“100% of people know what they are doing, some know exactly how to do it, but many people fail to understand why they do it” – Simon Sinek’s golden circle theory.
My girl and I started to build our Avatars, our icons to reflect our identity. While I was building the avatar, my girl navigate to create my hairstyles, the hair color, then, we proceed to my type of dress, my eye, and color, and at the end of the image, she forwarded me this sticker to represent me.

I suppose this is how she sees me, and I won’t deny it, as I spend a lot of my time at home on the screen working on solutions and not forgetting writing.
So, creating our avatars helps us to reflect on who we are. What do we look like, what are we good at, what do we want to do and achieve, why are we doing this, why did we go that route, how did we get here today?
As I reflect on it, well, this is exactly what I wanted to be. I want flexibility, and I am passionate to share ideas, lead, and coaching businesses to transform and I am doing this today. However, why did I do it in the first place?
Perhaps, let’s use Simon Sinek’s golden circle theory of why, what, and how to reflect on whether Gig work is for you. In his theory, he explained that many people or even 100% of people know what they are doing, some perhaps know exactly how to do it, but many people fail to understand why they do it.
I believe many of us already know what it is to be a Gigger, a Freelancer, Independent Contractor, or even a contingent worker. Some already experience it and know how to do it, but how many of us today understand why we did it?
The Journey begins…
Well, I believe some may reach this stage and become lost souls, especially from our career perspective. I admit I did experience that two years ago. And I was not alone, as I came across many of my peers experiencing that phase too.
Two years ago, many people were hit by the unprecedented pandemic that affect some people’s livelihoods. Many were unprepared as the business world is evolving drastically. It also never occurs to many of us that we were on a lockdown with restricted movement and control. After having experienced that pandemic, many of us started to relook at ourselves, the way we work, how we want our workplace to be, or even the type of worker we want to be. It’s a self-reflection.
In the last two years, I started writing heedlessly. I wasn’t sure where I was heading then. I kept on writing and speaking to my associates to develop this and that and to do something for ourselves. Honestly, my associates and I went through many rounds discussing what we need to do, but at the end of the day, it didn’t materialize as we could not kick it off due to individual priorities, or perhaps we don’t even know why.
I thus, continue my writing, read more, did some research, talk to many experts out there, went for interviews, listen to YouTubers, and started to write what I am passionate about.
Then I realized my topics will always lead me to talk about Digital Transformation (DX) and the Gig Economy (GIG). To this extent, I even started to brand it as DXGIG to focus on it. After all, it’s a topic that I am passionate about, it is my subject matter which I gained knowledge over the course of my career.
But, the reality, I know what I am doing but I didn’t know why I started writing in the first place.
Is that the result I want to achieve?
As I reflect, I always have had this desire to become an independent consultant way back at least ten years ago. I have met many consultants over my course of work. Some consultants are attached to an organization, while some work independently. I always envy them as they can front customers independently providing solutions to customers’ never-ending problems.
So, it was my dream to get out of the rat race and become an independent consultant myself. I took the step then; however, I got nervous as that was the first time, I left the corporate world and was not well-equipped. I don’t have enough network, what’s more, what do I want to market? How do I differentiate my skills from others? Why do people want to engage me? How and where to market my niche?
Having been nervous, I returned to full-time employment and I took the opportunity to find a job that I wanted and am passionate about rather than career growth as I already surpasses that stage.
Coincidentally, I was allowed to do something in which I can upskill myself technically. It was an excellent opportunity as the organization was very well-structured, they were systematic, empowered their employees to be independent, provided programs to develop skills, and even prepared each employee to be confident through mentoring and coaching programs. I never experienced that before with my other employment even though I had worked for decades. When I left the organization, I was prepared and confident with my technical skills and can even differentiate my niche in the market.
So, yes, it does echo what Simon Sinek describes it. I know what I am doing, and probably know how to do it initially, but really, do I know why I did it then? I thought because I know what and how but doesn’t mean I know why. But today, I know why, and the purpose I am doing it today and I believe it will help me to the goal I wanted to achieve.
Why become a Gigger, the purpose?
Based on Upwork’s 2022 report, there are at least 43% of Gen Z, 46% of Gen Y, 35% of Gen X, and 27% of Boomers are in the gig economy today. I believe some are roped into gig work by chance or perhaps due to limited employment opportunities. But I also think there are some who are keen to explore and consider that route.
I for one would advise one to consider it. Why?
For one specific reason, Gig Economy is going to be the future of work. We may not consider it now, but we ought to be prepared for it. The future is not about unemployment, we should concern about underemployment. Some companies already started to rethink their workforce strategy according to Persolkelly. There are already 40% of APAC companies expanding to a flexible workforce, and this will potentially increase by 15% in 2024 based on their 2022 APAC Workforce Insight Report. So, are we ready for the Future of Work model?
Anyway, becoming a gigger is not low-skilled work, gig work empowers one to work independently, secure one future or even become a self-entrepreneur.
How to become a Gigger, the process?
And today, after more than a year, I started to see fruits in what I had sowed. It took me a year to achieve that. Some may say it took too long but for me, it is the long route I took which can be better if I know why from the beginning.
Therefore, to be an independent gigger, once you know why you are going to that route, then start to plan by equipping, developing your skills if needed, and most importantly thinking through how to differentiate your skills.
To do that, perhaps let me share some pointers for one to consider.
- Why are you getting to that route? Start with your purpose, identify what you want, and determine your values. Having understood your values can lead you to differentiate your niche.
- What is there in the market? Do your research, check them out, what are the skills needed in the market today, upskill or learn a new skill to help with your journey.
- Who are you, your identity? Determining your own identity. This is so important because your identity will reflect who you are, so you know how to develop your brand. You cannot go to the market to discuss your dreams without your identity.
- How to market your identity? Like those marketing gurus, they will tell you to use the 4Ps of Marketing i.e., Product, Place, Price, and Promotion. Similarly, you need to establish that. Start to strategize your 4Ps and once you have that start to market your brand and your identity.
- Where to market yourself? We are fortunate nowadays, in this digital era there are many technologies out there to help us to connect especially to potential employers. This is where you build your identity and brand to market yourself independently.
- When to expand your niche? Niche skills don’t stay with you forever. Know when to upgrade, develop and enhance your skills. It is imperative as one needs to stay competitive.
At the end of the day, being an independent gigger will help you to build your self-entrepreneurship.
Well, it’s never too late to create your identity. Here are some local icons that already established their identity over the years.
- Dato’ Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim – our current 10th Prime Minister who is known as a Reformist.
- Peter Yong aka Mr. Money makes Financial fun Educator.
- Sean Tan, iherng, a Malaysia Property Reviewer.
- Dato’ Joey Yap a well-known Feng Shui consultant
- Harith Iskandar, the Malaysian “Godfather of Stand-up Comedian”
There are many more and I can’t list them all here.
Anyway, for those who intend to be a self-entrepreneur, being a “Gigger” (Gig Worker) is one of the routes. Do consider Simon Sinek’s golden circle theory to help you to set the pace.
Even though I have done consulting myself for the last ten years, many things have changed today. The business world has evolved drastically, we saw many disruptors penetrating the market. Hence, my once niche skills then were no longer a niche today as the market became more mature. So, what should I do? Does one need to upskill and develop themselves? Yes, we need to and there are many self-learning courses, and programs in the market to enhance and develop skills. Still unsure, get yourself a coach or mentor to guide you.