In the previous article (this article), I introduced examples of opportunities in a blind spot. Today, as an extension of that, I will explain why a life toward independence doesn’t require advanced skills.
How to create a more comfortable life
Sometimes, we want our own way of life to make our lives more comfortable. Our individualities often prevent us from living the same way as our surroundings. That tells us we need to find another way of life, even if it is unusual.
If we are empathic and creative, our nature could cause many troubles. For example, we might be forced to worry about the future because our empathy makes us imagine the future and creates a fear of risk. We might want to do everything freely because our creativity requires trial and error of our own will.
When those two natures combine, they prevent us from doing general jobs. We overthink and care too much about people’s reactions. We cannot stand the constraints of an organization. They exhaust us.
That is why we want to create our own way of life.
A problem going toward independence
In such a case, heading toward independence could be a solution.
That allows us to use our nature as a talent. For example, empathy turns into the ability to prepare for the future. That enables us to survive, even with less social support. Creativity becomes a talent that gives us multiple ways of solving problems. We can be satisfied, even if we have fewer social resources.
However, we sometimes are not confident enough to head toward independence because it looks hard to realize. We might feel that it requires high skills to make it happen. We might feel we cannot achieve such a level of accomplishment when we cannot even do the job that many can.
Today, I will explain why it is not so hard to go toward independence. We don’t need advanced skills. Getting used to the new awareness is key. This perspective might give us a more comfortable life without worrying about our confidence.
Two directions based on our personalities
There are two directions based on our personalities: a way of life that depends more on society and that of independence, as shown in the following image:
They are not compatible because they are opposites. In other words, the confusion of directions makes our lives stagnate.
Two directions to living better
Those two directions are as follows:
- More socially dependent direction: We use more social resources. It requires more advanced skills because many people are competing to get them. Advanced skills allow us to dominate social resources. It is easy to find a solution but hard to get. This is a way for people with sociality and competitive minds.
- A more independent direction: We reduce our reliance on society. It requires flexible thinking because we have to solve problems with what we have now. Being logical and letting go of common sense allows us to create solutions. It is hard to notice a solution but easy to make happen. This way is for people with empathy and creativity.
Assume we are empathic and creative people in this article. Let me explain those approaches.
A life toward becoming more socially dependent
Depending more on society is one direction. We leave everything to others as much as possible without doing it ourselves. For example, we eat out, leave housework and childcare to housekeepers, order the tedious work to a professional, or let someone entertain us.
In this direction, we try to dominate more social resources that others have, such as winning through conflicts or wars or subjugating others.
If we want to live in such a style, advanced skills help us because they give us victory in competition. To win, we need a common standard that we can compare against. In other words, we must conform to public standards and reduce individual standards.
Being advanced means being competitive. That is why acquiring more social resources requires advanced skills.
It is better to start as early as possible, be patient, and keep going as long as possible. That gives us competitiveness. That is the style of this direction.
A life toward becoming independent
On the other hand, there is a way to live depending on society as little as possible. Although it is hard to secure social resources, it is easier to survive comfortably in a socially turbulent era because people in society start deadly conflicts to secure social resources in that era.
Perhaps empathic and creative people tend to like this direction because we can use those qualities efficiently.
If we head toward independence, we need flexible thinking because we must use only the resources we have at hand. We cannot rely on social resources.
In this lifestyle, we focus on individuality, including a unique environment. We can get affordable resources from the situation from a global perspective.
We don’t need advanced skills because we cannot compare our situations with others. There is no solid standard but our sense of happiness or comfort. In other words, we can determine our happiness ourselves.
That is why heading toward independence requires flexible thinking.
Proceeding with ideas
Discoveries or realizations lead us to progress. For example, when we find a new idea, we feel, “I wish I had noticed it sooner!” We never think, “I wish I had started earlier and continued,” because we don’t have to compete with others.
In other words, new ideas advance our independent lives.
Although some might feel getting new ideas is difficult, it is not so hard if we head toward independence because there is individuality. There are many unknown or strange materials around us. In addition, the further we go, the more new situations we will have.
In every situation, our logical sense allows us to find new ideas continuously.
On the other hand, being socially dependent is based on patience.
In this direction, getting ideas to win a competition is hard because it has less individuality. The less individuality our environment has, the fewer new ideas we can get. In other words, new ideas are almost exhausted. That experience makes us feel that it is difficult to get new ideas.
That confusion makes us feel like getting ideas is difficult. Although getting new ideas to win socially tends to be hard, we can do it far easier if we head toward independence.
Moving toward independence
Ideas and patience are opposites. We cannot get ideas with patience. Proceeding in the direction of independence gives us ideas to solve. We have to give up being patient.
If you want new ideas, try going toward independence. Our empathy and logical sense will show us the problems to solve and give us solutions. We will enjoy that process because we don’t have to be patient.
We don’t become independent to win. We become independent to create a comfortable life. If we understand the meaning of directions, we can proceed comfortably with countless ideas.
If we have a clear direction, we don’t deny ourselves. Confusion about direction shows us what we cannot do and makes us depressed.
Conclusion
That is why we don’t need advanced skills to proceed toward independence.
We can get used to the new awareness.
This perspective might give us a more comfortable life without worrying about our confidence.
Thank you for reading this article. I hope to see you in the next one.
