Our ultimate freedom is the right and power to decide how anybody or anything outside ourselves will affect us.

The line distills a central theme in Covey’s work: human agency lies less in controlling circumstances than in choosing one’s response to them. “Freedom” here is framed as an inner capacity—rooted in self-awareness, values, and deliberate choice—rather than external permission or lack of constraint. The quote echoes a Stoic-inflected distinction between what happens to us and what we do with what happens, emphasizing responsibility for attitude and action. Its significance is practical and ethical: it urges readers to reclaim power from reactive habits (blame, resentment, impulsivity) and to act from principles, thereby turning adversity, criticism, or temptation into occasions for character and purposeful behavior.