Competition & Mindset: How to Shift from Fear to Focus in Your Business

A lot of my conversations lately have been about competition. What happens when someone offers the same product or service as you?

There is often fear in that conversation, sometimes even frustration. How dare they?!

But I see competition a little differently, and I want to share my perspective with you. This conversation is really about Competition & Mindset: How to Shift from Fear to Focus in Your Business.

When I first opened my business as a Virtual Assistant, I quickly realized how many other VAs were out there. I worried about why someone would choose me over the next one. I was still figuring out my offers, my ideal clients, and what made me different.

At that stage, I served everyone, which meant I didn’t really stand out to anyone.

Still, my business grew through word of mouth, referrals, and real connections. That taught me something early on: competition didn’t need to take up space in my head. But fear? That was natural when I was stepping outside my comfort zone and putting my heart into something new.

Over time, I got clear on who I wanted to serve and what I wanted to offer. Once I niched down, my business grew tremendously, and suddenly, the competition didn’t seem so crowded anymore. And that’s the core of Competition & Mindset. When you shift your attention inward, everything looks different.

If you go searching for competition, you’ll find it everywhere. But if you focus on yourself, your strengths, your gifts, and the experience you bring to the table, your whole perspective shifts.

Your fears start to feel less about other people and more about your own growth. About building the business you want. About making sales that feel aligned. About trusting yourself through each season of entrepreneurship.

Fast forward to now. This year, I pivoted into my role as a Creative Business Strategist. After working behind the scenes as a VA, I knew exactly where business owners needed help and where I could make the biggest impact.

But here’s the thing. The strategist and coaching space is full. So the same question came back again: Why would someone choose me?

And instead of spiraling (which is a completely valid reaction), I chose to redirect my energy inward. I did it in two ways:

1. I looked at what made me different.

I took a step back and asked myself what makes my approach unique. After working with other coaches on my own business, I could clearly see where I had a different focus and strategy. That clarity built my confidence and softened the fear.

2. I did a SWOT analysis.

I didn’t just analyze myself. I included three other people offering similar services. The best part? One of them is someone I would actually love to collaborate with.

Seeing the four of us side by side gave me so much clarity. I could easily see my opportunities, the strengths that set me apart, and the areas they struggled in that I naturally excel at. Once I saw this clearly, the idea of them as competition disappeared.

Now I want to work with one of them, collaborate with another, and learn more about the third.

Because I am not in the business of tearing other women down. I have built my business around what makes me shine and I keep my focus there.

My fear isn’t about them anymore. My fear, when it comes up, is about me. Can I show up consistently, confidently, and with presence, even when life gets full or things feel unbalanced?

The short answer is yes. I know my zone of genius. I know the transformation I bring. Now it’s about allowing myself to be seen in it. The bigger truth I had to swallow?

Competition is not going anywhere. But it also does not have to define you.

There will be times when you learn from it, times when you collaborate with it, and times when you simply release it and stay in your lane. The real work is learning how to shift your energy from fear to clarity, from scarcity to confidence, from comparison to connection.

And if you are not sure where to start, whether it is identifying your competitors, understanding what makes you unique, or doing a SWOT analysis that actually helps you feel empowered, let’s talk.

Because clarity is always the first step toward confidence.