What do you get when three Weatherhead School of Management alumnae dive into work, wellness and women鈥檚 empowerment? A bestselling manifesto flipping burnout on its head.
In Ditch the Ditty: Doing What Matters Instead of Doing It All, Lindsey Godwin, PhD (GRS 鈥�08, organizational behavior), Molly McGuigan (MGT 鈥�06) and Miriam Novotny (MGT 鈥�16)鈥攁lso the trio behind the coaching firm Bellflower Street鈥攐ffer a refreshing, research-backed alternative to the pressure of overcommitting.
What inspired you to write Ditch the Ditty?
The idea for Ditch the Ditty was sparked during a chaotic moment at a large event we were leading. While managing the chaos, one of the keynote speakers handed Molly a small ditty bag, saying, 鈥淗ere, hold this, it has my life in it.鈥� Without thinking, she agreed, adding it to the growing list of tasks she was already juggling. Later, Lindsey shared a photo of the moment with Miriam, and it led to a conversation about how women often take on obligations out of guilt or to meet invisible expectations.
That small act became a symbol of the emotional weight women carry鈥攅xpectations, obligations, and 鈥測eses鈥� that aren鈥檛 theirs to own. What started as a personal conversation quickly grew into the realization that this issue is systemic. Women everywhere are weighed down by outdated expectations, which inspired us to turn this metaphor into a mission, giving birth to Ditch the Ditty.
How would you describe a 鈥渄itty,鈥� and why do so many women fall into the trap of doing them?
A Ditty is anything you say yes to out of guilt, obligation, or fear of disappointing others鈥攅ven when your gut says no. It鈥檚 not something you genuinely want or need to do, but you feel pressure to anyway. Women are often socialized to soothe, accommodate, and serve鈥攕o Ditties become a byproduct of those expectations.
What do you hope readers will take away from the book?
We hope readers walk away with the realization that centering your own clarity isn鈥檛 selfish, it鈥檚 essential. Ditch the Ditty invites people to pause, reflect, and ask: What truly matters to me?
When you stop doing what doesn鈥檛 matter鈥攖he Ditties鈥攜ou create space for what does. It鈥檚 not about doing more. It鈥檚 about choosing with intention. We want readers to feel seen in the swirl of modern life and empowered to make value-driven decisions.
What reaction has meant the most to you so far?
Hearing from readers who say, 鈥淚 finally gave myself permission to be authentic,鈥� has meant everything.
It鈥檚 also been amazing to see how quickly the book鈥檚 language is taking hold. People are using 鈥淒itty鈥� to describe things they鈥檙e ready to let go of or applying the Decision Tree to say 鈥測es鈥� with more intention. Watching the framework help people make clearer, real-time choices have been incredibly rewarding.
How do you see Ditch the Ditty reshaping conversations about leadership and productivity?
The book challenges the idea that busyness equals value, or that self-sacrifice defines good leadership. Overextension鈥攅specially in women鈥攊s too often praised as commitment.
We鈥檙e calling for a shift to a culture of clarity, where boundaries are strategic and saying no can be a leadership move. Reframing leadership around purpose, intention, and sustainability benefits everyone鈥攏ot just women.
How did your time at Weatherhead shape your approach?
Weatherhead gave us the foundation to lead with curiosity and purpose. We were introduced to Appreciative Inquiry, which taught us to build on strengths instead of just solving problems. And through experiential learning, we practiced applying emotional intelligence and values in real time. It wasn鈥檛 just education鈥攊t changed how we lead and live.