You should be driven, first and foremost, by love for your self. If you have to choose between your life and a stranger's, you should choose yours. If you have to choose between your happiness and someone else's, you should choose yours. If you have to choose between your bills and someone else's, you should choose yours. If you do not make sure that your needs are met, your needs will not be met. If your needs are not met, there is precious little you can actually do for anyone else. A common axiom is "Don't set yourself on fire to keep someone else warm." I consider protecting oneself and keeping oneself sound, safe, and healthy to be ultimate acts of self-love. Indeed, I think that each person is the single best person for these jobs in regards to themselves: who else is with you all the time? who knows your pits and strengths? etc, etc.