I came across some wonderful advice written by Benjamin Franklin hundreds of years ago. I thought I would share it with you today and also in the next post. There is so much wisdom and sound advice here.
I hope you can appreciate what he is saying.
Yes, I understand that times have changed and today's business world is much different than when Franklin penned these ideas.
However, the principles behind what he is saying still hold true.
Solo entrepreneurs would do well to follow this advice; especially his wealth-building ideas and his abhorrence of debt.
Here are just a few timely nuggets from Benjamin Franklin's Way to Wealth:
- Keep the shop, and thy shop will keep thee.
- If you would have your business done, go; if not, send.
- He that by the plough would thrive, himself must either hold or drive.
- The eye of a master will do more work than both his hands.
- Want of care does us more damage than want of knowledge.
- Not to oversee workmen is to leave them your purse open.
- In the affairs of this world men are saved not by faith, but by the want of it.
- Learning is to the studious, and riches to the careful, as well as power to the bold, and Heaven to the virtuous.
- If you would have a faithful servant, and one that you like, serve yourself.
- For want of a nail the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe the horse was lost, and for want of a horse the rider was lost.
- He that lives upon hope will die fasting.
- There are no gains, without pains.
- Plough deep, while sluggards sleep, and you shall have corn to sell and to keep.
- One today is worth two tomorrows.
- Have you somewhat to do tomorrow, do it today.
- Be ashamed to catch yourself idle.
- Let not the sun look down and say, inglorious - here he lies.
- He that hath a trade hath an estate.
- He that hath a calling hath an office of profit and honor.
- At the working man’s house hunger looks in, but dares not enter.
- For industry pays debts, while despair increaseth them.
- Constant dripping wears away stones.
- By diligence and patience the mouse ate in two the cable.
- Little strokes fell great oaks.
- Employ thy time well if thou meanest to gain leisure.
- Since thou art not sure of a minute, throw not away an hour.
- A life of leisure and a life of laziness are two things. Do you imagine that sloth will afford you more comfort than labor?
- Trouble springs from idleness, and grievous toil from needless ease.
- Many without labor would live by their wits only, but they break for want of stock.
- Early to bed, and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.
- Diligence is the mother of good luck.
- God helps them that help themselves.
- Sloth, like rust, consumes faster than labor wears, while the used key is always bright.
- Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that’s the stuff life is made of.
- Lost time is never found again.
- He that riseth late, must trot all day, and shall scarce overtake his business at night.
- Drive thy business, let not that drive thee.
- Industry need not wish.
End.
When you sit down and think about it, Ben Franklin understood how to be successful at solo business execution. His ideas are still appropriate today.
It seems as though most of us would prefer the "shortcuts" . . . the easy business execution that takes a minimum of our time.
Work should be a joy, fulfilling, satisfying, and embraced for how it builds a person's character. Yet too often, we spend our days looking for ways to avoid as much work as we can.
Leverage in solo business is critical . . . yet rolling up one's sleeves and attacking a problem is still the best way to get things done.
Thanks for reading this post!
