I first exist, confront myself, emerge in the world, and then assign to myself an essence of being that gives meaning to my existence as defined by my actions for who I am. In short, I give myself an identity - a selfhood. That is, no one and no thing gives me a particular essence how I should be and act. To exist is to live by my intentional acts not as an individual (i.e., another individual), but as the individual - my true authentic Self.