You know that person who seems to be doing it all?

Crushing it at work, keeping up with home life, staying social, hitting the gym, and still getting a full eight hours of sleep?

Here’s the truth: They’re not doing it alone.

Behind every high-achiever is a support system. That means partners, therapists, or even personal assistants helping keep things together. But many of us were taught that needing help means we’re failing.

It’s time to unlearn that.

Top 5 Myths That Keep You From Asking for Help

The cliche advice is “Just ask for help.” Sounds pretty simple, right?

Unfortunately, sneaky, deep-rooted beliefs often stop us from seeking help. Let’s unpack five of the most common myths keeping you from the support you actually need.

Myth 1: People Will Think Less of Me If I Admit I Need Help

We naturally adopt the identity of the person who always has it under control. We’re the ones that others look to for clarity, for solutions. Admitting we need help feels like we’re breaking character.

Executives especially feel the quiet pressure that comes with being the “capable one.” We compartmentalize and tell ourselves that we’ll push through like we always do, even as our to-do list spills off the pages and occupies most of our mental space.

Asking for help can feel like you’re handing people a reason to question your competence.

The Truth: Anyone who would judge you for being honest about your limits, doesn’t deserve to be in your corner. Real respect isn’t earned by pretending to have it all together, but through self-awareness, boundaries, and the courage to own your needs.

Myth 2: I Can’t Trust Anyone To Show Up For Me

Few people can say they haven’t been stung by asking for support and then not having it be up to their standards.

Whether it’s a colleague who misses a deadline, a partner who doesn’t follow through, or a team member who falls short, each experience only seems to lead to disappointment. As a result, asking for help becomes a double-edged sword: There’s the relief of potential support, but it comes with the fear that the help you receive will ultimately not meet your expectations.

“No one can do it like me.”

And that may be true. Sometimes asking for help can feel like a gamble: Will they do it how I’d want them to?

The Truth: It’s valid to feel hesitant when people have let you down in the past, because that’s sure to leave a mark. But that doesn’t mean you’re wrong for wanting support. Asking for help isn’t about handing over control but creating the space for someone to meet you. It won’t always be perfect, but it will be meaningful. You can still be discernible while remaining open to the fact that you don’t have to carry everything on your own.

Myth 3: Asking for Help Feels Like Failure and Incompetency

Being self-reliant is an admirable trait but struggling silently is often mistaken for strength.

There’s a common belief that if you open up, people will start to question your strength and competence. If you admit you’re overwhelmed, tired, or just don’t have the answer right now, it’ll somehow discredit all the things you do handle with ease.

You tell yourself, “I should be able to handle this.”

By holding onto this belief, you might be sacrificing both your well-being and the opportunity to grow through collaboration. It creates a reality where you’re not allowed to slow down, not allowed to ask for help, and not allowed to be anything less than self-sufficient at all times. The result? You end up managing everyone and everything except yourself.

The Truth: Needing help doesn’t equate to failure or being weak. In fact, it shows that you understand that no one achieves true success alone—not even the most high-performing executives. Getting the support you need only makes you more effective, not less.

Myth 4: I Don’t Want to Burden Anyone

You don’t want to interrupt anyone’s day. You don’t want to be “one more thing” on someone else’s plate. Even if you’re the one that others lean on, when it’s your turn, asking for help just feels off. Especially if you’re someone who takes pride in being low-maintenance, the idea of becoming someone else’s task can feel uncomfortable, even shameful.

The Truth: People who care about you want to be there for you. Support isn’t a transaction; it’s part of healthy, reciprocal relationships. Asking for help doesn’t make you a burden. It makes you human.

Myth 5: I Learned Early That Self-Reliance Is an Asset

For many high-achievers, this myth is far from a conscious choice. Instead, it was inherited. Maybe you grew up in a household where self-reliance was praised and vulnerability was dismissed. Where asking for help was met with disappointment, rejection, or even punishment. Over time, you learned that needing others wasn’t safe and the best way to protect yourself was to handle everything on your own.

