Episode 768: Why Benjamin Franklin Hated To Do Lists - Your Daily Real Estate Podcast with Tristan Ahumada

Summary6 min read

Episode Overview

Podcast: Your Daily Real Estate Podcast with Tristan Ahumada
Episode: 768 – Why Benjamin Franklin Hated To Do Lists
Host: Tristan Ahumada
Date: January 6, 2026
Duration: ~5 minutes

Main Theme:
Tristan explores Benjamin Franklin's 13 virtues system—a centuries-old habit-tracking method—and discusses how its disciplined, focused approach is far superior to modern to-do lists for real estate professionals. He details how Franklin's incremental, virtue-by-virtue method can help agents avoid overwhelm and build lasting habits. Tristan also shares how he has adapted Franklin’s virtues for his own life and business development.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The False Promise of To-Do Lists (00:00–01:20)

Tristan opens with Franklin’s practice of tracking failures rather than wins, using black dots to mark his shortcomings in a daily notebook.
Key Idea:

“It’s not about waking up tomorrow and suddenly becoming a prospecting machine. It’s about focusing on one thing at a time until it becomes part of who you are.” (Tristan, 00:32)
He critiques the agent mentality of trying to change everything at once (“I’m going to… post on social, call my database… all starting Monday”), which inevitably leads to overwhelm.
Franklin’s system: focus on mastering one virtue per week, then move on, cycling through all 13 four times a year.
Memorable Quote:

“Not because you’re lazy, because you’re overwhelmed. Franklin was a genius, and even he knew he couldn’t tackle everything at once.” (Tristan, 00:48)

2. The 13 Virtues: What They Are, How Tristan Adapts Them (01:20–05:00)

Each virtue, as Franklin described it, is explained along with Tristan’s interpretation, modifications, and relevance to real estate.

Temperance (01:22)

Franklin’s View: “Eat not to dullness, drink not to elevation.”
Real Estate Application: Self-restraint for energy and focus.
Tristan: Kept this virtue at the top.

“For him, temperance was important. For you, is this one you want to keep?” (Tristan, 01:37)

Silence → Listen (01:46)

Franklin: “Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself. Avoid trifling conversation.”
Tristan’s Change: Focus more on listening.

“Listening more than speaking and avoiding gossip... Do you need this in your business?” (Tristan, 01:59)

Order (02:15)

Franklin: “Let all your things have their places; each part of business its time.”
Application: Organization and time management.
Tristan: Admits he, like Franklin, struggles with this because of many ideas.

“You would think he would probably have this one down, but... he had the same challenge we do.” (Tristan, 02:30)

Resolution → Connect (02:36)

Franklin: “Resolve to perform what you ought.”
Tristan’s Change: Focus instead on deeper connections, slowing down to connect rather than rushing.

“I have a challenge moving fast. Sometimes I don’t slow down enough to connect with others.” (Tristan, 02:45)

Frugality (02:53)

Franklin: “Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; waste nothing.”
Expansion: Treat both time and money frugally.
Tristan: Kept this, highlights “be frugal with your time.”

Industry → Read (03:08)

Franklin: “Lose no time. Be always employed in something useful.”
Tristan’s Change: Replaced with “Read”—wants better consistency in his reading, rather than always being productive.

“For you, maybe industry’s great. For me, I need to shut off sometimes; I put ‘read.’” (Tristan, 03:16)

Sincerity (03:25)

Franklin: “Use no hurtful deceit. Think innocently and justly.”
Tristan’s Twist: Added focus on sincerity to self—accountability and self-honesty.

Justice (03:45)

Franklin: “Wrong none by doing injuries or omitting the benefits that are your duty.”
Application: Fulfilling obligations, keeping promises.
Tristan: Considers changing the word, but keeps focus on duty and trust.

“If you can’t even show up when you said... how do you expect us to trust you?” (Tristan, 03:52)

Moderation (04:00)

Franklin: “Avoid extremes. Forbear resenting injuries.”
Application: Emotional balance, avoiding extreme reactions.

Cleanliness → Love (04:10)

Franklin: “Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation.”
Tristan’s Change: Swapped for family connection (“Love”)—wanting to slow down and connect more with family.

Tranquility (04:30)

Franklin: “Be not disturbed at trifles or at accidents, common or unavoidable.”
Application: Maintaining inner peace under stress.

“Don’t let those things ruin your day. It’s how you react that matters.” (Tristan, 04:37)

Chastity → Emotions/Being Present (04:45)

Franklin: Sexual discipline and responsibility.
Tristan’s Change: Focuses on emotional tracking (“Emotions”), moving toward presence (“Am I present in the moment?”)

“That’s my goal—being present.” (Tristan, 04:56)

Humility (05:00)

Franklin: “Imitate Jesus and Socrates.” Originally added when a friend pointed out Franklin’s arrogance.
Tristan: Kept humility, mindful of his approach with people.

