HOWEVER confident a politician is, the one time he or she gets afraid is when voters exercise their greatest power at elections; the power to choose! Your greatest power is your power to choose, do you use that power?
Benjamin Franklin, one of the great Founding Fathers of the United States, did something quite remarkable early in his adult life. At age 20 he was keenly aware of so-called character defects that hindered him. Franklin noticed that he had difficulty getting along with people. He tended to argue too much. He had trouble making and keeping friends. The list continued.
Franklin wanted to do something about it. So he made a choice. He chose to examine his own personality and make a list of what he considered undesirable personality traits. Then he chose 13 virtues he wanted to enhance in his life, each one designed to help him become a better person. They were:
To be temperate, especially in the consumption of food and alcohol. To practice silence and to speak only words that benefit others. To live an orderly life.
To resolutely do what ought to be done. To practice frugality. To work diligently and manage time well. To be sincere and honest. To do what is right and just. To be moderate in all things. To practice cleanliness. To remain tranquil and calm, particularly in situations that cannot be avoided. To practice sexual constraint. To learn humility by imitating the figures of Jesus and Socrates. (He added that last one at the suggestion of a friend who noted that he might be too conceited.) It was New Year’s Day. Franklin finished his list and was determined to work on each virtue for a week. He did this for an entire year, spending four weeks total on each, until he developed new habits.
Benjamin Franklin was known to be one of the finest personalities in America. People looked up to him and admired him. Later in his life, when the colonies needed help from France, they sent Franklin. The French liked him and gave him what he wanted. And it all began with his deciding to use his greatest power, his power to choose. When he chose to make needed life changes, everything was different. Suppose Franklin had chosen to go through life without using his greatest power? Suppose he reasoned that there was really nothing he could do about himself. Would France have supported the colonies? The history of his new-born country may have been significantly different.
One good wish changes nothing. But one good decision changes everything. Your power to choose, to make a good decision, spells the difference between wishing and making real life changes. Are you using your greatest power? Your power to choose can never be taken from you. It can be neglected and it can be ignored. But if used, it can make all the difference..!
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