help them transition to earned secure attachment over time.

Emotional Design (2003) delves into how emotions influence our interactions with everyday objects. It explores the three levels of design – visceral, behavioral, and reflective – and how they affect our perceptions, use, and memories of products. This book reveals the importance of these elements in creating designs that not only function well but also create emotional connections with users.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (2020) explores a range of mental health topics, including managing anxiety, overcoming guilt, handling addiction, and integrating mindfulness into your daily life. Filled with practical tips, exercises, and real-world examples, it offers a user-friendly approach to enhancing mental well-being.

ADHD for Smart Ass Women (2023) aims to help neurodivergent women understand themselves. By learning about the condition and using specific strategies, women with ADHD – or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder – can improve their lives.

The Art of Letting Go (2023) invites you on a transformative journey toward emotional freedom. It’s a guide to shedding the burdens of the past, embracing self-compassion, and cultivating a growth mindset for a purposeful and liberated existence. Dive into this exploration and emerge more resilient, insightful, and equipped to navigate life’s challenges with grace.

Positive Communication for Leaders (2023) explores the transformative power of positive communication strategies in leadership roles. It offers practical guidance on employing positive language, active listening, and constructive feedback to enhance organizational effectiveness and interpersonal relationships. Through theoretical insights and real-world applications, it aims to equip leaders with the tools to foster a more supportive and productive workplace environment.

Untangle Your Emotions (2024) is a spiritual guide to understanding and managing your feelings. Rather than something to be fixed, it views emotions as an avenue for deeper connection with God and the people around you. Drawing on scientific research and biblical wisdom, it guides you on your path to emotional maturity as a divinely created being.

The Genius of Empathy (2024) explores the transformative power of empathy in various aspects of life, including personal relationships and professional environments. It delves into practical techniques to cultivate empathy, aiming to enhance emotional intelligence and foster deeper connections with others.

When Panic Attacks (2006) provides insights and techniques for managing anxiety and panic attacks using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). It offers a drug-free approach to treating anxiety disorders by identifying and challenging distorted thoughts, conducting behavioral experiments, and utilizing mindfulness and relaxation techniques.

The Art of Reading Minds (2019) explains how we unconsciously reveal our thoughts and emotions through nonverbal cues, and provides practical tips rooted in cognitive psychology to decipher those cues and influence others’ thoughts and beliefs. By mastering the techniques outlined, we can heighten self-awareness, improve persuasion skills, and gain insights into what others are truly thinking and feeling.