(Another in the continuing series of quotes to start the week.)
For no other reason than that I like the quote, here are some words from John Stuart Mill — from On Liberty — to consider this morning:
He who lets the world, or his own portion of it, choose his plan of life for him, has no need of any other faculty than the ape-like one of imitation. He who chooses his plan for himself, employs all his faculties. He must use observation to see, reasoning and judgment to foresee, activity to gather materials for decision, discrimination to decide, and when he has decided, firmness and self-control to hold to his deliberate decision.
Every day we have opportunity to choose our “plan of life,” even if only for that day. And we have it in our power to observe, to think and judge, to consider, to decide, and finally to act on the basis of that decision.
When we cede that power to others, when we allow them to choose our plan for us, we diminish ourselves.
(Image: “Resolute,” by Kenoi Cabral, on Flickr under Creative Commons.)
I hope you will find truth and courage as you choose and implement the plan of your life.
by 
