Identity thoughts and assumptions are not just false beliefs we hold about ourselves, they are deep foundations of everything that gets included in a particular reality or pattern. Think of it as a filter, or requirement that everyone who participates in the reality must meet before they even get to play. This is an important concept to understand as we go deeper and deeper into our psyches. It explains why it is important not to stop at the first (or the second thing that occurs to you) but look all-the-way to a thought that may be as much yours, as it is everyone else's in your particular situation. It's not a positive or negative thought, per se, and it is not just responsible for the negative sides of a particular reality, but, it is also designing and setting up what looks (important distinction... "LOOKS" positive based on a flawed misunderstanding one holds about themselves and the world they live in.