Rung Two thoughts: A month done!

Reader’s note: Reminder that Rung Two is “The achievement of one’s objectives requires a good plan and consistent effort.” This is an update on how Franklin’s virtue marking system is working for me.

It’s Sunday—Sunday night, to be exact. My virtue started today was “Resolution: Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.”

And, interestingly, when I went scrolling through my favorite Buddhist podcast looking for the word “motivation,” I found a monk who talked a lot about, that’s right resolve and resolution.

Anyway, want to see the raw numbers for how many dots assailed me this past month? How many marks I made to note, at the end of the day, how many times I might have failed in my seeking that virtue that day? I do … very little right now. I don’t interact much with folks. I don’t have a lot of occasion to stretch my virtue muscles at home alone.

**************** Industry: 16 dots
(It’s fairly easy to note, well, I didn’t work hard enough today.)

************* Cleanliness: 13 dots
(Is anything dirty in the apartment? Well, there ya go.)

********** Temperance: 10 dots
(Sometimes I eat too much. I’ve done better, but … )

******* Tranquillity: 7 dots
(Things tend to agitate me.)

***** Frugality: 5 dots
(Did I ever spend more than I wanted? Well … )

***** Silence: 5 dots
(Did I need to say what I did, and was it always to the good?)

** Humility: 2 dots
** Moderation: 2 dots
** Order: 2 dots
** Resolution: 2 dots
* Justice: 1 dot
Chastity: No dots
Sincerity: No dots
(These seven didn’t come up as much for me the past month. We’ll see how the next weeks hash out?)

Benjamin Franklin’s failings are not exactly mine. He clearly struggled more with egotism, and I struggle with the awful combination of elitism and simultaneous low self-esteem. Franklin, likely, would not relate.

After a full swing through these virtues, maybe I would swap in some things I want to work on in my character and leave out others.

Time will tell.

Happy new week, friends.