own man

(one's) own man/woman/person

Independent in action or thought; not accepting or swayed by outside influences. When I was younger, I would do anything my friends were doing, but I'm my own person now. You won't be able to manipulate her—she's really her own woman. You can't just accept everything you read in the media—you have to be your own man.
See also: man, own, person, woman
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

(one's) own man

Independent in judgment and action.
See also: man, own
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
See also:
  • (one's) own man/woman/person
  • own woman
  • be (one's) own man/woman/person
  • be your own man
  • be your own man/woman
  • own person, be one's
  • cut-off point
  • at present
  • be a cougar
  • cougar
References in classic literature
"Peter Quint--his own man, his valet, when he was here!"
The Blues left-back revealed the respect he has for the midfielder's personality, as well as praising the fact he is his own man at such a young age.
Tommy said: "I'm my own man and I've said it throughout my whole boxing career.
But Hoyle insists Siewert, 36, will be "his own man" after handing him a two-and-a-half-year deal.
Initially, there were reports that Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Mian Shahbaz Sharif is to wear the cap but then Government changed its mind and declared intention to have its own man as Head of the Committee, leading to arguments and counter arguments between the two sides.
According to Paras, he did not meet any Cabinet member of President Rodrigo Duterte before filing the new complaint against the opposition senator, saying that he was 'his own man.'
Kobe Paras is becoming his own man. And his own brand.
'We are giving you your own man,' the chief justice told Sindh Chief Secretary Mohammad Rizwan Memon, asking him to appoint Mr Shah as new secretary of the department, when the court was informed that the volume of the solid waste generated in the metropolis was increasing day by day.
His Own Man: The Biography Of Otto Peltzer by Tim Johnston and Donald Macgregor (Sportsbookofthemonth.com price PS15.58, saving PS2.41 on rrp) There are those of us with more than a clutch of grey hairs around the temples who will recognise the name Otto Peltzer.
But in the end he went with his own man in the ex-Italy and Chelsea star when Xia's takeover from Randy Lerner was ratified this week.
PAUL Trollope has gone from No.2 to No.1 after landing the Bluebirds' top job - and immediately insisted he's ready to prove he's his own man.
Russell is his own man and one day he'll be his own man.
THE 'Sack Pardew' campaign is a waste of time - Mike Ashley is his own man and he will not be influenced by a supporters' campaign to sack the manager.
That may all sound like a director's indulgence but the lad's attempts to cope with heartbreak, bullying and severe family dysfunction while struggling to become his own man are quietly astonishing.
But I never expected it to last - because Roy Keane is his own man.