In the 2011 movie "The Adjustment Bureau," Matt Damon's character debates the chief enforcement angel, arguing that he has free choice over all his actions. Terence Stamp's character replies:

"You don't have free will, David. You have the appearance of free will. You have free will over which toothpaste you use or which beverage to order at lunch. But humanity just isn't mature enough to control the important things."

In fact, just the opposite may be closer to the truth. We have little control over our likes and dislikes — whether we prefer mint or strawberry, root beer or ginger ale. But when it comes to how we choose to live our lives, we are in the driver's seat. The only question is whether we attempt to assert our will or simply surrender to our impulses.

The debate has been raging for ages. Many biologists and neurologists maintain that the choices we make are predetermined by our genetic predisposition and our environmental experiences. Every decision, they insist, is programmed into us by a combination of nature and nurture. We think we're in control, but we're little more than organic robots.

Others argue that this view is overly simplistic. Without getting into the weeds of biology or theology, human experience offers evidence of our moral autonomy every time we find ourselves in a struggle between living up to our principles or indulging our base desires. Just as we build our biceps and triceps by working out at the gym, our psychological muscles grow stronger when we strain them to make better choices. Even if we give in to temptation this time, we'll come back stronger when we face the next moral battle.

What's fascinating, however, is how belief in free will has been shown to increase human happiness and satisfaction. Which sheds light on this week's addition to the Ethical Lexicon:

Demoralize (de*mor*al*ize/ dih-mor-uh-lahyz) verb

To deprive of spirit, courage, discipline, etc.; destroy the morale of.

To throw into disorder or confusion.

There is, however, a nuance beyond the conventional definition. We can also think of "demoralize" as the opposite of "moralize," a verb meaning to explain in a moral sense, draw a moral from, improve the morals of.

In this light, the connection between belief in free will and happiness becomes even more compelling. Since the ultimate expression of free choice is between good and evil, believing that we have no control over our decisions will inevitably prove demoralizing in every sense of the word: not only will we become less moral by abdicating responsibility for our decisions, but our morale will plummet once we see ourselves carried along helplessly by the currents of fortune.

Free will is not about outcomes. It's about the self-discipline that molds us into successful human beings. It's about taking responsibility for ourselves and our visions. When we do, we develop the skills, the grit and the mindset that drives us toward success and fills us with the happiness of purposeful pursuit.

Morale thrives in any community when we believe we'll be rewarded for diligent effort, and when we can reasonably expect those around us to play by the rules. But if we feel we can't trust the system or those who are part of it, we naturally conclude that we're fools if we play fair. That's how environments become toxic.

That's also why morale and morality go hand in hand. If leaders want to benefit from energized and engaged followers, they need to guard against the demoralizing influences of unclear policies, unreasonable expectations and double standards.

Consistency and transparency are essential to an ethical culture, one in which people feel free to make choices aligned with a company, community or national mission that also honors their personal values. Even if we can't always control outcomes, we can still feel part of the process responsible for producing them.

When we do, our morale motivates us to be more productive, our commitment to morality protects against costly missteps, and our disposition grows increasingly joyful because we're making choices that contribute to our own success and to the betterment of the world around us.

See more by Yonason Goldson and features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists; visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: Soroush Bahramian at Unsplash