I think that this is purely depending on point of view. I see life pretty much like a railroad. Sure - you can make some minor chooses when there's railroad junctions. But then again, direction of life is pretty hard to turn. It takes perfect timing and right moment (junction) - when your will is working with odds, not against them. Then there's enough momentum for life to change it's course. Or then you can use massive amount of will and work. Which is exhaustive in long run.
I've grown to think that there's not that much what you can choose in your life apart what you eat and where you physically are. And even those are restricted in modern world. Walls and borders rise all the time... Physical borders, sociological borders and borders of violence. While some people are more and more tied to their comfortable homes by entertainment and other similar things other ones are tied to earning their minimum food and water. Same applies to almost every level of life. Education, media and all other similar things shape up people to become more and more similar which lead to point where one is supposed to live in homogenous society which becomes more and more intolerable towards difference. In every aspect of life you are measured and if you don't fill those measurements you are considered invalid, outcast, misfit or even danger. If you don't follow the pattern your life is controlled or suppressed by other means. Freedom is only an illusion and we all are expected to go to same direction and on same grid of railroads.
I would like to be offroad train or even aeroplane but during my life I've becomed increasingly conscious about these invisible shackles we all are carrying around. Earning one's living without society has been made impossible. Try hunting, fishing, farming or even living somewhere without permission and you will have problems with authorities. So I know my life will be limited version... I can forget my lack of freedom for short periods of time and that has to be enough for me. For now. I'm building and smithing my life as it goes on but I'm not free yet. I'm not sure whether I ever be free but I hope that my life will, at least, become path for my sons freedom. He will get more both classic (government supported) education than me. He will get more independent and comparative education than me. I will support his life even more than my parents supported me but making sure at same time that he will become independent and that he can say one day "this is MY life and My choices". He will have more choices than me.
Oh, and two more videos for more debate :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVF5ZkG20dQThis one was funny. I was just browsing Youtube and found this out. It's not as good as original but I liked the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpXtU9irvt4Same thing

EDIT : and oh yeah :
I guess it's just fair to say that life is hard to analogise... to coin a word.. 
So very true.