Be Successful Like Benjamin Franklin

[Alexis Froehlich]

We all know Benjamin Franklin was an inventor. He was also a writer, publisher, statesman, and economist. In short, he was a successful man. He got that way because in his autobiography, he wrote that he decided to focus on arriving at moral perfection.

He listed 13 virtues:

1. temperance
2. silence
3. order
4. resolution
5. frugality
6. industry
7. sincerity
8. justice
9. moderation
10. cleanliness
11. tranquility
12. chastity
13. humility

He assigned each of the virtues to a page, writing a summary to give it fuller meaning. He practiced one virtue for an entire week.

Franklin understood that habits are formed from repetition, so he graded himself. He created a table in his journal with a row for every virtue and a column for every day of the week. If he made a fault, he made a mark in the appropriate column. Over time, through repetition, he hoped to one day experience the pleasure of "viewing a clean Book."

He began with temperance, which included moderating every pleasure or inclination to develop undesirable habits. He wrote that temperance "tends to procure that coolness and clearance and head that is so necessary where constant vigilance is to be kept up and guard maintained against the unremitting attraction of ancient habits and the force of perpetual temptations."

The last thing Franklin would do before going to bed was examine the day. At the age of 79, he ascribed his health to temperance; the acquisition of misfortune to industry and frugality; the confidence of his country to sincerity and justice.

Franklin's extraordinary success in life and politics can be attributed to his perseverance to overcome his personal liabilities, and his desire to constantly become better.

[WaterCrystals]

Great post! I can't believe how much time, patience, and dedication Franklin demonstrated in building his character.

In 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, (by Steven Covey) he says that after World War One, we changed from ethics based on character to ethics based on personality...

Personality ethics are basically what the world perceives - how we act on the outside, which may not be what we're really all about.

Character ethics are what's inside, and therefore is demonstrated at all times, regardless of the situation.

Covey says we're moving back to character - funny how Franklin knew what was right 200 years ago...