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An oldie but a goodie: Once upon a time, a young man at the tender age of 20 came up with a life plan which consisted of 13 guidelines. He kept a daily chart of these 13 goals, and placed a dot next to the ones he failed to abide by each day for the rest of his life.


His name was Benjamin Franklin. His 13 guidelines included:

Temperance: Eat not to dullness and drink not to elevation.

Eat not to dullness and drink not to elevation. Silence: Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself. Avoid trifling conversation.

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.

Let all your things have their places. Let each part of your business have its time. Industry: Lose no time. Be always employed in something useful. Cut off all unnecessary actions.

Lose no time. Be always employed in something useful. Cut off all unnecessary actions. Cleanliness: Tolerate no uncleanness in body, clothes or habitation.

Tolerate no uncleanness in body, clothes or habitation. Tranquility: Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.

Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable. Humility: Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

There you have it: Ben Franklin wrote down his goals and diligently tracked his progress. Such a lifehacker, don't you think?


Benjamin Franklin [via cacanov web(r)log]