I think the two situations offer a different kind of stability. Working for yourself, obviously you can't be fired. So you have the stability of knowing your

I think the two situations offer a different kind of stability. Working for yourself, obviously you can't be fired. So you have the stability of knowing your job is not going to be taken away. But you may not get paid one month, or even pay money out of your own pocket some months. So rough times can feel very unstable and stressful, depending on how much money you have in the bank, payroll costs, etc. Being an employee your job is dependent on somebody else and so they have the power to fire you. But at least while you are there you know that you'll receive a paycheck for the hours you work. (Obviously assuming a reputable company that is not severely struggling or going out of business). So you have the stability of knowing you will get that paycheck. I think most people feel like they can deal with getting fired and finding a new job. But they don't deal well with the constant, ongoing stress of not knowing if they will get paid from one week to the next.