Ben Franklin’s thirteen moral virtues

The thirteen moral virtues listed by Benjamin Franklin in his Autobiography:

1. Temperance. Eat not to Dullness. 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 Uncleanness 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 Dullness, Weakness, or the Injury of your own or another’s Peace or Reputation.

13. Humility. Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

Also…

The Morning Question, What Good shall I do this Day?

The Evening Question, What Good have I done today?

If we all did the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves. – Thomas Edison

Shape Your Destiny

A person cannot directly choose his circumstances,

But he can choose his thoughts,

And so indirectly, yet surely,

Shape his circumstances.

– James Allen

Be Yourself

To be nobody but yourself

In a world which is doing its best day and night

To make you everybody else

Means to fight the hardest battle

Any human being can fight;

Short Video On Being Unique CLICK HERE

And never stop fighting.
                                   – E.E. Cummings

 

 

Short Clip of Tony Robbins at Date With Destiny CLICK HERE

 

 

“Excellence can be obtained if you: …care more than others think is wise; …risk more than others think is safe; …dream more than others think is practical; …expect more than others think is possible.” -Unknown

The obstacles to success don’t exist outside of our selves. They are the limits and boundries we place on what we can attain, what is expected and what is considered proper behavior. The road to excellence requires us to step just beyond that which is expected. Only by continually stepping outside of the normal realm can we be expected to reach that which is normally out of reach.

Most people will settle into a pattern of mediocrity in their lives. The reasons vary but the outcome is the same. Accomplishments are given up on, dreams vanish and people hand both their power and their energy to others. At the end of the day, what will they be left with?

When you strive for just a bit more, give just a bit more than you are able; you train yourself to grow past your limitations. This is the secret that builds excellence. This is the path least travelled.

Today, I will be a little bit more.

Pacing Outcomes Website

If life were a painting, and you were the artist; what would you paint? -Stephen Covey

Order 7 Habits Of Highly Successful People

“One day your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it’s worth watching.” -Unknown

Most people will spend their last days reviewing their lives in quiet desperation. They spend their time half asleep, not quite alive, but not technically dead either. What does it mean when a person looks at their life and can’t find anything of value? What would they do different if they could?

Today, imagine that you are on your death bed. Take your life, with all of your choices and place them out in front of you. Look at all of life’s situations and how you chose to handle them. Now ask yourself, IS IT ENOUGH? Not is it enough for me. Not if it’s enough for your spouse. But, is it enough for YOU? Can you live with the headlines and sub-stories to your life? What would you title a movie based on your story? Is it a love story, an action/adventure?

Now, here is the rub, what do you need to do today to make the life you want? Start today, don’t wait for the light to change green. It will change green when you move through it, and not until then. Only when you have chosen how you want to live will you be able to head in that direction.

Today, I will make sure my life is worth living.

www.pacingoutcomes.com

Our default response in life is not to experience happiness. Our default response in life is not to experience meaning. Our default response in life is to experience inertia. -Marshall Goldsmith from the book Mojo

I have been told by many of today’s “new age” teachers that happiness is our natural state. They say that if we do our work we will return to the state that we were born to be in, happiness. Others talk about finding meaning. Sometimes both can be near impossible to attain. The one state that we are guaranteed to feel in the future….is the state we are feeling right now.

If you want to predict what a person will be feeling, experiencing, or desiring; you need only look at where they are now. People tend to stay the same way that they are. This is why change is so difficult, because it isn’t their natural state. Even our bodies are designed to stay balanced; any major change will kill us. Most people are willing to sit in pain long after they should. They do this because of inertia and the difficulty for them to change.

Being aware that change is difficult makes that difficulty easier to manage. When I start to understand inertia, it becomes a tool and not a hindrance. Once I start to move in the direction that I want, it becomes easier to reach my goal. My momentum starts to propel me in the direction I wish to go.

Today, I will use my inertia and momentum as an advantage. I will face the difficulty of change head on.

“Few real good ideas work perfectly the first time.” -Author Unknown

There are two types of people in this world. There are those who believe that people can’t get any better or grow. Then there are those people who believe that people’s abilities are not stagnant. They believe that people can grow, and learn. The question is, which type are you?

The first type of person can’t get much farther in life than where they are. Their beliefs place a ceiling on how far they are able to move. They do this by placing a ceiling on how far others are able to move in their lives. They believe that we are unable to change, grow or become anything more than what we currently are.

The second type believes that man’s abilities are temporary. They believe that those that seek, find. They see that there is a path to growth. They see that rarely is greatness great the first attempt. This is the group that makes amazing things happen. They stretch what is possible, and give us permission to be more.

Today, I choose to grow. I choose to believe that we are able to become more than we are.

www.pacingoutcomes.com

“When one man, for whatever reason, has the opportunity to lead an extraordinary life, he has no right to keep it to himself.” -Jacques Cousteau

Who are you to play small? What does it really get you to not step into all that you can be? Most people spend their lives fitting into molds that someone else set for them. They come upon moments where they can live in their brilliance but because of what they believe others would think of them, they don’t act on them. Many times it may also be about comfort. Excellence can sometimes cause people to feel uncomfortable.

There are others who surround themselves by people who expect greatness. These people are thrust into great situations. They test their metal against all kinds of situations. They grow from them, and then they move on to greater things. These people live for the uncomfortable moments. These are the people we follow. These are very well sometimes the people that we aspire to be.

Today, I will take advantage of any chance to lead an extraordinary life. I will live outside of my comfort zone.

www.pacingoutcomes.com