I Don't Like the 13 Virtues

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. - James 1:22-24

I have a shocking confession to make today, I don't like Ben Franklin's 13 Virtues. I know I have included tracking for these in both the Original Bubble Planner and the Big Bubble Planner, but, frankly, I don't like them.

Why Don't I Like Them?
The 13 Virtues act like a mirror on my life. When I track them to see how much I've improved my character, I have a choice to make. Do I take action on what I've learned about myself or do I just let it go?

As a creative person, I'm naturally resistant to structure and discipline. After all, much of creativity is seeing things in a new way, and structure is designed to keep things in their current state. So, when I see things like goals and virtues, my natural tendency is to rebel.

How's That Working for You?
The problem with rebelling against all structure is that some structure is good. For example, I generally stop when the light turns red at an intersection. This structure is good and necessary to keep me safe. It allows me and other drivers to travel safely.

Goals and Virtues act in a similar manner. These are examples of good structure and discipline. By accepting these constraints in my life, I am able to travel safely on the road of life.

The Place for Creativity
While it took me a long time to understand this, it is true. By accepting good structure and discipline, I'm not limiting my creativity. In fact, I'm making it more powerful. By accepting Truth (which is defined as the "ideal or fundamental reality apart from and transcending perceived experience"), I have discovered that I have the ultimate freedom to create because I know that I will create things that will be productive and helpful.

Creativity can take many forms, and, in fact, some creativity is destructive. The prisons are full of creative people. So, as much as I dislike the 13 Virtues, they are True, which means they are helpful in my creative process.

I'm interested in your thoughts on the 13 Virtues. Do you use them? Do you like them? Let your voice be heard, leave me a comment.