What is the real price of our modern, hustle-all-all-cost business culture?

Something terrible has happened to the American Dream. For so many entrepreneurs and professionals, the relentless pursuit of success leaves behind damaged relationships and personal life carnage in their wake. In The UnAmerican Dream, Carlos Hidalgo reveals his thrilling journey to entrepreneurial triumph, and the simultaneous path to rock bottom. Despite impressive accolades and remarkable professional achievements, he found himself miserable, discontent, and at risk of losing his most important personal relationships, forever.

Through authentic, honest, and vulnerable storytelling not found in most business books, Hidalgo asks us all to question, “is it really worth it?” Featuring the perspective of a variety of executives from across the country, this book reveals the truth about the cost that many pay in order to keep pace with modern business pressures. Hear from Hidalgo’s wife, Susanne, who reminds us that with every quest for success, there are real relationships impacted.Hidalgo details the life changes he made to re-center himself, and offers a step-by-step guide for others in a similar situation to find happiness and fulfillment. The UnAmerican Dream is an invitation to shed hustle culture, cultivate that which is life giving, and find both personal and professional success on your terms.

Duffy’s Thoughts On The UnAmerican Dream

There are plenty of self-help books out there which tell you to calm down, switch off, and digitally detox, but do we really take heed, or do we plough on regardless, wearing our stress like a badge of honour?

Carlos Hidalgo immersed himself in a classic American Dream chasing scenario, work long hours, embrace the pats on the back and relish in industry accolades. Sounds like a success story, right? But the cost came at a very high price and by aiming to have everything, what he had at home was almost lost.

This is quite obviously skewed to American culture and so not all of it resonated with an Ex-Pat Brit like me living in Sydney, but reading it was definitely a nudge in the ribs and a chance to self-reflect. Am I present with my partner in the evenings, or do I have one eye on the phone? Do I check work emails on the weekend and stress about a message I’ve seen, yet can do nothing about until Monday? The answer is a slightly shameful yes.

The UnAmerican Dream takes an unusual step of dedicating a whole chapter to Susanne, Carlos wife who bore the brunt of his dream chasing and also struggled herself to maintain the ‘wife’ role without falling apart. I felt this was a brave move and one that paid off, adding weight and perspective to Hildago’s story.

Buy The UnAmerican Dream by Carlos HIldago
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If you aren’t from the US, and you aren’t suffering from stress and burn out, then this book may be a little lost on you. But, if you are like millions of people in the USA and across the world that feel like success means late nights, early mornings and necessary stress, then you may want to pause for a minute, switch off your laptop and read this book.