Most people believe that their decisions are theirs, and that if they want something, it is they who want it.  But this is one of the great illusions we have about ourselves.  A great number of our decisions are not really our own but are suggested to us from the outside;  we have succeeded in persuading ourselves that it is we who have made the decision, but we have actually adjusted to the expectations of others.*

own　「自分自身のもの」，　persuade O that S V　「～だとOに納得させる」

ちょっと前の（いまも？）日本ではやりだった「なりたい自分」なんてデマカセだ！ということを説明する文章です（中身はスカスカですが）。まあこれは機械システム論なんかにも通じる話ですよね。注目して欲しいのは最後の’but we have actually adjusted to the expectations of others.’の部分です。これと関連した文章（今度は日本語）を今度載せたいと思います（それと関連させて文章を書きます）。こっちはもっと具体的に書かれていてこの英文よりは読み応えがあります。

*すいません、出典不明です。

It’s an okay performance I suppose; however, something you can’t really learn this young is expression, of which she has little. She doesn’t seem to be enjoying herself, but mechanically playing a series of notes.

“YouTube comment”

this young　「こんなに若くして」