Benjamin Franklin's 13 principles to success

(Note:  The definitions are added by yours truly from dictionary.com)

In the year 1723, a seventeen year-old boy arrived in Philadelphia without a penny to his name. At age 42, he retired, wealthy. Few men, before or since have ever been as successful as Benjamin Franklin. He gave credit for his many inventions and business successes to this list of 13 principles. Each of them should be practiced in order, for at least a week at a time, so that all of them become a habit in your life. They'll work as well today as they did then.

   1. Temperance: Eat not dullness; drink not to elevation.
Temperance--moderation or self-restraint in action, statement, etc.; self-control.

   2. Silence: Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself, avoid trifling conversation.
Silence--absence of any sound or noise; stillness.

   3. Order: Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have it's time.
Order--the disposition of things following one after another, as in space or time; succession or sequence: The names were listed in alphabetical order.

   4. Resolution: Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
Resolution--the act of resolving or determining upon an action or course of action, method, procedure, etc.

   5. Frugality: Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; waste nothing.
Frugal--practising economy; living without waste; thrifty.

   6. Industry: Lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
Industry--systematic work or labor.

   7. Sincerity: Use no harmful deceit; think innocently and justly; and if you speak, speak accordingly.
Sincerity--freedom from deceit, hypocrisy, or duplicity; probity in intention or in communicating; earnestness.
(Obi's note: I love this one because it says "freedom from", and I find those words could not be more true)

   8. Justice: wrong none by doing injuries or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
Justice--the quality of being just; righteousness, equitableness, or moral rightness: to uphold the justice of a cause.

   9. Moderation: Avoid extremes; forebear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
Moderation--in moderation, without excess; moderately; temperately: to drink in moderation.
(Obi's note:  I think this is my major weakness.   Not necessarily drinking (as I don't drink), but in other things.  But I guess that recognition is half the solution.)

  10. Cleanliness: Tolerate no uncleanness in body, clothes or habitation.
Cleanliness--habitually kept clean.
(Obi's note: I found this to be a surprise because Dr. Franklin lived during a time when people were very lucky to take one bath a week, and no one knew about bacteria and germs.)  

  11. Tranquility: Be not disturbed at trifles, nor at accidents.
Tranquility--quality or state of being tranquil; calmness; peacefulness; quiet; serenity.

  12. Chastity: Be chaste in matters with the opposite sex.
Chaste--refraining from sexual intercourse that is regarded as contrary to morality or religion; virtuous.

  13. Humility: Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
Humble--not proud or arrogant; modest: to be humble although successful.
For information on Jesus, see the Bible: New Testament--Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
For information on Socrates: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socrates

(Obi's Notes: I'm so glad I stumbled across these.  Once I get my printer working, I want to print them off and hang them on my wall somewhere.    Feel free to do the same!)