I’m always hearing about ‘the light bulb’ moments that my clients have when they make a breakthrough in their thinking or in their behavior so I thought it appropriate to use them as I describe what it is I do.

In the first image, you see a bulb with a green glow. That’s the ‘aha’ moment when we learn something new. And when that happens we grow. (light bulb with a plant inside) When we change direction, make different choices, create better actions we get results that are more positive. In short, we achieve our dreams and goals. (light bulb with Ben Franklin’s face peeking out from a $100 bill). His was the face of self-improvement and self-control.  Strong American values that still exist today.

Did you know that Franklin’s picture has appeared on every $100 bill since 1928? His portrait was used on the first $100 banknote issued by the Federal Reserve, in 1914, but the reverse shows allegorical figures representing labor, plenty, America, peace, and commerce, rather than the vignette of Independence Hall used today. From 1948 to 1963, Franklin’s portrait also appeared on the U.S. half dollar (50 cent coin), and in 2006, he was commemorated with two silver dollars, one showing him as a scientist, and one showing him as a statesman. Although the Treasury Department says their records do not show why Franklin was selected for the $100 bill, he is an appropriate choice: Franklin not only printed currency using an ingenious anti-counterfeiting technique, and suggested the design for the first U.S. one cent coin (the “Fugio” penny), he also argued strongly for the usefulness of paper currency in his 1729 pamphlet, “A Modest Enquiry in to the Nature and Necessity of a Paper-Currency”.

Did you also know that Benjamin Franklin is the grandfather of the self-improvement movement?  He wrote copiously on the benefits of leading a virtuous life, and gave specific instructions on how that should be done, but he didn’t always have the strength of will to follow his own advice.  As a self-improvement expert, I understand that well.  Sometimes following your advice is just too much work!

Franklin placed great value on self-improvement. He believed that integrity and moral responsibility were the backbone of a successful life and a strong community. He examined his own behavior frequently and, at one point, outlined 12 virtues that needed his attention: temperance, silence, order, resolution, frugality, industry, sincerity, justice, moderation, cleanliness, tranquility, and chastity. How many of these virtues do you think are still relevant today?

In his writings, Franklin commented frequently on money and business and he had some great insights that are still with us today.

1. Early to bed, and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise
2. Diligence is the mother of good luck
3. God helps them that help themselves
4. Sloth, like rust, consumes faster than labor wears, while the used key is always bright
5. Dost thou love life, then do not squander time, for that’s the stuff life is made of
6. Lost time is never found again
7. He that riseth late, must trot all day, and shall scarce overtake his business at night
8. Drive thy business, let not that drive thee
9. He that lives upon hope will die fasting
10. There are no gains, without pains
11. Plough deep, while sluggards sleep, and you shall have corn to sell and to keep
12. One today is worth two tomorrows
13. He that hath a calling hath an office of profit and honor
14. Since thou art not sure of a minute, throw not away an hour
15. Want of care does us more damage than want of knowledge

Some of these sayings have become so much a part of our language that they are cliches. but cliches have a lot of truth in them and cannot be dismissed. So consider well the words of Benjamin Franklin as you learn, grow and achieve all the things you want in life. You never know where you will end up.

But….be careful what you ask for.  You just might get it.