But first, consider why your job or current income producing activity is a barrier to your self-actualization. Individuals that exhibit creativity, independent thinking, and spontaneity are not likely to advance up the corporate ladder in such cultures. Autonomy, democratic values and attitudes, resistance to enculturation, the willingness to look at imperfections, and the high performance that comes with self-actualization threatens the security of positions of higher managers in the corporate structure. It is much easier for them to lower the other person's self-esteem than it is to raise their own.
Surveys show that people who are self-employed stand out as being happy.
Self-employed workers are also more likely to describe themselves as completely satisfied with specific aspects of their jobs. The gap on job security is particularly striking, since one of the downsides of self- employment is supposed to be the insecurity associated with it. It was very clear to me, however, that day by day, week by week, month by month, and year by year I was paying a price in self-esteem. This awareness opened the door for my acceptance of a means of earning a very good living, more that the corporate world could ever match, which amazingly was designed specifically to develop self-actualization in people. And just as important, it offered security beyond that available in any corporation at that time and far more that available today with mergers, downsizing, consolidations and outsourcing.