Benjamin Franklin's Perfection Plan

Benjamin Franklin's Plan for Attaining Moral Perfection

At the age of 21, Benjamin Franklin decided to achieve moral perfection. He decided that 13 virtues were either necessary or desirable, arranged them so that the first acquired could help in assimilating the second, and so on:

1. TEMPERANCE: Eat not to Dulness. Drink not to Elevation.

2. SILENCE: Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself. Avoid trifling Conversation.

3. ORDER: Let all your Things have their Places. Let each Part of your Business have its Time.

4. RESOLUTION: Resolve to perform what you ought. Perform without fail what you resolve.

5. FRUGALITY: Make no Expense but to do good to others or yourself: i.e. Waste nothing.

6. INDUSTRY: Lose no Time. Be always employ'd in something useful. Cut off all unnecessary Actions.

7. SINCERITY: Use no hurtful Deceit. Think innocently and justly; and, if you speak, speak accordingly.

8. JUSTICE: Wrong none, by doing Injuries or omitting the Benefits that are your Duty.

9. MODERATION: Avoid Extremes. Forbear resenting Injuries so much as you think they deserve.

10. CLEANLINESS: Tolerate no Uncleanliness in Body, Clothes, or Habitation.

11. TRANQUILITY: Be not disturbed at Trifles, or at Accidents common or unavoidable.

12. CHASTITY: Rarely use Venery but for Health or Offspring; Never to Dulness, Weakness, or the Injury of your own or another's Peace or Reputation.

13. HUMILITY: Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

Franklin allotted himself one week to acquire each new virtue. And in order to see his progress, he made a record book and gave himself a black mark each time he failed to exhibit a virtue on which he was working. This app will be served as a record book for your marks.