The selfish should be wise selfish rather than foolish selfish. That means taking care more of others. Then you get the maximum benefit. Taking care of oneself and forgetting others, you lose. That is the foolish selfish. Taking care of others is first to benefit yourself. That is true. That is fact. -His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama

“His Holiness said that a self-centered attitude is associated with an unhealthy mind. A focus on others is at the heart of compassion, he added. He advised people to be a “wise selfish” rather than a foolish one. His Holiness said that people get more benefit from taking care of other people than merely thinking of themselves.

Complementing this view, Dr. Davidson described a study with two sets of college students where members of one group were given $50 to spend on themselves and come back and report how happy it made them while members of another group was given $50 to spend on gifts for other people. He said the study found that those who used the money to buy gifts for others were happier than those who bought things for themselves.” -Excerpts from the May 16th public dialogue with His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and Richard J. Davidson May-16-2010