Someday I'd like to be independent. I want to work freely, without being confined to the framework of a company. How many people are thinking that way?

However, even if you take the plunge into independence, there are various things, failures and successes. Especially when you become independent, but compared to your company days, you might think, 'This isn't what I expected,' or 'It's not as interesting as I thought.' You don't want that to happen, do you? If you've gone to the trouble of becoming independent, you'd want to work with excitement, feeling like you've achieved your ideal way of working!

So, how can you achieve an exciting independence? First, there's just one thing you should focus on yourself and check. That is, there are two types of people in this world, and you need to know which type you are.

The first isThe 'Creator'They are people who conceive things, create something from scratch, and bring new value into the world. From unexpected ideas, they continuously stimulate organizations. While they also enjoy doing steady work and analysis after creating something, they are not necessarily dedicated to mastering that path. Instead, they are better suited to negotiating with people, showing new directions to organizations, and thinking about the big picture.

On the other hand, the second isThe 'Sustainer'They are the type who take the '1' created by the 'Creator' and increase it to '100'. They focus intensely on one thing, mastering something with single-minded concentration, whether it's marketing, analysis, or technology. They are not necessarily good at setting up broad frameworks or innovative ideas; rather, they are better at performing a single role than generating ideas.

Only when these two types of people are present does a business move towards success. The 'Creator' generates ideas and gives them form, while the 'Sustainer' refines that form further, increasing its completeness. It is through this series of steps that a business is established. There might be people who can do everything by themselves, but they are not many. In most cases, a business evolves with these two types of people.

So, which type are you? If you misunderstand this assessment, you might, surprisingly, wander aimlessly for a long time.

About the 'Creator'.

When you think about wanting to start a business or become independent, first, let's look at yourself. If you take the wrong path here, you will fall one step behind your own results. For example, let's say you are a 'Creator'. However, if you end up on the 'Sustainer' side, you will always be working with a fog in your mind.

You might think, 'Should I be working here?' or 'There are other things I want to do and initiate.' Such as, 'I want to do that,' 'I want to do this.' Even though you understand the meaning of working in that place right now, you'll find yourself thinking such things somewhere in your heart.

If you have even a slight inkling and concrete ideas, turn them into reality right away. If you can passionately articulate your ideas, then with your drive, many people will help you, and you should be able to feel that it's your true calling.

Incidentally, they are also unintentionally good at new business development from scratch, and work somehow comes to them. They take new steps without any hesitation, thinking for themselves what is rational and then executing it.

However, some people operate exceptionally within their own worldview, are not very considerate, are surprisingly weak-hearted, or get bored easily. Generally, many such individuals' potential goes undiscovered within a company and they fade away. There are also types who have eccentric parts somewhere, but after being in society for a long time, they are somehow forced to conform and finally manage to behave like normal people. They might be overly assertive, which can sometimes lead to resentment. They can be quite difficult to manage within an organization.

Of course, there are also truly wonderful people who succeed and rise to the top, both within organizations and as individuals.

About 'The Continuer'.

Furthermore, if you are the 'continuer' type. Even if you are entrusted with planning or proposing ideas, you probably won't come up with very good ones. You might even struggle with it. Thinking of ideas becomes painful, and you receive rejections repeatedly. You only come up with ideas you've heard or seen somewhere, and they inevitably turn out to be something that already exists if you search for them.

On the other hand, you arrive punctually for your regular work and can deliver results. 'Continuer' types don't feel particular pain working in a typical workplace, and if they see someone speaking passionately, they feel like supporting them! And helping them! They are good at upselling existing work, so if you give them a task that has already been acquired, they perform exceptionally well.

However, when it comes to proactive new sales, some people don't know where to start. Nevertheless, they generally produce results. Because they are good at continuing, they gradually manage businesses and can even reach the top. As a result, they might talk about themselves as entrepreneurs, but that's not their true essence. It's dangerous if they start speaking as an entrepreneur. Often, it's just an appearance, so there's a high probability they can only take ordinary actions when it truly matters.

What if, by some mistake, 'The Creator' ends up doing the work of 'The Continuer'? Unless there's a grand misunderstanding or they possess skills for both, stress will accumulate endlessly. I haven't met anyone who can do both, though. Or, they might never reach realization, or they might come up with completely irrelevant ideas.

Furthermore, if 'The Continuer' is told to generate ideas from scratch and take leadership, there's a high probability their spirit will be worn out and broken before achieving anything. Even if they manage to come up with an idea, the conditions might not allow it, or the investment might not keep up in the first place, leading to a disjointed process.

Let's discern which is your true essence.

First, clearly identify which type of person you are, and then pursue your strengths based on your true essence. This is the shortcut to independence. For 'The Creator' to work under someone else's idea would likely feel frustrating, and for 'The Continuer' to have to come up with ideas would just be painful. Let's determine which type aligns with your true nature.

However, there might be a question of how 'The Continuer' can become independent, given that they can't create something from scratch themselves, unlike 'The Creator'. That's perfectly fine. The form of a contract worker is largely the same as being employed. Even without initiating new ideas yourself, if you have experience from companies or other actual work, you can reliably perform tasks.

The problem is how to acquire clients, and for that, you'll have to somehow secure clients by tracing back through past acquaintances, friends, colleagues, or former companies. If you can clear that hurdle and deliver results, you can make a living without having to generate any ideas yourself. Furthermore, since your working hours are flexible, you'll likely be able to perform even better.

Whether you are a creator or a sustainer, independence is possible. If you can see this far, then all that's left is to figure out which path will allow you to work in the most optimal environment. Will you be a creator, constantly coming up with business ideas and bringing them to fruition? Or will you be a sustainer, taking on work through consignment? Before considering independence, I recommend first discerning your true nature. By choosing the path that suits you, you can avoid a miserable independence where you think, "This wasn't what I expected" or "I failed."

By the way, while being a "creator" might seem overly risky, there's nothing to fear if you have the ability to deliver results through commissioned work and then start generating ideas. By taking on commissioned work, you can do your job properly even while harboring some internal uncertainties. In the meantime, you can realize new ideas and grow your own business. If you can follow this flow, you'll be able to create mechanisms without ever going hungry.

In this day and age, I don't think there are many people who want to be independent, but from now on, it will be an era where individuals thrive and individual capabilities speak volumes. And false abilities will be increasingly weeded out. So, even if you don't intend to be independent, I think it's a good idea to be able to make it on your own, or even better, to gain enough strength to survive in this era.