Julio Agustin's 3 favorite reads in 2024

"Ignore Everybody." Period.

This is the first of many chapters of a truly inspirational business book! The author inspires and forces its readers to think about their choices, the "whys" behind their actions, and their own personal values in order to ensure that the goals they are pursuing are, indeed, their own. With bits of wisdom such as "The better the idea, the more 'out there' it initially will seem" and "The more you need the money, the more people will tell you what to do," MacLeod pushes us in ways not commonly encountered in a traditional business text. Sometimes a "how to" book, but mostly a "why and why not to" text, I highly recommend this reading to anyone seeking some out-of-the-box inspiration.

"The Multi-Hyphen Life is a look at how we future-proof ourselves in the new world of work," Emma Gannon - The Multi-Hyphen Life.

At a time when words like "interdisciplinary," "intersectionality," and "diversity" have become commonplace, so has the realization that multi-hyphenate careers are now reaching mainstream status. With this, Gannon imparts practical, actionable strategies for bullet-proofing one's job and, ultimately, career regardless of the field. As a business book, the information is distinctly reusable as one continues to "climb the ladder" or transition from one role to another in the workplace.

"It's not about branding yourself, but about rebranding yourself as you go" -- this guidance demonstrates how those who remain at the forefront of their fields continue doing so by reinventing themselves, never remaining stagnant or satisfied with "what is." A truly inspirational and practical read -- highly recommend to anyone seeking a career boost.

One of the most dog-eared and highlighted texts that I own, YOU'VE GOT :08 SECONDS is overflowing with suggestion after suggestion for making an impact, creating a strong first impression, getting noticed -- all of it! As the subtitle says, the book begins with the premise that our generation exists in an increasingly distracted world where all we get from a potential employer, buyer, or some other unknown is eight seconds of their time -- at most -- before they have made a decision on who we are and how they view us, and subsequently if they will "buy" what we are "selling."

As a professional actor, this relates to my own career in that actors get 2-3 seconds at most to inform those for whom we are auditioning where we might fit in their particular project (film, television sitcom, other). Additionally, this business text by Paul Hellman uses of action phrases like "use a verb," "what's the call to action," and "define the results" allow the reader to create an actionable game plan for making an impactful first-impression and standing out from the crowd/getting noticed above all of the noise.

Although I found this to be an easy read, readers may wish to put it down after each chapter in order to fuse the information with real-world practicality. A truly enjoyable read!