If you remember, a few weeks back I wrote a post titled, What Benjamin Franklin Knew About Social Media. In it, I took a number of his quotes about people, life and relating with others, showing how he was a social media expert more than 200 years ago.

In his life, Ben Franklin also ran a number of businesses. So I’ve been interested in how he saw business. What were the principles he worked by. And, more interestingly, what wisdom could we learn from his perspectives. So let’s take a look:

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Absolutely, without a doubt this is one of the primary truths of business – and of life. If we’re unsatisfied with the results of our efforts, we shouldn’t continue doing the same thing and wonder why things aren’t changing. Yet, how many of us run our businesses just like this?

Tricks and treachery are the practice of fools, that don’t have brains enough to be honest.

Now Ben Franklin wasn’t always forthright with his own business practices. Like many today, he schemed and tricked some of his employers. Yet that doesn’t mean that what he says about honesty isn’t true. Those who practice trickery in business believe they’re smarter than their customers. Yet it takes far more mindfulness and intelligence to always remain honest. And honesty, as he once said, is the best policy.

Do not fear mistakes. You will know failure. Continue to reach out.

This maybe the first law of business, really. We’re going to fail. We’re going to test the waters of what we know and find out what we don’t. And that’s fine. Not only fine – but necessary. If we don’t fail, in many instances, we haven’t tried. Yet how many of us stay moored to the dock fearing we might sink our boat? Boats, and businesses are made to be sailed.

Trouble springs from idleness, and grievous toil from needless ease.

Sometimes I’ve had clients want to work with me who aren’t actively engaged in their business. They’re struggling for one, main reason – lack of effort. If we want our businesses to be successful, shouldn’t we actively pursue success rather than just wish, dream or talk about it?

Take time for all things: great haste makes great waste.

Very often missed by business owners is the idea that every part of their business needs nurturing; needs effort; needs time. Even the tasks you may not like, say accounting for instance, need to be given their proper attention and time. Otherwise you’ll find your business wasting away from beneath.

Diligence is the mother of good luck.

In business, we can certainly be lucky. We create that perfect widget at just the right time and everything just flourishes. Yet most of the time, it’s through hard work, effort and diligence that we find success. I say find success because that how I see it. Success is waiting for you to discover it. But you have to find it. And sometimes it’s more illusive that others.

He that waits upon fortune, is never sure of a dinner.

I put this one with the last statement. If we wait around for success, we should expect to have empty bellies. Success almost never finds us, remember. If we want success, we need to search for her.

He who falls in love with himself will have no rivals.

This may be my favorite quote. If you love what you do and what your about, than that love and passion will be on display with every business transaction you make. People will see that your business is alive and breathing – exciting and interesting. And they’ll want to participate. In these instances, there’s no competition with anyone else. There’s only you sharing what you love with the people who love what you do.

Sometimes we can reach into the past to find inspiration for what we’re doing today. Do any of these bits of wisdom inspire you in your business? Which ones….and how?

He may not have had a computer to share his thoughts, nor the internet to spread them. But he did have a printing press where he printed regular installments of Poor Richard’s Almanack.

Ben Franklin was known to have a sharp and witty mind and a love of things social. He loved to share his thoughts on any number of subjects. He loved to stir the pot…and he loved debate.

Think of any bloggers like that?

So Ben Franklin was a blogger before there was blogging. But don’t just take my word for it. All the evidence can be found in his own words:

“Be civil to all; sociable to many; familiar with few; friend to one; enemy to none.”

Isn’t that how blogging works? You want to be an open door to all, have conversations with those who engage you in the comment box, and become familiar with people who are interested in building relationships. Further, you’ll find a small group who will become like friends. And for all, let none become your enemy. Sound advice for any blogger.

And while Ben Franklin was a bit of hot-headed and stubborn in his time, he nonetheless offers great advice on dealing with the negativity we social media-types sometimes face:

“Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain and most fools do.”

“He that blows the coals in quarrels that he has nothing to do with, has no right to complain if the sparks fly in his face.”

“He that would live in peace and at ease, must not speak all he knows nor judge all he sees.”

He was a staunch proponent of finding what was interesting to himself and others and adding what was valuable to your reader’s lives:

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

And he knew so well that people couldn’t be convinced of anything unless they cared.

“If you would persuade, you must appeal to interest rather than intellect.“

What’s more, he knew that people did not want to be lectured too. Rather, they need to be engaged and included in the conversation:

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”

Ben Franklin clearly understood that writing a solid, interesting blog post took research:

“An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.”

…and required time and effort:

“He that can have patience can have what he will.”

“Energy and persistence conquer all things.”

…and that that hard work would eventually pay off:

“Employ thy time well, if thou meanest to get leisure.”

He even had advice for probloggers and those who wish to make money from their blogs; offering sound advice for remaining in balance between making money and keeping readers:

“He that is of the opinion money will do everything may well be suspected of doing everything for money.”

Overall, what Ben Franklin reminds us is that if we have something to share…some perspective that’s uniquely ours to share with the world – do it! And don’t let your fears get in the way:

“Hide not your talents, they for use were made. What’s a sun-dial in the shade?”

But perhaps the best advice of all is the advice that Mr. Franklin offered us for living our lives:

“Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that’s the stuff life is made of.”

Do any of Ben Franklin’s thoughts touch a chord in you about your blogging? How? And how could his advice change the way you look at social media?