Smart Girls Screw Up Too by Bella Zanesco Summary

Smart Girls Screw Up Too exposes five self-sabotaging behaviors undermining women’s success, blending neuroscience, gut health research, and personal anecdotes. Bella Zanesco shares her journey from burnout to world-champion sailor while providing actionable tools like the Personal Life Audit to help readers realign careers, relationships, and health. The book emphasizes embracing imperfection to create lasting change.

This book targets high-achieving women struggling with burnout, perfectionism, or unfulfilling careers. Professionals seeking work-life balance, entrepreneurs navigating setbacks, and anyone feeling “stuck” will find actionable strategies. Zanesco’s blend of corporate experience (e.g., advising Google, PepsiCo) and wellness insights makes it ideal for readers valuing evidence-based self-help.

Yes—it combines relatable storytelling with practical frameworks like boundary-setting exercises and habit trackers. Zanesco’s credentials (world champion, corporate strategist) and research-backed advice on gut health and stress management offer a unique edge over generic self-help guides. Readers praise its “no-nonsense” tone and actionable steps for overcoming self-doubt.

Zanesco identifies:

• Neglecting self-care (e.g., poor sleep, diet)
• People-pleasing without boundaries
• Fear-driven decisions in careers/relationships
• Comparison traps on social media
• Avoiding vulnerability to mask imperfections

Each chapter includes reflective exercises to address these patterns.

The book provides a 90-day “Comeback Blueprint” with micro-habits like morning routines, digital detoxes, and nutrient-dense meal plans. Zanesco shares how she reversed adrenal fatigue through yoga, cognitive behavioral techniques, and redefining success metrics—strategies validated by her study of 2,000 executives.

This diagnostic tool assesses eight life domains: career, finances, relationships, health, spirituality, environment, personal growth, and fun. Users score each area, identify imbalances, and prioritize changes using Zanesco’s “ROI of Joy” framework to allocate time/energy effectively.

• “Your coping mechanisms are your ceiling” – Highlights how short-term fixes (e.g., retail therapy) hinder growth.
• “Burnout is the cost of outsourcing your worth” – Critiques tying self-esteem to external achievements.
• “Vulnerability is the gateway to vitality” – Encourages authentic communication to deepen relationships.

While Lean In focuses on systemic workplace barriers, Zanesco’s book addresses internalized limitations like perfectionism. Both advocate for women’s leadership, but Smart Girls adds a wellness lens—linking gut health to decision-making and stress resilience. It’s praised as a “holistic successor” to Sandberg’s work.

Some readers find the 90-day plan overwhelming for those with chronic burnout. Others note the corporate examples (e.g., Fortune 500 clients) may feel less relatable for non-professionals. However, most agree its humor and science-backed approach offset these limitations.

With remote work blurring boundaries and AI increasing productivity pressures, Zanesco’s emphasis on “purpose over hustle” resonates. Updated editions address “digital overwhelm” tactics, making it a timely resource for Gen Z and millennial women navigating post-pandemic career shifts.

The book advises “friendship audits” to eliminate toxic connections and scripts for setting boundaries with partners. Zanesco argues dysfunctional relationships often stem from unprocessed trauma, offering somatic exercises to rebuild trust in intuition.

Pair with:

• Atomic Habits for habit-building systems
• Daring Greatly for vulnerability research
• The Body Keeps the Score for trauma-informed healing

These expand on Zanesco’s themes of holistic growth.