I agree that we have little control over our thoughts. But we are the "haver" of these thoughts. There is some system that the thoughts are originating from. I like to think (hehe) of it as the (real-time) operating system, with thoughts originating from different subprocesses and actions being in the user land. The primary function of this OS (not the thinking part "me") is to survive. We can't control the OS directly, but we can facilitate our actions and environment in accordance with our OS.

There's a specific figure of speech related to this claim that kind of irks me: when someone says that they "choose to believe" something.

Really? You can choose to believe something? I'm really not sure I can. If you really think that you can, try an experiment like this:

1. Look closely at something familiar--maybe your car or your house, for example. Identify what color it is, or what colors predominate.

2. Now turn the other way so that you can't see it. Choose to believe that it's a different color.

3. Turn at look at it again. Are you surprised by what you see?

well, I think that if you are aware (mindfulness) about your thought patterns you can steer them, and usually what you think you become, because your thoughts drive actions.

In my personal experience practicing self awareness has helped with this. I understand that there are factors outside of our control, but what goes on within us can be controlled to some extent with effort and time.

Thank you everyone for commenting, you did so because you were compelled by forces that you don't control and thus, did not do so of your own free will.

On a serious note, Sam Harriss essay on free will is a good read, nihilism and existentialism too.

A point I'd like to make is that surrendering and accepting to things you don't control can bring you short term peace but will crush your long term peace. I personally don't care if I have or don't have free will, there are things about myself and the world around me that I cannot control but will never stop trying to fight against it. Hurting people, for one. I think that's my definition of free will.

Someone else made a point that free will could be similar to the god of the gaps theory, where free will is in the gaps.

There have been some studies to prove it too right? I dont remember exactly.