The term independence has come to be overused and sort of abused over the last couple of decades. We keep pushing the limits of what it means to be independent with each passing year it seems. I believe the biggest impact is felt when we are alone.
To not necessarily require the intervention of others, as against being unable to make headway without their input is of great significance. A great example is in the workplace. We need strong teams composed of dedicated individuals to thrive and excel in our various fields. Even when we operate solo businesses, we need great networks to guarantee its success.
The problem lies when we rely on a particular individual or customer for our progress. Yes there are certain skills or values that cannot be easily replicated, but should we utilizie them without giving thought to expanding our depth then it poses an obvious danger of dependency.
True independence comes with having options and building capacity. There is a reason why a lot of emphasis is placed on diversification. We certainly can't do the journey alone, but we must also provide ourselves the opportunity to walk away from a route that isn't favourable.