Break the Good Girl Myth: How to Dismantle Outdated Rules, Unleash Your Power, and Design a More Purposeful Life

by Majo Molfino

Overview

“Molfino explores female empowerment in her zesty debut. Women searching for ways to increase their self-worth and confidence will find many gems.” —Publishers Weekly

Women: it’s time to break the good girl myths that are holding you back and share your true gifts with this groundbreaking book from Stanford University-trained designer and women’s leadership expert Majo Molfino.

For thousands of years, women have been taught to be “good” instead of powerful. But when we embody the good girl, we hold back their voices and gifts in a world that desperately needs female perspectives. 

Drawing on countless coaching sessions and conversations with female leaders, Majo identifies five self-sabotaging tendencies (“the five Good Girl Myths”) every woman must overcome to unleash her power and design a more purposeful life: 

1. The Myth of Rules
2. The Myth of Perfection
3. The Myth of Logic
4. The Myth of Harmony
5. The Myth of Sacrifice

While there are many women’s leadership books, Majo uses her knowledge and training in design thinking (which is used by the world’s most innovative people and companies) to help you build creative confidence and break free from these disempowering myths once and for all. 

Discover how each myth negatively affects your relationships, career, and well-being and identify your primary good girl myth—the blindspot that’s zapping most of your power as a creative badass. 

“An elegant, powerful framework for female liberation.” —Amber Rae, author of Choose Wonder over Worry

“Smart, empowering, and practical . . . guides you in creating a better future for yourself—and the planet.” —BJ Fogg, PhD, New York Times–bestselling author

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062894076
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	11/21/2023
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	288
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Majo Molfino is the host of the Heroine podcast and her work has been featured in Forbes, Harper’s Bazaar, FastCoDesign, Man Repeller, Levo League, Career Contessa, and 99U. She has a master’s degree in learning, design, and technology from Stanford Unversity and a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in cultural studies from McGill University. When she isn’t writing or podcasting, she’s sipping on tea in the Californian Redwoods with her husband Enrique. She lives in San Francisco.

Table of Contents

Author's Note xi

Chapter 1 Becoming the Good Girl 1

Chapter 2 The Good Girl Myths 19

Chapter 3 What Kind of Good Girl Are You? 33

Chapter 4 The Myth of Rules 43

Chapter 5 The Myth of Perfection 85

Chapter 6 The Myth of Logic 131

Chapter 7 The Myth of Harmony 169

Chapter 8 The Myth of Sacrifice 209

Chapter 9 A Journey of Integration 247

Acknowledgments 261

Appendix: Self-Care Rituals with Meditations for Each Myth 265

Notes 269

Editorial Reviews

06/01/2020

Molfino, host of the Heroine podcast, explores female empowerment in her zesty debut. According to Molfino, “good girl myths” are the “self-sabotaging beliefs that hold you back and suffocate your power as a strong, confident woman.” She singles out five key myths to look out for—those of rules, perfection, logic, harmony, and sacrifice; each, she writes, serves as a defense mechanism developed by women who have received powerful (and often subliminal) messages from patriarchal structures and authorities about acceptable and attractive female behavior. After walking readers through the “What Kind of Good Girl Are You?” quiz, Molfino provides exercises to break through each by journaling, meditating, and putting in mental and emotional work. For instance, she cites research showing that girls receive more praise for fixed traits (such as beauty or intelligence) where boys receive more “process praise” (focusing on effort and strategies) and suggests activities for cultivating a “growth, versus fixed, mindset” to overcome perfection expectations. Molfino’s program is slow but steady, and champions making small changes in order to create a large impact. Women searching for ways to increase their self-worth and confidence will find many gems here. (July)

Publishers Weekly

Molfino explores female empowerment in her zesty debut. Women searching for ways to increase their self-worth and confidence will find many gems.” — Publisher's Weekly

“One of our favorite questions in the Stanford Life Design Lab is 'What do you notice?' as it focuses you on what is actually happening and what you're learning by paying attention. Majo artfully couples deep self-reflection with design thinking to offer valuable and timely solutions for women. If you want a more well-designed and generative life, read this book.” — Dave Evans, co-founder of the Stanford Life Design Lab and co-author of Designing Your Life and Designing Your Work Life

"A must-read for any woman who is ready to design a life on her own terms. Majo holds up a big, clear mirror to help you see your blind spots and activate your power." — Sophia Amoruso, Founder & CEO, Girlboss

“Practically every woman I know could benefit from Break the Good Girl Myth. Majo Molfino is working from a deep knowledge of the social factors that put contradictory pressures on all women, but her conversational writing makes reading this book feel like a chat with a good friend over coffee. Majo will change your thinking and your life, and make it all feel easy.” — Martha Beck, PhD., bestselling author and life coach

“Smart, empowering, and practical, Break the Good Girl Myth gives you the vision to break free from old constraints and then guides you in creating a better future for yourself – and the planet.” — BJ Fogg, PhD. New York Times bestselling author of Tiny Habits

"Inspiring! Majo's insightful words help fortify your creative confidence so you can discover and share your gifts with the world!" — Jessica Hische, Lettering Artist and New York Times bestselling author of Tomorrow I'll Be Brave

“Majo’s words and ideas will change your life. Buy the book and discover your true potential as a woman." — Lisa Congdon, artist & illustrator

"An elegant, powerful framework for female liberation."  — Amber Rae, author of Choose Wonder over Worry

From the Publisher

"Inspiring! Majo's insightful words help fortify your creative confidence so you can discover and share your gifts with the world!"

Jessica Hische

"A must-read for any woman who is ready to design a life on her own terms. Majo holds up a big, clear mirror to help you see your blind spots and activate your power."

Sophia Amoruso

One of our favorite questions in the Stanford Life Design Lab is 'What do you notice?' as it focuses you on what is actually happening and what you're learning by paying attention. Majo artfully couples deep self-reflection with design thinking to offer valuable and timely solutions for women. If you want a more well-designed and generative life, read this book.

Dave Evans

"An elegant, powerful framework for female liberation." 

Amber Rae

Smart, empowering, and practical, Break the Good Girl Myth gives you the vision to break free from old constraints and then guides you in creating a better future for yourself – and the planet.

BJ Fogg

Majo’s words and ideas will change your life. Buy the book and discover your true potential as a woman."

Lisa Congdon

Practically every woman I know could benefit from Break the Good Girl Myth. Majo Molfino is working from a deep knowledge of the social factors that put contradictory pressures on all women, but her conversational writing makes reading this book feel like a chat with a good friend over coffee. Majo will change your thinking and your life, and make it all feel easy.

Martha Beck