I nabbed this from my brother Steve’s blog The Temple…
Ben Franklin Resolutions – The Virtue Chart. Ben Franklin regularly followed a plan to develop his character. Based on Philippians 4, Ben used the chart below as a tool to improve himself. Check out the site Flamebright for a brief explanation and DIY Planner for templates you can print out. His “Plan” was made up of 13 virtues, each with short descriptions:
1. Temperance: Eat not to dullness and 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 employed 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 extremes. Forebear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10. Cleanliness: Tolerate no uncleanness in body, clothes or habitation.
11. 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.
12. Tranquility: Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
13. Humility: Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
For more TT click here.
HT: The Temple
This is a great reminder. I would be much calmer if I did #13 more often.
I enjoyed your list! They are such simple and honest ideas!
Love numbers 1 and 9. The differences are subtle but important. (And thanks for visiting my TT)
Ben’s the man. Thank goodness so many of his words are down for posterity–and possibly prosperity! God bless.
Writer, politician, inventor, scientist and in later life (bless him!) a dirty old man! What a guy! One of the truly entertaining characters from history.
Great list, the problem was Old Ben was such a reprobate, he rarely kept half of these!
SJR
The Pink Flamingo
Good ‘ol Ben…it is refreshing to know, he like so many of us made lots of resolutions he had no intention of keeping. Makes him more human I think! #9 is about my favorite. Moderation is key.
These were all straight and to the point. I esp. liked #2 because I am not a fan of talking just to hear myself talk.
He sounds like a very smart man:) Great stuff. Happy TT and thanks for stopping by.
Great TT — !! I’m an admirer of Ben’s and this certainly was a thorough, thoughtful list! Happy 2008!
how lovely! i had never heard these but they strike me as just the exact right thing
happy TT
Oh my, very wise difficult to follow all that early in the morning, I just got up, lol !
Great TT! Happy New Year!
I love ol’ Ben—-but I don’t think he kept the one about chastity, did he? Though he was probably about as good at it as most people are about keeping their resolutions.
13 Unresolved Issues from 2007
I’m printing this one out.
All are VERY good!
Blessings,
Karla
very wise list and I strive for most of them myself
Those sound like the right things to do!
Thanks for visiting my attainable resolutions TT.
What a great list, Ellen! I like them all!Thanks for sharing:)
My Thursday 13 is up as well! Happy New Year!
Wow! I’m writing this down in my journal… thanks for sharing… 🙂
I LOVED both lists, but I am a Franklin fan and have never seen this…it’s getting copied for my journal!!
LOVED it!!
very cool!!
you Thankful list was a blessing as well!!
I’m so happy to have visited!!
peace!
happy new year
Lori
He was a wise man!
That’s great advice, something we’d all do well to follow. Happy 2008!
Those are things I totally need to work on myself!
Happy 2008!
Fabulous list, and how perfect that there were exactly 13 items! I’m off to check out the explanations/planner templates you mentioned/linked – thanks for sharing!
Inspiring.
I love this list! I want to print it out and put it some where I can see it all the time. Happy TT.
I’m so happy to see so many inspiring blogs this week. I’m sick and all of these are making me smile despite the rest of my body being intent on a frown of one sort or another. lol
Happy TT
~X
ah we read the ben franklin autobiography in my college u.s. history course. he had good ideas…..he was just very very sure of how righ the was.
He was a man ahead of his time, that one…
Great list and special thanks for that link!
Happy TT
Interesting isn’t it how the new year’s resolutions are the same no matter which century we’re in. 🙂
My TT is about goals…a road map for the year.
Completely agree!! Very nice list;-))
Jeannene (Love Conquer All)