I’m reading <The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin> and find this precious practice quite interesting and challenging. It’d help one a lot just following blindly.
- 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 places; 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; i.e., waste nothing.
- Industry: Lose no time, be always employ’d 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 extreams; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
- Cleanliness: Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths, or habitation.
- Tranquillity: Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
- Chastity: Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dulness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation.
- Humility: Imitate Jesus and Socrates
I decide to practice…..
#1: I’ve been eating cravings only – Result is quite good. Eating less makes my body light. There’s still room to improve on drinks – high but not drunk.
#3: Most but not all my things has their places. Maybe I should resell or give them away when mission accomplished. About my business… I don’t have much lol (books, work, workout, rest, chill) hence they have their time.
#4: Classic. I feel it’s easy for me to set up a goal at work and make it. But in life…. too lazy to find one. 🚨Good Catch
#5: I’m bad at it. Feels like I can save a lot of food, paper cups, clothes if I start being frugal.
#6: No doubt. Have been and will keep treating everyone with sincerity.
#9: Hard but good to try.
#10: A little vague but I guess I can define cleanliness. Not too oily, alcoholic in body. No stains on clothes. Clean the room every other week.
#11 Classic.
Not to 100% follow….
#2: Say something helps building relationship rather than keep being silence. Although it’s good to speak valuable stuff, the right approach is to speak first and try to speak better.
#6: Does wondering on road / staring at sea mean lose time? To me, they are necessities just like good rest.
#8: It’s impossible to do things without hurting anyone. The only possibility is the matter weighs nothing
#12: Hmmmm hard to say. Need to explore more and come up with a routine.
#13: Little knowledge with Jesus / Socrates. But maybe replace them with Confucius / Mencius also works?
一块海绵 