Rules of Resilience: 10 Ways Successful People Get Better, Wiser, and Stronger

by Valorie Burton, John C. Maxwell (foreword)

What if you could learn the secret to thriving no matter what obstacles, setbacks or challenges come your way?

No matter what it is you want in life, the difference between success and failure is resilience. Fortunately, the skills of resilience can be learned. In Rules of Resilience, Valorie Burton, best-selling author and CEO of the Coaching and Positive Psychology Institute, teaches you how to build or strengthen your own personal resilience system, offering practical strategies you can employ immediately to conquer obstacles, overcome setbacks, achieve greater happiness, and succeed at higher levels than ever before.

Drawing on more than two decades of experience as a personal and executive coach, and her extensive work in the pioneering field of applied positive psychology,

reveals how to build a level of mental and emotional fitness and strength that will transform your work, relationships, finances, and health consolidates intriguing research into easy-to-remember rules that can be put into practice right away guides listeners through any current or potential challenge—enabling them to conquer obstacles and achieve their life goals in a healthy and meaningful way. Once you know the rules of resilience and start practicing them, you’ll discover that it’s possible to learn how to grow through challenges and not just go through them. If you’re ready to learn the secrets of life-changing resilience, let Valorie Burton be your guide in this transformational book.

Genres: Self Help

256 pages, Paperback

Published September 16, 2025

About the author

I am a bestselling author, speaker, and life coach dedicated to helping people like you get unstuck and be unstoppable in every area of life.

I founded The Coaching and Positive Psychology (CaPP) Institute and have served as a Certified Personal and Executive Coach to hundreds of clients in over 40 states and ten countries.

For more than a decade, I have had the pleasure of writing, speaking, and coaching in order to help people like you:

- Make major life changes
- Be happier and have more fun
- Become strong leaders
- Achieve professional dreams
- Navigate setbacks
- Speak up with confidence
- Feel at peace with decisions
- Conquer emotions that can cause self-sabotage

Let me help you get unstuck and be unstoppable!

Feel free to add me as a friend, rate or review one of my books, take one of my quizzes, or visit my website to learn more.

Reviews

[elizabeth rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to enjoy Rules of Resilience, but it didn’t offer much beyond what you could find in a quick Google search or a motivational blog post. While Valorie Burton’s tone is warm and encouraging, the advice—about reframing challenges, staying positive, and building mental strength—felt overly familiar and drawn out.

It’s not that the ideas are wrong; they’re just not new. Readers completely new to personal development might find value here, but if you’ve read even a few books on resilience or positive psychology, this one won’t add much to your toolkit.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Rules of Resilience, Valorie Burton shows that resilience isn’t just a trait you’re born with—it’s a skill you can build. Through inspiring stories and clear, practical rules, she gives readers tools to overcome setbacks and grow stronger through challenges.

What I love most is that Valorie writes like a coach, not a lecturer. She doesn’t just tell you what to do—she invites you to reflect, take action, and discover what’s possible for yourself. Uplifting and doable, this is a book I’ll be recommending often.

[Atlas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rules of Resilience: 10 Ways Successful People Get Better, Wiser, and Stronger
by Valorie Burton

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you Tyndale House Publishers for the gifted copy! 💫

Vibe Check: motivational 🧠, faith-filled 🌿, actionable 💪, gentle but firm coaching energy 🎯

What I Liked:
• Valorie Burton brings warmth and wisdom in equal measure. Her tone feels like a trusted mentor guiding you toward growth rather than preaching at you. ✨
• I loved the emphasis that resilience is a skill, not an inborn trait. It makes the message empowering rather than intimidating.
• The “rules” are simple but impactful—each one backed by research in positive psychology and real-life examples that stick with you.
• I appreciated the faith-driven encouragement woven naturally through the advice. It’s hopeful without feeling heavy-handed. 🙏
• The reflection questions and exercises at the end of each section make it feel like a mini personal development workshop in book form.

What Didn’t Work for Me:
• Some of the rules overlap conceptually, so a few chapters could’ve been condensed.
• Readers who prefer a purely secular approach might find the spiritual undertones too present.

Final Thoughts:
This is the kind of book you keep by your nightstand to reread when life throws you a curveball. 🌪️ It’s not about ignoring hardship but about building strength through it. Valorie Burton proves that resilience isn’t just surviving—it’s learning, adapting, and becoming wiser along the way.

Perfect for anyone craving practical, uplifting tools to thrive through change and come out stronger. 💛

[Lyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always, I love Valorie Burton books. This latest one truly had me in my thoughts for my next. I love how she goes into detail on how to focus on your vision and your why for your vision. She has 10 rules and gives you great detail on how to execute those rules for your personal growth. I really loved the Pay It Forward chapter, so important. I have read all of her books, and I believe that I will be revisiting them. I listened to this book on Audible, but the physical book will be obtained. Loved It.

[Kris Sager · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a self help book that I didn’t really feel I needed at this particular time in my life. It would be good for someone who needs a boost in dealing with a struggling relationship or need for direction in their life. A bit disappointing in my opinion

[Stacy Shilling · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has made me look at my personal situations in a new light and how to handle them better. The rules are simple and challenging. It definitely highlighted my strengths and weaknesses with plans to work on my weaknesses.