Chapter 7
Independence
“It is the mark of an educated man to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.”
—ARISTOTLE
DEFINITION:
Independence is the ability to be self-directed and selfcontrolled in your thinking and actions and to be free of emotional dependency. Independent people are self-reliant in planning and making important decisions. They can stand on their own two feet. They may, however, seek and consider other people's opinions before making the right decision for themselves in the end; consulting others is not necessarily a sign of dependency. Independent people are able to function autonomously—they avoid clinging to others in order to satisfy their emotional needs.1 The ability to be independent rests on one's degree ...
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