Four Point Plan

A message from Terry: Do you want to be rich, healthy, happy and an expert in your field?

If so, here is advice from one of America’s founding fathers, Benjamin Franklin:

“Be studious in your profession, and you will be learned. Be industrious and frugal, and you will be rich. Be sober and temperate, and you will be healthy. Be in general virtuous, and you will be happy. At least you will, by such conduct, stand the best chance for such consequences.”

So, does old Ben know what he’s talking about? Let’s take a closer look:

• Be studious in your profession, and you will be learned.

This one’s hard to refute. New techniques, treatments and equipment are discovered all of the time. Without some sort of continuing education, either within the office or through an outside source, how can we possibly claim to be at the top of our game?

• Be industrious and frugal, and you will be rich.

Okay, “rich” is a relative term, but if we work hard (“be industrious”) and spend less than we make (in spite of all those tempting credit cards and an in-your-face economy), our financial picture will definitely be bright.

• Be sober and temperate.

The Greeks had another way of saying this: “Moderation in all things.” When we avoid going overboard – whether in food/drink, work, play, or any other aspect of our life – it becomes much easier to keep ourselves in balance.

• Be in general virtuous.

According to Webster’s Dictionary, “virtuous” means being “potent and efficacious” – effective!  By doing the right thing, when we should, how we should, without waiting around for somebody else to wind us up and give us a push, we become the captain of our ship, steering a positive course through each day’s activities.

So there you have it – a four-point plan for better living, courtesy of Benjamin Franklin himself!

Which of those four areas is your strongest? Which one might bring the biggest positive change to your life if you focused on it for the month of June?