If you’re an athlete looking to improve your game, you might turn to any number of resources that can help you, from personal trainers, to workout classes, or training videos. But if you haven’t given books a try, you could be missing out on a wealth of information.
Whether you’re an athlete in training or a coach looking to inspire your team, there are excellent books for athletes out there—many written by record-breakers themselves—that will challenge your mindset and introduce life-changing strategies that can take you to the next level.
Must-Read Books for Athletes
These 12 books for athletes will inspire and support you in your journey toward your goals.
1. The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle
In The Talent Code, Daniel Coyle reveals a straightforward system for growing your skills and becoming talented at pretty much anything. He argues that successful athletes, musicians, and other professionals aren’t actually born or “gifted” with talent—they put in a lot of work, and that’s what you’ll have to do too. Coyle explains how specific kinds of practice can build your skills up to 10 times faster than conventional practice.
2. Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins
David Goggins faced a childhood full of adversity—he endured poverty, prejudice, and physical abuse. As a result, he became depressed and overweight. Yet, Goggins beat the odds, going on to become a Navy SEAL and record-shattering endurance athlete, and he shows readers how in Can’t Hurt Me.
His inspiring story shows us how anyone can learn to push past pain, abandon their fears, and unlock their full potential. Check out our full review of Can’t Hurt Me for more insights.
3. The Pursuit of Endurance by Jennifer Pharr Davis
Jennifer Pharr Davis, record holder of the fastest known time on the Appalachian Trail, reveals the strategies and habits that have helped her achieve endurance. But her advice isn’t just for the world of endurance sports—Davis’s actionable, easy-to-understand steps can help readers build perseverance in their personal lives and at work, too.
4. The Mamba Mentality by Kobe Bryant
Written in the wake of his retirement from basketball, The Mamba Mentality: How I Play reveals Kobe Bryant’s personal perspective of his exceptional life and career, which also included the titles of Oscar-winner and best-selling author. Uncover the secrets of his legendary “Mamba mentality,” and enjoy a behind the scenes look at a life that was sadly cut too short with photographer Andrew D. Bernstein’s stunning images.
5. The Champion’s Mind by Jim Afremow
In The Champion’s Mind, sports psychologist Jim Afremow shares the same advice he gives to the Olympic athletes and Heisman Trophy winners who come to him. You’ll learn how to get “in the zone,” thrive on a team, sustain long-term excellence, and stay humble, plus get customizable pre-performance routines that will ensure you’re ready when it’s game time.
6. How Bad Do You Want It? by Matt Fitzgerald
In How Bad Do You Want It?, coach Matt Fitzgerald explores how strong mental fitness helps athletes approach their true physical limits, giving them an edge over physically stronger competitors. You’ll learn how to improve your performance by altering how you perceive effort, as well as how to push back your limits and reach your full potential.
7. Finding Ultra by Rich Roll
Finding Ultra follows Rich Roll’s transformation from an overweight 40-year-old to an “endurance machine.” Rolls shares the practices and tools that helped him achieve optimal performance and longevity, including his plant-based diet and nutrition protocols. He also reflects on the mindset shifts that helped him compete in extreme competitions.
8. Endure by Alex Hutchinson
Award-winning journalist Alex Hutchinson reveals through his groundbreaking research that the physical barriers we encounter are set as much by our minds as our bodies. He argues that many of our limits are illusions, but carefully untangles the delicate interplay of mind and body by sharing stories of men and women who have tested their limits and achieved extraordinary feats.
9. Running with Raven by Laura Lee Huttenbach
In 1975, high school dropout Robert “Raven” Kraft resolved to run 8 miles on Miami’s South Beach every evening, and now, over 125,000 miles later, he hasn’t missed a single sunset. Along the way, he’s inspired thousands who have joined him, building relationships and changing the lives of people from all states and dozens of countries.
The author, Laura Lee, is one of these runners who’s logged over a thousand miles with Raven, and in this book she shows us how one man’s daily ritual has touched lives and brought people of all walks together.
10. The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
When it comes to training and competing as an athlete, it’s important to give your mind just as much attention as your body. The Power of Now teaches readers how to have a pain-free identity by living in the present, so they can master the necessary mental skills to compete at high levels.
11. Essentialism by Greg McKeown
Though not strictly a book for athletes, Greg McKeown’s Essentialism offers valuable lessons about burnout and how to stop biting off more than you can chew. This book will make you slow down and rethink how you spend your time so you can focus on the most productive strategies in sports, at work, and in everyday life.
12. Chasing Excellence by Ben Bergeron
CrossFit trainer Ben Bergeron uses the dramatic competition of the 2016 Reebok CrossFit Games® as a background for exploring the step-by-step process of achieving excellence and the positive traits needed to become a world-class athlete.
What Athlete Has a Best Selling Book?
According to sportscasting.com, Kobe Bryant has the best-selling book of all time among athletes, Mamba Mentality.
However, he’s not the only athlete who’s also a best-selling author. Here are several more sports legends with successful books to their name:
- Andre Agassi, Open
- Andre Iguodala, The Sixth Man
- Bethany Hamilton, Soul Surfer
- Drew Brees, Coming Back Stronger
- Dara Torres, Age Is Just a Number
- John McEnroe, You Cannot Be Serious
- Lance Armstrong, It’s Not About the Bike
- Rafael Nadal, Rafa
- Simone Biles, Courage to Soar
- Tim Tebow, Shaken and This Is the Day
- Tom Brady, The TB12 Method
Must-Read Books to Inspire Athletes
Physical training is great, but sometimes what you really need to push past your limits is a workout for your brain. Reading the best books for athletes is a great way to learn more and consistently improve your work.
To help you stay on track with your training and fitness goals, check out our list of the best workout apps that can help you succeed.
Do you have a favorite book for athletes? Share it with us in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
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As a blog writer for TCK Publishing, Kaelyn loves crafting fun and helpful content for writers, readers, and creative minds alike. She has a degree in International Affairs with a minor in Italian Studies, but her true passion has always been writing. Working remotely allows her to do even more of the things she loves, like traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family.
