Glossary
Core Self
Part of: Autonomy
Your Core Self is who you are underneath: the needs and nature you were born with, and the values you choose.
1 min read · By Jay · Reviewed October 12, 2026
Your Core Self is who you are underneath: the needs every person is born with, the nature you were born with, and the values you choose.
Core Self is the model name. "Who you are underneath" is the everyday phrase. They mean the same thing.
It is not a hidden, finished personality waiting to be found. It has three parts: Core Needs, your Nature and your Values. The first two are given. The third is yours to choose. Your adaptations are part of you too, and they are not "false". They are simply learned.
A small example. You leave a crowded birthday party early because you need quiet to recharge. That isn't rudeness. That is your nature, part of your Core Self.
Our philosophy
The Core Self is not something you go back to; it is something you return your attention to and choose from.
Read more on the Core Self page.