Benjamin Franklin's Great Life Lesson

What is the base foundation for?all?great leaders? The answer has also proven to be the #1 defining difference between "good" and "bad" leaders.

It is?being true to character. But what does that mean, and how does a person be true to character?

The answer is found in one of Benjamin Franklin's greatest life lessons, which you'll find below.

Being True to Character Defined

Being true to character means consistently aligning your actions, decisions, and behavior with your core values, principles, and moral compass, even in challenging situations. It involves acting authentically and remaining steadfast to your beliefs and integrity.

Benjamin Franklin's Life Lesson

Benjamin Franklin was part of a discussion group called the Junto. Following a group discussion, a friend, William Bradford, candidly pointed out that Franklin occasionally came across as arrogant. This honest criticism deeply impacted Franklin, and he realized that he needed to work on his character and become a more humble and virtuous person.

Franklin embarked on a journey of personal development. He began by identifying thirteen virtues that he believed represented the highest ideals of human conduct. These virtues included temperance, silence, order, resolution, frugality, industry, sincerity, justice, moderation, cleanliness, tranquility, chastity, and humility.

To hold himself accountable and track his progress, Franklin devised a 13-week plan. Each week, he would focus on mastering one of the virtues while keeping a record of his daily successes and lapses in a journal. By focusing on one virtue per week he would repeat the 13-week cycle four times over the course of a year (there are 13 weeks in a quarter, 4 quarters in a year, so that’s 4 weeks of focus on each virtue in a year).

The 13-week program stands as a testament to his humility, desire to improve, and commitment to being true to character. It is a pattern and process we can all learn from and follow.

First Take Away from Franklin’s Story

As a starting point, like Benjamin Franklin, you too can identify your core values and principles. Write them out. Perhaps list them in your journal or planner. If you’re not sure what to include, just jot down how you’d like people to describe you in your absence. Let that list be a starting point, and you can modify it over time.

Second Take Away from Franklin’s Story

Use Franklin’s "plan and process" to improve yourself and your character. Focus on one core value or life principle each week. At BYB, we call this "the success rhythm" and use it with the 12 Principles of Highly Successful Leaders, with the 13th week set aside for reflection.

It worked for Franklin, and it can work for you. It is the principle of continuous improvement applied to your character and leadership. If you have a BYB planner, you even have a place to list your "Principle of the Week" in your planner. You can alternatively use a journal or notebook to track your weekly principle or virtue.

Wrapping Up

Strive to act in alignment with your life principles and core values, even when faced with challenges or temptations. Write them out, define them, know them, internalize them. And, to improve, try focusing on one life virtue or principle each week. Like Benjamin Franklin, you will forge your desired character and shape your life legacy. That is being true to character, and that is becoming your best.

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