Benjamin Franklin was a wise man as I have blogged about before.
Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography is online and it provides a very instructive guide to his character development and experiences he had through his varied career.
At this time of new year resolutions, here is Ben’s life long (20 years of age to 84) list in order of priority for a virtuous life:
These names of virtues, with their precepts, were
1. TEMPERANCE. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
2. SILENCE. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
3. ORDER. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
4. RESOLUTION. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
5. FRUGALITY. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.
6. INDUSTRY. Lose no time; be always employ’d in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
7. SINCERITY. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
8. JUSTICE. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
9. MODERATION. Avoid extreams; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10. CLEANLINESS. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths, or habitation.
11. TRANQUILLITY. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
12. CHASTITY. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dulness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation.
13. HUMILITY. Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
Ben advised not to try applying all of these at once but to start at the top and work down as they are mastered.
Apparently he had a good system for tracking his progress too.
Here are some templates in OpenOffice and PDF format to do some manual tracking.
I am working on a googledocs spreadsheet to track these types of habits and compare results each month.