going one's own way
Forging individual path
Going one's own way means acting independently, following personal judgment rather than convention or others' expectations.
The phrase often carries a note of admiration for self-determination: She was always going her own way, even as a kid.
It can also suggest isolation or stubbornness: After the divorce, he started going his own way.
- defianceOpen resistance to authority
- self-relianceDepending on oneself alone
- freedomAbsence of constraint
- authenticityQuality of being genuine
- free willAutonomous choice capacity
free spirit · introspection · sovereignty · unconventionality · maverick · uniqueness · self-sufficiency · self-made man · lone wolf · lone ranger · originality · iconoclasm · autonomy · self-expression · agency · trailblazing · road less traveled · off the beaten path
going one's own wayfollowing the crowd
Adopting popular behavior
conforming · toeing the line · falling in line · keeping up with the Joneses · fitting in
going one's own wayobeying
Following directives given
kowtowing · submitting · complying · deferring · yielding
going one's own wayteamwork
Joint effort toward shared aim
joining forces · working together · collaborating · collaboration · moving together