Most of us are waiting for an “Aladdin’s Lamp” that promises the secret to success. We dive into biographies of successful people to find this magic formula. And most of these biographies fall flat because they miss what truly grips us–the human element. But the autobiography of Benjamin Franklin–one of the most influential figures in American history–hits different. Why? Because it was intended as a letter to his son to simply share the lessons he’d learned the hard way. He’s refreshingly honest about the mistakes he made and the struggles he faced– going through the same everyday challenges we all do. THAT’S the human element which makes this autobiography a masterpiece!

And the story behind this autobiography is one to tell. Franklin began casually writing it back in 1771. Then came the turmoil of the American Revolution and the manuscript was lost–until 1784, when Franklin’s friend Abel James miraculously found a chunk of it and sent it to Franklin. Franklin picked up the pen again, now with a wider audience in mind: young readers who dreamed big like him. But poor health slowed him down, and the story ended abruptly in 1757.

After Franklin’s death, the manuscript went on its own wild journey. His grandson, William Temple Franklin, decided to edit and publish it, but in a true editor fashion, he couldn’t resist tweaking it–making over 1,200 changes to tone down the “vulgarity” of Franklin’s phrasing and making it more “appropriate” for the time. The result? A version that wasn’t quite Franklin anymore. It wasn’t until 1868 that the original version was restored by a certain John Bigelow. He came across the original, unedited manuscript in Paris while serving as the US consul. He was quick to realize its historical significance and undertook the task of publishing a new version–the true voice of Franklin–just the way he intended.

Here’s a sneak peek into Franklin’s life broken down in key phases.

Franklin had a humble beginning. He was born as the 15th of the 17 children to his father, Josiah. Despite his modest background, Franklin loved books. Even as a child, he used any money he could find to buy books. He even attended grammar school. But since his father couldn't afford the cost of higher education, he was pulled out pretty quickly and put to work in his father’s candle-making shop. He HATED it! Thankfully, his father noticed it soon enough and explored other options for him. But, from woodworking to bricklaying, nothing seemed to fit.Franklin, 12 by then, was asked to apprentice his older brother James, who had returned from England with a printing press. Being surrounded by books while working in a printing house? There just couldn’t be anything better! So, he spent his days reading books late into the night and even dabbled in writing poetry books. Though poorly written, Franklin’s brother printed them anyway. And to everyone’s surprise, they sold well. In a way, Franklin's bookworm reading was what set him apart from his peers, even those who had access to formal education. Knowledge was the powerful tool that could help him transcend the limitations of his humble beginnings. This understanding became the driving force behind his relentless pursuit of learning and self-improvement.But their father was a believer of “verse-makers being generally beggars.” So, Franklin soon abandoned poetry. But, did that stop him from pursuing his love for reading and writing? It did not! He only went incognito. Franklin anonymously wrote a series of articles in his brother’s newspaper, which were quite well-received by the readers. But, little did he know the drama that was about to follow…Franklin’s popularity made his brother jealous. The family drama got worse after his brother was jailed. Benjamin stepped up to run the newspaper. And he did it quite well! After a brief stay in jail, his brother was released, but the relationship between them worsened. His brother, feeling both envious and threatened by Benjamin’s increasing skills and public praise, began to treat him more harshly. So, Franklin left his brother's printing shop for good and left his hometown, Boston, secretly. And thus, at 17, a young Benjamin Franklin headed to New York with very little money and no connections, ready to see whatever life had in store for him–just like a true hustler.Let's take a moment here to appreciate...

