Benjamin Franklin's Thirteen Virtues
Adaptation of an original text by Ron Kurtus
Around 1730, while
in his late 20s, American publisher and future statesman Benjamin Franklin
listed thirteen virtues that he felt were important guides for living. Along with
each virtue, Franklin included a principle to follow that—in his opinion—would
define a person of good character.
The virtues can be divided into personal behavior
and social character traits. Franklin tried to follow these guides in his life,
although he sometimes went astray. These thirteen virtues may be worthwhile to
consider on our quest to be Everytime
Strong.
Virtues
Franklin's thirteen virtues and their principles are
classified as adherence character traits or rules, They have been divided by Ron
Kurtus into personal and social traits.
Personal traits
The eight personal virtues relate to your attitudes
toward activities and their challenges. Good personal character traits will
better your chances of success in achieving your goals.
Temperance: "Eat not to dullness;
drink not to elevation."
Order: "Let all your things have
their places; let each part of your business have its time."
Resolution: "Resolve to perform
what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve."
Frugality: "Make no expense but to
do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing."
Moderation: "Avoid extremes;
forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve."
Industry: "Lose no time; be always
employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions."
Cleanliness: "Tolerate no
uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation."
Tranquility: "Be not disturbed at
trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable."
Social traits
These five social virtues that Franklin stated
concern attitudes you should have toward people with whom you have dealings.
Good social character traits result in other people wanting to do business with
you or to have relationships with you.
Silence: "Speak not but what may
benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation."
Sincerity: "Use no hurtful deceit;
think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly."
Justice: "Wrong none by doing
injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty."
Chastity: "Rarely use venery but
for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own
or another's peace or reputation."
Humility: "Imitate Jesus and
Socrates."
Following these principles can help us Be Everytime Strong! This is how
Franklin did it. ( Everytime
Strong is about personal accountability, what is acceptable performance?, your
line in the sand.)
Franklin placed each one of the virtues on a
separate page in a small book that he kept with him for most of his life. He would evaluate his performance with
regard to each of them on a daily basis. He would also select one of the
virtues to focus on for a full week.
Franklin tried his best to follow the virtues, even he
sometimes strayed from his good intentions. We are all human, and make mistakes, but
Franklin was very smart, smarter than most, and knew he needed a helpful guide
to counteract the ancient human DNA and cave man programing that is in all of
us.
Although Franklin shared his 13 virtues with others,
he was speaking to himself when he created the system. It was Franklin’s way of maintaining a
balanced lifestyle, his way of fighting the demons that plague us all. This
simple system that he created for himself was in use every day for most of his
life, it helped him maintain a balanced life and be a person of good character.
Benjamin
Franklin was Everytime Strong!
