The 21st century has introduced another era of work, one in which an expanding number of people are leaving, or abstaining from entering altogether, the conventional workforce, and opting to be self-employed.
What explains this expanded enthusiasm for self-employment? Maybe it very well may be ascribed to the genuinely ongoing rise of a few exceptionally effective business visionaries —, for example, Jeff Bezos, Susan Wojcicki, and Mark Zuckerberg — who have become iconized as the embodiment of accomplishment.
Or on the other hand, perhaps it’s because of changes in the inclinations and qualities among ongoing generational accomplices, or innovative movements in the nature of work that make it simpler than to seek after self-employment as a reasonable career path. In all likelihood, it’s presumably a tad bit of each of these.
1. Narcissists are more likely to be self-employed than non-narcissists
Narcissists are devoured by dreams of pomposity and will regularly search out circumstances that can give them consideration and adoration from others. For narcissists, self-employment might be viewed as a viable source of such “narcissistic supply”, given its expanding charm as a splendid and individualized career path and depiction in the media as giving the opportunity to “change the world”.
In addition to the fact that narcissists are probably going to find self-employment attractive, given their elevated levels of fearlessness, delusional sense of prevalence, and propensities toward risk-taking, they are probably going to accept they have what it takes and abilities needed to be effective in such settings. This blend of appreciation for and perceived aptitude for self-employment implies that narcissistic people frequently end up shunning conventional types of business and picking rather than being self-employed.
2. Narcissistic males are more likely to be self-employed than narcissistic females
While it may be fairly evident that narcissistic people are more likely to be self-employed than their non-narcissistic counterparts, what is less instinctive is the role gender plays in this relationship. In particular, our outcomes further show that narcissistic males are more likely to be self-employed than narcissistic females. What clarifies such sexual orientation contrasts?
All things considered, it’s conceivable that narcissistic females, foreseeing such social authorizations, might be more outlandish than their male counterparts to see similar advantages of self-employment, and consequently decide on a more conventional career path. In this way, while narcissistic males may consider self-employment to be their approach to fame and fortune. Narcissistic females might be more averse to view such career paths as a favorable setting in which to obtain the narcissistic supply gracefully they need.
3. Narcissists who are self-employed are no more successful than narcissists who are traditionally employed
These days, there’s no deficiency of business masters and self-announced influencers ready to laud the advantages of fearlessness, confidence, and possibly a touch of self esteem, as basic characteristics of enterprising achievement.
However, only believing you have what it takes to be effectively self-employed, while maybe vital, is likely not an adequate condition for being successful in the profoundly questionable and dynamic domain of independent work.
The fact is, while we can promptly consider numerous entrepreneurs with narcissistic propensities who have been uncontrollably successful (e.g., Steve Jobs, Martha Stewart, Elon Musk), these are likely the special cases as opposed to the standard. Narcissists, particularly the individuals who experience the ill effects of its pathological expression, just have too many negative characteristics that can, at last, exceed the positive.
