This is Jonathan jumping in for a quick personal commitment with you, myself, and everyone else on the world-wide-web…
I am a very excited new employee of FranklinCovey and one of the perks of my new position is that I get to dive head first into the ocean of intellectual property that FranklinCovey offers to the professional world.
I think it is key for my success in this new position (and in life) to become an example of the values and principles that I will be sharing with others.
I have decided to rip a page out of the story of Benjamin Franklin, one of the most accomplished Americans of all-time.
Take a glimpse at what Ben Franklin accomplished…
1. Bifocals
2. Lightning Rod
3. Franklin Stove
4. Odometer
5. Flexible urinary catheter
6. Established 1st fire company
7. Established 1st fire insurance company
That, is a very short list as there is so much more!
Read here to learn more about Big Ben
How was he able to do all this in his short 84 years of life?
Let me tell you what he did at a young age that formed the man that he eventually became.
When Benjamin was a young 13 year-old boy he sat down and noted his values on a piece of paper. It was a process to find out what was important to him, but it turned out to be invaluable. He was able to realize what many of us never have!
FranklinCovey refers to it as the Runaround Dilemma…
Because we don’t know what is really important to us, everything seems important.
Because everything seems important, we have to do everything.
Other people, unfortunetly, see us doing everything, so they expect us to do everything.
Doing everything keeps us so busy, we don’t have time to think about what is really important to us.
I have decided to list what he came up with and then I will follow-up in the next few days with what I have decided is important to me. Even though I am as busy as all of you, I have decided this is the absolute best use of my time right now as this exercise will provide me with the focus I need for the future. I would invite you to see the value in this process and copy it!
Benjamin Franklin’s Values
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; that is, 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; 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 dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation.
Ben then handed this sheet of paper over to his friend and asked him to take a few days and proof read what he had come up with. When his friend came back to him he said that he would add just one more value, that of “Humility”. Ben decided to accept the advice and he made “Humility” number 13.
13. Humility – Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
Benjamin Franklin from that point on in his life lived on a 13-week cycle. Every week he lived one of these values to the best of his ability. Eventually he very much became the person, that at the young age of 13, he wanted to become.
On his death-bed he said, that every time he got really good at the first 12 values, he realized he was lacking the 13th. That is why it is so important to “own” these values yourself.
I will follow-up to this post in a few days with the values that I have decided to live by and expect everyone of you to hold me to them.
Let the adventure begin!
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