How much should "outside" affirmation play a part in one's self-esteem?

(Prompted by the pleasure I took in some compliments yesterday.) I was thinking about the fact that I have learned to like myself more over the years and don’t need outside feeding quite as much as when I was more insecure. Yet, I do still really take pleasure and get affirmation from compliments I deem valid. How do you react to ‘strokes’ and do you feel they play a bigger or smaller part in your self-esteem?