The Virtue Circle

The Virtue Circle
The Virtue Circle is a twice-monthly, in-person discussion group for people who want to become wiser, more disciplined, more self-controlled, more responsible, and more honorable one virtue at a time.
Each meeting focuses on one virtue or high-performance attribute. The first 13 meetings follow Benjamin Franklin’s 13 virtues. The next 12 follow Darren Hardy’s A-Team Attributes.
The group usually meets twice per month, typically on the first and third Monday evening.
This is not a lecture, debate, therapy group, networking event, or general current-events discussion. It is a structured virtue circle for people who want to understand virtue, reflect honestly, and take one practical action between meetings to improve their character.
The goal is not perfection. The goal is steady improvement.
This group is for people who value:
Character. Self-control. Wisdom. Good judgment. Personal responsibility. Discipline. Honesty. Humility. Practical improvement.
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How Each Meeting Works
Each meeting focuses on one virtue or high-performance attribute of the week.
The purpose of the group is simple: to understand the weekly virtue, reflect on how it applies to real life, and choose one practical action to develop that virtue during the coming week.
Each meeting follows a simple format:
1. Virtue of the Week
We introduce the weekly virtue or attribute, including its definition and interpretation.
2. Personal Reflection
Each person reflects on where this virtue is currently strong or weak in their own life.
3. Group Discussion
We discuss what the virtue means, what makes it difficult to practice, and what it looks like in real conduct.
4. Practical Action
Each person chooses one small action to practice that virtue during the coming week.
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Participation Note
Attendance is voluntary. The Virtue Circle is a discussion group for adults, focused on personal reflection and practical improvement only. It does not provide legal, medical, psychological, financial, or professional advice. Each member is responsible for their own conduct, choices, belongings, and personal safety while attending.
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25-Week Virtue Cycle
Benjamin Franklin’s 13 Virtues
1. Temperance

• Definition: Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
• Interpretation: Temperance means self-command over appetite, comfort, pleasure, and excess.
• Action: Create a clear stopping rule before temptation begins, then stop at enough.

2. Silence

• Definition: Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
• Interpretation: Silence means disciplined speech: saying only what is useful, truthful, and beneficial.
• Action: Pause before speaking and ask, “Is this useful?”

3. Order

• Definition: Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
• Interpretation: Order means giving your possessions, duties, time, and systems their proper place.
• Action: Give one scattered item, task, document, or responsibility a clear place, time, or sequence.

4. Resolution

• Definition: Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
• Interpretation: Resolution means doing what you have decided ought to be done, without excuses or delay.
• Action: Complete one delayed commitment before choosing comfort, distraction, or more planning.

5. Frugality

• Definition: Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; waste nothing.
• Interpretation: Frugality means using money, time, energy, and resources for real good, without waste.
• Action: Before spending money, time, energy, or attention, ask, “What real good will this produce?”

6. Industry

• Definition: Lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
• Interpretation: Industry means using time well by doing useful work and cutting off unnecessary action.
• Action: Ask, “What is the most useful action now?” Then cut off one distraction and begin it.

7. Sincerity

• Definition: Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly; and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
• Interpretation: Sincerity means thinking, speaking, and acting truthfully, without deceit or manipulation.
• Action: Say the plain, honest version without exaggeration, false flattery, or hidden motive.

8. Justice

• Definition: Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
• Interpretation: Justice means doing what is owed and wronging no one by action or neglect.
• Action: Ask, “Who is owed something from me today?” Then fulfill one duty, response, payment, thanks, correction, or apology.

9. Moderation

• Definition: Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
• Interpretation: Moderation means avoiding extremes in emotion, judgment, reaction, pleasure, and resentment.
• Action: When emotion rises, lower the intensity and choose the proportionate response.

10. Cleanliness

• Definition: Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation.
• Interpretation: Cleanliness means maintaining dignity, readiness, and order in your body, clothing, and environment.
• Action: Clean, reset, or restore one visible area before neglect spreads.

11. Tranquility

• Definition: Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
• Interpretation: Tranquility means staying calm when facing small, common, or unavoidable problems.
• Action: When disturbed, ask, “Is this a trifle, common, or unavoidable?” Then take the next useful action calmly.

