Working alone
**** This post contains the same content as my "note" post ****
_________________________________________
I've started a note, but I'm not sure what to write about yet. For now, I think I'll record the thoughts that vaguely cross my mind while making products each day.
Today, I was thinking, "Why am I working alone making leather products?"
I've been working on creating and selling leather products for 10 years, and working alone is normal for me. Sometimes customers say, "It must be tough doing it all by yourself," but I don't think it's tough because I've always seen it as the norm.
10 years ago, when I started my business, I decided to do it alone. I thought it would be nice to eventually work with my wife, but I'm still doing it alone. Honestly, I don't think I've yet reached my full capacity for work. Even after 10 years, I still believe I can make and sell more on my own. I also think I'm overconfident, but if I thought I'd reached my limit, I wouldn't have any ambition left.
Why did I decide to work alone in the first place? Because I wanted to be fully responsible for my work. When I work with others, if there's a problem, I tend to blame them. I used to work as an employee, but I left my previous two jobs because of my bosses or colleagues.
I felt I was working diligently, and it was foolish to have to cover for lazy colleagues. However, objectively speaking, perhaps my personality, which tends to blame others for problems, was the real cause.
By working alone, for better or worse, everything is my responsibility, which brings me satisfaction, and I can test my own capabilities. That's why I decided to go it alone.
And now, 10 years later, when I ask myself if working alone was a good decision,
Hmm, I guess you can't really know which path was better unless you try both, but at least I have no regrets. Unfortunately, I also realized how weak my own abilities were. I never achieved results I was satisfied with. However, perhaps because of that, I've been able to maintain my ambition. I don't know if I can grow any further, but I feel like I'm just getting started.
Maybe I'm an idiot.
Oh, sometimes when I see convenience store clerks chatting with each other, I think, "It must be nice to have colleagues."
Conversely, that's about the extent of it. I don't usually feel lonely or insecure working alone. Even after 10 years, I still believe that working alone suits me best.