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Step 1
Peruse online bookstores and websites or buy a cappuccino and then browse the aisles at your local bookstore. There are many titles dedicated specifically to self-esteem in the self-help and personal growth section, and not all of them will have "self-esteem" in the title. Read a few pages of the books you've found until you find one that suits your taste and approach.
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Step 2
Remember different TV programs and author interviews you've seen. You may like Dr. Phil's straightforward approach to self-esteem, or you may prefer a lighter method like those portrayed in Dale Carnegie's older titles. Some titles have an academic approach while others are more pro-active. By adding a bit of info about the author, you can better judge what book is right for you.
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Step 3
Choose a title with an accompanying workbook if you're the procrastinating type and need a boost to keep you on the right track. Many titles contain a workbook section (with pages you can write on if you wish) for self-esteem plans and goals.
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Step 4
Ask friends and co-workers (and your therapist if you have one) which books they found informative. TV and newspaper ads and reviews are helpful up to a point, but hearing a friend say that a book changed their life for the better is the greatest review of all.
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Step 5
Buy a book you're not afraid to scuff up. In order for a book on improving self-esteem to work, you have to use it, and that means underlining passages you find helpful. You'll be carrying your self-esteem tome with you a lot after you've first bought it for inspiration, so don't worry about damaging the resell value by marking it up. Use books about self-esteem, don't merely read them.