Franklin soon realized that Keith’s promises were empty. And thus started the turn! He found himself stranded in London with no support. But he was determined to make the best of his situation, and found work at two printing houses, first at Palmer’s, and later at Watts’s printing house, where he honed his craft and gained valuable experience. After spending 18 months in London, he returned to Philadelphia in 1726 only to encounter another horror awaiting his return–Miss Read had married another man. His relationship with Keimer also soured.But Franklin was a man of resilience. After his return to Philadelphia, he partnered with a fellow printer, Hugh Meredith, and in 1728, they set up their own printing business. His hard work was noticed, and he gained government contracts to print paper currency. Simultaneously, his intellect and writing skills were paying off, too. His anonymous pamphlet advocating for more paper money was well-received by the public. And he got more printing contracts. Even his personal life saw a turnaround for good! He reconnected with Miss Read, whose unfortunate marriage had fallen apart. They were married in 1730, forming a partnership that would last the rest of their lives.Franklin’s success in printing was only one facet of his relentless pursuit of knowledge. His curiosity and love of learning led him to create the Junto Club–a club for mutual improvement, where members discussed morals, politics, and philosophy.So you see, Franklin wasn’t the kind to wait for opportunities; he made things happen–not just for personal gain but for the greater good of society. And that’s the lesson for you here. Setbacks are stepping stones to success. When faced with challenges, adapt and persevere. Franklin's resilience and ability to turn adversity into opportunity show that with the right mindset, you can overcome any obstacle.Moving on! After these initial experiences as a young printer and budding intellectual in Philadelphia, he began to strive towards achieving moral perfection. And that was its own crazy quest! Let us explain why: if you could know for sure what was right and wrong, there’d be no reason why you wouldn't always choose the right path, correct? And that’s all there is to morality, right? Wrong! Moral perfection isn’t as simple as this. Just knowing what is right isn't enough; you WILL be influenced by your own hard-set habits or the influence of others. Point being, you need to break your...

Most of us know Franklin for his famous kite experiment. If you haven’t heard of it, here’s the crux: he flew a kite during a thunderstorm, with a key attached to the string, to prove that lightning was a form of electricity. This was the crucial first step in developing a way to protect buildings from lightning strikes. Based on his observations, Franklin theorized that a tall metal rod could attract lightning and guide it safely to the ground, protecting the building it was attached to. This led to his invention of the lightning rod, which then saved countless lives. The experiment was a big risk and too dangerous but his curiosity pushed him forward. And this is just one of his many inventions! Who do you think invented the bifocal lens? Franklin!It so happened that 78 year old Franklin was frustrated with switching between two pairs of glasses. And what does this curious inventor do? You guessed it: Another practical invention of bifocal glasses. By combining lenses for near and far sight in one frame, he made life easier for himself and many others.Franklin’s inventive spirit was always evident. In 1742, at the age of 36, his innovative fireplace design, commonly called the Franklin stove, efficiently heated rooms and saved a lot of fuel. He gifted the design to his friend who manufactured and sold them profitably. And that’s not all. His pamphlet promoting the stove’s advantages made it so popular that he was offered to patent his invention. But Franklin being Franklin, declined it. Because he believed that inventions should be shared freely for the benefit of society. What a humble and generous person he was!He also made contributions to oceanography by mapping the Gulf Stream. It was done to help ships traveling between America and England. By understanding the ocean currents, he helped reduce travel time for ships, improving trade, and making sea journeys safer. As someone who repeatedly experienced the havoc of sea journeys, it goes on to show how mere personal inconvenience or frustration could lead to great things. Lesson for us? Stop cribbing and start inventing! Let your curiosity drive you to solve problems. Franklin's inventions stemmed from a desire to improve daily life. Look around you and let your mind get out of the box, people!Franklin’s inventive mind wasn't limited to science—his commitment to improving society took the shape of reforms, civic advancements,...

