Personal Strengths
- The ability to improve himself was one of Benjamin Franklin's greatest strengths. He was born into a poor family, the youngest of seventeen children, yet managed to become the first American celebrity and a wealthy man. Working at his brother's printing shop, Franklin read everything he could and even taught himself how to write. He wrote so well, that his letters under the pseudonym "Silence Dogood" were published in his brother's newspaper. He even established the Junto to help others as well as himself improve their minds. Franklin also drank water rather than beer to keep his body healthy, and encouraged others to do the same. He also became a vegetarian, both to improve his body and his mind. He would use the money saved from not buying meat to buy books instead.
- Franklin was also strong in his morals. He established 13 virtues to perfect himself mentally, physically, and morally; a few of his virtues are "eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation", "be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable", and "resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve". Franklin was a humanitarian and believed that all people are created equal and should have the right to control their own life. Some would even describe him as an abolitionist for denied human rights.
- Benjamin Franklin's generosity and kindness knew no boundaries. He was generous in numerous ways, offering wisdom to all. Franklin was generous in sharing his inventions with the world, such as bifocal glasses for both near- and far-sighted people, and the odometer to improve the colonial postal service. He invented the lightning rod to protect homes from catching fire, and founded or helped to found public hospitals and volunteer fire-fighting clubs to give easy help to people in need.