3. Franklin’s Daily Bookending Habit (05:07)

Franklin started and ended each day with two powerful reflective questions:
- Morning: “What good shall I do this day?”
- Evening: “What good have I done this day?”
Tristan's Highlight: Recommends this simple check-in technique for daily improvement and mindfulness.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Overwhelm:

“Not because you’re lazy, because you’re overwhelmed.” (Tristan, 00:48)
Habit Overhaul:

“Imagine applying the same discipline to your real estate business... What if instead of trying to fix everything at once, you spent one week mastering your morning routine, the next week perfecting your follow up calls...” (Tristan, 01:11)
On Authenticity:

“Am I being sincere to myself in the way that I talk to myself? In being truthful in what I’m actually doing and where I’m actually at?” (Tristan, 03:31)
Presence and Family:

“I go through parts of the day where I could slow down a little bit more and connect with my family.” (Tristan, 04:19)
Tranquility and Stoicism:

“Don’t let those things that are going to happen ruin your day. It’s how you react that matters. Very stoic, right?” (Tristan, 04:37)
Daily Bookends:

“What good shall I do this day? ... What good have I done this day? Pretty nice, right?” (Tristan, 05:09)

Important Timestamps

00:00–01:20: Franklin’s productivity philosophy; the “one thing at a time” lesson
01:20–05:00: Breakdown of the 13 virtues, with Tristan’s adaptations
05:07–05:22: Franklin’s daily morning/evening questions for accountability and self-improvement

Summary Table: Franklin’s Virtues vs. Tristan’s Adaptations

| # | Franklin’s Virtue | Tristan’s Version (if changed) | Key Application | |----|------------------------|----------------------------------------|---------------------------------------| | 1 | Temperance | Temperance | Self-restraint, energy | | 2 | Silence | Listen | Listen, avoid chatter | | 3 | Order | Order | Organization | | 4 | Resolution | Connect | Follow through, connect deeper | | 5 | Frugality | Frugality | Wise use of time & money | | 6 | Industry | Read | Balanced productivity, lifelong learning | | 7 | Sincerity | Sincerity (introspective emphasis) | Authenticity, self-accountability | | 8 | Justice | Justice (duty-focused) | Keeping promises, fairness | | 9 | Moderation | Moderation | Balance, emotional control | | 10 | Cleanliness | Love (family connection) | Tidiness, family connection | | 11 | Tranquility | Tranquility | Inner peace, resilience | | 12 | Chastity | Emotions/Presence | Emotional awareness, presence | | 13 | Humility | Humility | Openness, respect, learning |

Final Thoughts

Tristan makes a compelling argument for shifting away from overburdening to-do lists toward a practice of cultivating habits one at a time, as exemplified by Benjamin Franklin. By sharing his personal adaptations and advocating for a tailored approach, Tristan’s episode is both practical and motivating for real estate professionals seeking substantial, lasting growth in their business and life.

