goes one's own way
Follows personal path
Goes one's own way means to act independently, following personal judgment rather than conforming to others' expectations or conventional paths.
The phrase suggests self-determination, sometimes with a hint of stubbornness or nonconformity: She always went her own way, regardless of what her family thought.
It can describe admirable independence or explain why someone doesn't fit in.
- freedomAbsence of constraint
- free spiritUninhibited, unconventional person
- unconventionalityDeparture from accepted standards
- against the grainContrary to natural tendency
- uniquenessQuality of being singular
authenticity · true to oneself · self-reliance · sovereignty · defiance · free will · contrarian · outsider · originality · eccentricity · off the beaten path · road less traveled · subversion · self-discovery · creativity · self-determination · maverick · agency
goes one's own wayfollows the crowd
Adopts popular behavior
conforms · toes the line · falls in line · goes with the flow · fits in
goes one's own waygoes along to get along
Conforms to maintain acceptance
cooperates · collaborates · joins forces · pulls together · bands together