To them it is a big deal. In your personal life it is also important to feel self-directed. Teenagers don't like to be under the strict authority of their parents. Women don't like to be bossed around by their husbands and vice versa. Everyone wants to be in control of his or her own life.
Most successful people live The Metaphysical Law of Positive Choices.
These people recognize that during each day there are literally hundreds of choices to make, most seemingly small but ultimately important. And with each choice there is a consequence. They recognize that there is a cause and effect in everything they do. Successful people make careful, thoughtful choices because they know that the events they cause create their future. They tend to be pro-active people who plan ahead and work toward predetermined goals.