Inspired by Emily Bennington post on “Being Goal-Driven Actually Drives Me Crazy“. — I always remember Steven Covey’s point that for the first many years in America, our success literature focused on the “character ethic” – who you are as a person inside – and how sadly in the last few decades it turned into the “personality ethic” – how you ‘act’ on the outside.
Ben Franklin understood ‘Private Victories Precede Public Victories!’
Ben Franklin’s 13 Virtues
- Temperance: Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation
- Silence: Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversations
- 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; that is, waste nothing
- Industry: Lose not time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions
- Sincerity: Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly; speak accordingly
- Justice: Wrong none by doing injuries or omitting the benefits that are your duty
- Moderation: Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think you deserve
- Cleanliness: Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes or habitation
- Tranquility: Be not disturbed at trifles or accidents common or unavoidable
- 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
