Everyone, regardless of age, can use a positive role model, and I chose mine some time ago. For years now I’ve endeavored to live my life by following the advice of my carefully-selected exemplar, Benjamin Franklin.
Why emulate someone who died over 200 years ago? Let me count the ways.
Justifiably celebrated on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean during his lifetime, Franklin remains revered by most knowledgeable historians today. He helped edit Thomas Jefferson’s original draft of the Declaration of Independence, and was one of the document’s original signers. America’s first postmaster general, he later, at age 81, was the oldest delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1787. He’s likely the only person in our nation’s history who could accurately list “Statesman,” “Publisher,” “Inventor,” “Scientist,” “Diplomat,” and “Writer” as experiences on his resume. Who knows; he might have invented the resume!
I’m not the only one holding Franklin in such high esteem; clearly the people in charge of the Treasury Department feel the same. Using the face value of American paper currency as a barometer, Franklin, whose visage adorns the one- hundred-dollar bill, was twice as essential to America as Ulysses S. Grant, five times as significant as Andrew Jackson, ten times as influential as Alexander Hamilton, twenty times more valuable than Abraham Lincoln, fifty times as important as Thomas Jefferson, and a full one hundred times more vital than the nominal father of our country, George Washington.
The only flaw in this method of evaluation; using this same system, Franklin’s value to America was only 20% of William McKinley’s, whose face graces the $500 bill, and 10% of Grover Cleveland’s, who was on the thousand-dollar note.
Many of Franklin’s keen insights have been meticulously documented and passed down verbatim, which makes it easier for contemporary people like me to attempt to mimic his actions. It was Franklin who said, “Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” I’ve been rising before 4 AM for nearly two decades now, but getting to bed early wasn’t always easy. However, after obtaining reliable information that Franklin never owned a TV, I removed the television from my home, which subsequently made retiring at an earlier hour far less difficult.
Other Franklinisms worthy of repeating (and living by) include: “It’s easier to prevent bad habits than to break them; ”Speak ill of no man, but speak all the good you know of everybody;” “He who falls in love with himself will have no rivals;” and “He that is of the opinion money will do everything may well be suspected of doing everything for money.”
Anyone can nod their approval at Franklin’s wisdom, but I’ve decided to consciously put some of his best suggestions into practice. While “A penny saved is a penny earned” seems a bit dated, given the current value of one cent, “Better to go to bed without dinner than to rise in debt” still seems relevant to me. Universal adoption of that advice would deal a crippling blow to the restaurant industry, but fortunately for Ronald McDonald and Colonel Sanders, that’s unlikely to happen anytime soon.
Another of Franklin’s memorable aphorisms worth living by is, “When in doubt, don’t.” Some find that philosophy limiting. However, the subtle but significant difference between spontaneity and impulsiveness can be a life-altering one. Thinking before acting is never bad policy. Bottom line: those considering trying something they wouldn’t want friends or family to find out about should always consider exercising caution.
And how has “Early to bed, early to rise” worked out for me?
Well, one out of three’s not bad.
Andy YoungReturn to main page
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