You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. — Dr. Seuss

You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.

Author: Dr. Seuss

Insight: We grow up hearing this quote and it feels obvious—of course we have choices. But most of us spend our days acting like we don't. We follow routines we never consciously chose, stay in situations that drain us, and tell ourselves "that's just how things are" with remarkable conviction. The real insight in Seuss's words isn't that choice exists; it's that we already possess everything we need to exercise it. The barrier isn't ability. It's usually just inertia, or the fear that comes from admitting we've been steering in the wrong direction. What makes this quote sting a little is the implication that our current direction—whatever it is—is at least partly our doing. That's uncomfortable. It's easier to blame circumstances, other people, or bad luck than to own that we're the ones actually steering. But there's also something liberating hiding in that discomfort. If you're genuinely responsible for your direction, that means you're not trapped. You can adjust course whenever you want. The feet and brains are already yours. It's the willingness to use them differently that actually takes courage.

Source: Oh, the Places You'll Go!, page number unknown, 1990