We’ve all encountered the saying “live life on your own terms.”
This sentiment feels uplifting. Empowering. It’s something we should aspire to.
If you’ve ever pondered what this truly means in everyday life, beyond the quotes on Instagram and curated Pinterest boards, you’re not the only one.
Living life on your own terms isn’t merely about choosing a single route or leaving your job to work from the beach (unless that’s your goal).
It’s about defining success on your own terms.
Many of us were raised with a rigid notion of what success should look like:
Attend college. Secure a “good” job. Move up in the corporate world. Purchase a home. Labor now so you can (hopefully) enjoy life later.
That’s just one definition.
While there’s nothing inherently wrong with that route if it resonates with you, the issue arises when it’s portrayed as the exclusive path to “success.”
Life doesn’t come with one definitive guidebook.
Living life on your own terms involves allowing yourself to create your own guidebook: a lifestyle that aligns with your values, priorities, and definition of happiness—even if it doesn’t make sense to others.
For some individuals, it could mean building a business that earns seven figures. For others, it could mean working part-time, tending to a garden during afternoons, or choosing a quiet, simple life near family.
The crucial realization is that success doesn’t have to equate to relentless hustle, corporate promotions, or pursuing more for the sake of it.
Living life on your own terms means focusing on your own journey, understanding what matters to you, and making decisions that align with that vision. In this article, we’ll showcase real-life illustrations of what designing a life (and career) that brings genuine fulfillment looks like—not just what appears attractive on paper.
30 Examples of Living Life On Your Own Terms
1. Valuing Life Experiences Over Climbing the Career Ladder
Teaching English overseas, motivated not by the desire to ascend the corporate ranks, but by the thirst for adventure, diverse cultures, and genuine experiences that an office job can’t provide.
2. Crafting a Business That Allows You to Wrap Up by 3 p.m.
Shaping your work around your life—not the other way around—so you can finish early, pick up your children from school, or simply savor your afternoons.
3. Operate a Dog-Walking Business
Transforming your passion for animals into a profession because you would genuinely prefer spending your days with dogs rather than at meetings.
4. Holding a Consistent 9-5 Job You Truly Appreciate
Opting for stability, structure, and a role you enjoy, without feeling the pressure to “be your own boss” just because entrepreneurship is currently fashionable.
5. Running a Local Coffee Shop
Concentrating on fostering community and connection rather than aiming for franchise growth, as being part of something local holds greater significance for you.
6. Living Near Family
Placing importance on Sunday dinners, family gatherings, and remaining rooted in your hometown, even when others chase careers in larger cities.
7. Prioritizing Renting for Flexibility (Instead of Ownership)
Opting to rent your home since freedom, mobility, and reduced responsibility are more critical to you than the societal pressure to buy.
8. Choosing Seasonal Employment for Built-In Downtime
Crafting your work life to enjoy natural pauses—whether at ski resorts, national parks, or seasonal markets—so you can recharge with intention.
9. Residing on a Farm and Producing Homemade Goods
Embracing a slower lifestyle, connecting with nature, raising animals, and crafting products for your local community.
10. Establishing Passive Income Channels to Support Travel
Creating income avenues that enable you to discover new destinations, work from anywhere, and truly enjoy the freedom of location.
11. Transforming Your Passion into a Side Gig
Not to scale to six figures, but simply for the joy it brings you, whether through baking, crafting, or sharing a beloved skill.
12. Embracing Part-Time Work Because It’s Sufficient
Choosing part-time employment that meets your financial needs while allowing ample time for hobbies, family, or relaxation—without the need to occupy every hour.
13. Remaining in a Job for Benefits and Security
Valuing health insurance, retirement benefits, and a reliable income because they support your desired lifestyle, rather than just opting for the “safe” route.
14. Embracing Tiny Living
Deliberately downsizing, not for the trend of minimalism, but because you dislike cleaning and appreciate simplicity.
15. Managing a Quaint Airbnb as Your Primary Income Source
Operating a cozy rental property to cultivate a flexible, low-stress income that aligns with your lifestyle.
16. Running a Business Without a Team
Consciously maintaining your business’s small size because you prefer autonomy and freedom over expanding operations.
17. Structuring Your Day Around Your Pets’ Needs
Arranging your daily schedule so you can walk your dog, administer medication, or enjoy leisurely mornings with them.
18. Opting for Freelance Opportunities That Resonate With Your Values
Turning down corporate jobs that drain your energy and selecting projects that inspire you, even if consistency is sacrificed.
19. Staying Local Because You Cherish Your Community
Defying the idea that “you must move away to succeed” by nurturing a life you adore right where you belong.
20. Residing Abroad for the Experience, Not Career Advancement
Relocating to a different country to immerse yourself in the culture, language, and lifestyle, without the need to convert it into a “major career step.”
21. Leading Yoga Classes Part-Time for Personal Joy
Keeping your work flexible and energy-aligned by teaching yoga locally, not for growth but for personal satisfaction.
22. Taking Breaks Without Feeling Guilt
Choosing to step away from your job to travel, relax, or delve into newfound interests, because life extends beyond professional achievements.
23. Working Night Shifts Because You Prefer Them
Designing your work hours around your natural tendencies rather than forcing yourself into a 9-5 that doesn’t suit you.
24. Developing a Business Model That Prioritizes Your Well-Being
Crafting your work life to honor ongoing health issues, mental wellness, or personal requirements—profit comes second, wellness first.
25. Resisting Hustle Culture
Embracing gradual, sustainable growth in your business because weekends, hobbies, and family meals are far more valuable.
26. Allowing Hobbies to Remain Unmonetized
Giving yourself the freedom to enjoy hobbies purely for pleasure, without transforming everything you love into a side venture.
27. Pursuing Unconventional Roles for Meaning
Working for a non-profit, becoming a craftsperson, or choosing careers that are aligned with your values over conventional success indicators.
28. Structuring Income to Fit Your Desired Lifestyle
Whether living in a van, on a homestead, or in an urban environment, arranging your income streams to complement your preferred way of living—not the other way around.
29. Embracing Simple Success Over “More”
Declining the constant chase for greater, faster, better, and defining “enough” as your personal standard for success.
30. Adapting Your Business to Suit Your Life Stage
Acknowledging that your needs and priorities shift over time, and giving yourself permission to adjust your business model accordingly.
Final Thoughts: The Choice is Yours
Ultimately, living life on your own terms isn’t dictated by a specific job title, income bracket, or lifestyle choice. It’s about clarity. Understanding what truly matters to you, what feels sustainable, and what type of life you want to wake up to each day is vital.
The examples provided are merely a few possibilities—evidence that success comes in many forms. What resonates with one person may not with another, and that’s the beauty of individuality. The goal isn’t to mimic someone else’s path but to create a structure that respects your priorities during this phase of your life.
When you remove external pressures, comparisons, and societal expectations, what remains is freedom… the freedom to define success for yourself and the courage to live by that definition.
Success doesn’t need to be loud. It doesn’t have to be big, rapid, or impressive to others. It simply needs to be yours.