Think of it as Yoga for the brain, we are going to stretch a bit.
Who is that Fat Guy on the $100 Bill?
“Those who would give up essential liberty, to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” -- BF
Most people know him only as the pleasantly chubby face staring back at them from a crisp Benjamin. He looks calm. Harmless. Almost sleepy.
Which is ironic—because Benjamin Franklin was one of the most relentlessly productive human beings to ever walk the planet.
Franklin wasn’t just a Founding Father. He was a one-man startup ecosystem before the word “startup” existed.
If he lived today, he wouldn’t fit neatly into a résumé. He’d break LinkedIn. ( see his resume at the bottom for fun)
From Runaway Apprentice to Self-Made Man
Benjamin Franklin was born in 1706, the 15th of 17 children, to a candle maker. No privilege. No formal higher education. At 17, he ran away from home with almost nothing and reinvented himself through sheer competence, discipline, and curiosity.
He became a printer, but that was just the opening act.
Printing gave him leverage: access to ideas, influence over public opinion, and—most importantly—distribution. Franklin understood something modern creators still struggle with: content without distribution is noise.
The Original Media Mogul
Franklin built one of the most successful printing businesses in colonial America. He published:
Newspapers
Pamphlets
Political satire
And Poor Richard’s Almanack—a viral content machine before “viral” was a thing
That almanac made him wealthy and famous, but it also spread ideas about thrift, discipline, self-improvement, and personal responsibility. Franklin wasn’t preaching virtue. He was product-market fitting it.
Scientist (Without a Lab Coat)
Franklin conducted groundbreaking experiments in electricity—not as an academic, but as a curious tinkerer.
He:
Proved lightning is electricity
Invented the lightning rod (saving untold buildings and lives)
Coined terms still used today: battery, conductor, positive, negative
And he refused to patent his inventions. Why?
Because he believed knowledge should benefit society, not just shareholders.
That alone disqualifies him from modern tech culture.
Inventor, Practical to the Bone
Franklin didn’t invent to impress—he invented to solve problems:
Bifocal glasses (because squinting is inefficient)
The Franklin stove (less wood, more heat)
A flexible urinary catheter (yes, really—necessity is the mother of dignity)
Everything he touched had a purpose. No fluff. No vanity projects.
Diplomat: The Man Who Outsmarted Empires
Here’s the part most Americans underestimate.
Franklin was America’s most effective diplomat.
In France, he didn’t bully or threaten. He charmed. He listened. He understood incentives. He understood people.
While others argued ideology, Franklin secured:
French military support
French financing
And ultimately, American independence
He won a global chess match wearing a fur hat and pretending to be a rustic philosopher.
Never confuse soft power with weakness.
Political Architect (Reluctantly)
Franklin helped:
Draft the Declaration of Independence
Shape the Constitution
Negotiate the Treaty of Paris
Yet he distrusted political extremism and warned constantly about factionalism. He understood that democracy is fragile—not because people are evil, but because people are human.
His genius wasn’t idealism. It was realism.
The System Builder
Franklin didn’t just think big—he built systems:
Public libraries
Volunteer fire departments
Insurance cooperatives
Universities (University of Pennsylvania)
He asked a dangerous question: “What would still work if I’m gone?”
That’s leadership.
“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” — Benjamin Franklin
The Original Self-Help Guru
Benjamin Franklin was arguably the original self-help guru—long before the genre existed—using his writings to pass along hard-earned life lessons, none more enduring than his 13 virtues to live by, a practical framework he believed could shape character, discipline, and success (see below).
“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” -- BF
So… Why Is He on the $100 Bill?
Not because he was rich.
Not because he was loud.
Not because he demanded recognition.
But because Franklin embodied the American ideal before America knew what it was:
Self-made, not entitled
Curious, not dogmatic
Practical, not ideological
Moral, without being sanctimonious
The man on the $100 bill isn’t just a historical figure.
He’s a warning—and a challenge.
Because once you know what Benjamin Franklin actually did with one lifetime, it becomes much harder to justify wasting your own.
And suddenly, that “fat guy” doesn’t look so sleepy after all.
Benjamin Franklin’s 13 Virtues
Benjamin Franklin’s 13 Virtues come from his Autobiography and were designed as a practical system for moral self-improvement. Franklin focused on one virtue per week, cycling through all thirteen four times a year.
Below is the canonical list, with Franklin’s original explanations (modernized slightly for clarity but faithful in meaning):
Temperance
Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
Silence
Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
Order
Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
Resolution
Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
Frugality
Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.
Industry
Lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
Sincerity
Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly; and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
Justice
Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
Moderation
Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
Cleanliness
Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation.
Tranquillity
Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
Chastity
Rarely use venery (sex) but for health or offspring; never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation.
Humility
Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
Why these virtues matter
Franklin did not frame these as religious commandments, but as operational habits—a system for building character, discipline, and effectiveness. Many modern self-development systems (habit tracking, OKRs, Stoic practices) echo this structured, incremental approach.
In modern terms, Franklin was warning against compulsion over choice—a theme that runs through all of his virtues.
Benjamin Franklin (resume)
Founder | Statesman | Inventor | Publisher | Diplomat | Civic Technologist
Philadelphia, PA | Available for Advisory, Diplomacy, Innovation, and Nation-Building Roles
About
Polymath leader with deep experience across government, science, media, finance, and international relations. Proven track record of building institutions from scratch, influencing public opinion at scale, negotiating with world powers, and translating abstract ideas into practical systems that improve daily life.
Known for bridging divides—between colonies and empires, theory and practice, liberty and responsibility. Passionate about lifelong learning, experimentation, and civic progress. Strong believer that societies improve when knowledge is shared, incentives are aligned, and people are held accountable for outcomes.
Experience
Founding Father & Constitutional Architect
United States of America | 1775 – 1790
Helped design and legitimize a new nation under unprecedented political conditions
Contributed to the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution
Championed individual liberty, federalism, and pragmatic governance
Balanced ideological ideals with operational realities
Key Skills: Nation-building, governance design, coalition building, political negotiation
Ambassador to France
Continental Congress | 1776 – 1785
Secured critical military and financial support from France during the Revolutionary War
Built trust with foreign leaders through diplomacy, cultural fluency, and strategic communication
Managed high-stakes negotiations under existential national risk
Key Skills: International diplomacy, persuasion, negotiation, cross-cultural leadership
Founder & Publisher
The Pennsylvania Gazette | 1729 – 1766
Built one of the most influential media platforms in colonial America
Used publishing to educate the public, shape opinion, and promote civic values
Demonstrated early mastery of branding, audience engagement, and content strategy
Key Skills: Media strategy, public communication, influence, writing, publishing
Inventor & Applied Scientist
Independent Researcher | Ongoing
Invented the lightning rod, bifocals, Franklin stove, and flexible urinary catheter
Conducted groundbreaking experiments in electricity
Focused on practical inventions that solved real human problems