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[00:00]
A
What if I told you that one of the greatest minds in American history tracked his failures every single day with black dots in a notebook? Not his wins, his failures. Benjamin Franklin's 13 virtues system is 300 years old, and it's still more effective than than any productivity app you've got on your phone. Here's what Franklin understood that most real estate agents don't. It's not about waking up tomorrow and suddenly becoming a prospecting machine. It's about focusing on one thing at a time until it becomes part of who you are. Think about your business for a second. How many times have you said, I'm going to post on social media every single day, call my database, follow up with every lead, go to networking events, and finally get my CRM organized, all starting Monday. And by Wednesday, you've got none of it done. Not because you're lazy, because you're overwhelmed. Franklin was a genius, and even he knew he couldn't tackle everything at once. So he picked one virtue per week. Just one. He gave it his full attention for seven days, tracked where he fell short, and then moved to the next one. 52 weeks a year. 4 complete cycles through all 13 virtues. Now imagine applying the same discipline to your real estate business. What if instead of trying to fix everything at once, you spent one week mastering your morning routine, the next week perfecting your follow up calls, and the week after that, maybe your listing presentation. Now that's the power of this system. And today I'm going to break down all 13 of Franklin's virtues to show you exactly how each one applies to building a real estate business that actually lasts. I'm Tristan Almada. This is your daily real estate. It's a podcast, it's a show. It's designed to make you a better real estate agent from all angles. Like today. And if you need any of this, you could probably just Google this. It's easy to find. If not, I'll gladly send it over to you. Now, I'm going to go over this and also show you which ones I may be changing, because I'm also tracking them and have been tracking them since I was a very young kid when I read his autobiography. So let's get right into this. One very first one that you'll see is temperance. And for Benjamin Franklin, temperance was eat not to dullness, drink not to elevation. The goal, self restraint in food and drink. He believed this gave him clarity of mind and it kept him focused through the day. In essence, to maintain his energy for the day. And maybe he noticed that he was also getting a little foggy if he overate or over drank. So for him, temperance was important for you. Is this one that you want to keep? I kept it for me. I have it written down. Temperance is at the top, just like Franklin's. Number two, silence. I changed silence to listen. Very similar. But here's what he says. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself. Avoid trifling conversations. The goal, listening more than speaking and avoiding gossip or empty chatter. In essence, it was the same thing. Silence and listening to me. Listening to stuck out more. Do you need this in your business? Are you the type of person who just talks somebody's ear off and doesn't listen? Number three, order. Let all your things have their places. Let each part of your business have its time. The goal, organization and time management. Franklin admitted he struggled with this one. The most interesting order. You would think he would probably have this one down, but I think he had so many different ideas. He would be like, I need to tackle that. I need to tackle that. This is amazing. This is so. You know, he had. He had the same challenge we do. I liked order, so I kept this one. Number four, resolution. Resolve to perform what you ought perform, without fail what you resolve. The goal, determination and following through on commitments. I changed this one and you'll see that I change other ones if you get this document. I have a challenge moving fast. Sometimes I don't slow down enough to connect with others. And I have a tendency to jump off a phone quickly to maybe even not pick up the phone and call somebody that I need to connect with deeper to have these conversations. So for me, instead of resolution, it was connect. I need to take time to connect with people deeper. That was for me. Number five, frugality. I kept this one. I love this one. Probably one of my biggest challenges, make no expense but to do good to others or yourself. Waste nothing. The goal, spending money wisely and avoiding wastefulness. So not necessarily just money, right? I like that. It's not necessarily money, but also, hey, are you treating your time well? Are you just spending your time? Be frugal with your time. Pay attention to the things that you're actually doing. It's important. I love that one. Number six, he calls it industry. Lose no time. Be always employed in something useful. Cut off all necessary actions. The goal, productivity and making the most of one's time. I cut this one off because I'm pretty industrious. In fact, I need to shut off sometimes, right? So instead of me putting this one, I put read sometimes. Believe it or not, as much as I read, there are days that I go through maybe two or three in a row that I don't read and then I try to bulk it all in one day or I want to space it out more evenly. So for me it's read industry. Though for you, maybe a great one. Number seven, Sincerity. I love this one and I kept it. Use no hurtful deceit. Think innocently and justly, and if you speak, speak accordingly. The goal? Honesty and authenticity in thoughts and words. Internally, I tweak this one because, yes, I love that, but I'm also watching internally. Am I being sincere to myself in the way that I talk to myself? In being truthful in what I'm actually doing and where I'm actually at? Right. Keeping myself more accountable. That one's been the biggest challenge of all. That one. Sincerity. For me, Justice. Wrong. None by doing injuries or omitting the benefits that are your duty. So show up for people. If you said you were going to show up, show up. Kind of like Charlie Munger says, listen, you're your word. If you can't even show up when you said you were going to show up and do the things that you were going to do, then how do you expect us to trust you? Right. The goal, Fairness and fulfilling obligations to others. I like this one. I kept it, but I may change the word, even though it will stand for the same thing. And I'm going to focus more on fulfilling obligations to others, being more dutiful in the things that I already said I was going to do. Number nine, Moderation. Avoid extremes. Forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve. The goal? Emotional balance and avoiding extreme reactions. Could be a good one for you. Number 10, cleanliness. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes or habitation. The goal? Hygiene and maintaining a tidy environment. Tidy environment because I've seen some of your desks, I've seen some of your cars. Real estate agents, they are not tidy. Could be a good one for you. I changed mine from cleanliness to a love specifically me, for my family. Sometimes I go through parts of the day where I could slow down a little bit more and connect with my family more. Right? So that one is for me. Number 11, tranquility. I kept this one. Be not disturbed at trifles or at accidents, common or unavoidable. The goal? Inner peace and resilience against minor annoyances. Listen, don't let those things that are going to happen ruin your day. Things are going to happen. It's how you react. That matters. Very stoic, right? Very Greek philosopher. Here, number 12, chastity. I did not keep this one, but rarely use venery. But for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation. The goal, sexual discipline and responsibility. This one, Listen, I don't know if this one's for you or not, but I. I removed this one and I wanted to track more my emotions through the day. So I put emotions very similar to tranquility on this one. And I'm between either emotions because I've already tried that one for a few weeks. They're similar. I'm probably leaning more towards being present, right? Am I present in conversation with who I'm talking to? Am I present in the thing that I'm actually doing right now? It's easy. I have all my attention here, right? It's not like I'm doing two things at once. That's my goal, being present. Number 13. Last one. Humility. I kept this one, right? Imitate here, it says, in his words, imitate Jesus and Socrates. The note, Franklin originally had only 12 virtues. He added humility after a friend pointed out that he could be arrogant in conversation. And if you've read any of his biographies, he definitely could, so it makes sense. I kept this one because I have to just be careful as well in how I approach conversations and when I meet with people. Now, his daily bookending habit. I wanted to end with this. In addition to the 13 virtues, Franklin framed his day with two powerful questions to keep himself on track. The morning for him. What good shall I do this day? What good shall I do this day? Kind of giving you the choice. And the evening, what good have I done this day? Pretty nice, right? Anyway, if you think this benefits you, go ahead and share this with a friend. Share this with somebody you think maybe needs it. I appreciate your time. Thank you for joining me. Another episode and I will see you tomorrow.