Are you open-minded and can take calculated risks?
I wrote this article to raise awareness because recently, I came across an interesting story on Medium.com. As the author my mentor and the person who invited me there as a writer, content curator, and editor, I read many of his insightful articles.
This eye-opening and exceptional piece is titled I Wish I Had Gone Self-Employed 40 Years Ago for Three Reasons. In the subtitle of the story, he said until recently, I didn’t know self-employment could be extra beneficial for health and well-being.
The author’s candid reflections on the benefits of self-employment, especially from a health and well-being perspective, are crucial insights that often get overlooked in career planning. As a retired health scientist and healthcare professional, I deeply resonated with his outstanding article. I reckon it holds significant value for young people, even middle-aged professionals.
You may wonder why this article matters to young people. I will explain the reasons briefly in the attached conversation. If you want to listen to it you may check out it from my Substack.com newsletter Health Science Research By Dr Mike Broadly or by clicking on the below photo.
Speaker 1: All right, everyone, let’s be real for a sec. Who hasn’t thought about just walking out of their job, like straight up quitting and finally becoming their own boss? You know what I mean?
Speaker 2: Ultimate daydream, right?
Speaker 1: Totally. And that’s exactly what we’re diving into today. This whole idea of ditching the nine to five grind. We’re taking a close look at this article by Dr. Mehmet Yildiz.
Speaker 2: Oh, yeah, I’ve seen that one.
Speaker 1: Yeah. He talks about why he wishes he had gone the self-employed route way sooner, like decades earlier.
Speaker 2: Interesting.
Speaker 1: Now it’s just a heads up. This isn’t like some super scientific study or anything. It’s more of a personal take on things.
Speaker 2: Right. Like a thought-provoking blog post kind of thing.
Speaker 1: Exactly. So let’s see what we can unpack here and what we can all learn from his experience.
Speaker 2: Sounds good to me.
Speaker 1: So Yildiz really leans into this idea of freedom in his article, like really paints a rosy picture of being your own boss.
Speaker 2: Oh, yeah. The appeal is definitely there.
Speaker 1: For sure. He talks about these three main benefits that I think a lot of us probably fantasize about. One, owning your time. Two, having real freedom. And three… You guessed it, making more money while actually working less.
Speaker 2: The dream, right?
Speaker 1: Tell me about it.
Speaker 2: Yeah.
Speaker 1: He even gets into specifics, like how he’d spend entire weekends prepping for the week ahead.
Speaker 2: Oh, I feel that.
Speaker 1: Right. Or that feeling of pouring your heart and soul into a project only to see someone else walk away with most of the profits.
Speaker 2: Ugh, the worst.
Speaker 1: It’s the worst. It’s like this classic trading time for money trap that so many of us want to escape.
Speaker 2: Absolutely. And, you know, to be fair to Yildiz, a lot of what he’s saying about the upsides of self-employment is true. For many people, it really is about taking control of your schedule, not being chained to that nine to five grind.
Speaker 1: Right. Like actually having the freedom to work when you want and how you want.
Speaker 2: And the satisfaction of seeing a more direct connection between the effort you put in and the rewards you reap.
Speaker 1: Makes sense.
Speaker 2: But, and I’m sure you knew there’d be a “but,” there’s always another side to the coin.
Speaker 1: Oh, absolutely. There are definitely two sides to this self-employment thing.
Speaker 2: Exactly. And it’s that other side, the one that often gets overshadowed, especially in those initial honeymoon phases that we really need to unpack.
Speaker 1: Yeah. It’s like anything else in life, right? There’s always a trade-off. There’s no such thing as a free lunch.
Speaker 2: Exactly. And, you know… Yildiz kind of glosses over some of the not-so-glamorous aspects of going solo.
Speaker 1: Okay. So like what? Give me the nitty gritty. What do we need to watch out for?
Speaker 2: Well, for starters, finding clients. It sounds obvious, but it’s a huge deal.
Speaker 1: Yeah, that makes sense.
Speaker 2: He mentions it briefly. But for most people just starting out, that’s a constant grind. A lot of pressure to hustle and always be on.
Speaker 1: Right. Always got to be networking, pitching yourself. It’s exhausting just thinking about it.
Speaker 2: Totally. And then there’s the whole income instability thing. One month you might be rolling in dough, and the next…
Speaker 1: You’re eating ramen noodles and hoping the Wi-Fi doesn’t go out.
Speaker 2: Exactly. It’s a roller coaster ride. And you’ve got to be prepared financially and emotionally to handle those ups and downs.
Speaker 1: Which, speaking of emotionally draining, let’s not forget about burnout.
Speaker 2: Oh, yeah, that’s a big one.
Speaker 1: It’s easy to romanticize being your own boss, but the reality is you’re always on call.
Speaker 2: True. It’s like the buck stops with you 24-7.
