In my work as a sports psychologist, I usually have only one hour per week to help a cyclist gain new insights, provide tools, or build better habits. That’s a short time to absorb all the knowledge you need to get the most out of your cycling career from a mindset perspective. That’s why I regularly recommend books to read or podcasts to listen to that will help you unlock your potential. In this blog: the top 5 books for a better mindset as a cyclist.
Top 5 books for cyclists on mindset
The titles I mention here follow a logical progression. To improve your mindset as a cyclist and get the most out of yourself, you need to start at the roots. From there, we move upward until we reach the tiniest leaf veins. From big (core beliefs) to small (inspiring and motivating). That’s why I begin with a book that puts core beliefs at the center.
5. Mindset - Carol Dweck
Carol Dweck’s mindset theory draws a simple but powerful line between a fixed mindset—the belief that ability is set—and a growth mindset—the belief that ability can be developed. In a fixed mindset, mistakes feel like verdicts on who you are (“I’m not talented at climbs”), so you avoid challenge to protect your ego. In a growth mindset, the same mistake is information (“I underpaced the first 3 minutes”), so you seek challenge, ask for feedback, and iterate. The belief you hold changes how you interpret effort, setbacks, and criticism—ultimately shaping your trajectory.
For athletes, this flips the meaning of effort. In a fixed mindset, effort signals inadequacy: “If I were truly gifted, this wouldn’t be so hard.” In a growth mindset, effort is the path: stress + recovery = adaptation. You start measuring yourself by learnable skills—pacing, positioning, cornering, pre-race routines—rather than only by outcomes. Failure remains uncomfortable, but it becomes diagnostic instead of defining: you run debriefs, isolate the controllable, and build skills one constraint at a time.
4. How Bad Do You Want It? - Matt Fitzgerald
In this book, Matt Fitzgerald shows that performance in endurance sports isn’t determined only by physical capacity, but especially by how you mentally handle pain, doubt, and pressure. He uses inspiring stories from cyclists, runners, and triathletes to illustrate that the athletes who learn to deal best with discomfort ultimately take the biggest victories.
Fitzgerald explains that mental resilience is just as trainable as physical strength. Your thoughts and emotions shape how you experience pain: if you see pain as a threat, you’ll quit sooner; if you see it as a signal that you’re approaching your limits, you can actually go deeper. A key theme is self-talk: the way you speak to yourself during hard efforts determines whether you push through or give up.
For cyclists, this book is incredibly valuable because it shows that the differences in the finale are often not in the legs, but in the mind. The rider who, at decisive moments, can think “I can do this” instead of “I can’t anymore” has the best chance to win. Perceived exertion, or RPE, plays a major role here. Can you train yourself to perceive the same effort as less intense?
The reason this book sits at number 4 is that it focuses largely on the practical execution of mental strategies. By this point, you already understand much of your drive and direction. This book gives you the tools to carry out what you truly want. And how bad do you want it?
3. Atomic Habits - James Clear
Many cyclists forget that race-day performance also grows out of the small habits you repeat every day. James Clear’s Atomic Habits shows how those tiny, seemingly insignificant choices—your evening routine, how you organize nutrition, how you approach a recovery ride—ultimately make the difference between good and exceptional performance. For riders, it teaches you that consistency, not just motivation or talent, lays the foundation for progress. Sometimes you simply don’t feel like training, but by learning to build habits at the atomic level, you make it almost automatic.
The book also gives practical strategies to break bad habits and make good ones run on autopilot. Think: how to slot in core work more easily, how to stop going to bed too late, or how to make sure you’re always ready to get on the bike without procrastinating. These systems are not only efficient; they also lower the mental load—less willpower is needed because your environment starts to support the behavior you want.
Finally, Atomic Habits meshes perfectly with the mental side of cycling. Clear explains how identity-based habits—the behaviors that match who you want to be—are the strongest fuel. For a rider, that means you’re not just “a cyclist,” but “an athlete who lives healthy, trains with focus, and recovers smart.” That deeper motivation helps you push through heavy training blocks and step up in crucial race moments. So this book doesn’t just hand you tools; it helps cyclists strengthen their entire performance mindset for the long term.
The Power of Now - Eckhart Tolle
The Power of Now is a bit of an odd one out when it comes to improving performance on the bike. After years of depression and anxiety, Tolle ended up one night in an existential crisis—he even felt like he was dying. During that night he suddenly experienced a kind of breakthrough in which all his psychological suffering disappeared.
In the days that followed, he noticed he was living in a state of deep peace. He spent a lot of time on a bench in a London park, sometimes for hours or even days at a stretch. He simply sat there, fully present, with no need for thoughts about the past or the future.
This book meant a lot to me personally, because after reading just a few pages I had the same experience as Tolle. Like Eckhart, I was able to spend hours—days even—in a state of complete acceptance of the now. Although that effect gradually faded, it helped shape me into who I am today.
Despite all your efforts to reach the top, if you can learn to pause and feel grateful for the here and now, your career is already a success—because you’ll enjoy the process much more. You’ll be less disappointed and far, far better at handling setbacks.
Can't Hurt Me - David Goggins
David Goggins is a magician with words. Every time I read something by or about him, or listen to one of his podcasts, something happens inside me. It’s as if a drive gets switched on and suddenly I’m more motivated to reach my goals. In the days and weeks after a passage like that, I always end up training more. I’ll lace up my running shoes or go for a long ride, do more push-ups in my morning routine than before, or find it easier to sit down and work harder on writing a blog.
In Can’t Hurt Me, David Goggins tells his life story: from a childhood marked by poverty, racism, and domestic violence to a career as a Navy SEAL, ultramarathoner, and world record holder. He describes how he spent years trapped in fear, bad habits, and doubt—until he decided to take responsibility for his life. With radical honesty, he explains how he stopped avoiding his pain and trauma and instead used them as fuel to become stronger. His motto: pain and discomfort aren’t obstacles, but opportunities to discover your true potential.
The book blends autobiographical stories with practical lessons. Goggins introduces ideas like the “accountability mirror,” the “40% rule” (you’re only at 40% of your capacity when you think you’re completely spent), and “callusing the mind” (toughening your mind by repeatedly stepping outside your comfort zone). He shows that mental toughness isn’t a talent, but a skill you build by consistently doing hard things.
If you want to become mentally resilient, this book is essential. One caveat: Goggins sometimes uses techniques I don’t fully endorse and that you should approach with care. In my article on overcoming fear of crashing as a cyclist, I talk about using self-talk—instructional or positive—as a tool to reach your goals. Goggins, however, often uses negative self-talk, tearing himself down to stay motivated. I don’t entirely agree with this. Yes, it can work in the short term, but I’m convinced that as a person—and as a cyclist—you also need to be kind to yourself in moments when motivation is low.
Want to become stronger mentally?
These were my top 5 books for cyclists on mindset. Books are a great way to learn from others, but in the end, mental growth is about you. As a sports psychologist, I help cyclists translate those insights into their own training, races, and life off the bike.
Want to know what you need to improve mentally to unlock your potential?
Book a free call and let’s do a Mindset Scan together and let me give you a free tool to use to optimise your midnset.
