We’ve reached the deepest level—the level of core beliefs.
Core beliefs are stable ideas about yourself, others, and the world around you that often remain outside of awareness.
They are formed in childhood and can strongly influence your behavior and emotions, even if you rarely notice them.
You can think of them as invisible tracks that your life train runs on. Helpful beliefs support us, while unhelpful ones often lead to internal conflict and emotional pain.
Although we’ve categorized beliefs into three levels, in reality, they often overlap and manifest at the same time.
Sometimes, a core belief can be heard directly within an automatic thought—just in a softer, more subtle form.
To see how this works in practice, let’s look at Alexander’s example:
“I am unworthy of love” and “People can't be trusted”
“If I take initiative, I'll be rejected”, “Closeness is dangerous”, “It's better not to get close so I don't feel pain”
“She's looking for someone better”, “She'll leave me”, “She's deceiving me”, “No one can be trusted”
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This perception affects his actions—he feels jealous, suspicious of his partner, tries to control her, feels insecure, and avoids taking initiative.
Ultimately, he ends up pushing her away, as if confirming his own belief that he is unworthy of love and that people cannot be trusted.
CBT founder Aaron Beck identified two categories of core beliefs, and his daughter, Judith Beck, later added a third.
These categories can overlap. For example, a sense of worthlessness can reinforce helplessness: “I can’t do anything because I’m worthless.”
And a belief about unlovability can lead to feelings of helplessness: “I can’t change how people treat me.”
Let’s look at the three categories of core beliefs and examples of how they manifest.
These reflect a sense of weakness and an inability to influence your life or cope with difficulties. You may feel dependent and vulnerable.
About self: “I am weak,” “I am incapable,” “I am a failure,” “I won’t cope,” “I need protection.”
About others: “Others are stronger than me,” “People are dangerous,” “They will criticize me,” “They have power over me.”
About the world: “The world is complex and hostile,” “It is dangerous out there,” “Success is impossible,” “Life is unfair and cruel.”
This group is linked to feelings of being unloved, unattractive, or inadequate. A person may fear rejection and expect judgment.
About self: “I am unlikeable,” “I am unattractive,” “I am unlovable,” “I am different from everyone else,” “I am unworthy of acceptance.”
About others: “People are demanding,” “People are cruel,” “I will be rejected,” “I will be judged.”
About the world: “The world rejects me,” “The world devalues me,” “The standards are too high,” “The world doesn’t care about me.”
This category is linked to feelings of inadequacy and insignificance. A person feels inferior to others and unworthy of attention and respect.
About self: “I am worthless,” “I am a failure,” “I am stupid,” “I am useless.”
About others: “Others are better than me,” “People despise me,” “People look down on me,” “Others succeed at everything.”
About the world: “The world is cruel and unfair,” “The world is cold and heartless,” “The world doesn’t value me,” “The world is punishing me.”
How to start working with your beliefs?
You might feel the urge to work on your core beliefs immediately. It seems logical: change the root, and everything else will change. But this isn’t the most effective way.
It’s better to start with automatic thoughts—they are the most accessible and visible manifestations of your beliefs.
As we learn to notice automatic thoughts and find realistic alternatives, we build a solid foundation for working through intermediate and core beliefs.
