TL;DR
Life feels empty when who you are and what you do move in different directions. Being + Doing = Meaning is my simple life formula that reminds me that meaning appears when my identity, values, and character (being) are connected to my actions, habits, and work (doing).

As a boy in war-torn South Sudan, my being was shaped by fear and survival, and my doing was mostly reaction. Later, when I discovered writing and teaching, something clicked. My story, gifts, and values started to match my daily work. That is when life stopped feeling random and started to feel meaningful. This guide is a simple way to help you do the same, one day at a time.

The Simple Formula That Keeps Me Grounded

Being + Doing = Meaning.
M = {B, D²}.

I wrote that equation for myself first.

I needed a compass I could remember at 3 a.m. when worries would not let me sleep. Life felt too messy. War memories, responsibilities, bills, family needs, unfinished books, unfinished dreams. I asked myself: “How can I live one life, not ten competing lives?”

This simple equation answered:

Being: Who am I really?
Doing: What am I actually doing today?
Meaning: What happens when these two agree?

If my being says “I value truth,” but my doing is full of lies, I lose meaning.
If my being says “I care about people,” but my doing is only about money, I lose meaning.

But when my being and doing walk in the same direction, even hard days carry a quiet sense of purpose.

What I Mean By “Being”

Being is not your job title. It is the part of you that remains when titles and positions fall away.

Being includes:

1. Identity
   Who you believe you are. Child of God. Son or daughter of certain parents. Member of a tribe. Citizen of a country. A writer, a parent, a friend.
2. Values
   What you hold as non–negotiable. Honesty. Responsibility. Compassion. Discipline. Faith.
3. Character
   How you behave when no one is watching. How you treat people who cannot pay you back. How you act when you have power and when you do not.

For many years, my being was shaped by war, loss, and survival. I saw death many times. I lost siblings. I watched my parents struggle. Those experiences wrote fear, alertness, and resilience into my being.

Later, grace, faith, study, and reflection began to rewrite that inner script. My being slowly shifted from “I must only survive” to “I must serve and build while I am still alive.”

What I Mean By “Doing”

Doing is what your hands, mouth, and feet actually produce in real time.

Doing includes:

1. Daily tasks
   Sweeping the compound, cooking, writing, working in an office, farming.
2. Long term projects
   Writing a book, finishing a course, starting a business, raising children, building a church or organization.
3. Invisible choices
   Choosing to listen instead of shouting. Choosing to forgive instead of taking revenge. Choosing to study instead of wasting the whole evening online.

There was a time when most of my doing was driven by fear. Run when bullets come. Move when hunger demands. Act only when danger forces you.

Later, writing, mentoring, and digital work became my central doing. I realized I could choose actions that expressed my deepest values rather than just reacting to danger or lack.

Why Many People Miss The Equation

I have met two common groups, and at different times in my own life, I belonged to both.

1. The “Being Only” group
   These are the philosophers of the couch. They say, “I want to make a difference. I want to be kind. I want to write a book. I want to build a business.” They read quotes, attend seminars, and dream big, but action is always “tomorrow.” Being without doing remains a dream.
2. The “Doing Only” group
   These are the workaholics. Always busy. Phone never silent. They build careers and chase income, but they rarely pause to ask, “Is this me?” They are active but not aligned inside. Doing without being becomes drifting.

True growth needs both.
Being without doing is dreaming.
Doing without being is drifting.
Being plus doing is where meaning lives.

My Story: From Survival Mode To Meaningful Work

As a child in South Sudan, my being was shaped by constant crisis. War, displacement, hunger, and death were regular teachers. My doing was simple: fetch water, move when elders say move, find food, stay alive. There was no time to ask, “What is the meaning of my life?” The meaning was survival.

In 1989 my elder brother went to war and never returned. His death cut a deep line across my being. It forced me to ask, “Why am I still here when others are gone? What must I do with this borrowed time?”

Later, I discovered writing. At first it was just a way to express my pain and thoughts. Then I realized something bigger. Writing could be my bridge between being and doing.

My being:
A war survivor. A thinker. A believer. A son of the Sobat River. A man who cares about humanity.

My doing:
Writing books and articles. Teaching. Coaching. Using technology to reach readers and students worldwide.

When those two came together, I felt something click. The chaos did not disappear. But my days started to feel less random. Even hardship became material for service.

That is when I understood: meaning does not fall from the sky. It grows when who you are meets what you do, again and again.

You might also like: How to Write Your Life Story: A Complete Guide to Autobiography Writing

Daily Practices For Aligning Being And Doing

You do not need a perfect life schedule. You just need small daily habits that bring your inner world and outer actions closer.

