The Brokenhearted Sinner

Once, when Rav Noach was together with his father's talmid, Rav Michel, someone asked a question. Who is better: a man who actually sins but is brokenhearted inside over his misdeeds, knowing how low he has fallen, or a man who does not actually sin, but whose mind is full of bad thoughts while he considers himself a tzaddik?

They discussed the question and agreed that the brokenhearted sinner is preferable. In the end he will decide to do teshuvah, while the one who fools himself never will.