TB: Poor Richard's Almanac (Franklin)
Core Thesis
Franklin's maxims are a compressed manual for a well-lived life: govern yourself before others, practice self-knowledge ruthlessly, cultivate the virtues systematically, and waste nothing — especially time. The twelve virtues are a self-improvement program as rigorous and methodical as any modern framework.
Key Takeaways
Self-knowledge and self-governance
- Observe all men; yourself the most.
- Search others for their virtues, yourself for your vices.
- Know yourself: in talents and capacity, in judgment and inclination.
- Self-knowledge is the beginning of self-improvement.
- There is no rule higher than that over oneself, over one's impulses.
- First you must be master over yourself if you would be master over others.
Character and virtue
- Knowledge without courage is sterile.
- Great beauty, great strength, and great riches are really of no great use — a right heart exceeds all.
- He is twice great who has all the perfections in the opinion of all except himself.
- Only truth can give a true reputation. Be a solid man.
- A single cloud can hide the whole of the sun. Be spotless.
- Whatever begins in anger, ends in shame.
Time and attention
- If you love life you will not squander time — it's what life is made of.
- Wish not so much to live long, but to live well.
- A long life might not always be good enough, but a good life is always long enough.
- He that pursues two hares at once does not catch one and lets the other go.
- Know a little more, live a little less. To be at ease is better than to be at business.
Communication
- Silence is not always a sign of wisdom, but babbling is always a sign of folly.
- He that speaks much is much mistaken.
- Be careful in speaking. There is always time to add a word, never to withdraw one.
- Talk as if you were making your will — the fewer words, the less litigation.
- Hear reason, or she'll make you feel her.
The twelve virtues (Franklin's self-improvement system)
- Temperance — don't eat to dullness or drink to elevation
- Silence — speak only what benefits yourself or others
- Order — let everything have its place, all business its time
- Resolution — resolve to do what you should; do without fail what you resolve
- Frugality — waste nothing
- Industry — lose no time; always be doing something useful; cut all unnecessary actions
- Sincerity — think innocently and justly; speak accordingly
- Justice — wrong none by injuries or by omitting benefits that are your duty
- Moderation — avoid extremes; don't resent injuries as much as you think they deserve
- Cleanliness — tolerate no uncleanliness
- Tranquility — don't be disturbed by trifles or accidents
- Humility
Mental Models
- Inversion — many maxims are inversions: "search others for virtues, yourself for vices" instead of the comfortable reverse