The illusion
You’re free to do whatever you want. The part that I’ve had problems figuring out in the past is I have freedom with and without a leash.
Without a leash I can go wherever I want. I can go anywhere, learn anything, and do anything. I have to pay the consequences of my actions but I’m free to do them.
With a leash I can go wherever I want within certain bounds. If I’m at a job but want to do something else I can work with my manager to let me get closer to that tree programming language. I can sniff those bushes that new tech to see if I like it. But it’s up to me to communicate what I want to do and take the first step.
The real freedom comes when you realize you’re the one holding the leash. Don’t hold yourself back.