1. Morning check in
   Before rushing into tasks, ask quietly: “Who am I today? What do I stand for?”
   You can pray, reflect, or write one line in a notebook. Anchor your being before you run into doing.
2. Set purpose linked goals
   Do not only say, “I will finish this report.” Say, “I will finish this report with honesty and care because I value integrity and service.”
   Attach your values to your tasks.
3. Practice small acts of meaning
   Hold the door. Send a kind message. Help a colleague. Spend focused time with a child. These small actions, when linked to your identity and values, build a stronger life than one big event.
4. Evening reflection
   Before sleep, ask: “Did my actions today reflect my true self, or did I just run on autopilot?”
   If the answer is painful, do not despair. Use it as data, not as a verdict.
5. Adjust and repeat
   Growth is not perfection. It is correction. You are allowed to try again tomorrow with more honesty.

Humor Break: When Laziness Tries To Steal The Formula

I once shared my formula with a friend: Being + Doing = Meaning.

He laughed and said, “What if my being is lazy and my doing is nothing?”
I told him, “Then the meaning of your life will be endless movies and snacks.”

We both laughed, but the point is serious. You cannot harvest mangoes from a tree you never planted. A lazy being plus lazy doing equals an empty life. The equation still works. You just may not like the answer.

The Enemies Of Meaning

Several habits and forces try to break the link between your being and doing.

1. Distraction
   Endless scrolling. Jumping from video to video. Hours may pass without a single meaningful action. Your day ends, but your being has not grown and your doing has not served anyone.
2. Fear
   Fear of failure, rejection, or criticism makes people hide. They keep their deepest values and dreams locked inside, waiting for a perfect moment that never comes.
3. Busyness
   You can fill every hour with tasks that impress people, yet neglect what really matters. Activity is not the same as progress.
4. Comparison
   You spend so much time watching other people’s lives that you forget your own assignment. You start copying someone else’s doing and ignore your own being.

From One Person To A Whole Nation

This formula is not only personal. It also applies to families, communities, and nations.

For a nation:

Being is its values, history, culture, and vision.
Doing is its policies, laws, budget priorities, and daily decisions.
Meaning is whether citizens feel their country is moving toward justice, peace, and shared dignity.

If a country’s being says, “We value unity, justice, and peace,” but its doing is full of corruption, violence, and selfish leadership, national meaning collapses.

In a place like South Sudan, we must ask two linked questions:

Who are we as a people?
How do our actions as leaders and citizens reflect or betray that answer?

National development is not only about roads and buildings. It is about the agreement between national being and national doing. When those align, citizens begin to feel that they live in a story that makes sense.

A Final Story: Children, Dreams, And The Missing Step

One day, I asked a group of children, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

Voices rose quickly.

“Doctor!”
“Teacher!”
“Pilot!”
“President!”

The energy was high. Then I asked, “What will you do to get there?”

Silence. Eyes looked away. Some smiled shyly, as if I had spoiled the game by adding work to it.

That moment was a picture of our common problem.
Being alone is not enough. Dreams without action are like seeds kept in a pocket.
Doing alone is also not enough. Action without deep identity becomes empty and tiring.

Meaning appears when we plant the seed (being) in real soil (doing) and care for it daily.

If you would like to know more about my path as a writer, including the struggles, lessons, and small signs of progress along the way, you can read the full story on my Wealthy Affiliate blog here: https://my.wealthyaffiliate.com/johnmaluth/blog

Reflection Questions

1. Are your daily actions aligned with your values, or are you mostly running on autopilot?
2. Which part of your being (identity, values, character) do you most want to strengthen this year?
3. What small daily practices could help you connect who you are with what you do more closely?
4. Have you ever chased “doing” so much that you lost sight of “being”? What happened, and what did you learn?
5. How could the formula Being + Doing = Meaning guide not only your personal life, but also your family, organization, or nation?

FAQS

1. What does “Being + Doing = Meaning” really mean in simple terms?
   It means that life feels meaningful when your actions match your true identity and values. Who you are on the inside and what you do on the outside must agree if you want lasting purpose.
2. Can I still find meaning if my past is full of pain and mistakes?
   Yes. Your past shapes your being, but it does not have to control your future doing. You can use past pain as material for service, wisdom, and empathy. Many meaningful lives grow out of very difficult stories.
3. What if I do not know who I really am yet?
   Start with small questions. What do you care about deeply? What makes you angry in a good way when you see injustice? What kind of person do you admire? As you act, you will discover more of your being. Knowing and doing often grow together.
4. How can I apply this formula if I am stuck in a job I do not like?
   Even in a hard job, you can bring your values into how you work. You can treat people kindly, act with integrity, and grow skills for your next step. At the same time, you can slowly prepare for a better role that matches your being more closely.
5. How does this formula help families and communities?
   Families and communities that know who they are and act in line with those values build trust. When parents, leaders, and members live what they say they believe, children and followers feel safe and guided. Over time, that shared meaning becomes a strong foundation for growth.