Benjamin Franklin's Self Improvement Project

Between 1771 and 1783 Benjamin Franklin wrote his autobiography. It contains much that would benefit you and is only about 175 pages long. Franklin could be called the United States grandfather even improve in the literature. His Poor Richard's Almanac series contain many stories and bits of advice for the common man, it was in fact a collection of Yankee wisdom accumulated decades.

Perhaps the most interesting and potentially useful partFranklin's autobiography is his description of his self-improvement project. As a young man, Franklin was quick to his own weaknesses and to understand the weaknesses of the people around him that led her failure. He was a keen observer and quickly learned the habits that led to success.

In his twenties he set himself to improve very systematic. It must first be clarified, the qualities that he found most important to cultivate, including Temperance, Silence, Order,Resolution, frugality, industry, sincerity, justice, moderation, cleanliness, tranquility, chastity and humility. He developed a simple daily record, and chose one of these virtues to focus on each week. His record included a matrix with a list of virtues he wanted in his life on the left side perfectly and on top of a list of days of the week. He would then mark a point or change in any field, if his own expectations of virtue, he tried the practice has failed to meetthat day. His goal was a week free of all marks showing success.

Franklin, this method now and for some years to many of the virtues, if perfected, this method allowed. While Franklin would have been the first to admit that he never achieved perfection in all these virtues, he was also known to have mastered a number of them. As a young man as he was known to be cheeky, argumentative and rude. Over time he came to understand how contrary thatKind of behavior was to his own success. By repeated self-discipline and efforts to modify this behavior as its own habits and he was a man of great understanding. He was for being a good listener, rarely own up to his mind, and a man everyone liked and admired known offer.

You can also Franklin method of reflection about your own behavior and habits and efforts to change them to use.

First, decide what you strive to want to change about themselves.Find what you want most to improve on in your habits, attitudes and practices. Then make a list and decide, improving focus on such an element of each week or month. Franklin chose a week, as it seemed to be neither too short nor too long. You could do the same. Reflect each night before you go to your daily activities and select any losses you may have experienced, or a remarkable success changed your behavior. Every morning, focus on what change you plan and solveto do so.

You can also find more success in this endeavor, if you run your small notebook on with it and call it often during the day, remember to inquire about both what you are looking for improvement, and to ensure that you do not forget to take Your success or failure.

You see, like Franklin, that you are not likely to achieve perfection, you are in a way that will surprise and cash in your future success will change.

Try BenjaminFranklin method of change and improvement. It is simple and does not cost a cent.

The Thirteen Virtues - Benjamin Franklin's Guide to Self-Improvement

There are so many self-help books and articles, you'll probably need help with your self. Every month more books and more words are printed, all promising the "key to success" or a "better life" in one way or another . The volume and the choice of this material lies in the very confusing.

But it must not be so. The people are longing for brevity, simplicity and clarity. We live in an "instant age", where good and powerful ideas simple and easy toto remember and should be expressed in a single paper sheet. Self-Help is an area where less really more!

Ironically, last look into, that we help, a short, simple and clear plan for self-employed. Writing in 1784, in the second part of his autobiography, says Benjamin Franklin to us that, while in his twenties, he is the bold and difficult project conceived at the arrival of moral perfection. "He devised a list of thirteen virtues, which he considered important andClarity and simplicity every virtue has only one name and a brief bid to express its meaning.

The virtues are with their bids:

Temperance, Eat not dullness, drink not to elevation.


Silence, do not talk, but what may benefit others or yourself, avoid trifling conversation.


Order, Let all your things have their place, let every part of your business have its time.


Resolution to ResolvePerform what you ought, perform without fail what you resolve.


Frugality, Make no expense but to do good to others or himself, ie, waste nothing.


Industry Lose no time; useful will be used more in something, cut off all unnecessary actions.


Sincerity, Do not think hurtful deceit; innocent and just, and when you speak, speak accordingly.


Justice Wrong none by doing injuries or omitting the benefitsthat your duty.


, Avoid extremes; avoid moderation, insults, bad as you think they deserve.


Clean tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes or habitation.


Tranquillity, Be not disturbed at trifles, or accidents or unavoidable in common.


Chastity, rarely Practice sexual intercourse, but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of his own or foreign peace orReputation.


Humility to imitate Jesus and Socrates.

This is a short list, but with great intentions and Franklin tells us that he not attempt to try all the virtues at once.

He decided on any date to fix and then move on to the list. Therefore, he ordered the list of what he considered in order of importance to him, believes that success would in Temperance, peace and order, help to lead to success in the resolution, frugality and industry, and soon. At all times, his intention was to improve his habits.

He also believed that the daily reflection was important in his success. To this end, he kept a notebook to record his mistakes. Each page was ruled out with seven columns and thirteen rows. A column for each day of the week, and one row for every virtue. He took his mistakes every day with a black spot in the appropriate place.

Franklin admitted he would never achieve perfection in all these virtues, but he also knew thatSearch for moral perfection to achieve improved his life in many ways.

Franklin's 187 words are as relevant today as when he invented.

In modern parlance, Franklin

a clear objective, moral perfection,
developed a simple set of goals, thirteen virtues
worked on his objectives,
measured its success against these goals,
reflects on his success,
returned to start the process again.

Why does not Franklin's model for themselves. Print out theCome thirteen virtues, you are a small notebook and start self-help today.