Speaker 1: No off switch.
Speaker 2: And it can take a toll. Big time.
Speaker 1: Yildiz actually shares a pretty intense story about his friend Naomi, who was building her own business and it really affected her health.
Speaker 2: Yeah, that part of the article is kind of hard-hitting. It’s a good reminder that this whole self-employment thing isn’t just about passion and freedom.
Speaker 1: There’s a whole other level of resilience and discipline involved.
Speaker 2: Right. And not to mention having the right support system in place, people who get it and can be there for you when things get tough.
Speaker 1: Seriously, you need those people in your corner. It’s so easy to get caught up in the excitement of it all and then, bam, reality hits.
Speaker 2: And there’s this other layer, too, something that often gets overlooked in these “follow your dream” stories.
Speaker 1: Go on. I’m listening.
Speaker 2: Well, Yildiz casually mentions having above average IQ, EQ, SQ. Like it’s no big deal.
Speaker 1: Wait, hold up. I feel like most people don’t just walk around knowing those scores off the top of their heads.
Speaker 2: Right. It’s easy for him to say those things were assets, but not everyone starts with the same hand.
Speaker 1: It’s like he’s playing life on easy mode and we’re stuck on expert.
Speaker 2: Exactly. We all have our own strengths and weaknesses and what works for one person might not work for another.
Speaker 1: Okay, so are you saying that if you’re not some super genius with off-the-charts emotional intelligence, then self-employment is out of the question?
Speaker 2: Not at all. It’s not about being superhuman.
Speaker 1: So it’s not about checking off some superhuman boxes. It’s more about knowing yourself—what you’re good at, what you’re not so good at—and being real about those things.
Speaker 2: 100%.
Speaker 1: And, you know, there’s this one part in Yildiz’s article that I think is super relevant here, regardless of whether you’re thinking about going solo or not. He talks about this feeling of only getting like 10% of the value he created at his corporate job.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I remember that part.
Speaker 1: Like the other 90% just went straight to the top.
Speaker 2: Oof. That’s going to sting a little.
Speaker 1: Right. It really makes you stop and think, am I actually reaping the rewards of my hard work, or am I just giving away most of the value I create?
Speaker 2: Such a good point. And it speaks to this bigger issue of finding real satisfaction in what you do, feeling valued and having a sense of balance in your life.
Speaker 1: Exactly. And that’s what I find so interesting about Yildiz’s story. It’s his personal journey, but it opens up this whole conversation about finding that sweet spot between work and life.
Speaker 2: Setting those boundaries.
Speaker 1: Yeah.
Speaker 2: Making sure you’re not getting taken advantage of.
Speaker 1: For sure. It’s about designing a work life that actually aligns with your values and priorities. And that looks different for everyone. Self-employment might be the answer for some people.
Speaker 2: Right. But it’s not the be all and end all.
Speaker 1: Exactly. There are other ways to feel like you’re in the driver’s seat. It could be as simple as having a heart-to-heart with your boss about your career goals or negotiating for more flexibility.
Speaker 2: Maybe dipping your toes into the freelance pool. Seeing what it’s like to have a side hustle.
Speaker 1: Exactly. Testing those waters. It’s about exploring different options and finding what feels right for you.
Speaker 2: It’s like that age-old question. Are you living to work or working to live?
Speaker 1: Right. We’ve all been there.
Speaker 2: And you know what’s funny? Even though Yildiz is all about self-employment now, he still stresses the importance of finding that balance, not burning yourself out in the name of hustle and grind.
Speaker 1: Oh, totally. He’s basically saying, hey, learn from my mistakes.
Speaker 2: Which is solid advice, to be honest. Even if you love what you do, boundaries are crucial.
Speaker 1: 100%.
Speaker 2: It all comes back to knowing yourself. What are your non-negotiables? What brings you joy? What are your deal breakers?
Speaker 1: These are questions we should all be asking ourselves, whether we’re entrepreneurs or employees.
Speaker 2: Couldn’t agree more.
Speaker 1: All right. I think we’ve covered some good ground here.
Speaker 2: Totally. This conversation’s definitely made me think more critically about what I want out of work and life.
Speaker 1: Same here. At the end of the day, it’s about finding what works for you and making sure you’re not sacrificing your well-being for success.
Speaker 2: Absolutely.
Speaker 1: All right, then. Thanks for chatting with me about this today. Catch you next time!
Speaker 2: Yeah, for sure! See you next time.
Here are my three key takeaways from this story:
- Think About the Long-Term Effects of Corporate Work
- Self-Employment Is Challenging, but Incredibly Rewarding
- Financial Independence Is a Game-Changer Worth Pursuing
For those interested, I crafted an interactive podcast, which you may listen to from my newsletter Health Science Research By Dr Mike Broadly
Related story on Medium.com
Is Self-Employment Right for You? The Benefits of Thinking Early!
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