Egotism, and egoism: a friend of mine once asked me the difference, and I replied almost without thinking, “Egotism is pride, whereas egoism is excessive consciousness of oneself.” I still consider that the best explanation of the difference. We need to overcome both qualities, but of the two, egoism is the subtler and the more insidious. The best way out of it is to give of oneself—to others; to what one believes in; to God.
