Toxic Grit: How to have it all and (actually) love what you have

by Amanda Goetz

Overview

It's time to rewrite the rules of ambition.

"A game-changer." —Whitney Port, TV Personality and host of With Whit Podcast

"Amanda offers a new way for modern women to rewrite what success means uniquely to them." —Neha Ruch, USA Today Bestselling Author of The Power Pause

"A must-read for anyone ready to stop surviving life and start enjoying it." —Eve Rodsky, NYTimes Best-Selling Author of Fair Play and Find Your Unicorn Space

Burnout is an epidemic caused by a society that praises toxic grit. Women have been taught to chase goals and to hold everything together while quietly falling apart. Somewhere in the middle of the meetings and the milestones, we lost something: ourselves.

For years we've been told the answer to burnout is better balance. But what if balance is the wrong goal? Modern ambition is broken…..and women are the ones breaking under it.

Toxic Grit is the rally cry and roadmap for those who are done surviving success and ready for a new way to live, work and (actually) enjoy our lives.

In this bold, paradigm-shifting debut, Amanda Goetz, a 2x CEO, 4x CMO and single mom of three, reframes what it means to be an ambitious woman in a culture that demands we do it all to have it all. She knows what it takes to walk the tightrope of success and sanity. Through radical vulnerability, heartfelt storytelling, science backed frameworks and real-world tools, she will help you build systems for a life that honors your ambition and your joy.

In this book you'll learn:

• How to identify and create space for all the roles you play and stop feeling like you're failing at all of them
• How to reclaim presence in your day
• Why balance is a myth but intentional balance is the key to thriving
• How to unlearn hustle culture and create a version of success that fuels you
• The secret to setting boundaries that protect your energy without guilt
• A new approach to productivity that prioritizes what actually matters in that moment
• How to reconnect with pleasure, joy and the parts of yourself that ambition pushed aside

Whether you're leading teams, raising kids, or rebuilding your life, Toxic Grit offers more than advice - it offers real world tools and systems to create a life that honors all parts of you.

The book is an invitation to discover a new approach to ambition. 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781464233258
Publisher:	Sourcebooks
Publication date:	10/21/2025
Pages:	368
Product dimensions:	6.25(w) x 9.25(h) x 1.17(d)

Editorial Reviews

"This book powerfully describes the internalized pressure so many women feel to do it all, perfectly. Amanda Goetz gives voice to the ambition-fatigue epidemic and offers a powerful, practical framework for letting go of guilt and reclaiming space for yourself. This book is a must-read for anyone ready to stop surviving life and start enjoying it." — Eve Rodsky, New York Times Bestselling Author of Fair Play and Find Your Unicorn Space

"Amanda is a force, and the world needs her wisdom. For anyone with big goals and even bigger responsibilities, Toxic Grit is a powerful reminder that losing yourself isn’t a prerequisite for success. Amanda delivers a candid, compelling roadmap for ambitious women who want to lead with impact and stay rooted in who they are." — Tressie Lieberman, Global Chief Brand Officer at Starbucks, Former CMO at Yahoo

"This book will be a game-changer for so many women. Amanda has written a raw, honest, and deeply actionable guide for those of us juggling motherhood, ambition, and relationships - often all at once. Toxic Grit is a must-read for anyone ready to challenge the hustle culture narrative and create a life that actually feels good, not just looks good. I felt seen in these pages - and I know so many others will too." — Whitney Port, Designer, Author, TV Personality and host of With Whit podcast

"As a working mom who's constantly juggling ambition and bedtime, Toxic Grit was the mirror I didn’t know I needed. Amanda Goetz gives language - and permission - to the many characters I play every day. This book is a permission slip to stop chasing balance and start embracing the beautiful, messy multiverse of motherhood, career, identity, and self-worth. It’s honest, actionable, and deeply validating." — Emily Calandrelli - NASA Astronaut, Emmy-nominated TV host, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author

"Amanda breaks down the ambition archetypes and programs we've been handed with clear, relatable language, lived experience and research, and offers a new way for modern women to rewrite what success means uniquely to them in the workplace to create more sustainable lives and careers." — Neha Ruch, USA Today Bestselling Author of The Power Pause

Toxic Grit is an original take on personal growth, brilliantly explored through the lens of character theory. The belief that all women have ten inner characters competing within themselves at all times is universally relatable. You might think you're operating from your inner CEO when in reality, your Soloist is running the show. 

Amanda’s expertise, gleaned from years of coaching high performers shines through on every page, but what makes this book so compelling is that she never stops being a student herself. Her insights are sharp, curious, and often disarmingly relatable. Reading this feels like hiring Amanda as your personal coach: you’ll walk away with frameworks and tools that make you a better partner, teammate, manager, and friend.  

— Amy Shoenthal, USA Today best-selling author of The Setback Cycle

From the Publisher