An Inspiring Note
by James Carpenter
9-10-2014
My Pastor sent me this today. It has great implications for our work environments. Imagine if everyone did this sort of introspection and adopted this behavior how our environments would change!
When Benjamin Franklin was twenty-two years old--he was living in Philadelphia at the time, having run away from an oppressive apprenticeship in his native Boston--he conceived the "bold and arduous project of arriving at moral perfection." In essence, he asked himself the question: "What are the highest priorities in my life?" From this period of introspection, he emerged with twelve "virtues"--his governing values. So there would be no question in his mind what those values meant to him, he qualified every one of them with a written statement. The result of this exercise is shown below:
Temperance - "Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation."
Silence - "Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation."
Order - "Let all your things have their place; let each part of your business have its time."
Resolution - "Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve."
Frugality - "Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; that is, waste nothing."
Industry - "Lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions."
Sincerity - "Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly."
Justice - "Wrong none by doing injuries; or omitting the benefits that are your duty."
Moderation - "Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve."
Cleanliness - "Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation."
Tranquility - "Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable."
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."
