This is going to start simple – but if you’re just getting to know me, it may take a left turn.
“Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.”
— John Wesley
That quote resonates. It’s poetic, idealistic, and hard to argue with. But for me, it’s not just a quote – it’s a challenge, a mantra, and a bit of a remix.
Roots in the DMV
I grew up in the DMV. Maryland side. That’s the District, Maryland, Virginia metro area for the uninitiated. It’s a place where community service isn’t just encouraged – it’s embedded. We’re a product of our environments, and where I’m from, giving back wasn’t some abstract ideal. It was just what you did.
You volunteered. You donated. You spoke truth to power. You helped. And while it was definitely a lot of time and effort, it didn’t always feel like work.
- Sure, we were raising money – but it was a 5K run.
- Yes, we were fixing up houses – but we made it feel like a block party.
- We spent time with kids facing real challenges – but in spaces filled with joy and life. Community energy.
- And my favorite: fundraising or supporting a cause – but it’s a concert on the Mall.
That’s peak DMV energy – serious about the cause, but never forgetting everyone deserves dignity and that joy, music, and community go hand-in-hand.
Service was everywhere. It was fun, fulfilling, and didn’t need to be formal. It didn’t need a certificate. You didn’t do it for credit. You did it because it mattered.
Not a Bumper Sticker. But Close.
Wesley’s quote is still a North Star for me, but it’s a little too idealistic and too long for a t-shirt. Over time, I needed a shorthand. Something that would hold up in interviews, meetings, and moments where people were curious about what drives me – but didn’t want a TED Talk.
I tried a few clunky versions. They didn’t land. Too Gen X. Too Rambling. Too Millennial. Too Idealistic. Too labored.
Then one day I had music on in the background, and “I Against I” by Bad Brains came through – loud, layered, and undeniable.
There’s a moment in the chorus where HR doesn’t just say the phrase – he stacks it:
“I against… I against… I against…”
It’s not linear. It’s layered. Recursive. Deep.
The Loop That Stuck
That’s when it clicked. The phrase:
Doing Good While Doing Good.
It’s simple. It’s clean. But in my head, it loops and hits with that same cathartic energy and release as the Bad Brains chorus:
Doing Good… while Doing Good… while Doing Good…
I call it an ethos – mostly because ethos is more fun to say than motto or mantra.
It’s a reminder that intention and action don’t have to live separately. You can build, create, grow, hustle, take on big things — and still operate with kindness, service, and contribution.
It’s not always easy, and not always successful, but it’s always possible.
And when it works, it feels like you’re living on beat & in rhythm — with purpose and momentum, fully synced.
Doing Good… while Doing Good… while Doing Good…
