Where do you draw the line between self satisfaction, and self sacrifice?

Answer 1

In my opinion, only a self-satisfied person can really sacrifice anything of his own.For if a person cannot take care of himself first , he cannot be of much use to others in anyway.Sacrifice should give one satisfaction of having helped others even in a small way. Otherwise it is meaningless.
And the greatest utility of self-sacrifice is its power to make one's ego powerless and harmless.

Answer 2

Only the incredibly shallow tend to come across as arrogant. Sure, someone who has never met you may see any confidence as arrogance, but what really matters is your own opinion of yourself and not a strangers. Those with some depth to their character like yourself(evident by your question) would nearly always realise before it's too late, if their self confidence started bordering on arrogance. If you're lacking in self confidence, perhaps you should be selfish for a while - learn to love You, like a partner would - deeply and with conviction. Then the confidence should be easier to come by. I know it's easier said than done though. :)

Answer 3

I think many of us, religious or not, try to live by the Golden Rule. I think your question is similar to "in trying to do right to others, we have to give of ourselves and how much giving is too much?" I presume you're speaking of helping some person who needs help.

As a Christian who has to answer to God, I should look deep into myself and honestly ask if the sacrifice is really too much. If I have to be honest with God, I've got to start by being honest with myself. Is it a sacrifice or just an inconvenience?

Being as honest as I can, I imagine a conversation with the person I'm trying to help and we speak about the situation. Would that person, in all honesty, agree that my sacrifice is too much?

For those who don't have a belief in God, then the balance has nothing to do with truth and is just a matter of feelings. No one can account for feelings.

Answer 4

You can actually have both. Whenever you satisfy yourself for consequences that would not be favorable to you (like having sex despite being infected with STD's), aren't you doing both? And whenever you sacrifice yourself for a love one (maybe you feel a bit of hardship for the "sacrifice" - but this is only one of the facets), isn't your demonstration of love actually an act of satisfying the self as well?

Answer 5

Not in the middle i must say, because i prefer to self sacrifice and help other than to satisfy myself and hurt others. I've always been the type of person who always puts others before myself even if it means i am upset or hurt because of it. Self sacrifice is a huge part of my life and all i want to do is help those who need my help. =D
Nice question skyyguy! =]

Answer 6

Hmmmmm.......now you're Socrates?! J/K!

I would rather make sacrifices to satisfy someone else. I'm not too much into self satisfaction. Too much self satisfaction and then you're just self righteous. I would rather give of myself to try to help someone else.

Mahalo! =0)

Answer 7

Well, I hate to be obvious, but these don't have much in common, because if I am sacrificing, which to me means giving up something I want, whether a thing or behavior or whatever; then I am not going to be satisfied; so there is no line to draw. They are mutually exclusive.

Did you really think about what you were asking?

Answer 8

I surrendered the sense of personal self separate and apart from God, to God Now there are no lines. I now live, move and have my being in unconditional love, a state of bliss.

Answer 9

It is a fine line and I personally don't know where to draw that line! I give all of me to every situation!

Answer 10

everything should be within reason, as long as i am comfortable and happy. like helping people, it's sacrifice but also satisfaction.