60 Benjamin Franklin Quotes on Education, Success & Life

These Benjamin Franklin quotes show why he is sometimes referred to as “The First American” and is widely known as one of the most important people in American history.

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Benjamin Franklin’s legacy lives on even centuries after his death.

This Founding Father of the United States was intelligent, courageous, and offered us up some remarkable words to live by.

Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States who drafted the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States.

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A study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology found that people who set specific and challenging goals are more likely to achieve them than those who set general goals or no goals at all.

Benjamin Franklin’s quote, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail” highlights the importance of setting specific goals to achieve success.

He was a polymath who’s remembered for being a leading author,  printer, political theorist, politician, Freemason, postmaster, scientist, inventor, humorist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat.

Franklin was a major figure in the American Enlightenment and founded many civic organizations, including the Library Company and the University of Pennsylvania.

During the revolution, Franklin became the first United States Postmaster General, and he also served as governor of Pennsylvania from 1785 to 1788.

As one of America’s most influential Founding Fathers, Benjamin Franklin clearly tapped into his Everyday Power, and there are lots of great lessons to be learned from his colorful life and words of wisdom.

Below are some powerful Benjamin Franklin quotes to inspire you.

Enjoy!

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Best Benjamin Franklin quotes on success and life

A study published in the journal Social Science & Medicine found that people who engage in regular physical activity have lower rates of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

Benjamin Franklin’s quote, “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise” emphasizes the importance of healthy habits for overall well-being.

1. “He that can have patience can have what he will.”― Benjamin Franklin

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2. “Honesty is the best policy.” –Benjamin Franklin

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3. “Three may keep a secret if two of them are dead.”― Benjamin Franklin

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4. “Energy and persistence conquer all things.”-  Benjamin Franklin

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5. “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” –  Benjamin Franklin

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6. “Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.”― Benjamin Franklin

7. “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” –  Benjamin Franklin

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8. “Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.” –  Benjamin Franklin

9. “Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight.”― Benjamin Franklin

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10. “When you are finished changing, you’re finished.”― Benjamin Franklin

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Benjamin Franklin quotes on education and learning

A study published in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Review found that people who are able to delay gratification and exercise self-control are more likely to achieve long-term success.

Benjamin Franklin’s quote, “Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today” highlights the importance of taking action and avoiding procrastination to achieve success.

11. “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”― Benjamin Franklin

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12. “Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing.”― Benjamin Franklin

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13. “I didn’t fail the test, I just found 100 ways to do it wrong.”― Benjamin Franklin

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14. “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” – Benjamin Franklin

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15. “Genius without education is like silver in the mine.” – Benjamin Franklin

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16. “Being ignorant is not so much a shame, as being unwilling to learn.” – Benjamin Franklin

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17. “The only thing that is more expensive than education is ignorance.” ― Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin quotes that enlighten

18. “Beware of little expenses. A small leak will sink a great ship.” –  Benjamin Franklin

19. “Tis a great confidence in a friend to tell him your faults; greater to tell him his.”― Benjamin Franklin

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20. “Well done is better than well said.” – Benjamin Franklin

21. “Never confuse motion with action.”― Benjamin Franklin

22. “We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid.” – Benjamin Franklin

23. “Remember not only to say the right thing in the right place, but far more difficult still, to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.”― Benjamin Franklin

24. “When you’re testing to see how deep water is, never use two feet.”― Ben Franklin

25. “To succeed, jump as quickly at opportunities as you do at conclusions.” – Benjamin Franklin

26. “To find out a girl’s faults, praise her to her girlfriends.”― Benjamin Franklin

27. “One today is worth two tomorrows.” – Benjamin Franklin

28. “A false friend and a shadow attend only while the sun shines.” ― Benjamin Franklin

29. “To lengthen thy life, lessen thy meals.” ― Benjamin Franklin

30. “Speak little, do much.” ― Benjamin Franklin

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Benjamin Franklin quotes of Freedom and Liberty

31. “Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.”― Benjamin Franklin

32. “Without freedom of thought, there can be no such thing as wisdom – and no such thing as public liberty without freedom of speech.” – Benjamin Franklin

33. “They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” – Benjamin Franklin

34. “Happiness depends more on the inward disposition of mind than on outward circumstances.”― Benjamin Franklin

35. “Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech.”― Benjamin Franklin

36. “If a man could have half of his wishes, he would double his troubles.” ― Benjamin Franklin

37. “Security without liberty is called prison.” ― Benjamin Franklin

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Benjamin Franklin quotes to elevate your mind

38. “Fear not death for the sooner we die, the longer we shall be immortal.”― Benjamin Franklin

39. “Wine is constant proof that God loves us and loves to see us happy.” – Benjamin Franklin

40. “In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” – Benjamin Franklin

41. “Life’s tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.” – Benjamin Franklin

42. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”― Benjamin Franklin

43. “All mankind is divided into three classes: those that are immovable, those that are movable, and those that move. ” ― Benjamin Franklin

44. “For every minute spent in organizing, an hour is earned.” ― Benjamin Franklin

45. “You only have the right to pursue happiness; you have to catch it yourself.” ― Ben Franklin

46. “He that speaks much, is much mistaken.” ― Benjamin Franklin

47. “The best way to see faith is to shut the eye of Reason.” ― Benjamin Franklin

48. “He that falls in love with himself will have no rivals.” ― Benjamin Franklin

49. “Don’t cry over spilled milk” ― Ben Franklin

50. “Content makes poor men rich; discontent makes rich men poor.” ― Benjamin Franklin

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Other inspirational Benjamin Franklin quotes

51. “Wish not so much to live long as to live well.” ― Benjamin Franklin

52. “He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.”
― Benjamin Franklin

53. “Search others for their virtues, thy self for thy vices.” ― Benjamin Franklin

54. “The heart of a fool is in his mouth, but the mouth of a wise man is in his heart.” ― Benjamin Franklin

55. “What more valuable than Gold? Diamonds. Than Diamonds? Virtue.” ― Benjamin Franklin

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56. “We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.”
― Benjamin Franklin

57. “What you seem to be, be really.” ― Benjamin Franklin

58. “If you would not be forgotten, as soon as you are dead and rotten, either write things worth reading or do things worth writing.”― Benjamin Franklin

59. “When you’re good to others, you’re best to yourself.” ― Benjamin Franklin

60. “We do not stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing!”― Benjamin Franklin

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Which of these Benjamin Franklin quotes was your favorite?

Benjamin Franklin lived a colorful life and left a strong legacy of scientific and political achievements.

As one of America’s most influential Founding Fathers, he has been honored on coinage, warships and the names of many towns, counties, educational institutions, and more.

A writer known for his wit and wisdom, Franklin was also a prolific inventor and scientist who was responsible for several inventions.

Hopefully, these quotes have inspired you to live your life to your full potential.

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Which of the quotes was your favorite?

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