by Napoleon Hill
Available in 122 free installments
Owner:
The names of these virtues as Franklin fitted than, together with the precepts (self-motivators for self-suggestion) he gave each one, are:
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:
6. INDUSTRY:
7. SINCERITY:
8. JUSTICE:
9. MODERATION:
Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself, that is, waste nothing.
Lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10. CLEANLINESS:
11. TRANQUILITY:
Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation.
Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents, common or unavoidable.
12. CHASTITY:
13. HUMILITY:
Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.
Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
Franklin wrote further: "Conceiving then that, agreeably to the advice of Pythagoras in his Golden Verses, daily examination
would be necessary, I contrived the following method for conducting that examination.
"I made a little book, in which I allotted a page for each of the virtues. I ruled each page with red ink, so as to have seven columns, one for each day of the week, marking each column with a letter for the day. I crossed these columns with thirteen red lines, making the beginning of each line with the first letter of one of me virtues, on which line, and in its proper column, I might mark, by a little black spot, every fault I found upon examination to have been committed respecting that virtue upon that day." Here is the chart:
Form of the pages
Now it is as important to know how to use a formula as it is to know the formula. Here's how to use your Knowledge:
A FORMULA IN ACTION
1. Concentrate on one principle for an entire week, every day of the week. Respond by proper action every time an occasion arises.
2. And then, start the second week on the second principle of virtue. Let the first be taken over by your subconscious mind. Should an occasion arise when the employment of a previous principle flashes into your conscious mind, use the self-starter DO IT NOW! and then ACT! Continue to concentrate on one principle at a time each week and leave the others to be executed by the habits established in your subconscious as the occasion arises.
3. When the series is completed, stat over again. Thus at the end of a year, you will have completed the entire cycle four times.
4. When you have acquired a desired characteristic, substitute a new principle for a new virtue, attitude, or activity that you may wish to develop.
Now you have just read the method Benjamin Franklin used to help Benjamin Franklin. As Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude is a self-help book, it would be wise for you to study Franklin's method and see how you can apply the principles. In the chapter entitled "How to Motivate Others" you will see how Frank Bettger raised himself from failure to success by employing Benjamin Franklin's plan.
If you decide to start your own plan, and don't know exactly what principles to start with you could begin with the 13 virtues used by Benjamin Franklin; or you may prefer the 17 success principles described in Chapter Two.
Now for some bread for your sandwich. Let's tell about the first Fuller Brush man.
Alfred C. Fuller, the first of the "Fuller Brush men," came from a poor farm family living in Nova Scotia. Al couldn't seem to hold a job. In fact, during the first two years of trying to earn a living, he lost three jobs.
But then a radical change came into Fuller's life. For he tried selling brushes. Right then Fuller was motivated. He began to realize that his first three jobs were not the kind of work suited to him.
He didn't like them.