12. Chastity

• Definition: Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation.
• Interpretation: Chastity means governing sexual desire so it does not weaken judgment, peace, strength, dignity, or reputation.
• Action: Remove one source of temptation and redirect the energy toward useful work, prayer, exercise, study, or service.

13. Humility

• Definition: Imitate Jesus and Socrates.
• Interpretation: Humility means lowering pride so truth, correction, service, and teachability can guide you.
• Action: Receive correction, admit one mistake, ask a sincere question, or serve quietly without seeking recognition.

Darren Hardy’s 12 Attributes of the A-Team
14. Love

• Definition: Hire patriots who love the mission, not mercenaries working only for the paycheck.
• Interpretation: Love means caring deeply about the mission, the work, and the people being served.
• Action: Ask, “Do I truly care about this mission and the people served?” Then act in a way that proves it.

15. Growth

• Definition: A growth mindset means believing you can learn anything with enough attention, time, and focus.
• Interpretation: Growth means believing ability can be developed through learning, effort, feedback, and persistence.
• Action: Choose one thing you believe you are “not good at” and practice or study it for 10 minutes.

16. Excellence

• Definition: Excellence is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.
• Interpretation: Excellence means holding yourself to a high standard, even in small or unseen work.
• Action: Choose one ordinary task today and do it with extra care, focus, and pride.

17. Humble

• Definition: Humility is having a strong sense of self and a quiet, grounded confidence—being comfortable in your own skin and abilities.
• Interpretation: Being humble means listening well, admitting mistakes, giving credit, serving others, and reducing ego.
• Action: In your next conversation, ask a thoughtful question and listen fully before speaking again.

18. Hungry

• Definition: Hunger—an unstoppable desire for more, better, and greater achievement—is the fuel behind greatness.
• Interpretation: Being hungry means having the internal drive to grow, achieve, persist, and refuse “good enough.”
• Action: Choose one difficult task you have been avoiding and work on it for 10 focused minutes.

19. Smart / EQ

• Definition: Smart (EQ) is emotional intelligence—being empathetic, intuitive, and aware of people.
• Interpretation: Smart / EQ means understanding yourself and others through self-awareness, empathy, listening, observation, and impulse control.
• Action: In your next conversation, do not interrupt. Observe tone, body language, and emotional cues.

20. Extreme Ownership

• Definition: Take 100% responsibility for every circumstance and outcome in your life.
• Interpretation: Extreme Ownership means owning what you did, what you failed to do, and how you respond next.
• Action: Pick one current problem and write down what you did, what you failed to do, and one better response you can choose now.

21. Spark Speed

• Definition: Adopt a do-it-now mentality—Spark Speed so tasks are decided and acted on immediately.
• Interpretation: Spark Speed means deciding quickly, acting quickly, and not letting tasks pile up into mental clutter.
• Action: When the next task, message, or request arrives, decide immediately: do it, delegate it, deny it, or delete it.

22. Courage

• Definition: Courage is a choice—acting in the face of fear—and it is what ultimately creates confidence.
• Interpretation: Courage means stepping into discomfort and doing the right thing before you feel ready.
• Action: Identify one uncomfortable task you have been avoiding and take one immediate action step toward it.

23. Reliable

• Definition: Being reliable means being someone others can count on—always—doing what you said you would do.
• Interpretation: Reliability means following through without excuses, reminders, or unnecessary supervision.
• Action: Complete one commitment today or send a proactive update before anyone has to ask.

24. Resourceful

• Definition: Being resourceful means: figure it out.
• Interpretation: Resourcefulness means finding answers, tools, people, ideas, and solutions instead of making excuses.
• Action: Write down one problem and spend five minutes searching for a solution, tool, person, or resource.

25. Consistency

• Definition: Consistency is the ability to sustain effort and commitment over time, even when motivation fades.
• Interpretation: Consistency means continuing after the initial excitement disappears and keeping the habit alive through repeated action.
• Action: Choose one commitment you have drifted from and take one small action today to restart it.