I think it really all comes down to our motive for the sacrifice. If we're giving up something knowing that we're going to gain something better then we can't really deem it as a sacrifice but rather as a necessary move in our path to gain what we want.

However if we give up something in the hope that by doing so will be to our advantage then this requires a certain amount of faith that the outcome will be what we want.

If we sacrifice something only to discover that the price was too high then I'm really not sure we can deem it a sacrifice because in our minds we obviously had conditions attached and were not really sacrificing without expectations of anything in return.

The only way to find a balance is to be honest with ourselves and know beforehand what our expectations are or if we're willing to really give something up and completely trust and have faith in the outcome. And just getting quiet and trusting how we feel is the only indication we need to know if we're making the right decision :)

When you sacrifice something for something better... I will give you example: I had something to repair. I then received a call that day that someone was moving and needed help. I told him, "Yes, I told you that I am going to help you, but right now I am repairing this. You told me it was going to be next week that you are moving. so I will go help you. In exchange, you will come to help me afterward to repair this?" I made a sacrifice to do what I needed to do right now to help him to do what he needed to do right now. That way, he saved time and I saved time also. In this way, it was better for him and me. experience and enjoy.

How did you feel before you made the secrefice? Was there a inkling of doubt that maybe things might not turn out as expected? If this is how you felt and still made the sacrifice hoping that things might turn out for the better than you made the wrong choice.

If on the other hand you felt great and full of hope that giving somthing up will beget something better than your choice was good. Your intuition will speak to you and let you know in subtle ways that what you are doing is good or it will warn you against it.

The best way would be if one is prepared to give something up in order to gain is to make up ones mind that no matter what it will be for the best and not put a price tag on the situation. Whatever happens make the best of the situation and take is as a lesson learned not to be repeated.

who has made the yard stick by which we measure
the right decision,
when i choose to let it go, sacrafice it
is it done without an expected return