Benjamin Franklin’s 13 Virtues
At the age of 20 while traveling via ship from London to Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin composed what he considered to be a Plan for his conduct to become a better person and a true gentleman. As a part of this plan, he defined 13 virtues, each with a brief description.
Each week, Franklin would focus specifically upon one virtue, rotating through the virtues every 13 weeks (quarterly). While his weekly focus was for one virtue, each day he would consider his behavior around all 13 virtues and place a mark in a little book which contained 13 charts. If he felt he had committed a fault against a virtue, he would put a dot in the box for the virtue for that day.
Initially, he had many dots in each day around the virtues, but as he progressed through his life, he found that there were fewer and fewer and he believed this made him a much better person. He continued this practice throughout his long life, eventually only rotating through once a year, then not at all. However, he was well into his 70’s when he stopped the practice of reviewing the virtues.
- TEMPERANCE: Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
- SILENCE: Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
- 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.
- INDUSTRY: Lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
- 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.
- MODERATION: Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
- CLEANLINESS: Tolerate no uncleanness in body, clothes, or habitation.
- TRANQUILLITY: Be not disturbed at trifles, or at 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.
How to use this PDF Download: Print all 13 pages and date one per week. As you consider your behaviors each day, place a dot or an "x" in each category for each time that you feel you need to improve: For example:
Editor’s Note:
• The list and definitions above reflect Ben Franklin's original virtues list.
• In the Self-Assessment PDF, I changed Number 12 from Chastity to Wellness, as I felt that these times call more for a focus on our health. Without our health, we would have a difficult time getting through our day, and our focus on virtues, etc. would be compromised. In addition, I added Buddha to the list of leaders to imitate under Humility, as I believe his teachings are also valid for these times.