In about the same degree as you are helpful, you will be happy.

The sentence proposes a proportional relationship between altruism and well-being: happiness is not treated as a private possession to be chased directly, but as a byproduct of usefulness to others. By framing it as “in about the same degree,” the quote avoids absolute moralizing and instead suggests a practical, almost measurable ethic—helpfulness tends to return as satisfaction, purpose, social connection, and self-respect. It also implies a critique of self-centered pursuits of happiness: the more one’s attention is oriented outward, the more durable one’s contentment becomes. The idea aligns with long-standing moral and psychological traditions that link meaning and joy to service, contribution, and community.