屙金溺银:富兰克林13条美德修养 - 广州圈 - 同城友约 - 搜狐圈子

    本杰明·富兰克林（Benjamin Franklin，1706-1790），美国著名的思想家、政治家、外交家和科学家、实业家。出生在波士顿一个皂烛制造商家庭。他通过自己的努力，利用一切空闲时间刻苦自学，通晓了法语、意大利语、西班牙语和拉丁语，还大量阅读了欧洲各国的历史、哲学、文学著作，对自然科学和政治经济学也有很深的研究，最终成为他那个时代的佼佼者，并领导美国人民完成了独立革命，成为和乔治·华盛顿同享盛誉的领袖人物。他是美国著名的思想家、政治家、外交家和科学家、实业家，不仅是美利坚合众国的缔造者之一，更因其光辉的人性而名垂史册，受到成功学大师戴尔·卡耐基、拿破仑·希尔和奥格·曼狄诺的推崇，成为美国用至全世界人民心目中的楷模！尤其可贵的是，富兰克林在20多岁的时候，就提出以十三项美德来完善自己的人格修养，使自己在为人处世、待人接物方面臻于完美。这一举动改变了富兰克林的人生轨迹，使他后来成为世人仰慕的精神楷模，就连世界著名的成功学大师戴尔·卡耐基、拿破仑·希尔和奥格·曼狄诺对他也推崇备至，将他列为成功人生的导师。富兰克林晚年根据自己的经历写成的《自传》，两个多世纪以来一直是世界出版史上的优秀畅销书，世界各国青年深受其影响，许多人因为这本书而彻底改变了自己的人生，走上了成功的道路。

1 节制  食不过饱，饮酒不醉。
2 少言  说话必须对别人或你自己有益；避免闲聊。
3 秩序  物归其所，事定期限。
4 决心  做应该做的事情；决心要做的事应坚持不懈。
5 俭朴  花钱必须于人于己有益；换言之，切忌浪费。
6 勤勉  不浪费时间，只做那些有用的事情，戒掉一切不必要的行动。
7 诚恳  不欺骗人；思想纯洁公正；说话也要如此。
8 公正  不做害人的事情，不要忘记履行对人有益而且又是你应尽的义务。
9 适度  避免极端；要容忍别人对你应得的处罚。
10 清洁  身体、衣服和住所力求清洁。
11 镇静  不要因为小事或普通的、不可避免的事故来扰乱自己。
12 节欲  爱惜身体，不要有损于自己或他人的平静与名声。
13 谦逊  学习耶稣和苏格拉底。

Benjamin Franklin 1706 - 1790

You probably know him as one of the Fathers of the United States, a great leader and diplomat. He signed the major documents of the founding of the U.S. including the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Maybe you know him as an inventor, or as a scientist who flew kites in lightning storms, or as a writer and printing press operator.

But did you know that in 1726, at the age of 20, while on an 80-day ocean voyage from London back to Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin developed a "Plan" for regulating his future conduct? He was partially motivated by Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." He followed the plan he created "pretty faithfully" even to the age of 79 (when he wrote about it), and he was even more determined to stick with it for his remaining days because of the happiness he had enjoyed so far by following it.

His "Plan" was made up of 13 virtues, each with short descriptions:

1. Temperance: Eat not to dullness and 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 employed 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. Forebear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.

10. Cleanliness: Tolerate no uncleanness in body, clothes or habitation.

11. 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.

12. Tranquility: Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.

13. Humility: Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

He committed to giving strict attention to one virtue each week so after 13 weeks he moved through all 13. After 13 weeks he would start the process over again so in one year he would complete the course a total of 4 times.

He tracked his progress by using a little book of 13 charts. At the top of each chart was one of the virtues. The charts had a column for each day of the week and thirteen rows marked with the first letter of each of the 13 virtues. Every evening he would review the day and put a mark (dot) next to each virtue for each fault committed with respect to that virtue for that day.

Naturally, his goal was to live his days and weeks without having to put any marks on his chart. Initially he found himself putting more marks on these pages than he ever imagined, but in time he enjoyed seeing them diminish. After awhile he went through the series only once per year and then only once in several years until finally omitting them entirely. But he always carried the little book with him as a reminder.

Benjamin Franklin's 13 virtues are unique and obviously served him well since he is one of the most respected and most accomplished men in the history of the United States