Better Than This

Overcoming Perfectionism: Mindset Shifts to Move Beyond Fear of Failure

Perfectionism often masquerades as ambition, but it's frequently rooted in fear. In this episode of Better Than This, host Meghan French Dunbar delves into the journey of overcoming perfectionism and embracing failure. Through a personal story of public failure, research-backed insights, and three practical tools, you'll discover how to:
Shift your mindset around risk and failure
Break free from the constraints of perfectionism
Build a life aligned with your authentic self
Whether you're a professional woman hesitant to launch a new venture, a leader afraid to voice your ideas, or someone stuck in unfulfilling routines, this conversation offers actionable strategies to help you move forward with clarity, courage, and confidence.

Reclaiming Joy—Why Prioritizing Joy Is a Key to Flourishing, Leadership, and Wellbeing

How to Break the Cycle of Guilt and Rediscover What Makes You Come Alive
In this episode of Better Than This, Meghan French Dunbar explores why so many working women have become disconnected from their joy—and why reclaiming it is a beautiful act of resistance that can transform your work and life.
Grounded in research from the Harvard Flourishing Program and positive psychology pioneer Dr. Barbara Fredrickson, this episode explains why joy is essential for human flourishing, better leadership, and long-term resilience.
Through personal storytelling, societal critique, and real-world research, Meghan shares the three powerful practices she uses to re-center joy. Whether you’re burned out, thriving, or somewhere in between, this episode will help you reconnect with the parts of life that make it truly worth living.

The Achievement Trap: Why So Many High Achievers Aren’t Thriving (and How to Break Free)

Why the traditional playbook for success is broken—and how to rewrite it so you can truly flourish. 
Most of us were handed a definition of success—climb higher, achieve more, never stop—without questioning if it actually leads to a good life. In this episode of Better Than This, Meghan French Dunbar shares her personal story of achievement addiction, burnout, and rebuilding her life around something deeper. You'll learn why traditional ambition leaves so many high achievers unfulfilled, the science behind flourishing, and three powerful practices to help you redefine success on your own terms.
If you're tired of chasing goals that don’t deliver the life you want, this episode will help you start writing a better story.

Why Women Are Struggling More at Work (And What We Can Do About It)

In this powerful episode, host Meghan French Dunbar breaks down the hidden systemic barriers holding women back at work—from patriarchal norms to toxic leadership ideals. You’ll go behind the curtain of the modern workplace to uncover why stress, burnout, and depression are hitting women harder and begin exploring what we can do to fix it.
It’s time to stop blaming ourselves and start calling out what most people won’t say out loud: the system isn’t built for ambitious women to thrive. Whether you lead teams, identify as a woman, or just want a more equitable workplace, this episode is required listening

This Isn't Working: How the contemporary business playbook is destroying us and what to do next

Stress. Overwhelm. Burnout. We’re told they’re all personal — a time management issue, a self-care problem, a “just push through” situation. But what if the problem isn’t you? What if it’s the system?
In this kickoff episode of Better Than This, author, entrepreneur, and workplace instigator Meghan French Dunbar unpacks why the modern world of work feels so broken and explores how to break away from the traditional, often toxic work paradigms that dominate our lives.
From the harmful business playbook we’ve inherited to the roots of burnout, stress, and overwhelm — this episode sets the stage for a new conversation about work, leadership, and success.
This is your invitation to ditch the old rules — and step into The New Playbook.
In this episode:
→ Why work feels harder than ever (it’s not just you) → The hidden history behind today’s burnout culture → 5 toxic workplace norms driving stress & exhaustion → The powerful mindset shift that changed Meghan’s life → What’s possible when we build work that actually works for people
Discover how a different business playbook can enhance performance, improve workplace culture, and ultimately, transform your life.