Freedom, Uniqueness, and the Creation of New Structures

Lately, I’ve been reflecting on what I truly want out of life and the thought processes guiding my decisions. I’m 26, still young, but I’ve spent most of my life as a student, navigating different phases and environments. Now, as I step into the world of entrepreneurship, I find myself questioning what my “North Star” is and how I can set clear decisions that guide me towards my life goals.

My Early Life

Throughout most of my early life, from elementary school to high school, I felt like an outsider. I couldn’t fully connect with those around me, and I rarely felt truly happy in social situations. Take middle school, for instance. I remember playing with other kids, but it wasn’t out of genuine joy. I wasn’t having fun—I just wanted to fit in, to find a place where I belonged. I spent a lot of energy mimicking others, acting in ways I thought would make me more likable. I wasn’t living as myself; I was merely conforming to others' expectations in an attempt to avoid isolation.

This continued until late high school, where I started noticing a shift. It wasn’t just about me anymore—it was about the environment I was in. I realized that my disconnection stemmed, in part, from the fact that I didn’t get to choose my social groups. I was placed into them by the school system, grouped with people I hadn’t selected. But in college, and even more so in my current entrepreneurial life, I’ve had much more freedom to choose the people I surround myself with and the things I want to do. This ability to make choices—true choices—has been a revelation.

One of the pivotal moments in college was when I joined an open-source student community in Taiwan. This was a space where I finally felt like I belonged. For the first time, I wasn’t pretending to fit in or trying to play a role. I genuinely connected with the people there, and the experiences we shared were some of the most rewarding of my life. I wasn’t an outsider anymore—I was part of something meaningful, and I treasured that time.

This experience helped me realize something fundamental: the freedom to choose—to truly choose—who I spend my time with and how I live my life is essential to my happiness. And beyond that, the positive feedback I received from making these unique choices further reinforced that happiness comes not from conforming, but from crafting a life that aligns with my true self.

Freedom

When I graduated and faced the prospect of entering the corporate world, something felt off. The conventional path that lay ahead—working for a big company, climbing the corporate ladder, earning a steady paycheck, and enjoying the perks of that lifestyle—didn’t appeal to me. I had seen this life up close. I had the opportunity to live with senior executives from large tech companies, and I observed their daily routines: packed schedules, constant meetings, and the pursuit of what society deemed “success.” These executives had big houses, business-class flights, and European vacations, but I realized that I didn’t want that for myself.

I didn’t want a life that followed a template of “success.” I wanted to be able to make choices that might not be the norm but would bring me personal happiness. I wanted to carve out a unique path for myself—one that didn’t necessarily conform to societal expectations. And this realization led me to entrepreneurship. In entrepreneurship, I found the freedom to make my own choices, the freedom to pursue goals that were different from others.

In entrepreneurship, I also found a community of like-minded individuals—smart, interesting, and driven people who had also chosen a different path. This sense of belonging was not forced; it was natural because we had similar experiences and shared goals. The positive feedback from this environment has pushed me forward, reinforcing that I was on the right track.

Uniqueness

Through all of this, I’ve come to realize that freedom of choice is at the core of my personal philosophy. But what does it mean to live a life centered on freedom? For me, freedom is about more than just the ability to make choices. It’s about the ability to make choices that are uniquely mine.

The Freedom to Choose within Limits

Heidegger’s concept of Dasein, which he outlines in Being and Time, describes human existence as a constant state of being aware of our choices. According to Heidegger, we are not simply beings who exist—we are beings who exist in a specific way. We reflect on our existence and, through that reflection, make choices about how to live.

One of the most important insights from Heidegger is that while we have the freedom to choose, this freedom is not limitless. We are always “thrown” into a specific historical and cultural context that shapes the possibilities available to us. This resonates with me deeply. I, too, recognize that my choices aren’t made in a vacuum. I am part of a larger society with its own rules and structures. I’m still a social being, dependent on relationships and bound by certain responsibilities. As much as I value freedom, I understand that freedom has boundaries. My freedom lies in how I respond to the limitations placed upon me, and within those limitations, I can still find a path that reflects my true self.

The Power to Create New Values

While Heidegger focuses on the limits of freedom, Nietzsche pushes the idea of individual freedom even further. His concept of the Übermensch(often translated as the "Overman" or "Superman") is about transcending societal norms and creating new values. Nietzsche argues that many traditional values are designed to protect the weak or suppress the strong. They encourage conformity, obedience, and mediocrity. The Übermensch, on the other hand, is someone who rejects these conventional values and creates new ones based on their own will and vision.

In many ways, this idea of the Übermensch resonates with my own pursuit of uniqueness. I don’t just want to follow the same path as everyone else—I want to create my own path, to break away from societal expectations and live according to values that I believe in. It’s not just about resisting the norms of society; it’s about actively shaping a new structure—one where uniqueness becomes the norm, where people are encouraged to create, to innovate, and to break free from conformity.

Mechanisms

This brings me to what might be my life’s larger pursuit—creating mechanisms that allow others to succeed. There’s something deeply fulfilling about designing systems that empower people to reach their full potential. Whether it’s in a business, a social structure, or a community.
For me, the success of an individual isn’t just about validating the mechanism—it’s also about creating a ripple effect. When one person succeeds, it often inspires others. And when the systems I create help people succeed, it contributes to a larger cycle of change.

My North Star

In the end, my life’s pursuit seems to revolve around a few key themes: freedom, uniqueness, and the creation of mechanisms that empower others. Through freedom of choice, I can live a life that is uniquely my own, and through the design of systems that help others succeed, I can contribute to a world where more people have the opportunity to create their own paths.