Hi Dol
It's normal to feel that way so far in a relationship.
Relationships are a 50/50 agreement. There's a lot of compromise to be made in order for both to be happy.
The fact that your partner needs to work on himself, and has admitted to this, means that he has realised something was wrong with his current state and wanted a change to be better. If you want to make the relationship work, be supportive of him and most importantly Communicate.
You are not selfish to want the attention that you deserve, which is why you should talk. Come to small compromises. You support him with everything he does and tell him that you want the same from him... 50/50 remember. A 5 year relationship is a lot to give up and if that is what you want to do, you have to really think long and hard about it. You don't want the wrong decision to blow up in your face, so you have to make 100% sure that that is what you want. (not 99%)
I had a 5 year relationship (engaged for 2 years) and things just happened in our lives that we missed out on all the communicating. It was too far gone, that by the time we started communicating and try coming to compromise, we just realised that we were just not meant for each other. We broke it off 2 months before the wedding. I had to move to a different town miles way, becasue I knew that a rebound was bound to happen after such a traumatic stage in life, that if I had stayed in the same town, that I would go back to him and that if we ever had an argumet, that our breakup would be thrown in my face. (He was that type of person.) I wasn't going to stand for that. Oveall it's an extremely hard decision to make, but you have to be comitted 100%
That's why I ask that you:
be patient
Talk, communicate
Compromise
be supportive
you have every right to ask for his support too in return
If all else fails, read the book "Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus". It makes a lot of sense on how men function and how they deal with their problems, same with women.
Let me know how you go!
Hang in there.