The values that guided Franklin throughout his life also made him a person dedicated to improving the life of others through small effective practical changes. Take note through this all; community service isn't just noble; it's a path to personal growth and influence. We suggest taking a leaf out of his book. Trust us, your heart will be at peace. So, back to Franklin! One example was his reform of the city watch system in Philadelphia. Instead of relying on housekeepers to patrol the streets or paying a small fee to avoid it, Franklin proposed hiring paid watchmen and funding the system through a tax, based on property value. This created a more reliable and fair system for the city. Another major contribution was his paper on the causes of house fires which led to the formation of a fire-fighting company. This greatly improved the city’s ability to manage fires. Franklin contributed to everything!And these were just the small changes. This guy reformed the whole educational system of the entire state of Pennsylvania, housing his city of Philadelphia. Here’s how the story goes: the absence of a formal educational system was really getting to him. So, in 1744, he founded the American Philosophical Society–an organization to promote scientific discussion and knowledge. Five years later, in 1749, the University of Pennsylvania was established.Franklin’s support of progress also touched on areas like female entrepreneurship. In 1733, when Franklin was expanding his business, he sent one of his journeymen to South Carolina. This partnership was initially poorly managed, but after the journeyman’s death, his widow, well-versed in accounting, took over. She ran the business with great success, eventually purchasing the printing house from Franklin and establishing her son in the trade. It goes on to show Franklin’s advocacy towards female entrepreneurship in that era.Franklin’s involvement in public affairs didn’t stop at education. He also helped establish Philadelphia’s first hospital which became a valuable resource for the poor. Not to mention how much he contributed to improving the city's infrastructure. Better street paving, more cleanliness, an efficient street lighting system by suggesting improvements to the lamp design, he did it all.To top it all, as a joint postmaster-general of America, he even reformed and modernized the postal system, making postal service much more profitable for the British Crown. His work in public service continued to earn him recognitions from Yale and Harvard–truly deserving!His civic contributions...

Mid-1700s–the time when Franklin’s formal political career began. He was in his mid-40s. During this time, Pennsylvania, like much of the American colonies, was undergoing political tensions–Spain and France were at war with Britain. And Pennsylvania lacked adequate defense against the growing threat posed by the ongoing war. Franklin worked against the Quaker-dominated Assembly of Pennsylvania who refused to support military action. Quakers were a Christian religious group. Their pacifist stance of no military action was a big NO for Franklin as it made the colony vulnerable. So, what did he do to reform it? Organized a voluntary militia by writing a pamphlet emphasizing the need for unity and defense. It inspired over 10,000 citizens to sign up. Yes, over 10,000! He organized the volunteers into regiments.  Even women contributed by creating silk flags for the companies–a big deal considering this was during the 18th century. It was a rare and powerful display of community solidarity. Franklin made people rally for a cause greater than themselves.In addition to organizing the militia, he, along with others, even travelled to New York to borrow cannons from Governor Clinton. And yes, they succeeded in buying 18 cannons from him. The Quakers, of course, didn’t like his involvement. But Franklin stood by his principle of "never ask, never refuse, nor ever resign an office." He believed in serving when called upon, accepting responsibilities even in difficult circumstances. His influence is praiseworthy. Because eventually, some Quakers supported the defense cause and even contributed money towards it.His influence wasn’t limited to defense matters. His understanding of public finance was to vouch for. He solved the long-standing dispute between the Pennsylvania Assembly and the colony’s proprietors–the Penn family. The Penns were descendants of William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, and owned vast tracts of land. The Penns didn’t allow their estates to be taxed to support defense and other public needs. After years of intense negotiations with the British crown, Franklin–as a representative of the Pennsylvania Assembly–managed to subject Penn family’s estates to taxation. It laid the foundation for his later involvement in larger colonial and imperial matters.Franklin’s political vision extended far beyond Pennsylvania. In 1754, he proposed the “Albany Plan of Union”–a plan to unite the colonies under a single government for defense purposes. Though it was ultimately rejected– the colonial assemblies found it too centralized and the British government found it too democratic. In hindsight,...

A revolutionary hero and a founding father of the United States–Benjamin Franklin’s life is a testament to the power of curiosity, resilience, and commitment. His remarkable ability to navigate complex political landscapes with wisdom, pragmatism, and charm made him an indispensable figure in shaping the future of America. From his scientific innovations to his diplomatic triumphs, his legacy continues to inspire future generations after hundreds of years, showcasing that the key to greatness is the willingness to serve others while striving for constant improvement. His own words: “I would rather have it said, ‘He lived usefully,’ than, ‘He died rich,’” are a fitting reflection on his life.