Q: I often feel constrained by my boss, teachers and parents nagging me and wish I could just be free of all responsibilities in life. How do I overcome this?

A: No one likes to be controlled by others, and it’s only natural to wish that we could do what we want without people bothering us all the time. I’m sure there are students who dream of what freedom they would enjoy if there were no rules, and if they had plenty of money and time and no parents nagging them. But that is a very shallow view of life, a very superficial perspective of human society. …

Real freedom ultimately hinges on what you decide to dedicate yourself to with all your heart. It doesn’t mean simply to amuse oneself. It isn’t spending money like water, nor is it having all the free time in the world. It isn’t taking long vacations. Doing only as you please is not freedom; it is nothing more than self-indulgence. True freedom lies in the ongoing challenge to develop yourself, to achieve your chosen goal. This path is paved with the glittering gold of freedom. (Ikeda Sensei, Discussions On Youth, p. 271)