That early wiring doesn’t just disappear with age or success. “I’ll figure it out myself” becomes your default setting. Even when your plate is overflowing. Even when the weight is unbearable. The belief isn’t just “I shouldn’t ask for help.” It’s “I’m not allowed to.”

The Truth: You may have learned early on not to need anyone but you’re allowed to rewrite that story. Just because you were taught to suppress your needs doesn’t mean you have to keep living that way.

Reframing Asking for Help

Business owners know all too well that asking for help gives them a competitive advantage. They call it delegating or outsourcing but it’s all the same. They have an intimate understanding of the need to hand off certain things to make room for those that are priority to them.

So, in reframing your beliefs around seeking support, think of it more of a strategic move than anything else.

When you give yourself permission to ask for support, things shift in your favor. Here are some other things that happen:

1. Help Allows You to Make Clearer, Faster Decisions

When you’re not bogged down by everything at once, you think more strategically. You can step back, see the bigger picture, and move forward with more confidence and less second-guessing. Plus, asking for help is simply the smarter thing to do. Recognizing when you need help and asking for it, allows you to operate at your best, without burning out.

2. Help Frees You To Focus On What Matters Most

Not everything needs your personal touch. When you delegate with intention, you reclaim the time, energy, and mental space to focus on what truly moves the needle. Whether that’s scaling your business, spending meaningful time with your family, or pursuing the goals that light you up, support allows you to show up where you’re needed most (which rarely is everywhere at once).

3. You Create Space To Breathe (and Grow)

When you stop holding it all in, you give yourself space to rest, reflect, and be more present in your life. You make space for the big-picture thinking that leads to growth in both your personal and professional life. You’ll quickly learn that it not only takes the pressure off but gives you the mental space needed to achieve more.

4. Help Creates a Culture of Generosity

Asking for support creates a space where collaboration is valued over curating perfection, and shows that there’s no shame in relying on others. It doesn’t just lift your load, but encourages others to do the same. It fosters a culture of generosity where support is freely given and received, thus creating an environment where everyone can thrive together.

5. Help Models Vulnerability and Authenticity

We often think of asking for help as a sign of weakness, when it’s really an act of strength. It shows that you’re willing to embrace vulnerability, which makes you more relatable to those around you. This kind of authenticity and transparency inspires trust and deepens connections with others. You may even become a safe space for others to be open and ask for help too.

Let’s Flip the Script

Take it from Shonda Rhimes—TV powerhouse and mother of three. She runs a media empire but she’s never claimed to “do it all.” In fact, she’s refreshingly honest about the support she relies on to keep everything moving. One of the first things she’ll tell you? Her full-time nanny was a necessity.

She’s not alone. More high-performing professionals are reclaiming their time, energy, and focus by getting the right kind of support at work and home.

Because success isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing less of what drains you, so you can do more of what matters.

The Difference Between Basic Help and Executive-Level Support

It’s important to note though, that not all help was created equally. There’s a big difference between “help” and high-level support. Basic help often needs oversight. High level support, however, like a personal assistant is thoughtful, proactive, and designed to free up your energy without adding more decisions to your plate.

For example, a  housekeeper might clean the kitchen but a great personal assistant will stock the fridge, book your travel, organize birthdays, and make sure you never miss a beat.

Still, it’s normal to hesitate:

• “Is this too much?”
• “Can I justify this?”
• “Am I supposed to be able to handle this on my own?”

These are valid questions. Many high-achievers are used to being the ones who have it handled. But support at this level is about recognizing that your time and energy are too valuable to spend on things that someone else can manage just as well, if not better.

That’s where Pepper’s Personal Assistant comes in.

We’re not just task-doers, we’re problem-solvers. The support is 1:1, tailored, and intentionally designed to anticipate your needs before they hit your to-do list. From managing household logistics to planning events to taking care of the behind-the-scenes details that eat up your brain space, we help create the breathing room you didn’t realize you were missing.

And because we’re committed to getting you the right support, we offer a Guaranteed Perfect Fit. If your personal assistant isn’t the right match, you can switch at any time, for free.

Because with the right support behind you, there’s no limit to what you can do.