Did you make a New Year’s Resolution to create new habits?
Take a cue from Benjamin Franklin on how to successfully stay on top of them. Every week, he made a grid that contained the 13 virtues he wanted to practice. Each night, he would grade his performance for the day.
He continued this practice until he died.
Thirteen wasn’t an arbitrary number, either.
There are 52 weeks in a year (13x4). Each week he would focus on a particular virtue, while staying mindful of the other 12. After 13 weeks, he would start the cycle over.
Here are the virtues he thought were worth practicing every day.
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 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.
Humility – Imitate Jesus and Socrates.