It's no doubt this trend towards entrepreneurship is driving economic growth. It's also creating structural change in the way we define work.

Despite this evolution, there are still many misconceptions about the motivations, expectations, and goals of the independent workforce.

Related: Gig work is taking over

Here, we tackle six common myths about independent work, and the truth behind them.

1. Independent contractors don't choose to become independent

A common misconception is that the trend towards self-employment stems from a lack of worthy, meaningful "real" (or full-time, traditional) jobs.

In reality, the majority of people choose to become independent. Only 1 in 10 report their move to independent work was due to factors beyond their control, such as a layoff, downsizing, or illness.

The majority, 63 percent, say independent work was their choice entirely. Better work-life balance, a desire to earn more money, or a plan to start a new business are just a few reasons people find independent work so attractive.  

2. Independents aren't satisfied with their work

The power of independent work is that it allows people to pursue passions they might not be able to as part of the traditional workforce, either on a full- or part-time basis.

People choose to become independent for many reasons, but chief among them is to be in control of their lives and careers (63 percent) or because they want more flexibility (59 percent).

As a result, the overwhelming majority of independents find their work to be quite satisfying. Sixty-five percent report being highly satisfied with their work (between an 8 and 10 on a 10-point scale), and 22 percent give independent work a top score of 10.

Many choose self-employment for reasons beyond lifestyle choices as well. The majority of this group is composed of motivated self-starters who simply see a viable way to earn a living using their unique and valuable skills.

Independents are content and secure with their choice of work; they are happier working on their own, and note that they've always wanted to be their own boss.

3. Independent work is riskier than traditional employment

One of the most surprising figures to consistently emerge from the State of Independence is the risk profile of independents. While both currently employed independents and non-independents view the upsides of independent work — such as flexibility and control — similarly, the two groups differ significantly on the relative risks associated with independent work.

A majority of non-independents (55 percent) say working as an independent is very risky, with 61 percent citing the lack of predictable income as the single greatest risk.

Half of all non-independent workers (49 percent) indicate that independent work is not as secure as permanent employment and that starting a solo business requires capital that they'd have to invest personally. In fact, 46 percent report they'd have to invest their own money to be successful, which they see as a negative.

Current independent workers don't feel the same. Investing one's own money does not even make the top 10 in terms of challenges as reported by independent workers, with only 4 percent mentioning it. Independents have a noticeably different attitude toward risk: 43 percent of independents feel that independent work is more secure than traditional employment, while 33 percent say it is equally secure.

4. Independents make less money

Rather than having a set salary, independents can more easily diversify their income streams by working with a number of clients on a range of projects. Not only does this make work less risky — if one project ends, independents have others to pick up the slack — but nearly half report that they make more money working on their own than they would in a traditional job, and the number of independents reporting annual earnings of at least six figures has grown by more than 50 percent in the last five years, with 28 percent earning more than $75,000 annually.

Average gross income for independent workers rose to $64,450 this year, up 30 percent from 2011. By contrast, median family household income in the U.S. was just $53,657, according to the Census Bureau.

Given these figures, it's no surprise that only 15 percent of independents report they'd rather have a traditional job.

5. Independents all pursue task-based work

Much media coverage centers on the low economic end of the independent spectrum – the Uber drivers and TaskRabbits of the world. There are certainly many people who make their living this way; about half of all independent workers are part-time or occasional workers. Certainly, many of these workers pick up gigs to supplement their income or to learn a new skill. This may include driving for ride-sharing services or other task-based providers.

But still many others turn to professional services, such as marketing, IT consulting, and more. A full 83 percent of independent workers deliver services to their customers; 1 out of 6 offer products to their customers.

Given the specialized careers many independents pursue, it's not surprising that many also have higher education. More than 4 out of 10 (43 percent) independents have 4-year college degrees or higher, including 20 percent with advanced degrees.

That compares favorably with the 33 percent of Americans who have 4-year college degrees and the 12 percent who have advanced degrees, according to the Census Bureau. The younger the independent, the more education she brings to the marketplace. Nearly 6 out of 10 millennial independent workers (58 percent) have 4-year and/or advanced degrees compared with 33 percent of non-millennials.

6. Independents will return to traditional employment

A common myth about independent work is that it's temporary — something to tide you over until you can return to traditional work. The large majority of independents, 78 percent, plan to stick with independent work or build a bigger business.

The average tenure for those working full-time (35+hours) is 10.5 years. That is more than double the average tenure of 4.6 years for traditional employees, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The reality is that the world of work as we know it is rapidly evolving. In fact, the era of traditional work is only one that started in the late 19^th century, as workers began to shift from farms and skilled crafts to factories and 'office work.' Independent work isn't a new phenomenon. It's a centuries old practice that fell out of favor in the last century and is fast returning to popularity thanks to the technological revolution.

However, the benefits of traditional employment are still realized by even the savviest of independents. 

As the infrastructure supporting independents continues to grow, self-employment will increasingly be seen as a mainstream option for many facets of the U.S. workforce.