Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA
Business Consultant & Author
Benjamin Franklin’s 13 Virtues: The First Habit Tracker
Franklin was talented and, by his own admission, a mess in his conduct. So he engineered a fix: thirteen virtues, one at a time, and a little book that recorded every fault. Dr. Paul Borosky shows how it worked and how to copy it.
Last Updated: 10/28/2026 · Written by Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA
The Short Answer
What Were Benjamin Franklin’s 13 Virtues?
Franklin listed thirteen virtues: Temperance, Silence, Order, Resolution, Frugality, Industry, Sincerity, Justice, Moderation, Cleanliness, Tranquillity, Chastity, and Humility. He focused on one at a time, tracked faults in a ruled book each night, and cycled through all thirteen.
This is a case study from Chapter 3 of Become Your Version of Rich by Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA. It is the clearest example of a habit as a system, not willpower. To build one of your own, follow how to build a habit that sticks. All of it sits inside the Become Your Version of Rich guide.
The System
Thirteen Virtues, One Little Book
Long before habit research or a single app, Franklin built the parts every tracker still uses.
Franklin chose thirteen virtues to live by, in this order: Temperance, Silence, Order, Resolution, Frugality, Industry, Sincerity, Justice, Moderation, Cleanliness, Tranquillity, Chastity, and Humility. He did not attack them all at once. In his Autobiography he describes fixing his attention on one at a time and moving on once he was master of it.
He then made a book with a page for each virtue, ruled in red ink into seven columns for the days of the week and thirteen rows for the virtues. Each night he marked a little black spot in the matching row and column for every fault. His goal was a clean page.
Sources: Franklin, B., The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, the chapter on the plan for attaining moral perfection. Isaacson, W. (2003), Benjamin Franklin: An American Life, Simon & Schuster.
The Parts
What Franklin Built, and What Your App Copies
Many habit apps are variations on a quill and a notebook.
Focus
One at a time
One virtue per week for thirteen weeks, so each got dedicated attention about four times a year.
Measure
The chart
A row for each virtue, a column for each day, and a mark for each fault. Honest data, recorded nightly.
Review
The nightly check
A short review of the day, then the next day’s aim. The review is what turns a chart into a habit.
The Honest Part
He Never Got the Clean Chart
Dr. Paul loves this part of the story most, because Franklin was honest about it.
Dr. Paul draws the lesson this way in Become Your Version of Rich.
From Chapter 3 of Become Your Version of Rich
He admitted he never achieved the clean chart. But he wrote that he was a better and happier man for having made the attempt than he would have been without it. That is the exact spirit I want you to carry into your own habit-building. The goal was never perfection.
That is the spirit to carry into your own habit. A tracker that demands perfection gets abandoned on the first missed day. A tracker that rewards the attempt keeps you coming back. Franklin also noted that Order was hardest for him. Pick your hardest one second, not first. For what to do after a missed day, see how to build a habit that sticks.
Copy It
A Modern Version in Five Steps
- Pick the virtues that matter to your version of rich. Three is plenty. Thirteen is Franklin’s list, not a rule.
- Work on one per week. Name it on Monday and write one concrete behavior that shows it.
- Draw the grid. Rows for the behaviors, columns for the days. Paper works.
- Mark it every night. Record honestly, and do not fix the chart on a bad day.
- Review at the end of each week. Ask what got in the way, then rotate to the next virtue.
Match each virtue to a minimum version, the smallest version you cannot talk yourself out of, so a missed day stays small.
What the Research Says
Tracking Helps, and Habits Take Time
A meta-analysis of 138 studies by Benjamin Harkin and colleagues found that monitoring progress toward a goal promotes goal attainment, with larger effects when progress is recorded or reported to others. That is the case for Franklin’s nightly marks.
Philippa Lally and colleagues found in a 2010 study that habits took a median of 66 days to form, with wide variation and no collapse from a single missed day. Do not expect the chart to feel automatic in a month. Your results will differ.
Sources: Harkin, B., Webb, T. L., Chang, B. P. I., et al. (2016), Does monitoring goal progress promote goal attainment? A meta-analysis of the experimental evidence, Psychological Bulletin, 142(2), 198-229. Lally, P., van Jaarsveld, C. H. M., Potts, H. W. W., & Wardle, J. (2010), How are habits formed: Modelling habit formation in the real world, European Journal of Social Psychology, 40(6), 998-1009.
How This Helps a Business Student
Use Franklin’s Chart for Study Habits and Case Work
Students are asked to build skills over a semester. A chart makes the work visible.
On the Exam
Name the parts of a habit system
Write that Franklin used focus on one virtue at a time, a daily record, a nightly review, and honest measurement. Then connect it to the cue, routine, and reward model.
In a Case Study
Spot the missing system
Ask whether the person in the case had a tracking method, a review, and a small enough starting step. Compare it with Antoine Walker, who had income and almost no system.
In Your Own Semester
Track one behavior for 30 days
Pick one study behavior and a small target. Mark it nightly and review weekly. See SMART goals for how to word it.
One Honest Caution
A Tracker Is a Tool, Not a Judge
Franklin’s list reflects the values of his time, and you should choose your own. A habit chart can turn into self-criticism if you use it to punish yourself. If tracking increases anxiety or shame, simplify or stop, and consider talking with a qualified professional. This page is general education, not medical or psychological advice.
Do This Tomorrow
Three Steps for Tonight
- Choose one virtue or behavior that matters to your version of rich.
- Draw a grid for seven days. Write one concrete behavior at the top.
- Mark it before bed, and do the same tomorrow.
That is the whole system at its smallest size. For a full seven-step method, read how to build a habit that sticks. For the other side of Franklin’s story, see Franklin vs. Napoleon.
The Book
Franklin Appears in Every Chapter
This page covers one case. Become Your Version of Rich follows Franklin up every rung, from runaway to diplomat.
- The seven-step habit method, including the missed-day plan
- Warren Buffett, Benjamin Franklin, and Napoleon, three lives run on repeated behavior
- A business owner who turned personal habits into company processes
- The Antoine Walker cautionary tale
- Daily Actions and a 30-day way to measure real progress
Go Further With Dr. Paul
Write Your Plan the Way Franklin Kept His Book
A plan works like Franklin’s chart: clear targets, a regular review, and honest records. Dr. Paul writes custom business plans built on 1,000+ client engagements, with milestones you can track month by month.
FAQ
Common Questions About Franklin’s 13 Virtues
What were Benjamin Franklin’s 13 virtues?
How did Franklin track his virtues?
Did Franklin achieve his 13 virtues?
Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA
Business Consultant, Author & Educator | 14+ Years | 1,000+ Clients Served
Dr. Paul Borosky, DBA, MBA is a business consultant, author, and educator, and the founder of Quality Business Plan. He helps small business owners across the United States and Canada with business planning, financial modeling, fractional CFO services, and the everyday problems of businesses that depend too much on their owners. He is the creator of Dr. Paul’s Organize-Plan-Grow™ Strategy, author of numerous published books on Amazon, and publisher of over 1,000 business-focused videos on YouTube. He has taught as an adjunct college instructor and teaches in Florida public schools.
This page is for general educational purposes only. It is not investment, tax, legal, financial, or retirement advice, and it does not guarantee any particular financial result. The examples, figures, and calculations are illustrative planning tools, not recommendations. Before making significant financial decisions, consult a qualified professional.