Benjamin Franklin, inventor, statesman, writer, publisher, and economist, says in his autobiography that he determined to work on moral perfection early in his life. He prepared a list of 13 qualities and assigned each one a page. He provided a synopsis for each virtue, giving it more depth. After that, he practiced each one for a certain amount of time.
Franklin can devise a system for grading himself on his daily deeds in order to make these qualities a habit.
He wrote a table in his diary with a row for each virtue and a column for each day of the week. He placed a mark in the relevant column every time he made a mistake. Likewise, he concentrated his emphasis on a new virtue each week. Furthermore, he believed that, with practice, he might one day be able to enjoy the pleasure of «seeing a clean Book.»
He claims he has been conducting this personal evaluation for years. He chose to tackle each virtue and a fourth of its importance one at a time in order to complete the task fully. Likewise, he started with temperance, which entails controlling every pleasure or inclination to form bad habits, because temperance “tends to procure that coolness, 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.”
Silence, order, resolution, frugality, labor, truthfulness, Justice, moderation, cleanliness, calm, chastity, and humility were among the other qualities Franklin practiced in succession. In order to complete the summary order, he followed a daily schedule. He spent his mornings from 5 to 7 a.m. in bodily personal attention, reciting a short prayer, reflecting on the day’s business and resolutions, learning, and eating breakfast. He worked at his craft from 8 a.m. until 12 p.m. Furthermore, he dined and read his accounts from twelve to one o’clock. Not only that, but he worked at his craft from the age of two to five. He spent the remainder of the evening till 10 o’clock in music or some other form of entertainment.
This time is also utilized to put things back in their proper placements. The final task before retiring was a review of the day. At the age of 79, he attributed his good health to temperance, adversity to effort and frugality, and his country’s trust to sincerity and fairness.
Franklin’s great achievements in life and politics may be linked to his determination to overcome his own flaws and his ambition to improve continually.
Take some time to work on your own personal notebook the next time you truly want to accomplish something. What is the temptation that is preventing you from achieving greatness? What can you do to develop the habit of success?
