There are hundreds if not thousands of self improvement books, systems, authors and speakers out there today. Not all of them are as qualified as others, and not all of them provide any real effective insight into how you can really change and improve your circumstances.

Some of the best and most famous however can help you make big strides by simply changing your point of view, your mental state and how you approach problems, challenges and other issues.

For example, if you look at somebody like Bill Rancic you'll see what perseverance and sticking with your game plan can do for you. He worked his way up from being a security guard to winning The Apprentice and now being a successful motivational speaker, business person and television star.

Perhaps the most famous self improvement author of all time is Napoleon Hill. He talked about the importance of achievement and how to go about that. Having firm beliefs, displaying perseverance and setting your mind on something in order to achieve were some of his key points. You can see some of the similarities between these two already. 

While Hill was active in the early 20th century, one of the most famous modern self improvement authors is Steven Covey. He's all about the right attributes, values, principles and habits that can lead to success. Once again, it's about the right internal perspective and belief and moving on from there, something that rings true with all three of these men.

As you can see, some things are definitely timeless. From the winner of The Apprentice to one of the original self improvement authors and teachers from nearly a century ago, the insight you should gain is that it all starts with you, your own will and your own mental strength and approach.