Even though Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad Poor Dad is still on the charts as one of the most successful self-help bestsellers out there, the world has changed. His top 10 rules for success will most probably still be the go-to-guide for how to get rich and stay that way, however, our lives are so full and busy, with everything being of the most urgent priority. our best lives is no longer just about money, it is surviving our online and offline lives that are so different from what our parents experienced in their 20s. Perhaps every generation experiences the disappointment of adulting and the work that it entails, but for us now the struggle is no longer black and white: it’s now about how to medicate. Here are a few newish guides out there that might just help a bit.

The Subtle Art Of Not Giving a F**k by Mark Manson,

HarperCollins, R300

This is one of the most popular self-help guides to come out recently: it has sold 3-million copies already! It’s no unicorns and rainbows and inspiring sunset memes bullcrap, and neither is it for people who feel entitled. Manson is a blogger who started out by giving unorthodox, straight-up advice. According to Manson we care too much about these things: being right, being offended, being “successful”, being pleasant and polite, feeling good all the time, and being “perfect”. Manson can be crude, but it’s all in aid of dispelling the myth that positive thinking will bring about happiness. “F**k positivity,” Manson says. “Let’s be honest, shit is f**ked and we have to live with it.”

Meeting Your Power by DJ Zinhle and Nokubonga Mbanga, 

Tracey McDonald Publishers, R230

The celeb DJ and the life coach first met when they worked together on the TV show, It Takes a Village. Now the duo have written a book about their lives and experiences hoping that their lessons learnt will help others find their power. It’s all about the self love: there are chapters on managing self-worth, managing fear, and how to step into the starring role of your life: in short, lovely affirmative messages that we desperately need to tell ourselves daily.

Manage Your Money Like A F*cken Grownup by Sam Beckbessinger,

Jonathan Ball Publishers, R190

Ugh: there’s nothing more boring than a book about saving money. It’s always so complicated and meh and just plain yucky. You feel as if you’ve heard this advice a million times before and that you don’t want to really think about your deepest darkest secret aka all the credit card debt you’re sitting with. But Beckbessinger’s book is so easy to read and follow. The advice in it is good, real, and down-to-earth: it’s a must to understand how to manage your money. She explains simply how to save your well-earned moolah — is a good habit to start in your 20s.

Vusi: Business and Life Lessons from a Black Dragon by Vusi Thembekwayo

Tafelberg, R230

The dude from the South African version of Dragon’s Den — the popular British TV show on which you pitch your business ideas —  has himself a dream CV. By the age of 25, Thembekwayo was running a R400-million division of a billion-dollar multinational company. He is now a self-made millionaire.You definitely want to get his advice and insight into the South Africa we find ourselves in today. There’s no sweet nothings in this book: just hardcore advice.

We’re Going to Need More Wine: Stories that are Funny and True by Gabrielle Union

HarperCollins, R325

True, this is a memoir from the Hollywood star, but it is so much more than that implies. This book hands out major truths bombs: about being in a relationship and how who earns the most gets to make most of the decisions; how being a woman is seen as inconvenient, like when buying tampons or medication for thrush, and how to change that thinking by the small things we do; about colourism in black society; about being sexually assaulted; about hair; and that’s just for starters.

How to Stay Alive by Bear Grylls

Bantam Press, R320

The water crisis in South Africa has taught us many new skills, but what it should also teach us is that we need to think about how it would be to live in a dystopian present. And there’s no time like the now to learn tips from the survival expert. Here he teaches you things you never thought you would want to know, including how to fly a plane in an emergency; how to make fire from virtually nothing; how to drive off-road; how to navigate using the stars; and how to escape a burning building.

Rules for Entrepreneurs by Marnus Broodryk

 Tracey MacDonald Publishers, R220

The subtitle is the “Codex of Hustle”, just in case you had a thought that this would be about feelings. Like Thembekwayo, Broodryk has an impressive rap sheet: he’s a self-made millionaire and is also on one of those shows — Shark Tank on M-Net — and sincerely wants to help people who are getting into new businesses. He is one of the few people who advocates for small businesses, and is sharing his trusted experience and wisdom with people involved in new ventures. We think he deserves a thank you! 

Magnetiize by John Sanei

Burnet Media, R300

Sanei is a best-selling author (What’s Your Moonshot?), a Singularity University faculty member (which is a fancy-shmancy global group of super-experts who help build and create new stuff), and a trend specialist. He is a showman — and his book is a showpiece. He combines aspects of psychology, strategy, and future studies to show us how to stop chasing the manic life we have, how to stop running around like headless chickens, and, most importantly, how to actually slow down and take control. It’s also about managing the fear, acknowledging the change, and then regaining calm and clarity. Yes, please!

21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari

Jonathan Cape

Do take the time to read Harari’s previous masterpieces (not using the term lightly): Sapiens — A Brief History of Humankind and Homo Deus — A Brief History of Tomorrow. After reading those you will understand how major this one is. Harari is a thinker and a visionary and his latest book will help us understand where we are now and how we can protect ourselves from global catastrophe.