Everybody is bound to be selfish from time to time. Although many elements of our society many encourage it, selfishness just hurts other people, sometimes at little to personal gain. Moreover, a selfish person ends up losing friends or loved ones because no matter how charming or interesting a selfish person may be, a relationship with a selfish person is hard to maintain.

It has to be kept in mind that there are times when you need to look out for yourself, and other times when you need to put other people like your friends, first. It is a balance. Too much selfishness and you will lack friends. No enough, you may act as a doormat.

Selfish people may constantly think that they are the center of the universe and that the world should revolve around them. Well, they have to drop that thought like a bad habit.

It is aptly said, “Practice being humble and modest. The world is a huge and absolutely amazing place, and you are just one tiny part of it. Don’t think that you somehow deserve more than other people because you are ‘you.’”

Let’s view some of the characteristics that selfish people bear and they need to drop those habits. Selfish people always repeat that mantra, “I want, I want, I want…” thinking that everything in the world should be theirs and that they should deserve every little thing that they dream about.

Selfish people are notoriously bad listeners. This is because they are too busy talking about their own struggles, their own problems and their own setbacks to take the time to listen to what their friends are saying.

Selfish individuals interrupt people. They often think that they have to say is so important and that what others have to say is so unimportant. Therefore, they can just jump in with their opinions at any time. The fact they should know is that this is not the case. Their opinion will be much better if they wait for their turn.

Walking a mile in another man’s shoes can change your life for eternity. Of course, you will not be able to actually do this, but you can put in the effort into thinking about the other people around you and consider how they might be feeling in any given situation. Consider how your friend, your boss or a random person on the street may be feeling before you take action, and you may find that the world isn’t as clean cut as you thought it was. The more you practice empathy and wondering what other people are going through, the sooner you will be able to give up your selfishness.

For example, before you start yelling at your waitress for giving you the wrong order, think about how she might be feeling. She might be tired from being on her feet for ten hours in a row, overwhelmed from having to work too many tables or just feeling sad about something else. Hence, is it really necessary for you to make her feel terrible just to get what you want?

On the contrary, some think selfishness as a positive character. As it is said, “Nothing resembles selfishness more closely than self-respect.” However, I believe that this statement will come true only in particular cases. For instance, you need to think of yourself first, like in the case of a toxic relationship, where you need time away to access the situation or to just leave. If you walk away, your friend may call you selfish for not wanting to work through things. But sometimes, there isn’t any more you can do to mend a relationship.

It is a tough call and a personal one. No one but you know everything that went on in your relationship so you have to do what is right for you.

But I think we live in the world of great selfishness. Almost everyone focuses all his times and energies on their own self-interests and comforts. The rich struggle more voraciously than ever before to collect more wealth and properties, no matter if their neighbors starve to death. Moreover, they exploit the poor and suck their blood for their own prosperity. In other words, the fruits of the poor’s struggles are used in the advantage of the rich and the powerful.

I do agree with the statement of Lee Strobel, “Moral evil is the immorality and pain and suffering and tragedy that come because we choose to be selfish, arrogant, uncaring, hateful and abusive.” In fact, we all have our blind spots, and sometimes not checking those blind spots can cause serious damage. When it comes to selfishness, you can’t always see it and it will slowly ruin your life.

Selfishness will keep us enslaved to our emotions. We cannot allow ourselves to toil around and entertain every thought within ourselves. We must actively fight against those things.

Selfishness will cause us to close our ears to people who do not thing the way we think; to be short tempered with those who advise against the way we plan on going. We must understand selfishness blocks wisdom and can lead us down a path of destruction.

It is never too late to free ourselves from the grips of selfishness. If anyone tells you it is… do not believe that lie. Freedom starts with truth. Tell yourself the truth and admit you need help and advice.