Rather I mean that players should have the freedom to choose their own paths. They should follow their characters' motivations and it is incumbent on the GM to answer the questions posed in them seeking their own goals.
So, one issue here is that this is lacking context. Another is that it is stated with the focus on the player's freedoms, without acknowledgement that with those freedoms come responsibilities.
Was there a Session Zero in which the basic approach to play was discussed? As character goals changed, did they have a discussion to make sure that the resulting game was still going to be everyone's cup of tea?
The players should have freedom to choose their goals within the bounds of play discussed before play began. They should not automatically have the freedom to explore goals outside those bounds.