Some years ago Ludwig von Mises, of Austrian economics fame wrote his opus, (available on-line) Human Action.
He makes the point that all human actions begin with a decision by the person taking the action whatever their many involved motivations. That may seem a simple idea but if it is simple it is often overlooked.
Anything a person does requires a whole series of decisions hence the absolute need to examine our own motivations for making decisions about our decisions, etc.
I've known too many people who have chosen to change the way they live and act despite terrible backgrounds not to believe we all exercise a independent will. Little wonder the Scriptures say so much about guarding the heart, purifying the heart, self control and so on.