Effects Of Ben Franklin Plan For Self-Improvement

All Americans recognize the familiar name, Benjamin Franklin. Whether it be from discovering that lightning is energy, creating the lightning rod, or co-writing the Declaration of Independence. “Benjamin Franklin–one of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America–was an author, political theorist, scientist, musician, inventor, and the list goes on and on” (Fabrega). One aspect of his life that Benjamin Franklin is less widely known for is his plan for self-improvement. “In 1726, at the age of 20, Ben Franklin set his loftiest goal: the attainment of moral perfection” (McKay & McKay) There were many effects of Benjamin Franklin’s plan for self-improvement, including his own happiness, becoming a more moral person, and leading others to attempt to be a better person.

One of the many effects of Benjamin Franklin’s plan for self-improvement was his own happiness. Many people strive for perfection throughout their lives. This is essentially what Franklin was also attempting to reach, but he, like others, fell short. However, most people will feel unaccomplished when they fail to reach perfection, Franklin was not like them.“Tho’ I never arrived at the perfection

This was one of Benjamin Franklin 's primary goal in his experiment. “In his Autobiography, Franklin explains that he felt he needed to be a more moral person, so he set up a self-improvement plan based on thirteen virtues of moral perfection” (Paulet). Franklin’s plan was to work on improving thirteen different virtues in his life. The virtues he was to work on were: temperance, silence, order, resolution, frugality, industry, sincerity, justice, moderation, cleanliness, chastity, tranquility, and humility. Clearly, with the help of these thirteen virtues, Franklin would have become a more moral person, which was his ultimate