How To Overcome Impostor Syndrome As A Virtual Assistant

Learning how to overcome impostor syndrome as a virtual assistant is key to a successful business. Feel free to call it what you’re familiar with- self-doubt, fear of putting yourself out there, etc.

A huge percentage of virtual assistants in Nigeria have had to deal with this feeling in the early stages of their business.

It’s not a nice feeling.

The constant self-doubt.

You are always second guessing yourself and your ability to build your own business and feel like virtual assistants in the diaspora are more qualified

Worrying that you aren’t good enough or skilled enough to charge in dollars or be trusted with responsibility.

So you charge very low and accept whatever you are offered because you feel you don’t deserve better.

I know this because I used to feel this way.

I still second guess myself sometimes. Up until now I still worry about every new product or service I put out. If people are going to sign up for it. If it is worth it or just another crappy piece of content on the web.

But what I’ve realized is that it doesn’t really matter what you feel.

What matters is how you overcome impostor syndrome.

You can’t let it ruin your life and business. You have to move forward regardless. In this post, I share ways I overcome impostor syndrome as a virtual assistant all the time and how you can too.

5 Ways To Overcome Imposter Syndrome As A Virtual Assistant in Nigeria

1.) Stop Comparing Yourself

You know what they say, comparison is a thief of joy. While it is natural to compare yourself to others you have to be sure that it is done in a healthy way.

We live in an era when everyone shows the cool and exciting parts of their businesses. More like the highlights of their lives.

So constantly comparing someone’s carefully edited and curated content to your reality is bad. It always ends badly.

Bear in mind that some VAs are making more money than you and they’ve been doing this for a shorter amount of time. Some are making way less than you and have been doing it for longer than you.

Spending your time worrying about what every other VA is doing isn’t going to help you grow your business. People lie. People over hype things.

Instead, stay focused on your own business and look for ways to grow. The only time comparison is advisable is when you’re doing a SWOT analysis.

2.) Talk About It

Sharing my feeling and concerns with my partner is really helpful. On days when I felt really low and undeserving of the success I was getting, he was there to listen and advice.

Sometimes all we need is someone to talk to. Someone to cheer us on and tell us we’ll be alright. That’s why I say talk to your friends, family and other VAs that support you. I receive emails and calls from BAs in my network all the time and we just talk about dealing with business.

If you’d like to jump on one of these calls you can apply for a free consultation.

From talking to hundreds of virtual assistants and small business owners, I’ve realized one thing. A lot of times we’re all going through the same difficulties and you can learn how other people overcame.

It’s great to know that you’re not alone and to have people to talk to. They’ll be there to encourage you and lift you up as you step out of your comfort zone and face your fears.

3.) Remember Why You Started

You started your virtual assistant business to help your clients’ complete tasks. You are actually offering them value in exchange for a fee. You’re not just going around asking people for money without giving anything in return.

Think about how helpful what you do is/will be to your client.

You are making their lives easier and should be proud of that! Now remember that a skill you learned in 5minutes and don’t think is worth much might be invaluable to your client.

In your lowest of times when you’re experiencing self-doubt and feel like you should give up and retreat to safety, remembering why you started is what will keep you pushing through.

4.) Admit What You’re Feeling

You can’t overcome imposter syndrome by ignoring your feelings and acting like everything is okay. It’s okay to acknowledge your emotions

Even very established entrepreneurs feel this way when they venture into something new. You have to be honest with yourself about how you’re feeling.

Then ask yourself this simple question- What’s the worst that could happen?

Let’s imagine for a moment.  

Seriously, what is the absolute worst thing that can happen if you faced your fears?

Are you afraid some people will laugh at you? Or That you’ll make a fool of yourself and never get a client?

Once you’ve gotten your worst case scenario, think about what you’d do if that actually happened.

Now let’s be realistic. What are the chances of your worst case scenario actually happening?

Most likely, the chances aren’t very high. Even if it did happen, it probably wouldn’t be the end of the world. Would it?

I remember when I wanted to teach my first WhatsApp class. I had feelings of self-doubt and constantly worried that people would scoff at the thought of me teaching something.

Then I thought; what’s the worst that could happen?

I quickly realized that when you really think about it, the worst is not that bad.

So what if no one hired you three months after you launched your business? There are many things you could do to still get attention and attract the right clients in your fourth month.

Yes, you don’t feel great about it. Things could be better. But you’re moving on and doing your best to make sure you position yourself for success.

Read also: How to Onboard Clients as a Virtual Assistant (in 6 easy steps).

5.) Work Through It (Baby Steps)

Getting your VA business off the ground can feel overwhelming. But you need to stay focused and get the job done. It might not be pretty at first, but every little task you complete will add up.

My advice is that you break the big tasks down into smaller and smaller steps until your to-do list becomes doable.

Commit to taking one baby step or two each day and you’ll be amazed how quickly you’ll find success.

Your self-doubt will blur away as you constantly take baby steps to achieve your goals.

Your Turn

I hope you found this post helpful and the information makes you feel less alone as you try to overcome impostor syndrome as a virtual assistant. Have you ever dealt with impostor syndrome aka self-doubt? How did you overcome it?