WHO ARE YOU WORKING FOR?
Not that long ago, working for ourselves was the norm for most people. Humans dwelled in small communities in which members used their natural skillsets to contribute to the maintenance and perpetuation of the village. People worked according to the hours of daylight and to the seasons. They were connected to the land and they mostly valued their time off, family connections and the wellbeing of their community.
In the mid 1700’s, the Industrial Revolution brought on the invention of machines, leading to the automation of production for almost all goods, including clothes, food and everyday tools. With the invention of steam trains, telephones and the banking system, business owners were given access to a global marketplace, enabling them to source, produce and sell goods and services at a considerably faster rate, increasing profits.
People left their villages, farms and communities to find work in factories, where they performed repetitive tasks for which they were paid very little. As a result, small-scale manufacturing and artisan crafts were replaced by large-scale industrial manufacturing.
A 2018 study conducted by Harvard Business Review concluded that being forced to leave autonomous, self-created lives to work mundane jobs under constant supervision for minimal wages led to a clear decline in the physical and mental wellbeing of the population.
Societies in the 21st century are still being shaped by that significant period in human history.
—Excerpt from How to Start a Side Hustle, Kaylene Langford: Chapter one: Now is the perfect time to start your side hustle
Autonomy
The motivation to start my own business came from my desire for freedom. An aspiration to set my own goals, expand creatively and experiment with ideas that inspired me. I craved being able to choose what I was working on, when and with who.
I realised if I didn’t do this now, I probably would never have the courage to do it later.
—Giovanni Marsico
Starting first as a side hustle with little to no risk, I set out to take fast action, fail early, learn in real time and try again until it worked.
It wasn't always easy but for the first time in a long time, I felt that I had autonomy over the trajectory of my future.
autonomy | noun — the right or condition of self-government: freedom from external control or influence; independence: having the ability to be the primary decision-maker
Research shows that autonomy over ones work is one of the most important intrinsic (the doing of an activity for its inherent satisfaction rather than because of external pressures, or rewards) drivers of human motivation and personal satisfaction.
Control over how we spend our time, resources and creative outputs motivates us to take the necessary action to bring our ideas to life and the impetus for achievement and fulfilment.
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.
—Invictus, William Ernest Henley
Working for yourself whether in the form of a business, side hustle or creative project possesses many benefits beyond just a pay check. It has the power to enhance your wellbeing, life satisfaction and sense of self.
‘Just start’ isn’t just a catchy phrase, it’s an invitation to reclaim your autonomy for the sake of your happiness, health and longevity.
What’s stopping you?
“Do not wait: the time will never be 'just right'. Start where you stand, and work whatever tools you may have at your command and better tools will be found as you go along.”
―Napoleon Hill
Happy starting.
K
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Research references for this article:
Self-Determination Theory, HBR: Autonomy in the workplace , HBR: Effects of the Industrial Revolution, Autonomy and satisfaction
