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Benjamin Franklin was Americas best inventor, scientist, diplomat, writer and business strategist during his life, he also excelled in politics.

In the autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Walter Isaacson, Walter talks about 13 important virtues that Benjamin Franklin practiced daily.

Before I talk about the 13 virtues, to save confusion let me define what a virtue is:

Virtue can be defined as: behaviour showing high moral standards.

By acting as a virtuous person we not only become more effective and useful. We become better individuals.

To give you an example: think of the virtue honesty. Im sure you’ll agree that honesty is useful and desirable in a person over it’s opposite, dishonesty.

Would you rather be friends with a dishonest person or an honest person?

I think you know the answer.

Or take the virtue of self-control.

We can all agree that it’s better to be someone who has control over himself and his emotions as apposed to someone who lacks self-control.

The former will find it easier to do harder things in life and eventually achieve his goals. Whereas the latter might not be able to muster up enough self-control to start working towards hard yet meaningful goals.

Now lets talk about the thirteen virtues that Benjamin Franklin practiced on a daily basis.

The 13 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 uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation.

Tranquility: 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.

Transgressions To The 13 Virtues

If you act out the 13 virtues every day in your life, you set yourself up for success. But if you fail to live life in a virtuous way, you risk becoming aimless. Without having virtues to live up to, life can feel meaningless and empty.

Some more wisdom from Benjamin Franklin:

“To pour fourth benefits for the common good is divine.”

“Man is a sociable being. “

“The most acceptable service of God was doing good to man.”

“The purpose of religion should be to make men better and to improve society, and any sect or creed that did so was fine with him.”

“Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.”