Would people really become happier if they are self-employed ?
By: Rina Takei
Tags: Freelancing, Digital Nomads, Traveling, Self Employed, Careers

“Make a living doing what you love.” Recently, we often hear the statement. More people have been prioritized what they want to do and be other than following the value that the majority decided. The number of people who want to become a CEO or freelancer is increasing compared to the past. Some of them define the independent working style as a symbol of freedom, and others encourage people to build a startup with their passion.

Actually, it is a totally different working style from that of working for a company. They do not have to be controlled by their boss and can work anytime and anywhere like a nomad. Here, However, is a question, would people really become happier if they work as freelances or business owners? I did some research on the reality of a self-employed person to answer the question.

The working environment changed dramatically

As I mentioned earlier, many people don’t want to work hard only to earn money, or gain higher social status anymore because they can lead a good life even if they are not rich or noble. Today, we can enjoy movies and dramas from $8.99 per month, get any information on the internet, and buy products at a reasonable price. People want to be more respected for their individuality and work and live as they are.

The development of technology has accelerated the change in the way of thinking. We can work anywhere with a laptop, get information by searching on the internet, and learn new skills from online courses such as MOOC services. We can also attend the classes provided by Ivy League colleges from $55 per month.

It has improved people’s work efficiency and also enabled them to do other jobs or freelance. The company’s literacy of outsourcing tasks is getting higher as well. It gives benefits for companies using contract workers instead of full-time workers with high labor costs.

The development enables people not only to follow their curiosity but also realize it. We can follow our heart and intuition and need not to lead the life of others, as Steve Jobs said in his Stanford Commencement speech.

Reality of self-employed workers

Let’s get back to the question; trying to follow their heart and intuition as a self-employed worker is the happiest way. In reality, there are several hardships for making a living, following their curiosity.

The first problem is financial stability. There are no business opportunities to get passively, so they would first need to build a way to earn money independently. In addition, realizing the business which are lucrative and also following their curiosity becomes more complicated. Some people feel anxious about making a living, and it’s just a change of the ruler from superiors to your future anxiety. They have to control their workforce and keep the time for the activity to follow their vision. For example, the plan of shifting the type of revenues written in the article of 10 years self-employed creator is very helpful.

Second, they easily lose their goal because there are no objectives or evaluations that others set. In fact, most people they want to set the goal based on their curiosity don’t know what it is. It is not rational, so make them take risks that don’t make sense at the time. It may be easier to follow the criteria others have already set because you can see a particular path and control it logically.

However, in my opinion, there are more attractions than hardships. They can go anywhere they want, and it may enable them to travel all over the world like digital nomad. They can use their time as they want, so they may be able to stay with their children more frequently. But, the experience of facing themselves and seeking their inner feelings seriously is the most important lesson. The habit enables them to make a decision as their own compass points. It is the method to handle their life with strong will in any situation.

Keep looking, don’t settle.

“Make a living doing what you love.”

I recommend people who have got inspired by the quote to try it immediately, following their passion. The difference in working style, such as freelancers, business owners, or employees, is not the deciding factor for freedom. The closest way to live a life with what you love is to keep taking actions with their heart and finding something from the result, even if the actions are not logical, or no one agrees with.

I’d like to conclude the article with his words I like the most in the Speech of Steve Jobs as I mentioned above. “The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking. Don’t settle.”