The need for autonomy

The need for autonomy is a person's desire to feel that they are the source of their own behavior. When a person feels that they have chosen what they do, they commit to it far more; when they feel it is imposed, they resist even the best idea. This is not willfulness but action coming from within. Coaching's letting go of deciding for the client and returning the choice to them serves precisely this need. On a path they have chosen themselves, a person gives up less easily when they meet difficulty.