Yes, it seems like there's a self that decides the circumstances in which you want to live, chooses what to study, a profession, where to travel, a partner, start a business, etc.

But the self is just an idea you believe in so rigidly that it seems to exist substantially, independently, and separately from everything around you.

And yes, it seems like there's someone thinking your thoughts, and it also seems like there's someone feeling your sensations. Emotions seem so much like your emotions that you've even tried to control them on occasion.

And although it seems obvious that there's someone deciding what time to set your alarm, what to have for breakfast, or whether to answer the phone when it rings, is that really the case?