10 Best Books That Will Help You Overcome Your Fear
Are you afraid to take action on your dreams?
Are your fear of rejection, failure, or uncertainty getting in the way of your success?
Everyone experiences fear and there are many different types and forms of fears. For example, fear of heights, fear of public speaking, and fear of commitment. In this list, we focus on the common fears that most people experience. Overcoming fear is a skill. Learning how to overcome these fears will help you tackle your specific fear too.
You might not even be aware that you have some of these fears because you are so comfortably avoiding them. However, you might have noticed something is stopping you from living the life you desire. Instead of letting fear dictates your life, why not find out how you can conquer it?
Below are the 10 best books on overcoming fear. Choose one that most resonates with you.
Bonus: My Book on Overcoming Fear and Being Fearless
Note: The way I look at my books will never be the same as the way I look at other books, so to be fair I rather keep them off the list.
Fearless Passion by Yong Kang Chan
If you are afraid to pursue your dreams and passion, this is the book for you.
In this book, I write about eight fears which hold us back from doing what we love. The eight fears include:
- the fear of failure,
- fear of being laughed at, and
- fear of making mistakes.
Fears are here to mark your growth and transition to the next stage. In this book, I also share how fears can be beneficial and how to harness them.
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10 Best Books on Overcoming Fear and Being Fearless
Disclosure: Please note that the links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and Bookshop Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase, but it will be at no additional cost to you.
1. The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks
Have you ever wondered why your success and happiness don’t last? You feel good one moment, then the next moment something happens and bring you back to a place of unhappiness.
“Each of us has an inner thermostat setting that determines how much love, success, and creativity we allow ourselves to enjoy.”
This book is about taking your life to the next level. The author shares the one problem that is holding us back from reaching the next level — the Upper Limit Problem. This problem is triggered by four hidden barriers based on our fears and false belief.
If you are stuck in life for a very long time, read this book to overcome your hidden fears.
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2. Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway by Susan Jeffers
“All you have to do to diminish your fear is to develop more trust in your ability to handle whatever comes your way!”
The premise of this book is since fear is never going to go away, the only way is to handle it is to surge ahead despite the fear. When you go out and do something, your fear for it will naturally diminish.
Sounds too simple? But it holds a lot of truth. Underlying each fear, there is only one fear — “I can’t handle it.” The author says fear is not the problem. What we need to learn is how to move forward despite the fear. If you have a hard time making decisions in life, this is the book for you.
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3. Daring Greatly by Brené Brown
“Vulnerability is not weakness. It’s where courage and fear meet.”
This book is about overcoming the fear of being vulnerable. Brené is a researcher who studies shame and vulnerability. She hates uncertainty, hates not knowing and can’t stand opening herself to getting hurt. But as she tried to outsmart vulnerability, she realized the importance of allowing herself to be vulnerable.
Not letting your authentic self to be known by others will only prevent you from experiencing meaningful events in your life. If you are afraid of being hurt and criticized by others, this is the book for you.
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4. Rejection Proof by Jia Jiang
“Rejection? It’s nothing to be afraid of…”
This book is all about overcoming the fear of rejection. Jia’s first attempt to pursue his entrepreneurial dream ended up in rejection. Even though he had a great job, later on, he wasn’t happy. So his wife encouraged him to quit his job and pursue his dreams for 6 months.
In the end, he started a project called 100 Days of Rejection because his fear of rejection was too great an obstacle. With the hope of desensitizing his fear, he seeks random strangers and makes absurd requests. The most famous being ordering Krispy Kreme donuts to be shaped like Olympic rings.
If you are afraid of being rejected and want to overcome your fear, read this book. It’s personable and funny stories will inspire you to take action.
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5. Go For No! by Richard Fenton and Andrea Waltz
“Your fear of hearing the word NO is the only thing standing between you and greatness.”
This is a small book (about 80 pages long), but it has a big message about failing. Unlike other self-help books on fear, this book is an inspiring, fictional story about a salesman who wakes up to a successful future version of himself. In those four days, he learns something empowering that changes the way he thinks and lives his life.
This book is not only for “salespeople”. If you are someone who is afraid of failure and rejection, this book will give you a new perspective on your fears. It is perfect for anyone who wants to break through self-imposed barriers and achieve everything life has to offer.
6. The Confidence Gap by Russ Harris
Are you lacking in self-confidence? Is self-doubt and fear of failure getting in your way of success?
If so, this book is suitable for you. In this book, Russ suggests using self-acceptance and mindfulness to overcome our fear.
Most people believe they need to be confident before they can achieve their goals. However, most of us miss out on opportunities because of this. Russ termed this as “The Confidence Gap”. He points out that waiting for feelings of confidence to show up is going to take forever.
If you want to overcome low self-confidence, shyness, and insecurity, read this book.
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7. Uncertainty by Jonathan Fields
“Uncertainty is about what goes on in your head, your heart, and your gut as you strive to create anything truly extraordinary.”
This book advocates overcome our fear of uncertainty to unlock the creativity in our business and life. The author is initially a six-figure lawyer, but he took a leap of faith and became a serial entrepreneur and acclaimed blogger. What other people see as paralyzing is actually very freeing for him.
Most of our biggest decision we make in life requires us to face risk and uncertainty. The author says that uncertainty must be present to create anything meaningful for us. Read this book if there is something meaningful you wish to create.
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8. The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
“The amateur believes he must first overcome his fear, then he can do his work. The professional knows that fear can never be overcome.”
If you are a creative person and you have problems with procrastination, this is the book for you. Reading this book will help you conquer your fear and self-doubt.
In the book, the author treats resistance as the enemy. He explains how resistance often outwits the amateur and show you how the pro deals with resistance. This simple and easy-to-read book will fire you up to be the pro who shows up daily for your work.
Even though this book is written for writers, it’s suitable artists, entrepreneurs, and anyone who creates. So get this book if you need a push to realize your dreams and achieve your creative goals.
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9. Fear by Thich Nhat Hanh
“The only way to ease our fear and be truly happy is to acknowledge our fear and look deeply at its source.”
Instead of running away from our fears and pretending they are not there, we could bring them to our awareness and examine them.
This is a spiritual book, but you don’t have to practice Buddhism to benefit from the teachings. The wisdom in this book is simple yet profound.
If you have fears about the past or the future, for e.g. the fear of death and aging, this book is for you. Read this book and feel a sense of calmness.
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10. Fearless by Max Lucado
Imagine a life without fear?
This book talks about fear in our everyday life such as fear of not mattering, fear of overcoming challenges, and fear of what’s next.
“Every sunrise seems to bring fresh reasons for fear.” If we are not careful, fear can easily take control of our lives.
This is a Christian book on overcoming fear. It’s about trusting and having faith in God. The tone of the book is conversational. It has plenty of life examples and discussion questions that can be used for Bible study group. Get this book if you are open to reading biblical stories and passage.
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Hey there, I’m Yong Kang, best known as Nerdy Creator. I’m an author of seven books. I write about spirituality, self-compassion, and mindfulness. I love reading books, especially non-fiction. The list above is a combination of what I have read and my research. Each year, I create a Top 10 list of my favorite books.
